The Telly

Anna Gregoline | August 2, 2004
Would you be better off if you didn't own a television?

Personally, I wouldn't be. We have TiVo, which lets us watch what we want, filtering out the crap. We also get lots of documentaries and art films through Netflix, which expand our viewing minds.

Have you noticed that people who don't watch television or own one seem to feel superior about it?

Melissa Erin | August 2, 2004
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Lori Lancaster | August 2, 2004
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Scott Hardie | August 2, 2004
Speaking as someone who has given up on television, I try to keep that air of superiority in check. I say sincerely that my disdain is for crappy television shows, not for people who choose to watch TV.

I gave it up originally because it had a tendency to suck me in -- I'd sit down to watch just while I ate a sandwich for lunch, and maybe two hours later I'd finally notice the time, by then having missed a class or something. But whenever I've tried to go back to it, I've found myself annoyed by two things, the commercials that are so LOUD! and ANNOYING! (especially during primetime), and the station logos that appear in the corner of the screen. What do they call those? Bugs? They drive me nuts, because they interfere with the subtitles or distract from the image on the screen. MTV2's is the worst; it flickers every two seconds, constantly pulling your attention away to the corner where it doesn't belong.

Anna Gregoline | August 3, 2004
If you ever want to go back, Scott, get TiVo. No more commercials! Sure, I miss the occaisonal funny one, but it's SO WORTH IT not to see any of them. It's pure torture to go to someone's house and watch television the normal way.

Scott Hardie | August 6, 2004
I've come close to getting one. It's a fabulous invention. But the idea of paying a big fee for something up front and a regular monthly cost just doesn't seem right, especially considering I won't use it much. There are weeks I can barely keep up with my Netflix rentals. :-|

From yesterday's StudioBriefing:The FCC on Wednesday approved TivoToGo, which will allow users of the TiVo digital recorders to send programs to other TiVo users or to personal computers linked to the Internet. They system includes a piracy-protection technology that prevents users from distributing programs to more than nine other recipients. The MPAA and the NFL had sought to have the system banned, arguing that it could eventually lead to a breakdown of local markets, making it possible, say, for persons to send recordings of a football game into markets where the game is blacked out. They might also be able to send recordings of movies from cable channels to persons living in cities overseas where the movies had not even been released theatrically. Some opponents questioned whether TiVo's piracy protection was foolproof. Indeed, Commissioner Kevin Martin expressed concern in his opinion "that we may be acting prematurely in concluding that TiVo's affinity controls are sufficient to protect against widespread redistribution."

Anna Gregoline | August 6, 2004
TiVo is going a bit crazy - I bet that option is only available with the "Home Media Option" which we don't have - let's you hook it up to your computer. Why on earth would I want that?

The up-front fee is great, but I had to look at it like buying a DVD or something. Then the fee is only $12 a month or something, which is taken automatically from my credit card, and is my smallest bill, so I don't really mind.

Incidentally, you can pay like $300 more and have lifetime membership, but as my brother in law said - are you sure TiVo will be around in 5 years?

I hope TiVo doesn't go bottom up. I need it.

John Viola | August 6, 2004
For me it isn't a matter of owning a television as much as sitting in front of it too much. I don't feel I have enough hours in the day as it is, let alone to spend much of it watching television shows. I also read that your brain is more active when you are asleep than when you are watching tv. That being said, I have a big screen HDTV.

Why on earth would I have that? For two reasons. DVDs and XBOX. I enjoy watching a movie on the big screen with surround sound, and I like gaming - since I feel it has a higher interactive value than watching tv. Also, I don't like commercials. Companies pour a ton of resources into trying to psychologically manipulate the population (aka consumers) and I don't care for it.

Before I get bashed by anyone for having some type of 'holier than thou' philosophy on tv - if you enjoy watching television then do it. Actually my wife likes tv and since she used to work for an advertising agency she enjoys seeing new and interesting commercials - especially during the superbowl. Many times if she wants to watch television I will go into the office and jump on the computer, or put on my headphones and study chess, or read.

To each his own :-)

Anna Gregoline | August 6, 2004
With TiVo, I actually watch far less than I used to - instead of plopping down in front of the television and flipping channels looking for something you want to watch that has commercials - you are served up favorite programming with NO commericals, and you're satisfied far faster than with regular television. It works for me.

Scott Hardie | August 7, 2004
You make a convincing argument for it... But I still don't know what I'd record if I had a TiVo in my apartment right now.

Anthony Lewis | August 8, 2004
Probably...but I don't want to find out.

DVRs (TiVo, Replay TV, etc) are the greatest thing since sliced bread and the wheel. This is NOT an exaggeration.

Jackie Mason | August 9, 2004
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