# Pause in one room, continue watching in another?



## 996911 (Aug 24, 2006)

Is this commercial campaign directed at new customers only and then once they sign up do they finally explain that it is IMPOSSIBLE to pause in one room and resume in another. First, you have to have MRV. Next, you have to STOP a recorded show. Then in the other room you have to go into the playlist, find the show, then select resume. 

I've tried to pause in one room and then try to resume in another room and not only can I not resume, I can't even access it with the red circle with the line through it!

Or am I totally misunderstanding?

It's not a sore spot with me nor am I angry. I am just confused when I recently saw this commercial and then tried to do what it was stating as it seems like a cool feature.


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## JeffBowser (Dec 21, 2006)

You know, my wife commented on that, too, and I told her how deceptive that commercial was, cutting out a whole bunch of gotchas and steps.


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## 996911 (Aug 24, 2006)

Thanks for the reply Jeff. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't delusional! I realize they are limited to :30 clips for the commercial but seriously, that commercial is beyond wrong.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

All I have to say is if that is the best reason to get DirecTv that DirecTv can come up with to advertise to people that don't have currently have it, they really need to take a look at 1) their marketing department and 2) their product.


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## rkr0923 (Sep 14, 2006)

What, D* mislead people, no way


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

I thought the same thing. Figured it's just more standard marketing [strike]BS[/strike] [strike]lies[/strike] bunk.


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## raott (Nov 23, 2005)

J Blow said:


> All I have to say is if that is the best reason to get DirecTv that DirecTv can come up with to advertise to people that don't have currently have it, they really need to take a look at 1) their marketing department and 2) their product.


Take it a step further, if the best thing they can advertise to people is something that cannot even be done, they really need to relook at things.

D* has a whole lot more going for it then to need to stoop to misinformation. It if an ad campaign that should be dumped IMO.


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## MikeW (May 16, 2002)

Pretty harsh...I can pause in one room and resume in the other. I don't really feel misled by the commercial.


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## JeffBowser (Dec 21, 2006)

The only thing I can figure is this is in direct response to a competitors ad showing the very same thing. I guess they figured that since it is technically possible, and technically, sorta, accurate, they can let fire with this commercial. I dunno how the competitors pause and resume works, though.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

Lots of companies do this. Have you ever watched an AT&T commercial for the iPhone? Tons of steps are skipped when they do stuff.

And by the way, there are what, 15 of this exact same thread already?


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

Does this mean when I buy the diet food from the weight loss company, I won't instantly lose 70 pounds? Damn!

Or in other words, ads are written by marketing people, not engineers.


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## raott (Nov 23, 2005)

hilmar2k said:


> Lots of companies do this. Have you ever watched an AT&T commercial for the iPhone? Tons of steps are skipped when they do stuff.


And there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen in the Iphone commercial that states the sequences have been shortened.

My point is, why fool with something misleading when you have a lot more going for you, ie other aspects of MRV.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Just like any other ad on TV .. I don't see it as misleading, but it embellishes the truth a bit.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

raott said:


> My point is, why fool with something misleading when you have a lot more going for you, ie other aspects of MRV.


While I don't like the ad either, it can be done as shown.
What they haven't said is you start watching on the DVR and then move to a remote receiver.
Should you start on a remote receiver and want to shift to another, "pause" becomes "stop".

Let's not forget where "YMMV" came from. :lol:


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

The only reason I don't have an issue is that it works the same from what I understand as all the other carriers that have mrv, and all the other carriers have advertised it n tv as working the exact same way as directv is now, so they are just trying to make sure everyone knows that they can do the exact same thing as the other mr customers out there. They are all missing steps required to actually do that, but they do all do what the ad claims they can do. Just not in as few steps. Of course, you can easily make the argument that it's misleading simply because they didn't show the per on turning on the tv and the sat box either...

I general, advertising embellishes too much for my taste, and that's true of all of them, including directv. Bt you have to be able to play by the same rules as your competitors, or you will get screwed. The question is, how else would anyone advertise this feature? I not sure there is a better way, even though they left out steps...

Sent from my iPad using DBSTalk


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

inkahauts said:


> I general, advertising embellishes too much for my taste, and that's true of all of them, including directv. Bt you have to be able to play by the same rules as your competitors, or you will get screwed. The question is, how else would anyone advertise this feature? I not sure there is a better way, even though they left out steps...


Ads are to promote an idea or feature. 
They're not a user's manual how to do these.
They have to be based in "some truth", or it's false advertising, which this ad isn't.

Had DirecTV followed the AT&T ad, where they change rooms* several times*, "then" this ad would fail the "some truth" basis and be false.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

This commercial isn't how U-verse MRV works, either.






It works like DIRECTV...You still have to go to the playlist.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

sigma1914 said:


> This commercial isn't how U-verse MRV works, either.
> 
> It works like DIRECTV...You still have to go to the playlist.


What your second video shows is it can play more than one remote viewing, which DirecTV can't do.


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## PCampbell (Nov 18, 2006)

I see it as an easy to explain it without going into a lot of details.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

I actually did this this morning. I paused in one room then started the show in the other room. It started at the beginning. But they were both playing at the same time.

If I hit stop, it would have started in the same place as I stopped. Big deal.

I would NOT want it to start the same show in the next room without me telling it what I wanted to watch (hence, the list of shows). The only thing wrong with the commercial is that they say "pause" when it should be "stop." The rest is just fantasy that all commercials are.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

I just feel that it is worded poorly. In my opinion it would be as simple as removing the word "pause", and then I would have much less of an issue with it.

You can start watching a recording in one room, and continue watching it in another.

This is exactly what you can do, and it doesn't go into any particulars as to how to do it. To me using the word "Pause" is misleading because it leads people to think you can use the Pause button, which you can not. They are creating confusion where they don't need to.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Who is honestly going to want to actually "pause" in one room then move to another anyways? Do you really want the paused image staying on the TV you're leaving? (which leads to the screen saver kicking in) Anyone with common sense is going to "stop" the recording. I don't find the commercial misleading at all.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

RunnerFL said:


> Who is honestly going to want to actually "pause" in one room then move to another anyways? Do you really want the paused image staying on the TV you're leaving? (which leads to the screen saver kicking in) Anyone with common sense is going to "stop" the recording. I don't find the commercial misleading at all.


Lots of people with no common sense in this world.

(I submit this thread as an example.)


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Beerstalker said:


> I just feel that it is worded poorly. In my opinion it would be as simple as removing the word "pause", and then I would have much less of an issue with it.
> 
> You can start watching a recording in one room, and continue watching it in another.
> 
> This is exactly what you can do, and it doesn't go into any particulars as to how to do it. To me using the word "Pause" is misleading because it leads people to think you can use the Pause button, which you can not. They are creating confusion where they don't need to.


^This would have been a better way to make the claim, not mislead anyone and achieve the same result.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

It's only a commercial folks.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

tonyd79 said:


> Lots of people with no common sense in this world.
> 
> (I submit this thread as an example.)


+1


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> Ads are to promote an idea or feature.
> They're not a user's manual how to do these.
> They have to be based in "some truth", or it's false advertising, which this ad isn't.
> 
> Had DirecTV followed the AT&T ad, where they change rooms* several times*, "then" this ad would fail the "some truth" basis and be false.


Why, it can resume from any receiver in the house.. And you can jump from one to the next anytime. You just have to always stop playing in one room before you go to the next.. same thing ATT shows.

I didn't see anywhere that showed in ATT that you can stream to multiple rooms at the same time... But interpretations are everything I guess...

