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[Draugoth]

A patent application by streaming TV company Roku suggests it wants to be able to display ads on its branded smart TVs when HDMI devices such as consoles are paused.
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Roku’s patent, which was spotted by Lowpass and is still pending, would address this by showing ads on the TV screen any time the HDMI device is in a pause state.

According to the patent’s description, the TV would study the signal coming in from the HDMI cable and would attempt to determine when the picture and audio have been the same for a period (i.e. when a game is paused). The patent also explores the idea of studying the HDMI image to determine what sort of content has been paused, so it can provide ads that fit its context.

 

[ComputerBlue]

How to decrease sales…I really hope they patent it so no one else can use it.

 

[Mr Moose]

That means the TV will be very cheap, right?

 

[Crm114]

That means the TV will be very cheap, right?

They’re already dirt cheap.

 

[Mr Moose]

They’re already dirt cheap.

I don't see the problem then if they are a lot cheaper than competitors.

 

[cormack12]

Campers trembling everywhere

 

[Trogdor1123]

Does Roku even make TVs? I thought only dongles and operating systems

 

[mitch1971]

I don't see the problem then if they are a lot cheaper than competitors.

Yeah because it will cetainly stop at the cheaper tv's only.

 

[Demigod Mac]

Just what the world needed. More ads.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Go for it. Get the patent and sue anyone who would dare do such a thing because it sounds dumb AF.

 

[Damigos]

Tragic

 

[Banjo64]

Do these mongs do no market research?

If they implemented this I would simply make sure I never bought one of their TVs for my household and would actively seek alternate brands.

Same for the console manufacturers always patenting similar, I’d never use them again. Really easy decision.

 

[Last Hearth]

Does Roku even make TVs? I thought only dongles and operating systems

There are Roku TVs, basically TVs with Roku device built in.

 

[AndrewRyan]

There are Roku TVs, basically TVs with Roku device built in.

Have one of them from TCL. Never connected it to the internet after just skimming the Terms of Service. It basically says they can monitor the contents of your screen at all times and use the data for any purpose. This TV was primarily for work so that's completely unacceptable.

 

[Drew1440]

Another reason not to connect your tv to the Internet.

Does Roku even make TVs? I thought only dongles and operating systems

They do TV middleware, like Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Tivo/Youview.

 

[Kuranghi]

Have one of them from TCL. Never connected it to the internet after just skimming the Terms of Service. It basically says they can monitor the contents of your screen at all times and use the data for any purpose. This TV was primarily for work so that's completely unacceptable.

And TCL is a Chinese brand (like Hisense) so it's a double whammy of possible "accidental" privacy invasions.

Samsung are just as bad if not worse with Tizen, it has giant permanent ads (maybe you can block them via your router) and it has/had an NFT store

In the UK there used to be JVC (and other cheap brand) "Fire" TVs with a firestick built-in similar to the Roku TVs but they seem to be going away and those and other brands (JVC, Sharp and TCL to name a few) are now all Roku TVs.I think it's partly because Pansonic have Fire in some of their 2024 models (non-OLEDs probably) and also Amazon just has a TV of their own called "Amazon Fire TV" but I don't know who makes it, probably Vestel or TPV/TCL.

There's a crazy amount of tracking in TVs these days, I sell 75" that's £699 lol even tramps can afford it so they'll easily get one in every home soon enough, I've heavily facilitated that as well, oops gotta pay the bills oh well at least some people who'd normally buy entry level okay TVs have MiniLEDs or OLEDs now.

 

[JimboJones]

Brb guys

 

[Tajaz2426]

Do these mongs do no market research?

If they implemented this I would simply make sure I never bought one of their TVs for my household and would actively seek alternate brands.

Same for the console manufacturers always patenting similar, I’d never use them again. Really easy decision.

As many of us have said, they will all be doing it at some point till you watch ads just to turn the TV on and get to the Home Screen.

