[mythtv-users] Tivo has Commercial Skip in US

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Wed, Oct 14, 2015 at 6:46 AM, Joseph Fry <joe at thefrys.com> wrote:


> perhaps only for SD subscribers

I actually think you are better off tying it to the TVDB identifier, but....

.....
> There are obviously some caveats that would need to be accounted for:
.....

And do not forget:

* Only first run shows in the location/countries they were originally broadcast
  tend to be consistently commercialized.   Once you get to syndication, or
  broadcasts in different locations/countries things get bad quickly.  Cutting
  a "useless" scene (or skipping the "previously, on <show>" segments, or
  cutting just a few seconds at the end/start of a scene (the "fade to black"
  part) around existing breaks can often get you at least 15 seconds per show)
  to add in a few commercials is profit (that is why TiVo or Dish target those
  first run prime time network shows in the US).

* Identifying/Managing/Controlling intentionally uploaded "bad" data (yes,
  there is a benefit to some to feed you incorrect data, and if you think it
  would not happen....).

* Having patent protection (there are numerous patents on commercial
  detection, and some owners may decide to enforce them, especially
  if you "make money" by selling the data, so you likely need some
  protection/insurance/licensing (and licensing costs money too)).
  Or create a few essential patents and settle for cross licensing.
  Or incorporate in an appropriate location (sealand?).

* Because of the patent issue, some (many?) solutions might be
  unwilling to directly feed/process the information, so you would need
  to create a plugin architecture that could support the main solutions
  (MythTV, SageTV, etc.) and then get the needed exits added to their
  code base and document to the users how to hook things up.  Some
  up front negotiation would likely be required.

* There is the startup challenge.  Few seem likely to see the value
  (and work to contribute their own data) until you have enough data to
  make it interesting to participate in.  But perhaps if your faith is strong
  enough, and you build it, they will come.

* For the WMC world (and while they may not be "everyone", they
  do have a large percentage of the home DVR population that do
  not use the providers STB or TiVo) there are already some
  adequate commercial detection software available for purchase,
  reducing the population that would participate.



But if your business plan has considered all the known caveats
and has good ways to address them perhaps your startup can
succeed.