I agree with you, the point of ads to to show ideas and features, and not user manuals, which is why saying this ad is misleading is poor.. But some of the ads I have seen all of them make in regards to channel count is not necessarily misleading, as much as they are down right over embellishments and ridiculous.

I don't see anything wrong with this ad.... I don't even see it as misleading, or embellishing really... Just not a step by step, as no ads are.


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## 996911 (Aug 24, 2006)

Wow, some of y'all really have some sand in your britches. I posted this thread as merely a request of explanation of not only what D* says but what they illustrate in the ad. That's all. As I said, I don't have a problem with it nor am I mad and flying off the handle. 

I just thought if you could actually do that which they purport to show in the ad (with no disclaimer visible that it is not actually a feature you can do) it would be really cool as I actually do have multiple sets I will watch in the house at times (working from home) and will have a show on in one room and would like to be able to pick up at that point in the next room I relocate to. 

And now we resume our regularly schedule anonymous b!tch slapping of others on the in internet..........


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

996911 said:


> Wow, some of y'all really have some sand in your britches. I posted this thread as merely a request of explanation of not only what D* says but what they illustrate in the ad. That's all. As I said, I don't have a problem with it nor am I mad and flying off the handle.
> 
> I just thought if you could actually do that which they purport to show in the ad (with no disclaimer visible that it is not actually a feature you can do) it would be really cool as I actually do have multiple sets I will watch in the house at times (working from home) and will have a show on in one room and would like to be able to pick up at that point in the next room I relocate to.
> 
> And now we resume our regularly schedule anonymous b!tch slapping of others on the in internet..........


And you can do exactly that. You just don't use pause to do it. Just stop the viewing in one room, go to the other and pick the show and hit play (or go into the show and select resume). It will pick up exactly where you left off. It is cool.


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## 996911 (Aug 24, 2006)

I agree, it is cool. I have MRV and I know how to do just that. All I am asking about is that I saw a commercial and wanted to know how in the world I could do EXACTLY what they illustrate in the commercial. You can't. Period. Semantically though, you can. That was my ever so minor rub with the commercial. 

Bottom line.....you have to have MRV. It must be a recorded show, not live. You cannot pause but rather must stop and then pull up the playlist on the next box, select the show, and then select resume. I do in fact do it that way. Just thought they gave us a quicker more simplistic way of doing something we already can do.

Now if they could do that for LIVE shows and/or use just PAUSE instead of STOP then we'd be set


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## rkr0923 (Sep 14, 2006)

you have to have MRV...Not sure they mention that either


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

rkr0923 said:


> you have to have MRV...Not sure they mention that either


No, but I'm sure if someone calls and says "Hey, I want that pause in one room resume in another thing you advertise" then they'll be told they need MRV.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

rkr0923 said:


> you have to have MRV...Not sure they mention that either


You have to have *MRV* to use *M*ulti *R*oom *V*iewing? What a concept!


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## Castlebill (Jul 25, 2006)

Lots of you folks conditioned to accept totally misleading
marketing - makes the world go around.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Castlebill said:


> Lots of you folks conditioned to accept totally misleading
> marketing - makes the world go around.


There's nothing misleading about the commercial.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

RunnerFL said:


> There's nothing misleading about the commercial.


You should probably watch it then. Better yet, come to my house and show me how it's done. I have DirecTv and the ad basically suggests that's all you need to use this feature.

While I don't care and think the feature isn't a big deal anyway, anything is misleading that doesn't work like it's portrayed and especially indicated. They left out several conditions. Let's just say that you are watching TV and decide to pause it at any point and move to another TV. Pausing it won't get it done. That's one of many misleading factors. Let's say you are watching live TV and finally figured out that pausing it won't get it done....guess what? Neither will watching live TV. Let's just say you aren't on the TV with the DVR...aww nevermind. If you don't think this is misleading I'd love to sell you a few things I don't need any more. It's all really great and useful.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

The fine print:
*Limit 1 remote viewing at a time. Req's 1 HD DVR & HD receivers for each add'l TV. Additional fees required. ©2010 DIRECTV, Inc.*

[youtubehd]hQk7lhRYb10[/youtubehd]


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

J Blow said:


> If you don't think this is misleading I'd love to sell you a few things I don't need any more. It's all really great and useful.


I think you'd have to get into the definition of the word "pause" .. I personally don't find the ad misleading. I also don't expect my Big Mac to look exactly like the one pictured on the menu board - but that's just me.


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## anonymous6 (Sep 13, 2010)

da


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## liquidctv (Oct 14, 2010)

>Let's just say that you are watching TV and decide to pause it at any point and move to another TV. Pausing it won't get it done.

Okay, let's get technical. The purpose of a receiver is to receive a video stream. 

You press pause in your living room. Now you go to your bedroom. The bedroom receiver is busy receiving its own stream. You want the bedroom receiver to also know that you pressed pause in the living room, and have everything since the "pause" to be queued up, ready to go?

I guess its possible. The DVR's live-loop could be written out to disk and be available to the network. The DVR could push out its pauses to the network, and when you go into the bedroom, there could be a LIST of paused DVR's waiting to resume. 

This, I think, is the feature you're missing - the DVR live stream, while actually recorded, is not user-accessible over the network. And God forbid you should change the channel. 

Anyway, point is, they are copying Tivo, and Tivo is 10 years behind itself. We still have a nice product, since most people don't know what Tivo is.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"liquidctv" said:


> >Let's just say that you are watching TV and decide to pause it at any point and move to another TV. Pausing it won't get it done.
> 
> Okay, let's get technical. The purpose of a receiver is to receive a video stream.
> 
> ...


????

TiVo doesn't have MRV. They have copy programming from one unit to another.

Oh and TiVo copied Replaytv. Guess who owns that...


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"996911" said:


> I agree, it is cool. I have MRV and I know how to do just that. All I am asking about is that I saw a commercial and wanted to know how in the world I could do EXACTLY what they illustrate in the commercial. You can't. Period. Semantically though, you can. That was my ever so minor rub with the commercial.
> 
> Bottom line.....you have to have MRV. It must be a recorded show, not live. You cannot pause but rather must stop and then pull up the playlist on the next box, select the show, and then select resume. I do in fact do it that way. Just thought they gave us a quicker more simplistic way of doing something we already can do.
> 
> Now if they could do that for LIVE shows and/or use just PAUSE instead of STOP then we'd be set


Hit the record button rather than pause. Tada! "live" MRV.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> You should probably watch it then.


No thanks, I've seen it enough.



J Blow said:


> Better yet, come to my house and show me how it's done.


Nah, I don't do that kind of charity work.



J Blow said:


> I have DirecTv and the ad basically suggests that's all you need to use this feature.


You said it yourself "suggests"... It's a commercial, not a tutorial on how to use the product. Once you have the product you know exactly how it works and that it works pretty much how they describe in the commercial. As I stated before, who really wants to pause in one room and leave the image/screen saver on that TV while they go watch in another room anyways? I don't know about you but when someone leaves a room in my house and they won't be watching TV there that TV gets shut off.


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## paulh (Mar 17, 2003)

Any (company's) DVR can do that exactly as advertised. I've done it since getting my first SD DirecTivo. Run a coax cable for analog (ch3) output to another room for video/audio and an rf remote "cone" or sender for remote commands, and just like the commercial says, pause in one room and press play in another.

As an added bonus, no MRV or mirroring fee needed for such a "new" feature.


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## Satelliteracer (Dec 6, 2006)

In tv advertising you have 30 seconds to make a statement. Almost all companies have white copy at the bottom of the screen of these ads that are disclaimers because the 30 second time period isn't enough to show every step.

