[mythtv-users] Commercial Overlays

Rod Smith mythtv at rodsbooks.com
Tue Oct 30 19:36:21 UTC 2007


On Tuesday 30 October 2007 05:24:11 Ian Forde wrote:
> >
> > Garry Cook <garrycook at gmail.com> wrote:
> >         So, the overlays during shows are annoying enough, but tonight
> >         I saw something new. During Heroes there was an overlay for a
> >         movie coming out this week. I've never seen these for anything
> >         other than other shows on the same network. I can see this
> >         becoming a replacement for commercials. Imagine, instead of a
> >         40 minute recording with annoying overlays before and after
> >         the skipped commercials, an entire 60 minute recording with no
> >         commercials, but constantly overlaid with ads that fux0r your
> >         suspension of disbelief.
> >
> >         Is there anyway to remove these? Anyone working on it?
> >         Anything I can do to help? These must be on a different
> >         'signal' or something, right?
>
> Same signal.  I don't believe that there's anything that can be done,
> since it comes in mixed from the network feed, which would be before the
> (if applicable) cable headend... it's insidious... maybe even
> comcasidios!

In the short term, I don't know of any solution.

In the medium term, I have heard of tools that will remove station logos and 
other small items from displays. Unfortunately, I don't recall where I've 
heard of such things, other than the fact that MythTV's commercial-detection 
tools use similar technology. I seriously doubt if this technique could do a 
good job of removing the sort of overlays that cover 1/4 of the screen, 
though; there's just not enough "signal" left to be properly detected through 
the "noise." This is doubly true if it's the sort of overlay that's animated.

In the long term, the problem will resolve itself, since one of two things is 
likely to happen: 1) They'll get less annoying (or hopefully go away, 
although that doesn't seem likely) or 2) They'll drive viewers away, causing 
a shift from ad-supported to paid programming (via pay services or 
direct-to-DVD releases). Which happens depends on how firmly the networks try 
to cling to their business model; the more they try to cram ads into every 
nook and cranny they can find, the more likely they'll just kill their own 
business. I already know several people who watch very little network TV; 
instead, they wait for the shows they like to be released on DVD, and then 
they rent or buy them.

-- 
Rod Smith
http://www.rodsbooks.com


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