If TiVO does this they will be in for a lot of negative criticism from most of their customers (The ones smart enough to pay attention!). It was bad enought that they got rid of their "Forever Service." It wasn't enough for them to make money off of the physical product! The almighty dollar (or should I now say the Euro) is always the driver! Sorry Tivo, but your credibility will definitely be shot if you do this!

Tivo, DirecTV, and Dishnetwork all want the boxes connected to a phone line so they can monitor what you watch and sell the info to marketing companies. I know because I used to work for DirecTV and Dishnetwork. I unplugged all my phone lines...they can all shove it!!! I encourage everyone else to do the same. It won't affect the equipment's functionallity.

this is so wrong on so many levels next they will want to know when you crap and what color
I have had direct tv and returned to it after a new offer for returning and they never camer through with what they had offered I called and I wrote a letter and they just blew me off well I blew them off too ,dont have it anymore . dish net anytime the wind blew it knocked it out usually at the most climantic point of the story I was watching dont have that anymore either and I got to thinking tv is really FREE why am I paying $65 a month not able to get the channels I want unless I pay more for it needless to say I dont watch tv now oh well I love to read and play on the computer anyways . put them all out of business by not useing them !!!

While I certainly am not happy about my info being used, it is quite naive for anyone to think this is not happening in every section of our lives. As you guys read or type online, your info goes out to someone, somewhere. I am a Tivo/Directv customer for years. I have had virtually no problems with the service over all these years, and the few times I have had an issue was resolved by their customer service group promptly. I think Tivo should make this voluntary to whomever wants to partake, and then they will not have a PR nightmare- think about about it Tivo !!!

Is it really a mystery why consumers skip commercials? No matter how creative, relevant, or clever the commercial is - I will always skip the commercials. (Unless they are during the Superbowl:) That is a major reason of owning a Tivo - to skip the commercials. What a waste? What idiots!

it sounds like it would be a good idea if it was voluntary. Nielson ratings seem rather silly, last i heard they only use a sample of 5000 boxes to determine what millions of people in america are watching. I wouldn't mind letting people know my demographics if it meant keeping my fave shows around just as long as it was optional and especially if they gave me free box and service like the nielson participants get. but hey, its not like their cancelling law & order any time soon anywayz ;)

2. Tivo, DirecTV, and Dishnetwork all want the boxes connected to a phone line so they can monitor what you watch and sell the info to marketing companies. I know because I used to work for DirecTV and Dishnetwork. I unplugged all my phone lines...they can all shove it!!! I encourage everyone else to do the same. It won't affect the equipment's functionallity.

Posted at 7:36AM on Nov 9th 2007 by Brian
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That being the case though, you won't be able to download the latest program content for future viewing should you decide to leave your phone lines unplugged.

Hey Tivo.... what are you, another branch of the f--king Bushit's? Mind your own business and just send the f--king programs!

I understand why you would want to know what shows are being viewed/recorded. Good spend for that kind of marketing research. But...

Do they really want to know why I'm skipping commercials? Really !!

This is why I don't have TiVo or any other such thing, including digital cable. It's nobody's business what I watch or when. I'll stick with my VCR if I want to record anything until I get a DVD-R machine.

Dishnetwork chasrges you $5 a month if you do not keep it connected to a phone line... I get charged for not letting them have my data.. hmmmmmmmm

I have a DVR so I don't have to watch commercials. Most of the commercials have been written for 12 year olds. They are an insult to my intelligence. I also don't have time to watch 1/2 hour of commercials plus 1/2 hour of TV. Time is precious. If they want me to try something they are selling then send me a sample of it. The old commercials were so much better. It is like the commercials today always have something to do with sex. It is sickening.

"It wasn't enough for them to make money off of the physical product!"

hey steve get a clue dude... tivo sells many of their units for next to nothing. You purchasing the actual tivo unit is just opening the door to than using the tivo service. When you are paying a monthly service fee it goes towards all of the maintence that needs to be done so the unit can have scheduling data.

Its like paying $400 for an iphone than complaining that you have to pay a monthly phone bill.

Brian - if you actually worked for a dish provider you would know that while the phone line wont stop most functions it is necasary for pay-per-view and many other additional features

commercials are out-dated for TV...No one wants to see them! They play commercials over and over! A waste of money! People leave the room...I don't BUY anything advertised, period! People HATE commercials!
They are stupid and dumb!

I want to know what chemicals or ingredients are used in a product, not see some dumb-ass jumping around telling me to buy the product.

Do away with commercials period! Run them THREE times and get a new one...Make it informative! Is the product safe for my home...Safe for my body...Tell me what's in it, and why I should BUY it! ....

to all these whiney dudes who keep on complaining about this... your secrets out... you watch greys anatomy and everyone knows thanks to your eveil tivo box.

blackmail letters should be arriving soon

WELL SAID !

Teresa LeMieux & Mozelle

I'AM THINKING MAYBE.... THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD, YES?

TOO MUCH MONITORING... AND WAY TO MUCH MANIPULATION ATTEMPTS.

WAKE UP PEOPLE - YOUR MINDS ARE BEING PROGRAMED WHILE THEY WATCH YOUR EVERY MOVE.... OH, YES.... AND POISON YOU!

confidential to all of the guys who keep on whining about this.....

face it, your secret is out... you not only tivo back episodes of melrose place but the only thing above private practice on your tivo season pass list is greys anatomy... black mail letters should be arriving soon.

---------------

mozelle... so your plan is to never buy a product which is advertised... really? you keep that up and let me know how that goes.

Too Much "Big Brother" Watching. Tivo is another marketing device. When I had directv and often wondered about the caller ID option. I had the phone line connected to the box so everytime I got a call the phone number was displayed on the TV. Sometimes I wondered if Directv got that number too. So that is why I've disconnected the phone line. At any rate I have a VCR that allows me to skip the commercials and since I'm the parent I am the only one with the key to the lock. A lot cheaper than Tivo.

Seriously, they wonder why people skip commercials? Let me save you a lot of research money: it's because I want to watch the SHOW, not a bunch of freakin' advertsing!!!

I have never plugged in my phone line and have never had a problem getting programs or ordering PPV. So that means the only purpose of the phone line is to monitor what I watch. I am sure that they are doing that anyway somehow by what I am recording.