At the end of the day, can a person pause in one room and pick it up in another room with DIRECTV? The answer is...YES.


I watched an iPhone ad the other day where the device went through probably 10 apps in 30 seconds and not once did I see a finger scroll to the app, launch the app, wait for the app to load, then start. Is it misleading? Of course not. TV commercials are a medium to express concepts, offers, ideas, etc. Are steps sometimes not shown? Of course. On the Jiffy Lube commercials the guy drives in, smiles, the tech walks over and the happy customer drives away with an oil change...all in 30 seconds. They skipped the 20 minutes it took to change the filter, drain the crankcase, put in 6 quarts of oil, change the air filter, etc, etc. 

You get the idea.


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## 996911 (Aug 24, 2006)

...


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## rkr0923 (Sep 14, 2006)

Any (company's) DVR can do that...Yep, but D* wants you to think it is exclusive to them. Like the ad I saw today about E* needing 2 dishes, give me the HD E* has and I'll be glad to add a 2nd D* dish


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

rkr0923 said:


> Like the ad I saw today about E* needing 2 dishes, give me the HD E* has and I'll be glad to add a 2nd D* dish


I had to have two AT9 dishes (one for 99/101/103 and another for 110/119.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"rkr0923" said:


> Any (company's) DVR can do that...Yep, but D* wants you to think it is exclusive to them. Like the ad I saw today about E* needing 2 dishes, give me the HD E* has and I'll be glad to add a 2nd D* dish


I won't. No room for it. Oh. Forgot. You'd do anything for more HD. Almost.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"Davenlr" said:


> I had to have two AT9 dishes (one for 99/101/103 and another for 110/119.


Why? Line of sight problems?


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

veryoldschool said:


> What your second video shows is it can play more than one remote viewing, which DirecTV can't do.


Is that because AT&T uses a central DVR, like the HR34 will be able to do?

If you watch the video carefully, it looks like he takes the same remote control from the kitchen to the LR to the BR, so maybe he's feeding the same DVR to three different TV's?


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

Gosh, until I saw this thread I thought it was a pretty good feature (which I often use) and I didn't see anything wrong with the ad. OTOH, if they had to point out all the possible negative points (like the FDA makes drug manufacturers do) it wouldn't sound like a useful feature at all.

Thanks to all of the posters who have enlightened me about this deception


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

sigma1914 said:


> It works like DIRECTV...You still have to go to the playlist.


This sound like the HR34


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

TheRatPatrol said:


> Is that because AT&T uses a central DVR, like the HR34 will be able to do?
> 
> If you watch the video carefully, it looks like he takes the same remote control from the kitchen to the LR to the BR, so maybe he's feeding the same DVR to three different TV's?


"Kind of", since AT&T only lets you have one DVR.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Just saw the ad again while watching TV and something dawned on me .. Is the fact that two robots are actually busting cabinets and walls in the house misleading?


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## paulh (Mar 17, 2003)

Doug Brott said:


> Just saw the ad again while watching TV and something dawned on me .. Is the fact that two robots are actually busting cabinets and walls in the house misleading?


I'll trade you.

I asked my mini-giraffe to tear down my old kitchen cabinets and he insists his union contract says he can only walk on the mini-treadmill.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> Just saw the ad again while watching TV and something dawned on me .. Is the fact that two robots are actually busting cabinets and walls in the house misleading?


!rolling


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"Doug Brott" said:


> Just saw the ad again while watching TV and something dawned on me .. Is the fact that two robots are actually busting cabinets and walls in the house misleading?


Where is the "like" button?


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

Again, my only gripe with these commercials is the word pause. Using that word makes people think that they are supposed to use the pause button, and that is not true. If they get rid of the word pause in the commercial I think it takes care of everything.

I totally understand that it would be too confusing to try to go through all the steps in the commercial. Bringing up the DVR list, selecting the program, playing it, stopping in one room, turning everything off, walking into the next room, turning everything on, bringing up the playlist, selecting the same recording hitting play or resume, etc. That commercial would end up being very long and unimpressive, or very confusing if they tried to show it too fast. That's why I'm fine with the rest of the commercial, I just think they need to get rid of the word pause. I would think they could do that pretty easily by just editing the voiceover and not even changing the rest of the commercial.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Beerstalker said:


> Again, my only gripe with these commercials is the word pause. Using that word makes people think that they are supposed to use the pause button, and that is not true. If they get rid of the word pause in the commercial I think it takes care of everything.


Let me pause and think about that for a moment ....


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

OK, I'm back .. Nope. I still don't see it as misleading.


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## kcaudiofx (Dec 27, 2009)

This is a crazy thread! Its just like kids toys! Remember when you were a kid and saw this commercial with some really cool toy that climbs walls, jumps ponds, etc? Now come one, does that toy REALLY do EXACTLY what the commercial states? This is old business, its a marketing thing, D* is not the only company that does this.. I am a retailer and sign up a lot of people for this MRV, and I have yet to receive one complaint about "this doesn't work like the commercial says" They just left out steps is all, not a big deal!


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## liquidctv (Oct 14, 2010)

tonyd79 said:


> TiVo doesn't have MRV. They have copy programming from one unit to another.


I did say we have a nice product. Considering Tivo is $14/month for each box, I doubt too many people want to blow up their whole houses with Tivos, MRV or not.

I also said that Tivo is behind. They are resting on 1. Up/Down/Left/Right navigation (which D* has largely borrowed), and 2. Suggestions (which any DVR should have by now).

I'm still waiting for them to not lose the live buffer when you change channels. It's already recorded, why toss it? But that's just ???? to you, right?



> Oh and TiVo copied Replaytv. Guess who owns that...


Interesting. Replaytv was the one that wanted to skip commercials. The kind of thing that is easy to do in hardware, but virtually impossible to do in the regulatory market.


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## SPACEMAKER (Dec 11, 2007)

Who cares what other people think as long as you know the truth? Why let something as completely trivial as this bother you enough to start a thread?


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

It's an interesting discussion .. We don't all think alike. I don't see it as remotely misleading while others here are completely opposite and can't believe that anyone thinks that it's NOT misleading.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> It's an interesting discussion .. We don't all think alike. I don't see it as remotely misleading while others here are completely opposite and can't believe that anyone thinks that it's NOT misleading.


The only way I can see this would be from the user's point of view.
If you're only using remote receivers, then this ad is a bit misleading, since you need to "stop" a recording before you can move to another remote receiver.
"Pause" does work "if you start with the DVR", and when I find the recording on a remote receiver's playlist, I simply press "play" and it resumes.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"veryoldschool" said:


> The only way I can see this would be from the user's point of view.
> If you're only using remote receivers, then this ad is a bit misleading, since you need to "stop" a recording before you can move to another remote receiver.
> "Pause" does work "if you start with the DVR", and when I find the recording on a remote receiver's playlist, I simply press "play" and it resumes.


Pause doesn't work if you start with the dvr. It doesn't leave a mark in the data to start at the same spot. In the next room, it starts over.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

tonyd79 said:


> Pause doesn't work if you start with the dvr. It doesn't leave a mark in the data to start at the same spot. In the next room, it starts over.


 it does here.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Doug Brott said:


> I think you'd have to get into the definition of the word "pause" .. *I personally don't find the ad misleading.* I also don't expect my Big Mac to look exactly like the one pictured on the menu board - but that's just me.


Apparently you have never told a cop you 'pause' at a stop sign.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Drucifer said:


> Apparently you have never told a cop you 'pause' at a stop sign.


You've never heard of a "California Stop"? :lol:


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> You've never heard of a "California Stop"? :lol:


In Florida we call it a "Rolling Stop".


