The convenience of the DVR is not just about being able to watch your favorite shows on your own schedule, there’s also the convenience of skipping through commercials. John C. Dvorak, Joe Engo and Andrew Eisner take a look at Dish Network’s Hopper DVR that lets consumers skip ads and the legal ramifications it opens up.
It’s X3. One topic. Three pundits.
I’m glad you guys did a bit on Dish’s Hopper since it does seem to be all over the news lately. My supervisor at Dish was the first to tell me that we had improved the fast-forward option and named Auto Hop. It really is no different from the 30-second skip button, it’s just a more innovative way of doing what I know I’ve been doing since I used to record shows on my VCR. I think it’s funny that anyone who skips commercials or hits the restroom during commercial breaks is considered a criminal, even though he’s simply exercising free will.