Well heck, they could build a whole channel around this and the like and Dish could add it! In HD, of course.Hey, the Joey's name could be Skippy and they could use this amazingly awful Australian TV series about a boy and his kangaroo in the ads
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I'm 52 and I feel as young as I did when I was in my 20's and often get mistaken for someone in my early 40s .Holy cow, you are old! No offense.
I've said all along that the auto hop skip feature was created as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the locals and the network owned locals. It leveled the playing field and gave Charlie leverage in the talks to get the best price for the locals. Yes it was used to sell the hopper and it is why that DISH wants everyone to go with a hopper now. But the main purpose was to see if it held up in court and it DID, many times over. Charlie was smart to have his company create the technology for the receiver , so he could use it to get the best deal for negotiations. Don't be surprised if the auto hop feature is now created for other cable channels and sports channels etc. All it takes is the software download to create folder extensions for the primetime folder and move the channels to the same transponder and you can now have better playing field in negotiations with those channel companies too. Also don't be surprised if the Directv Genie suddenly has the same auto skip feature added to their receivers too. They were only waiting to see if it held up in court and if Charlie was successful in his negotiations with the channels. You got to give it to old Charlie . He is always a little head of the rest of the class when it comes to new tech and getting over on the other guys.
Pretty short-sighted thinking on Ergen's behalf. He can only play that hand one time (with each network).
Not necessarily. He could always threaten to turn it back on in future negotiations if the channels got a little too vigorous with their prices. Each time the channel comes up for renew the deal could be renegotiated each time from scratch. I'm sure he intended to be this way.
I had one like that..My first tv purchase in 1979 was a sears 13" black and white tv. Cost me around $100. I had one of those little cable boxes that connected to the back of the tv by a long cord. The box had these small buttons each of which represented a channel.
100% pro consumer. 100% not going to happen.
Given the sometimes unpredictable and illogical legislative decisions coming out of DC, I'd say this is possible but not probable as there are free speech considerations as well as restraint of trade and commerce issues.
No more restraint of trade and commerce than is going on now with the bundling and extortion.
However, getting congress involved is forcing two companies to work together against their will. With the current model, it's atleast two free compnies operating to what they feel is best for their respective business.
Fight fire with fire...collusion vs. extortion.
Some will read that and think Hopper users can no longer skip commercials.