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

RunnerFL said:


> In Florida we call it a "Rolling Stop".


When I was in Pennsylvania, we just called it a stop sign.

Now, don't get me started on Yield. I swear in Maryland, it means "force your way into that lane like you own it even though you don't if an accident happens."


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

Anyone that doesn't see how this ad could be and is misleading is just trying to save face at this point.

Let's just skip the part that they skipped a whole bunch of details and steps, which in itself is misleading if you understand what misleading means, and focus on the bigger picture. Who is this targeted at? Current DTV owners? Probably not. If someone would come to my house and say, 'Oh you have DirecTv so you can pause in one room and play it in another' I would then say, 'No, I can't do that.' 

Awww screw it. Certain people just won't admit when they are wrong and I'm done wasting time.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Awww screw it. Certain people just won't admit when they are wrong and I'm done wasting time.


Good.

And if someone came to my house and asked, I'd say "sort of".


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> ...If someone would come to my house and say, 'Oh you have DirecTv so you can pause in one room and play it in another' I would then say, 'No, I can't do that.'
> ...


You'd be lying if you sub to MRV. You can press 'Pause, Stop' then go to the other room, bring up the playlist, select the show, select resume.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> You'd be lying if you sub to MRV. You can press 'Pause, Stop' then go to the other room, bring up the playlist, select the show, select resume.


That's the whole point. I don't have MRV and there's a lot more to it than just having DirecTv.

It's interesting how allegiance here works, though. Can you imagine the chitstorm that would ensue if some other company released an ad that spoke these half truths?

Moving on now to avoid the head-butt I'm sure to receive while everyone keeps bowing to DirecTv.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> That's the whole point. I don't have MRV and there's a lot more to it than just having DirecTv.


Well that's like someone saying, "Oh you have DIRECTV? Then, you have HD & 3D." Well, you need a Hx21 or later, HDTV, 3D TV, and subscribe to HD service. :lol:


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"J Blow" said:


> That's the whole point. I don't have MRV and there's a lot more to it than just having DirecTv.


????

Not all cars have power windows either. What the heck is your point? You don't seem to have one.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

tonyd79 said:


> ????
> 
> Not all cars have power windows either. What the heck is your point?


I thought you would never ask. The point is that the DirecTv ad is misleading. Thanks.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

"J Blow" said:


> I thought you would never ask. The point is that the DirecTv ad is misleading. Thanks.


Hahahha. Other than one word it is pretty accurate. Saw an ad for a beer today where the convenience store swiveled into a carribean beach. Guess that is not misleading.

I find the ad slightly incorrect but not misleading at all as I can watch a show in one room and pick up at the same spot in another. (tv required).


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

For grins and giggles, in a false advertising claim the plaintiff must prove that the message or ad claims (actual words used as well as supporting visuals to the message) are "literally false" or "literally true but misleading" to the target audience. One or the other with different burdens of proof and remedy.

I say "for grins" because I don't ever see a competitor or customer being materially affected by the ad, enough to cause them to bring suit. But it is helpful to better understand what you claims you can make or the risks with making them.

What is the claim? "With DirecTV you can start watching in one room, pause, and continue watching in any room". This is accompanied by visuals of a person hitting a single button on their remote and the robots in the ad pausing in mid-air (not stopping and disappering).

My layman conclusion is that it is "literally false". It is supposed to be a literal, at face value, interpretation. Does it bother me? Not in the least. But as someone who has at one point had to review and approve every advertisement made by my company and consider claims made within them it is an area I've had to pay attention to.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Awww screw it. Certain people just won't admit when they are wrong and I'm done wasting time.


Pot, meet Kettle...


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

anleva said:


> What is the claim? "With DirecTV you can start watching in one room, pause, and continue watching in any room". This is accompanied by visuals of a person hitting a single button on their remote and the robots in the ad pausing in mid-air (not stopping and disappering).
> 
> My layman conclusion is that it is "literally false". It is supposed to be a literal, at face value, interpretation. Does it bother me? Not in the least. But as someone who has at one point had to review and approve every advertisement made by my company and consider claims made within them it is an area I've had to pay attention to.


I think the fact that the robots are doing damage to the environment around the TV indicates that it is NOT literal. Just like the beer ad I mentioned before.

Geez. Too much overthinking on commercials. The literal minded stupidity about what is misleading about one of the least misleading DirecTV commercials ever is why we have 30 second commericals on the radio with a very fast talking low-voiced 10 seconds of disclaimers.

Get thee behind me, laywers!


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

tonyd79 said:


> I think the fact that the robots are doing damage to the environment around the TV indicates that it is NOT literal. Just like the beer ad I mentioned before.
> 
> Geez. Too much overthinking on commercials. The literal minded stupidity about what is misleading about one of the least misleading DirecTV commercials ever is why we have 30 second commericals on the radio with a very fast talking low-voiced 10 seconds of disclaimers.
> 
> Get thee behind me, laywers!


Nice rant. Interesting that you would find the literal claim to be true. I sure can't do that with my MRV set up. I don't think you understand what "literal" means in this context.

DirecTV understands all this. They felt the reward outweighed the risk. That happens all the time. Some companies play faster and looser with advertising claims than others.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

It's unfortunate that a select few struggle with the original point. Am I complaining about this ad? Do I care about it much? Do I really care at all outside of pointing out that it's misleading? No. No. No.

The original point still stands. It's misleading. The stupid comparisons could go on for days. I'm fully aware that the action isn't happening in my living room even though it is depicted as such in the ad. Not knowing what I know is it reasonable to expect, by viewing the ad, that I can be watching TV on any TV in my house and hit pause and move to the next TV and 'un-pause' it, without a load of conditions and other actions? The ad certainly conveys that is the norm. The comparisons to a beaches and beer and chicks in bikins liking you is really stupid. It's clear that this is a fantasy land. It's also clear that things won't be happening in my living room just because the ad shows that. Please show me how I can turn on my tv and watch tv like I normally do (on any tv in the house) and simply hit the pause button and move to the next TV and resume with the touch of a button. I'm not even disputing that they should have showed that you need to select the show, etc. but it's a small part of being misleading - just like the fact that you need all the right equipment (not a big deal nor expected to be disclosed) and need to be watching a recorded show - which is misleading.

Finally, if I asked anyone unfamiliar with Directv and said 'did you know you can't turn on your TV while watching live TV, even if you meet a series of equipment and service level requirements that aren't disclosed, and simply hit pause and then resume it in another room?', what do you think their answer would be? 

A. I figured this only applied to shows that were recorded and were operated from a specific source and with certain equipment.
B. I had no idea that I couldn't use this feature with live tv and I didn't think I wouldn't be able to operate from all TVs all the time. That ad is rather misleading.

Hmmm....which one would be more likely accurate?


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> It's unfortunate that a select few struggle with the original point. Am I complaining about this ad? Do I care about it much? Do I really care at all outside of pointing out that it's misleading? No. No. No.


Yes...you've complained about it A LOT. Yes...you care enough to start a thread.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> Yes...you've complained about it A LOT. Yes...you care enough to start a thread.


Those were your best points to focus on. At least you recognized that. I'm glad you are answering questions for me with how you think I should have answered though.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Those were your best points to focus on. At least you recognized that. I'm glad you are answering questions for me with how you think I should have answered though.


All other points have been addressed, you've ignored them and "certain people just won't admit when they are wrong." Besides, I thought you were "done wasting time?"


