| HOW??? "and even at what volume:"
Once the TV mode is programmed the volume control commands are sent to the TV and not to the receiver... |
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 hitachi369Embrace Your RightsPremium
join:2001-10-03
Grand Rapids, MI
kudos:4 | It could pick up the IR signals from the remote either way. |
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| Volume How does the DVR track how loud the volume is? Does it have a mic built in that picks up the sound from the TV? Is it somehow collecting this information through the HDMI cable in some way?
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Make the homies say HO and the girlies wanna SCREAM! |
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| No Problem Easy: Blackhole the DVR on your Internet/LAN border. Problem solved.
Oh, that's right: The "AT&" thing is TV-over-IP. Okay: Don't use the thing that calls itself "AT&T" these days. That would be, and is, my choice.
Jim |
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 jgkoltPremium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH | opt in This should be opt in |
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Reviews:
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to hitachi369
Re: HOW??? said by hitachi369:It could pick up the IR signals from the remote either way.
Only up/down with no reference level means absolutely nothing. Not to mention that the receiver may or may not catch signals intended for the TV and has no way of telling whether the TV has actually received them or not. |
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 JimThePCGuyFormerly known as schja01.Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-27
Morton Grove, IL | Determining volume setting? If you neglect to program the U-Verse remote to use your TV's volume it will use the DVR to control the volume in the signal sent to the TV. AT&T would have access to that information I suppose. I wonder how many subscribers don't program the U-Verse remote to control the volume via the TV? If you don't program the remote you can't use it to turn your TV on/off either so my guess is most do not use the DVR volume feature. I know the U-Verse installer programmed all my remotes as part of the installation. |
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 VanPremium
join:2009-07-08
New Orleans, LA | reply to jgkolt
Re: opt in said by jgkolt:This should be opt in
Most if not all of these types of things should be "opt in" yet very rarely are they |
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Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL
kudos:1 Reviews:
 ·CenturyLink
 ·Comcast
·Embarq Now Centu..
| You have no rights to select how your usage data is used. After the 2000 election the corporatist took over the government and allowed the corporations to do whatever they wanted to customers. Particularly the ISP's have engaged in increased snooping on customers. They can do this because they are a monopoly and have bought and paid for our lawmakers. Digital STB's have always accessed an authentication server to determine if the channel selected is authorized for viewing. At that point they can capture your viewing habits. |
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| Cable / Uverse / Satellite When cable providers switched away from self-contained decoding boxes to "digital" boxes, it became clear that all "encrypted" channels selected would be routed through the company computers for permission to decode (watch) that channel. This also meant that all choices could be monitored and a record kept. Currently, all all cable channels are encrypted.
Uverse follows the cable industry as the receiver (or DVR) communicates for permission to activate a channel.
Satellite receivers (and DVR's) that are not connected to a phone line only decode the subscribed channels. Special purchases require a connection to a phone line (or LAN / Internet). Special purchases can also be called-in with "permission" sent by satellite signal.
What baffles me is how the cable companies and Uverse are allowed to circumvent the Federal Wiretap Laws that have been in effect since 1920's.
My solution is simple. Do not subscribe to a service that can spy on you. |
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 MajestikWorld TravelerPremium
join:2001-05-11
Tulsa, OK | Never owned a DVR anyway.
Don't need it.
Don't own a TV.
I guess that's my solution.
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The adventure continues...Sanctuary.... |
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clone
join:2000-12-11
Portage, IN | reply to cowboyro
Re: HOW??? TiVo boxes already do this. Every time I adjust the volume or mute (with the TiVo remote that controls my AV receiver), it sends an extra command at the end telling the box that I adjusted the volume.
I know this because the TiVo has an LED on the front that lights up when a command is received, and it blinks every time you touch the volume controls. It also sends data in real time over the web back to its mothership when you do just about anything. I've had some fun with TiVo and wireshark... |
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 cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:7 | ...Or the led may just be an idiot light that says that it detected an IR signal, not that it does anything in particular with it. My HTPC has a IR receiver that blinks when it receives a signal, regardless if the computer actually does anything with it. It's actually pretty dumb as it indicates it picks up a lot of IR that ended up being IR noise coming from the plasma TV. |
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cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:7 | reply to jgkolt
Re: opt in You opted in when you signed up for service. It was the microprinting on the edge of page 897 of your service agreement. |
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Reviews:
·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to clone
Re: HOW??? said by clone:TiVo boxes already do this. Every time I adjust the volume or mute (with the TiVo remote that controls my AV receiver), it sends an extra command at the end telling the box that I adjusted the volume. Only sooner or later the box *WILL* lose track of your actual volume as for sure the number of steps for volume is different for AV receiver and TV box.
Ex ATT box is at volume 25 (max) and home theater at volume 25 (max 60). You keep pressing the vol+ key. ATT box stays at 25, HT goes to 50. Press the vol- key, HT goes to 20 , ATT box stops at 0.... |
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 MoracCat god
join:2001-08-30
Riverside, NJ
kudos:1
·Comcast
| TiVo has been doing this for years TiVo has been tracking usage anonymously for years. Users can opt out if they want.
If AT&T allows users to opt out, I don't see a problem.
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The Comcast Disney Avatar has been retired. |
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hitachi369Embrace Your RightsPremium
join:2001-10-03
Grand Rapids, MI
kudos:4 | reply to cowboyro
Re: HOW??? Each device's remote would be sending a different signal. |
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clone
join:2000-12-11
Portage, IN | reply to cdru
No, it's not the "IR Blaster" kind of LED. It only blinks when you adjust volume using the TiVo-specific remote. For example, you hold the "VOL -" button for 3 seconds, when you let go it blinks. You hit mute, it blinks. It does not blink when you adjust the volume using the AV receiver's remote or a universal remote. It does not blink when receiving "random IR", only when it processes a valid command.
The remote specifically sends a command to the box letting it know you've adjusted the volume. It is not doing any volume adjustment on the box itself, this is only for tracking purposes. Additionally, as I already noted, it also sends this information back to the home server, in real time. Any command you send the unit is tracked over the internet in real time. Pause a TV show? Data sent. Rewind a TV show? Data sent. Skip a commercial? Data sent.
If you know anyone who knows how to use a packet sniffer and has a TiVo (not sure about other DVRs), it really is astonishing how much live information is transmitted back to the home office.
If you use a universal or stock remote to adjust volume, they will not be able to track it. Additionally, they don't want to know "how loud" you're listening to the programs. They want to know what times you raise or lower the volume from whatever the baseline level you are listening to the program at. With enough of this kind of data in aggregate, it can be very valuable to advertisers. |
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clone
join:2000-12-11
Portage, IN | reply to hitachi369
As I noted above, when using the remote that comes with the DVR, you will program it to control your audio device (TV or Receiver, whatever), then it will also send an extra command to the box to inform it you adjusted the volume.
Steps, etc. has no bearing. They only want to know at what times you raise, lower, or mute the sound. By how much, etc. is not important. |
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 Lark3poPremium
join:2003-08-05
Madison, AL | reply to Riusaki
Re: Volume Maybe it has a built in SPL meter...  |
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