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Time Warner Launches HD 'Start Over'
In South Carolina, no word yet on new markets
Time Warner Cable is launching an HD version of their "Start Over" service, which allows users to start over any program currently in progress. It's what's left of the idea of a fully functional, ad skipping, network DVR after the entertainment industry's lawyers finished slapping around the cable industry. The HD version, which like the SD version prohibits commercial
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skipping, is launching in South Carolina. Cable Digital News has more on additional market launches:
quote:
By the end of 2007, Time Warner had introduced Start Over in seven of its 23 divisions, with plans to have it deployed in all systems by the end of 2008. Hobbs did not elaborate on how quickly the MSO expects to deploy the HD version of the Start Over service.
Comcast says they'll be launching Time Warner's Start Over service sometime in 2009; Brighthouse Networks has also been deploying the service.
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Dogfather
Premium Member
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

2 edits

Dogfather

Premium Member

I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

If I want to watch commercials I'd watch it live.

But so long as it's not replacing anything I don't care. The only problem I see is what are we giving up in order to provide channel bandwidth for this. Is SDV really saving enough to cover this plus the addition of other HD channels.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

That does sound rather useless, doesn't it?

HD Tivo + CableCARD = much better solution.

Dogfather
Premium Member
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

Dogfather

Premium Member

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

No SDV adapter yet for c-card TiVo and I personally don't care for TiVo's ad covered GUI.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

Compared to "start over" it's downright brilliant. You folks must get a lot of ads out west. We rarely see more than one or two a month, and they are unobtrusive, unlike the 4/5 screen Comcast stuffs ads into on their program guide.

Once SDV starts here I'm off to satellite anyway. Not a big issue.

MacLeech
The one and only
Premium Member
join:2001-07-14
SoCal

MacLeech to RadioDoc

Premium Member

to RadioDoc
said by RadioDoc:

That does sound rather useless, doesn't it?

HD Tivo + CableCARD = much better solution.
What if you don't have a Tivo or DVR, but do have a regular cable box? What if you didn't schedule the program to record and missed part of the show?

That's the intended audience for the "Start Over" service.

Start Over isn't intended to replace a DVR...

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

It's still rather useless. They should use those resources to improve their service not implement some lame gimmick they claim differentiates them from satellite providers.

Thaler
Premium Member
join:2004-02-02
Los Angeles, CA

Thaler

Premium Member

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

Eh, does the "start over" work on programs you *just* tuned into, or ones that have been streaming through? If so, I would consider that more a feature than a gimic. Tuning into the last 5 minutes to a show you wanted to watch, hitting "start over", and then watching it from the beginning certainly has its merits.

...but if it comes with the sacrifice of no pause/FF/rewind function to go to the bathroom, grab snacks, ponder life, etc. for a few minutes, then yeah...no way in hell I'd make that sacrifice.

TechyDad
Premium Member
join:2001-07-13
USA

TechyDad

Premium Member

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

It works on shows that you've just tuned into. So let's say you're running late and wind up tuning into your favorite show 20 minutes late, you could hit "Select" and then choose "Start Over." The show would then restart from the beginning. I believe it has pause capabilities, but no fast forward (so no channel skipping). It is a useful feature, but it doesn't replace a DVR box.

MacLeech
The one and only
Premium Member
join:2001-07-14
SoCal

MacLeech

Premium Member

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

said by TechyDad:

It is a useful feature, but it doesn't replace a DVR box.
It's not meant to.
fuzzyinc
join:2004-07-05
Binghamton, NY

fuzzyinc to Dogfather

Member

to Dogfather
Yes,

The SO content is broadcast over the same QAM's as your current VOD service thus only adding additional bandwidth load when you request for it. SDV should be able to handle this load.

TechyDad
Premium Member
join:2001-07-13
USA

TechyDad to Dogfather

Premium Member

to Dogfather
I've used Time Warner Cable's regular Start Over feature from time to time. (Don't watch HD content because I don't have an HD TV.) It's most useful if you've missed 5 or 10 minutes of a show. You can catch up and then jump to live TV. I have noticed a few glitches, though. For example, if you Start Over a show and then open the Guide, it will jump you back to Live TV, losing your place in the process and forcing you to Start Over all over again.

But I still would rather use the DVR since you can commercial skip. (Unfortunately, our DVR keeps bombing out, Time Warner Cable's only solution is to replace it, and they can't transfer my previously recorded shows from the old DVR to the new one.)

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

1 edit

Anonymous_ to Dogfather

Premium Member

to Dogfather
said by Dogfather:

If I want to watch commercials I'd watch it live.

But so long as it's not replacing anything I don't care. The only problem I see is what are we giving up in order to provide channel bandwidth for this. Is SDV really saving enough to cover this plus the addition of other HD channels.
same here

they will be takeing my HD box over my Dead body

AD's SUCk the Audio is OUT of Sync with the show

so that is why i use the mute butten on live TV
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to Dogfather

Premium Member

to Dogfather
is so sad Cablevision listened to the C&D order for their network DVR. why couldnt they tell the industry to go Fsck itself we are the route to your customers who dont want to go out.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: I'll keep my regular HD-DVR thanks

Because then the program providers--you know, the folks who produce the programming you watch and that filed the lawsuit--would yank their product leaving Cablevision with, well, whatever they produce themselves.

digiblur
Premium Member
join:2002-06-03
Louisiana

digiblur

Premium Member

Stretch-o-vision on Demand eh?

Stretch-o-vision on Demand eh?
mAlfunkti0n
join:2003-12-16
Loveland, OH

mAlfunkti0n

Member

Re: Stretch-o-vision on Demand eh?

When I had TWC their on-demand stuff was absolute garbage. If you found something you liked, you probably got about 2-3 minutes of it before it just locked up, lost audio sync, or something else.

I was not a happy camper.
NLiveris
join:2001-11-25
Chicago, IL

NLiveris

Member

hahaha

Is there really demand for this service? Why not focus R&D resources on providing faster broadband speeds, more HD channels, and HD-VOD? Seems pointless if you can't fast forward commercials.

Are there people out there who are actually enjoy watching corporate advertising??

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

No commercial skip. . . . .

Forget it!