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

anleva said:


> Nice rant. Interesting that you would find the literal claim to be true. I sure can't do that with my MRV set up. I don't think you understand what "literal" means in this context.
> 
> DirecTV understands all this. They felt the reward outweighed the risk. That happens all the time. Some companies play faster and looser with advertising claims than others.


I wasn't ranting so much as making a joke. (I don't take this place seriously except when I am looking for information or contributing to testing, etc.)

And maybe I don't understand it. I was only interpreting from a post. Was I taking it too literally?


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

tonyd79 said:


> I wasn't ranting so much as making a joke. (I don't take this place seriously except when I am looking for information or contributing to testing, etc.)
> 
> And maybe I don't understand it. I was only interpreting from a post. Was I taking it too literally?


Laydown noted.


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## Joe C (Mar 3, 2005)

tonyd79 said:


> Saw an ad for a beer today where the convenience store swiveled into a carribean beach.


You're not using your DVR correctly if you see spinning convenience stores.:grin:


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## RACJ2 (Aug 2, 2008)

I can see where its true, but they are making it sound easier then it is. Actually, I could tell someone that I can pause in one room and continue watching in another room and I don't even have MRV.

I simply press pause on my first DVR. Go to my second DVR and pull up the recording of the same program I scheduled on that DVR. Then fast forward to the same point and continue watching. So I guess they could have run that commercial back before they had MRV.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

J Blow said:


> It's unfortunate that a select few struggle with the original point. Am I complaining about this ad? Do I care about it much? Do I really care at all outside of pointing out that it's misleading? No. No. No.
> 
> The original point still stands. It's misleading. The stupid comparisons could go on for days. I'm fully aware that the action isn't happening in my living room even though it is depicted as such in the ad. Not knowing what I know is it reasonable to expect, by viewing the ad, that I can be watching TV on any TV in my house and hit pause and move to the next TV and 'un-pause' it, without a load of conditions and other actions? The ad certainly conveys that is the norm. The comparisons to a beaches and beer and chicks in bikins liking you is really stupid. It's clear that this is a fantasy land. It's also clear that things won't be happening in my living room just because the ad shows that. Please show me how I can turn on my tv and watch tv like I normally do (on any tv in the house) and simply hit the pause button and move to the next TV and resume with the touch of a button. I'm not even disputing that they should have showed that you need to select the show, etc. but it's a small part of being misleading - just like the fact that you need all the right equipment (not a big deal nor expected to be disclosed) and need to be watching a recorded show - which is misleading.
> 
> ...


Man, you are just insanely literal. Going by your measure of exactness, then I guess they shouldn't show robots mashing the walls either because customers would be afraid that the walls are going to need repair.

Talk about saving face.

I am just laughing at you. And that is not a fantasy.


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## Holydoc (Feb 18, 2008)

Beerstalker said:


> I just feel that it is worded poorly. In my opinion it would be as simple as removing the word "pause", and then I would have much less of an issue with it.
> 
> You can start watching a recording in one room, and continue watching it in another.
> 
> This is exactly what you can do, and it doesn't go into any particulars as to how to do it. To me using the word "Pause" is misleading because it leads people to think you can use the Pause button, which you can not. They are creating confusion where they don't need to.


I agree 100%.

The word "Pause" when dealing with the remote of DIRECTV refers to a physically and functionally different button than the "Stop" button. This can be misleading if one is thinking of the functions of the DIRECTV remote.

The word "Pause" used in the broad context of an action rather than a device would be defined as to suspend for some time. Thus stopping the recording or pausing the recording with the remote would accomplish this "Pause".

I am sure that DIRECTV is aware of the nuances of the word "Pause" and has used it in this commercial so that the customer could be "unintentionally" (I used quotes here to emphasize that for legal matters DIRECTV can use the defense of unintentional even though they were aware of the probability that the customer may think incorrectly) misled into thinking that the DIRECTV DVR is more capable than it is.

Sure DIRECTV could have left off the word "Pause" and there would have been no chance of misinterpreting its meaning. However when the misinterpretation can lead to the company appearing better than its true capabilities, why not just leave that chance misinterpretation in?


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

If you stop a recording what is the option you have to select to start watching it again? This argument comes up once every few months and it's usually someone trying to be technical for the sake of being technical.

The commercial is accurate in the descriptions and states what is required to do WHDVR.

Being a forum lawyer is a wonderful free career choice but the real lawyers that companies hire to protect themself obviously know the commercial is factually accurate enough to be legal.

In fact if you use a dictionary you get this for the definition:



> pause (pɔːz)
> 
> - vb
> 1. to cease an action temporarily; stop
> ...


Silly people seem to imply stopping has something to do with pause. Clearly they should know that pausing is only possible with a button on the remote of 2 stick figure people that were drawn and quartered after being beheaded.


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## JeffBowser (Dec 21, 2006)

Gad this thread has gotten ridiculous. I stated in post #2 it fooled my wife, who has had DirecTV alongside me for over a decade now, as to how that would really work. It _will_ fool others, and it boggles my mind that there are folks up here who won't concede that point to save their lives. It's one thing to be a fan of DirecTV. Personally, I am a fan of the delivered product, however, it's another thing entirely to be so blindly loyal as to refuse to accept even the slightest criticism of anything to do with DirecTV.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

JeffBowser said:


> Gad this thread has gotten ridiculous. I stated in post #2 it fooled my wife, who has had DirecTV alongside me for over a decade now, as to how that would really work. It _will_ fool others, and it boggles my mind that there are folks up here who won't concede that point to save their lives. It's one thing to be a fan of DirecTV. Personally, I am a fan of the delivered product, however, it's another thing entirely to be so blindly loyal as to refuse to accept even the slightest criticism of anything to do with DirecTV.


And because one person got fooled, we need to criticize it as being deceptive? Come on. Even intelligent people misunderstand things sometimes and get "fooled." It took me about three of those "I am your yadayada insurance commercials to understand them." Doesn't mean they were bad commercials just because I didn't get them.

Yup, that is a good test.

Not.

And this is not a problem with criticizing DirecTV. This is a problem with people taking COMMERCIALS as if they are instruction manuals. No commercial anywhere ever told 100% of the truth without skipping details or caveats. Period.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

JeffBowser said:


> Gad this thread has gotten ridiculous. I stated in post #2 it fooled my wife, who has had DirecTV alongside me for over a decade now, as to how that would really work. It _will_ fool others, and it boggles my mind that there are folks up here who won't concede that point to save their lives. It's one thing to be a fan of DirecTV. Personally, I am a fan of the delivered product, however, it's another thing entirely to be so blindly loyal as to refuse to accept even the slightest criticism of anything to do with DirecTV.


Exactly. It's such a simple point that some have gone way too far to concede I guess. It's plain and simply deceptive. No one has said that it's such a different way of doing business or in horribly poor taste or anything about that.

Bottom line = ad is deceptive. It doesn't need comparison to other ads, it doesn't need a marketing firm's review on fair operating practices, it doesn't need a policy review, it doesn't need FCC consideration. We don't even need to admit that the DirecTv apologists are wrong as far as I'm concerned. Just stop trying to tell me that the ad isn't deceptive.


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## JeffBowser (Dec 21, 2006)

I have no argument with you personally, but you're tossing out red herrings and false analogies, along with putting an argument into my mouth that I never made.

We'll agree to disagree here; the actual, original, subject here is truthfully not important to me, except to note it. What is catching my attention is the intensity of the attack on a perceived slight to DirecTV.



tonyd79 said:


> And because one person got fooled, we need to criticize it as being deceptive? Come on. Even intelligent people misunderstand things sometimes and get "fooled." It took me about three of those "I am your yadayada insurance commercials to understand them." Doesn't mean they were bad commercials just because I didn't get them.
> 
> Yup, that is a good test.
> 
> ...


