Networks and DVRs
Before you watch your DVRed episode of Heros tonight you might want to know that you’re contributing to the failings of the networks. Bother you? No, me neither. It is interesting how much top shows are DVRed though. Fully 1/3 of Office viewers view it on DVR. Lost has about 23%. I halfway wonder if Lost’s figure is because so many of us don’t have the patience to wait an other hour and avoid commercials.
Of course the networks are having a dismal year and it’s partially due to the rise of DVRs. Of course DVRs don’t quite count in the same way towards a show’s popularity. Ditto iTunes downloads or even DVD rentals. It makes sense of course since the networks primarily make their money from ads and the main reason we all use DVRs is to skip ads. (Unless they have funny ducks in them - speaking only for myself)
I have to watch it on a DVR for purposes of my recaps. I simply can’t keep up, otherwise — and you, the reader, would be incensed at my lack of attention to detail. Tonight: Nathan Petrelli becomes Robert Kelly.
Comment by Supergenius — April 30, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
…the main reason we all use DVRs is to skip ads.
This may be true, but I also like to watch tv when I want to watch it, not according to when the network wants me to watch it. Plus, it’s also good to pause and/or rewind when my wife decides to pipe up in the middle of an important part of the show that I’m watching.
Comment by Rusty — April 30, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
DVR’s are influencing advertisers–which is line of work. Ads now prominently feature the company’s logo throughout the ad and will often move it around thus catching the eye of the viewer.
Broadcasters are trying to see if they can come up with technology that disables the DVR’s ability to scan commercials. Another option is when a viewer scans the commercial break, a 15 second ad will pop-up and play in its place.
Overall, DVR viewership isn’t that widespread–yet. BUt it’s definitely a concern for many advertisers.
Comment by Tim J. — April 30, 2007 @ 3:54 pm
“…which is MY line of work…”
Comment by Tim J. — April 30, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
Man, if you disable the DVR ability to scan over commercials, they have lose major leg of their appeal…
Comment by tracy m — April 30, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
I watch so much more tv since I got a DVR, it’s ridiculous.
Comment by Susan M — April 30, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
btw, tonight’s Heroes kicks butt.
Comment by Supergenius — April 30, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
DVR is a gift from God for parents who have young children. We don’t start watching anything until 8:30, which means we’re able to watch more now, and also watch shows we normally wouldn’t see.
I watch more, but a DVR has also made me less patient with shows. Because my DVR always has something on it, I’m less likely to put up with shows like Prison Break that I feel have gone downhill.
Also, happiness is a new Daily Show or Colbert Report to watch while I’m eating breakfast.
Comment by jjohnsen — April 30, 2007 @ 8:43 pm
+++
I completely agree. Plus if you have chores to do after the kids go to sleep you can do them.
I also agree about the not putting up with crap. But then I gave up on Prison Break after the first episode this season. (Which I thought was embarrassingly bad) I’d nearly given up many times last season. But this year I simply had more thins on my PVR to watch.
Comment by Clark — April 30, 2007 @ 9:14 pm
I agree. I think DVRs should be high on the list of everyone’s baby registries. It just makes more sense that way! We’ve had tivo for 2 years. I can’t imagine going back to live tv. I like that I can watch Gilmore Girls on Wednesday morning during the boy’s nap.
Comment by gabby — May 1, 2007 @ 7:32 am
My wife likes it as she has something to watch while nursing. Of course what she likes to watch is Dr. Phil and The View, which I tease her mercilessly about.
Comment by Clark Goble — May 1, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
Dude. Dr. Phil rules. He didn’t just fall off a turnip truck, you know!
Comment by Susan M — May 1, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
So can someone explain the difference between Tivo and DVR to a novice?
Comment by Brian V — May 1, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
Brian V., a DVR = any digital video recorder. It’s a generic term. Most cable companies now provide their own form of box that can record digital TV and skip back and forth. Alternatively some people have PCs that they’ve rigged to do it.
TiVo is a brand-name DVR. There is custom hardware, software and service that goes with it. It’s generally regarded as the best, but since cable companies have their own DVRs that they rent to you for cheap, Tivo popularity is waning.
Comment by Supergenius — May 1, 2007 @ 7:31 pm
I’ve used both TiVo and a cable company’s DVR, and I don’t really have a preference. Tivo’s interface is a little cartoony, which bugs me. The cable company’s DVR only lets you set up record times for shows that are on during the next couple days, which is lame. Cuz sometimes I’ll forget to do it.
Comment by Susan M — May 1, 2007 @ 7:40 pm
The best thing about TiVo is the 30-second skip, but now you can also schedule your recordings online and a bunch of other features. It’s pretty cool.
Comment by Supergenius — May 1, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
My DVR through Dish Network has everything that Tivo has, including 30 second skip. I’m pretty sure that’s why they’ve been sued by Tivo. Anyway, it rocks. Susan M’s experience with the cable company DVR sounds weird, I can set up different passes and recording options in advance, I’ve never heard of them restricting how far in advance I can record stuff. Another great thing about the DVR also is you can set it so it only record new episodes.
Comment by jjohnsen — May 1, 2007 @ 8:20 pm
I’ll explain. My DVR works through my cable. To record a show, I have to find it listed on the cable guide first. The cable guide listing only shows info for the next couple of days. If a show I want to tape is on next week, I can’t set my DVR to record it until a day or two before it airs.
My DVR has a 30-second rewind. I don’t think it has a 30-second fast forward. I have the impression my DVR is better at fast forwarding/rewinding than the TiVo I used (it’s stop is more accurate), but I’m guessing TiVo has been upgraded since then.
Can you not set TiVo to record only new episodes? We record so many shows, that’d be a big problem for us.
Comment by Susan M — May 1, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
The Dish PVR is indeed great. And their new version supports HDTV if I ever manage to get one. (I’d hoped I’d have one by now!)
I just like Dish far, far better than cable. The only complaint I have is that the picture quality of some of the local channels isn’t as good as it could be. Although I’m sure that’d become moot with the HDTV feed.
Comment by Clark — May 1, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
I would say TIVO is trying hard to set itself apart by now offering movies a la On Demand. You may see some deal reached between TiVo and the Satellite companies because of this. DirecTv and DIsh can’t offer On Demand programming like cable does.
Comment by Tim J. — May 1, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
Dish DVR does movies on demand as well. Unless things have changed very recently.
And of course with any DVR you could simply record one of the pay-per-view. Although all movies on demand and pay-per-view are mastered independent of DVDs and typically are full frame and of lower quality than DVDs. I honestly don’t understand why pay-per-view and movies on demand are around. But then I don’t understand why anyone would buy a movie from iTunes either.
Comment by Clark Goble — May 2, 2007 @ 9:18 am