With the exception of Super Bowl Sunday, is there ever a time where you seek out more TV commercials? Unless you're in advertising, you probably find TV ads sucking up too much of the typical primetime schedule. Now, DISH Network says it can slim down your viewing experience with Auto Hop.
DISH Network just announced the addition of Auto Hop capability to the Hopper whole-home HD DVR system. Activated today, the feature will allow Hopper users to skip all commercials for most recorded primetime HD programs shown on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, when viewed the day after airing.
Launched in mid-March, the Hopper whole-home HD DVR allows users to record up to six shows at once while playing back HD content in up to four rooms. That is achieved using the PrimeTime Anytime feature, an exclusive that allows Hopper users to record all of the primetime TV programming on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC -- all in high-def. Once shows are recorded through PrimeTime Anytime, the Hopper stores them automatically for eight days. It's like your own on-demand library with approximately 100 hours of primetime TV shows, all of which doesn't hog up any DVR space.
Auto Hop is an extension of that feature, allowing users to skip through commercials. It doesn't work on live broadcasts, but should work with most shows recorded through PrimeTime Anytime, starting at 1:00 a.m. (EST) after the show has been recorded into the Hopper's PrimeTime Anytime library. If you want to watch before that, you'll have to use the Hopper's 30-second "hop forward" feature.
"Viewers love to skip commercials," said Vivek Khemka, vice president of DISH product management. "With the Auto Hop capability of the Hopper, watching your favorite shows commercial-free is easier than ever before. It's a revolutionary development that no other company offers and it's something that sets Hopper above the competition."
We wonder how advertisers and networks (who make money on advertising) will feel about this new feature. It didn't work out so well for the now defunct ReplayTV with their commercial skip feature as the introduction of that feature led to major complaints from the networks (as well as legal action). Many thought we'd never see this feature again on a consumer product after all that hubbub. Let's hope it lasts.
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