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## joed32 (Jul 27, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Exactly. It's such a simple point that some have gone way too far to concede I guess. It's plain and simply deceptive. No one has said that it's such a different way of doing business or in horribly poor taste or anything about that.
> 
> Bottom line = ad is deceptive. It doesn't need comparison to other ads, it doesn't need a marketing firm's review on fair operating practices, it doesn't need a policy review, it doesn't need FCC consideration. We don't even need to admit that the DirecTv apologists are wrong as far as I'm concerned. Just stop trying to tell me that the ad isn't deceptive.


Why don't you just E-mail them and suggest that they change "pause" to "stop".


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Bottom line = ads are deceptive.


"Fixed it"


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

It's not deceptive. Oversimplified maybe but deceptive no. The only people who would find this deceptive are those who choose that the definition of pause is pushing a specific button a remote not what the real definition of pause is. 

To be deceptive it was designed to deceive people into thinking the product is something it's not. No one in this thread says that it's trying to do that. They're saying that you don't press a pause button so it's deceptive.Now if they said "Just push your pause button and go into the next room and press the play button" it would be deceptive.

I can see why people would think this. They're using their defiinition of pause, as applied to this situation, instead of what pause really means. This is common to just about everyone because now people are so used to making words fit their meaning rather than use the words correctly.

So I guess I'm an apologist in this thread because I know what words actually mean and don't try to fit them to my personal definition.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

OK. Right. It's not deceptive. Lots of people are just deceived on how to make it happen. I did one .3 second google search and came up with the other guy besides a poster's wife that was deceived. I guess that's just two people that were deceived about the use and ease of this feature. So, I'll change my statement to say that the ad isn't deceptive to the Directv apologists. You all got it right from the start. It was just two other struggling people.

http://forums.directv.com/pe/action/forums/displaypost?postID=10786952


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

JeffBowser said:


> I have no argument with you personally, but you're tossing out red herrings and false analogies, along with putting an argument into my mouth that I never made.
> 
> We'll agree to disagree here; the actual, original, subject here is truthfully not important to me, except to note it. What is catching my attention is the intensity of the attack on a perceived slight to DirecTV.


Oh, come on. Again, the people who are reasonable about real life are using an intesne attack. Not the guy who writes three paragraphs trying to prove that DirecTV is being evil and mean and nasty.

Yup.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> OK. Right. It's not deceptive. Lots of people are just deceived on how to make it happen. I did one .3 second google search and came up with the other guy besides a poster's wife that was deceived. I guess that's just two people that were deceived about the use and ease of this feature. So, I'll change my statement to say that the ad isn't deceptive to the Directv apologists. You all got it right from the start. It was just two other struggling people.
> 
> http://forums.directv.com/pe/action/forums/displaypost?postID=10786952


It's got nothing to do with the repetitive name calling of 'apologist' as it has to do with being gullible to ads. Will angels fall from heaven if you use Axe body spray? It clearly indicates they will fall in the ad. I guess I'm a Axe apologist.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

Real life litmus test....LOL. Exactly. Numerous people were deceived by the ad.

End of story. Thanks for clearing that up.

I have no idea why so many feel the need to back Directv when the courts have already ordered DirecTv to pay millions of dollars for deceptive advertising. So, all you [mod edit: defending DIRECTV] need to mail your findings to all the judges that found their practices deceptive, too. Of course that would make you right and the courts wrong but at least all good in Directv's eyes, right?


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> It's got nothing to do with the repetitive name calling of 'apologist' as it has to do with being gullible to ads. Will angels fall from heaven if you use Axe body spray? It clearly indicates they will fall in the ad. I guess I'm a Axe apologist.


Such a weak argument. I guess not everyone is nearly as smart as all the Directv heroes around here. I'm sure the very day MRV was announced and Directv said you could view in one room a paused show in another you instantly figured out that you couldn't really do like they showed on the ad but rather had to go through what could be a long series of steps in order to make that happen. I'm sure it's hard being to much more observant and coherent than the public but I guess that won't let you claim to understand what is deceptive and what isn't to us of average IQ.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Real life litmus test....LOL. Exactly. Numerous people were deceived by the ad.
> 
> End of story. Thanks for clearing that up.
> 
> I have no idea why so many feel the need to back Directv when the courts have already ordered DirecTv to pay millions of dollars for deceptive advertising. So, all you fan boys need to mail your findings to all the judges that found their practices deceptive, too. Of course that would make you right and the courts wrong but at least all good in Directv's eyes, right?


They weren't regarding these ads or ones like these. It was for deceptive pricing in ads...Big difference.

If using terms like fanboy & apologist can be thrown at others with ease, then can we call people gullible dopes for easily being fooled by a commercial? Or whining adult size babies?


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Such a weak argument. I guess not everyone is nearly as smart as all the Directv heroes around here. I'm sure the very day MRV was announced and Directv said you could view in one room a paused show in another you instantly figured out that you couldn't really do like they showed on the ad but rather had to go through what could be a long series of steps in order to make that happen. I'm sure it's hard being to much more observant and coherent than the public but I guess that won't let you claim to understand what is deceptive and what isn't to us of average IQ.


Long series of steps? Stop, List, Pick the show, Ok...That's it.


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## Greg Alsobrook (Apr 2, 2007)

*ATTENTION*: Please go back to discussing the advertisement and not each other. Name calling and personal attacks will not be tolerated.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> They weren't regarding these ads or ones like these. It was for deceptive pricing in ads...Big difference.
> 
> If using terms like fanboy & apologist can be thrown at others with ease, then can we call people gullible dopes for easily being fooled by a commercial? Or whining adult size babies?


Go ahead. The funny thing is that I'm not even saying I was fooled by these ads. In fact, I don't recall what I thought. All I know is that it's asking way too much for someone that doesn't know anything about DTV to watch these ads and surmise that you can't do it like the ad indicates necessarily. If you would read one of the links I provided you would see that more than one person has been confused by how this works and I'm sure a big part of that is based on how the ad says it does work. It took numerous posts on a forum for some to figure it out. So, in your mind if you think that isn't deceptive then go ahead and believe it. When others say they were deceived you can also go ahead and explain to them how you weren't therefore they shouldn't have been. That should resolve it all.

I threw the part out about Directv already being deceptive as a precedent being set for the sheer sake of those that hear harp music playing when the words Directv come to mind.

Here's the funny part. I love Directv - very few beefs. [mod edit]


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Go ahead. The funny thing is that I'm not even saying I was fooled by these ads. In fact, I don't recall what I thought. All I know is that it's asking way too much for someone that doesn't know anything about DTV to watch these ads and surmise that you can't do it like the ad indicates necessarily. If you would read one of the links I provided you would see that more than one person has been confused by how this works and I'm sure a big part of that is based on how the ad says it does work. It took numerous posts on a forum for some to figure it out. So, in your mind if you think that isn't deceptive then go ahead and believe it. When others say they were deceived you can also go ahead and explain to them how you weren't therefore they shouldn't have been. That should resolve it all.
> 
> I threw the part out about Directv already being deceptive as a precedent being set for the sheer sake of those that hear harp music playing when the words Directv come to mind.
> 
> Here's the funny part. I love Directv - very few beefs. [mod edit]


I guess every ad is deceptive, then, to you?


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> Long series of steps? Stop, List, Pick the show, Ok...That's it.


Let's say I am demoing DTV. I am watching live TV on a non-dvr receiver and decide I want to pause and go to another room to pick it up from there....just like they do in the ad (minus all the crashing through walls). Explain how I make that happen in your series of steps. Where does the pause come in?


