Comcast blocking FF on some Fox shows?
By Kevin C. Tofel 
posted Feb 8th 2006 9:28AM
posted Feb 8th 2006 9:28AM
We haven't personally witnessed this,
so we're putting out a call to the readers to help confirm or deny. Some PVRBlog readers are reporting that their DVR
navigation functions are blocked on certain Fox shows like "American Idol" and "24" when viewed on
Comcast HD-DVR units. One commenter indicates that Comcast needs to send a signal to his DVR unit to fix the issue, so
that sounds like a software upgrade to fix the bug. The real question: is it a bug or is Comcast trying to prevent you
from rewinding, pausing or fast-forwarding through your recordings? Hopefully, it's not some new DRM approach or the
whole "time-shifting" aspect of DVRs pretty much kills the core concept.Is anyone else seeing this type of behavior with their programming?
I recorded monday's episode of "24" on my Comcast HD-DVR and watched it last night...had no problems pausing or fast forwarding through the commercials...
Yet another reason why we need to get something where we can pipe true HD content through a home built PVR. All you need a set-top box for then is to tune, everything else would be handled by something you built and you know whats going on in it. And they couldnt change it!
Total horsecrap. I DVR'd both shows and was able to FF with no problem. Sounds like a Motorola issue to me. Sorry John, no need for a homemade PVR when both of my DVRs work perfectly find!!
I had no problem rewinding and fast-forwarding to watch the Cher guy on American Idol last night...
Warren,
They work fine now but what if you want to archive something that you recorded on TV? Nope, sorry. I guess I'm just one of those types that doesnt like the cable company being able to dictate everything I do and spying on everything I watch. Just doesnt make me very comfortable. And I like the flexibility of a home made pvr. you gotta admit there is a certain cool factor to having home grown components in your HD setup.
No problems with 24 or AI on my Moto 6412 Phase III.
I have Insight Cable and this happened on almost every episode of American Idol last season. Have been watching live so far this season so haven't noticed it.
I have Insight as well, and have DVR'd the past 2 episodes of 24 with no issues.
I noticed this last week but I don't remember which program I was watching. I couldn't fast forward and saw the little stop sign
I am using the HD DVR from Comcast and have never had issues recording/playing back/fast forwarding/rewinding 24 in HD. I'm in Dallas, by the way.
I have an Explorer 8300HD and last week while watching the Grammys and recording American Idol, every 10 min utes my channel would change to Idol. It happened again this week so I called Time Warner and she said it is a known issue, it happened last year as well. She said they have no current fix other than to record the Standard Def version. She also mentioned this is the only show with this issue. Can FOX force the channel to change through a broadcast flag?
this is happening!!!...i have insight digital cable and one of their DVRs and in the past week or so i have recorded "american idol" three times and ALL THREE TIMES i have been unable to fast forward, pause, or resume where i left off....at first i thought it was a hardward or software issue, but i have no problems with other recordings, some from the same network/channel....i'm not sure how it would work technically, but i absolutely think there is some deal between insight and either fox or american idol .....this really makes me mad that they can, without warning, interfere with the technology i'm paying for.....perhaps someone in the media should pick this story up and expose it if it turns out not to be a technical glitch....
Our Comcast DVR is skipping the repeating scheduled recordings of 24 regularly. It just happened again. I will try and schedule some other Fox content to test it out.