[mythtv-users] [OT] Study proves skipping commercials make TV less enjoyable

[Brad Templeton]

On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 01:54:58PM -0600, Robert Johnston wrote:
> 2009/1/14 Brad DerManouelian <myth at dermanouelian.com>:
> I believe the main reason for this is the US Producer's seemingly
> incessant need to spend 3/4 of the show repeating themselves. Let's
> take (For example) Mythbusters as an example (Though this could
> equally apply to almost any show).
> 
> The show runs:
> 
> Intro (2 minutes), Titles (3 minutes),
> Commercial (5 minutes),
> Recap intro (3 minutes), Content (8 minutes), "Coming up" (3 minutes),
> Commercial (5 minutes),
> Recap intro and previous content (3 minutes), new content (8 minutes),
> "Coming up" (3 minutes),
> Commercial (5 minutes),
> Recap intro and all previous content (5 minutes), new content (5
> minutes), "Coming up" (4 minutes),
> Commercial (5 minutes),
> Recap (again) (5 minutes), finale (4 minutes), Wrap up and end credits
> (3 minutes).
> 

Mythbusters is a great candidate for the audio compression speed up.
We watch it at 1.25x.  (I really miss audo compression in the current SVN,
where it is really badly broken over spdif)  In addition we:
        a) Hit commercial skip the moment any hit of commercial is
            coming.
        b) Hit 30 second forward when back from commercial, as it is
           always recap.
        c) Make judicious use of other fast forwards and skips.

Mythbusters is really a half hour show put into an hour.  If somebody
wanted to write an automated MB editor, all they would need to do is
just zap out all the times the narrator is talking.  Aside from being
mildly annoying, he never says anything you don't know.