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

J Blow, this one is for you .. check my post here where I state the fine print:

"Limit 1 remote viewing at a time. Req's 1 HD DVR & HD receivers for each add'l TV. Additional fees required. ©2010 DIRECTV, Inc."

So there is a mention of equipment .. You need:

1 HD DVR
1 HD Receiver 
Additional fees required

Secondly, the ad states specifically this:

With DIRECTV, you can start watching in one room, pause, and continue watching in any other room.
(again the fine print is on the screen when this is said).

So what it says you "CAN" do is


Start watching in one room
You press the pause button
(not stated) you press the stop button
(not stated) walk to "any other room"
(not stated) Look for the same program on the play list
(not stated) Choose "Resume"
Continue watching in any other room

You may consider me insane, but I don't even remotely think it is misleading. Yes, there are some steps left out of what you "CAN" do, but it works the way it is stated.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> I guess every ad is deceptive, then, to you?


No. Primarily this DTV ad - which gets us back to the point where I said the ad is deceptive. Thanks. That should wrap this up.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

It's a commercial, not an instructional video!!!


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Let's say I am demoing DTV. I am watching live TV on a non-dvr receiver and decide I want to pause and go to another room to pick it up from there....just like they do in the ad (minus all the crashing through walls). Explain how I make that happen in your series of steps. Where does the pause come in?


Pause is the same as stop. If you want to, then press 'Pause' then 'Stop.'


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

Doug Brott said:


> J Blow, this one is for you .. check my post here where I state the fine print:
> 
> "Limit 1 remote viewing at a time. Req's 1 HD DVR & HD receivers for each add'l TV. Additional fees required. ©2010 DIRECTV, Inc."
> 
> ...


Oh, I see. Your argument is that any first time viewer would know that 100% of the above is also equal to "Pause in one room resume in another" therefore it's completely transparent.


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## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

J Blow said:


> No. Primarily this DTV ad - which gets us back to the point where I said the ad is deceptive. Thanks. That should wrap this up.


It is an AD. Not a user's manual.

What about that do you not understand?

I can find instances of people being confused by anything, so what does that prove? Nothing. A litmus test does not mean that every person on the face of the earth has to agree. There are still people who think the world is flat.


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

But you need to look at the words along with the visuals. Not just the words. The visuals and the words together communicate the message.

What are the exact words being said and what message do the visuals send in support of the words. What is the literal message. It's not that hard.

What's the message, the claim being made? It's clearly stated in the ad:

"With DirecTV you can start watching in one room, pause, and continue watching in any room". Hmmm...what could this mean? 

The visuals than illustrate what this statement and pause means. Together with the words they send the intended message.

We have a man who pushes a single button on his remote (why that must be the pause button, after all the ad said pause). The robots (which he is watching on TV) than freeze in midair (the ad is saying your image would freeze just like this on your TV screen, does the stop button cause images to freeze? No stop button I've ever used will do that). Then go to another room, push a button and the paused image is in action again (just like they would be on your TV).

The visuals make it clear what DirecTV is saying you can do with MRV. But you can't. So the ad is misleading. But DirecTV gets that. They are willing to take the risk and stretch the truth in order to send a more impressive, impactful, though inaccurate, message.

That said, I couldn't care less about it. The attempts to justify it though are humerous.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> Oh, I see. Your argument is that any first time viewer would know that 100% of the above is also equal to "Pause in one room resume in another" therefore it's completely transparent.


So, because EVERY step isn't explained, that's deceptive?


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

Someone sue AT&T...their ad is deceptive. http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2781572#post2781572


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> So, because EVERY step isn't explained, that's deceptive?


The deceptive part is that while viewing live TV (and on just any TV) you can press 'pause' (or let's even say 'stop') and simply move to any other TV and resume in one quick and easy step. You can hem and haw all you want but it's just not that easy. Maybe the difficulty isn't all that taxing beyond that it doesn't change the facts.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> Someone sue AT&T...their ad is deceptive. http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2781572#post2781572


More sweet logic: Directv's ad isn't deceptive because AT&T would then have a deceptive ad, too.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> The deceptive part is that while viewing live TV (and on just any TV) you can press 'pause' (or let's even say 'stop') and simply move to any other TV and resume in one quick and easy step. You can hem and haw all you want but it's just not that easy. Maybe the difficulty isn't all that taxing beyond that it doesn't change the facts.


It doesn't say Live TV in the commercial. You're right, it might require 1 extra button press. Those dirty commercial makers!


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

anleva said:


> But you need to look at the words along with the visuals. Not just the words. The visuals and the words together communicate the message.
> 
> What are the exact words being said and what message do the visuals send in support of the words. What is the literal message. It's not that hard.


You mean the part where there are two robots and an explosion 5 feet from the guy standing there? Being literal doesn't actually compute on this one.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

Once again, I don't find the ad deceptive at all, just unnecessarily confusing. 

Then you say the word "pause" and show a person hit one button on the remote control people are going to assume that was the "pause". button. We all know that hitting the pause button does not work, you have to hit the stop button.

Edit out the word "pause" from the commercial and I personally think we take care of 99% of the issues with these commercials.

I'm sure these commercials were put into production long before most of the marketing/advertising people actually had much experience with Whole Home DVR, so I'm not suprised that it isn't 100% clear. I'm also guessing that is why at no point in the commercial do they use the term Whole Home DVR, or show any of the screenshots of how it works. At the time the commercial was made it was probably still being called MRV or something else, and the screens were different (I really miss the tabs).


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

J Blow said:


> The deceptive part is that while viewing live TV (and on just any TV) you can press 'pause' (or let's even say 'stop') and simply move to any other TV and resume in one quick and easy step. You can hem and haw all you want but it's just not that easy. Maybe the difficulty isn't all that taxing beyond that it doesn't change the facts.


It doesn't say "live TV" .. It also doesn't say "press 'pause'" .. Go listen again if you don't believe me.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> More sweet logic: Directv's ad isn't deceptive because AT&T would then have a deceptive ad, too.


IMO, neither is deceptive. I hate U-verse, so the 'apologist' argument is not valid.


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Doug Brott said:


> You mean the part where there are two robots and an explosion 5 feet from the guy standing there? Being literal doesn't actually compute on this one.


The literal message (the words stated) are very clear. The visuals support the message and reinforce it.

Here it is again:

"With DirecTV you can start watching in one room, pause, and continue watching in any room".

The visuals illustrate the stated message. Not that hard.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

Beerstalker said:


> Once again, I don't find the ad deceptive at all, just unnecessarily confusing.
> 
> Then you say the word "pause" and show a person hit one button on the remote control people are going to assume that was the "pause". button. We all know that hitting the pause button does not work, you have to hit the stop button.
> 
> ...


I agree with this to a large degree. My point still remains that the ad greatly simplifies how this works. Frankly, I like this feature but I sure as hell don't want to record everything that I may want to view in two rooms. Sorry if you don't like that answer and you'd love to record everything but the number of steps and requirement to get this done to me is deceptive.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

anleva said:


> The literal message (the words stated) are very clear. The visuals support the message and reinforce it.
> 
> Here it is again:
> 
> ...


 .. Not trying to convince you .. besides I don't see one single person changing their mind on this one. Fine by me, You all can be wrong if you want to be


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Doug Brott said:


> .. Not trying to convince you .. besides I don't see one single person changing their mind on this one. Fine by me, You all can be wrong if you want to be


:lol:


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

J Blow said:


> I agree with this to a large degree. My point still remains that the ad greatly simplifies how this works. *Frankly, I like this feature but I sure as hell don't want to record everything that I may want to view in two rooms.* Sorry if you don't like that answer and you'd love to record everything but the number of steps and requirement to get this done to me is deceptive.


Oh .. That's a different story. You definitely have to record it if you want to be able to watch it in the other room. There is no way around it. If you are watching Live TV (which is sounds like maybe you do a lot of), then you'd have to also hit record before you change rooms.

Me, I watch virtually 100% recorded TV. The only Live TV I ever watch is Basketball and Football and even that is recorded sometimes.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> I agree with this to a large degree. My point still remains that the ad greatly simplifies how this works. Frankly, I like this feature but I sure as hell don't want to record everything that I may want to view in two rooms. Sorry if you don't like that answer and you'd love to record everything but the number of steps and requirement to get this done to me is deceptive.


It is simple. :lol:

And it's not intended or implied it's for Live TV. However, if you're watching live and want to finish in another room...press record...then you can watch it elsewhere.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

Like the others have mentioned countless times this is an ad, and it is not supposed to be a user manual or training device. There is no way they could show every step involved in using Whole Home DVR and make it coherent and entertaining within the amount of time they have in the commercial spot. It would be foolish to even try to.

All advertisements simplify steps, embellish truths, etc. That is a simple fact of life. If you can show me any commercial that actually shows all of the steps that it takes to do something as detailed as you would like this DirecTV commercial to be I would be very suprised. Think of all the car commercials that don't show the driver get in, put the key in the ignition, start it up, fasten their seatbelt, etc. before they drive away, is that really deceptive or is it just leaving out unnecessary information to get your point across?

As far as recording everything you may want to view in two rooms, you don't have to. You only have to record it when you decide to change rooms. If you are in the kitchen watching something and decide you want to finish watching it in the living room just hit the record button before you leave the kitchen, and choose which DVR you want to record it on. Then when you get in the other room watch that recording and then delete it. If you decide not to leave the kitchen just don't record it. I do this all the time with programming that I don't normally record, but I decide to switch rooms while watching it and don't want to miss anything.



sigma1914 said:


> It is simple. :lol:
> 
> And it's not intended or implied it's for Live TV. However, if you're watching live and want to finish in another room...press record...then you can watch it elsewhere.


I agree. It's built right into the name. Whole Home DVR, what does DVR mean, Digital Video Recording. It is Recordings through the whole home. If you don't need to record it then just walk into the other room and change to the same channel. You will only miss a minute or two of the program at the most.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

sigma1914 said:


> It is simple. :lol:
> 
> And it's not intended or implied it's for Live TV. However, if you're watching live and want to finish in another room...press record...then you can watch it elsewhere.


It's not implied that it's for live TV? How do most people watch TV? Seriously, you think when an ad depicts someone watching TV the first thing that comes to mind is, 'they must be watching a recording'. Maybe you can see more why I feel this is deceptive.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

J Blow said:


> It's not implied that it's for live TV? How do most people watch TV? Seriously, you think when an ad depicts someone watching TV the first thing that comes to mind is, 'they must be watching a recording'. Maybe you can see more why I feel this is deceptive.


No, I don't think that when I see and ad about watching TV. But I would definitely think recording is involved when the service is named Whole Home DVR (Whole Home Digital Video *Recording*).


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

J Blow said:


> It's not implied that it's for live TV? How do most people watch TV? Seriously, you think when an ad depicts someone watching TV the first thing that comes to mind is, 'they must be watching a recording'. Maybe you can see more why I feel this is deceptive.


Technically it's a DVR...it's never live. See, we can both get ridiculously nit-picky.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

Beerstalker said:


> No, I don't think that when I see and ad about watching TV. But I would definitely think recording is involved when the service is named Whole Home DVR (Whole Home Digital Video *Recording*).


I didn't recall them saying whole home digital video recording on the ad I guess.


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

No they don't, but they don't mention needing DVRs, HD equipment, HD access, etc. etc. either. It's just an ad to show they have the feature. It is supposed to get you interested in DirecTV service and then you look into what the service entails and what all equipment and services you need to sign up for.

I'm sure the phone lines are busy right now with people asking I want to have it so I can watch a show in one room and continue it in another. Then the salesperson explains to the customer what equipment/services they need in order to get that.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

I guess first time users are people who just call up and say "don't tell me anything about this product just sell it to me" and then when the installer shows up they say "don't tell me anything about this just install it". I see how those people might feel deceived because they don't know how it works so it isn't identicle to the commercial.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Anybody need anymore :new_popco while I'm up?


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

veryoldschool said:


> Anybody need anymore :new_popco while I'm up?


Ocho Cinco could probably use some.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

J Blow said:


> It's not implied that it's for live TV? How do most people watch TV? Seriously, you think when an ad depicts someone watching TV the first thing that comes to mind is, 'they must be watching a recording'. Maybe you can see more why I feel this is deceptive.


why yes .. I do think that. I never (repeat NEVER) watch live TV .. OK, that's a lie, I watch Basketball and Football live some of the time, but everything else is recorded TV. Live TV would never be the first thing I'd think of.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

J Blow said:


> I agree with this to a large degree. My point still remains that the ad greatly simplifies how this works. Frankly, I like this feature but I sure as hell don't want to record everything that I may want to view in two rooms. Sorry if you don't like that answer and you'd love to record everything but the number of steps and requirement to get this done to me is deceptive.


I set everything I watch to record. Then I watch it when I get around to it. The only time I ever consider catching anything live is when its a major sporting event. Heck, I bet I don't watch more than 10% of all the sports I watch in a year live...

I don't get why anyone watches anything live anymore when they have a DVR, unless it is sports. Even delaying it by an hour allows you to skip through all the commercials... And if you always have everything set to a SL, then if you aren't around one day, or don;t make it home in time, you'd know the unit would have recorded it anyway...


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

J Blow said:


> It's not implied that it's for live TV? How do most people watch TV? Seriously, you think when an ad depicts someone watching TV the first thing that comes to mind is, 'they must be watching a recording'. Maybe you can see more why I feel this is deceptive.


Yes... But even still, its just not deceptive if I was looking at it from your perspective. Its something that Directv can do. If I didn't know anything about it at all, I would have to call and say, how does it actually work? I wouldn't say, well its deceptive if it doesn't do live tv... Nowhere does it say when it will or will not work.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

sigma1914 said:


> Technically it's a DVR...it's never live. See, we can both get ridiculously nit-picky.


Actually, technically, you are incorrect on that accord. When you are live, you are actually LIVE on a Directv HR. Not delayed because its being read off the hard drive. That was debated and figured out long ago... Tivo for example writes the data to the hard drive, then reads it back... the HR's don't do that...


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

veryoldschool said:


> Anybody need anymore :new_popco while I'm up?


Yes Please! But not to much butter...


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## Satelliteracer (Dec 6, 2006)

I cannot believe this thread has gone this long.

Advertisers...sheesh....I mean really


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## trainman (Jan 9, 2008)

They just had the wrong dairy product on that Mark McGwire ad -- they meant "cream."

Since I have a DirecTV DVR, and hardly ever watch anything live: for all I know, the commercial being discussed in this thread is actually for Time Warner Cable, and the narration is, "If you subscribe to DirecTV, robots will destroy every room in your house." 

(Actually, I can tell that's not the case -- DirecTV commercials have very good picture quality, and Time Warner Cable commercials usually do not. To be fair, part of that is because DirecTV's ads are on national channels, and Time Warner's are usually local, but still, it doesn't particularly inspire confidence in Time Warner's picture quality.)


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