They do not care about the folks lost as there are plenty of folks ok with watching ads. They will make up for your leaving by gaining advertisement money in the millions. Then at some point you won’t have a choice as all sets and consoles, games, will have them.

That’s why I love hearing folks say it isn’t a big deal to watch ads as they become more intrusive. Then we get to hear the fun part as they moan about how this could have ever happened.

We already passed the point of being able to stop it as you have weak minded folks that will bend the knee for corporations and now everyone will suffer.

A company will never stop trying to get money. No corporation cares about the consumer, they want the growth.

 

[xrnzaaas]

Have one of them from TCL. Never connected it to the internet after just skimming the Terms of Service. It basically says they can monitor the contents of your screen at all times and use the data for any purpose. This TV was primarily for work so that's completely unacceptable.

I only connected once after buying my last tv to update the firmware. After that I disconnected and deleted all wifi info. If I want to stream something on my tv I do that through the PS5 apps. Definitely a better deal than having your privacy violated with no real way of controlling it (unlike the privacy settings of the console and of each app).

 

[Lambogenie]

Yeah because it will cetainly stop at the cheaper tv's only.

Exactly.

Other manufacturers are looking at this for their own OS already. If it's not there already, it's coming. Probably very soon.

 

[Hudo]

Why not just skip the fuck ahead and cut the bullshit: Just stream ads 24/7 with the occasional movie or so between. Make the main content the ads and the "ad" the movie. Because that's where this shit is headed.

 

[lughnasadh123]

I'd assume even if they do plan this for a console that it would only kick in after a pretty lengthy time has passed which is still kinda weird. But it's also a good idea not to bet against stupid with people looking to squeeze a penny out of everything.

 

[nush]

My smart TV would play an ad every time I switched it on, I soon disconnected it from the internet. That stopped the ads.

 

[bitbydeath]

If they don’t share the profits then I can’t see how this wouldn’t be grounds to sue them. You don’t make money without providing a service for said profits.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Those Roku TV's are $200 Walmart junk TV's anyways which nobody should ever buy

 

[crunchyBiscuits]

Why not just skip the fuck ahead and cut the bullshit: Just stream ads 24/7 with the occasional movie or so between. Make the main content the ads and the "ad" the movie. Because that's where this shit is headed.

That sounds a lot like regular TV before streaming services

 

[Lucifers Beard]

Lol I never considered buying one of those and I will scratch it off the list of TVs I ever consider buying in the future. Shit practice.

 

[El Muerto]

Imagine pausing the game to look at the in-game map, and an ad pops up blocking your view.

 

[Hudo]

That sounds a lot like regular TV before streaming services

Ironic, isn't it?

 

[adamsapple]

Does Roku even make TVs? I thought only dongles and operating systems

Roku doesn't make TV's but many of the extremely popular mid-priced alternate TV brands like TCL ship with Roku OS embedded in it natively.

Hell, I have a Roku TV in my house. The OS and all the channel features on it are legitimately great.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Roku doesn't make TV's but many of the extremely popular mid-priced alternate TV brands like TCL ship with Roku OS embedded in it natively.

Hell, I have a Roku TV in my house. The OS and all the channel features on it are legitimately great.

I have a Hisense Tv in my room right now and it’s great. No complaints, was dirt cheap and fine for a bedroom tv. I paired it with an Apple TV and it is great.

 

[rabbity-thing]

Expectations:

Vs. Reality:

 

[StereoVsn]

I have been sticking to Sony and LG TVs as they seem to be the least invasive with that shit. I also usually check for a firmware update once a month and then turn connectivity off.

It’s a better bet to use a console or Apple TV for streaming vs TV apps anyways.

 

[March Climber]

Peacock streaming service actually has pause ads. They work well and don't interrupt the experience due to them only being displayed when paused. The problem is that it did not have any effect on the number of interrupting ads that the lower tier subscription has, thus making it feel more like an add-on rather than something to help ease the amount of actual commercial ads.

 

[Impotaku]

I say good luck as i’d never plug a tv into the internet and the tv I have isn’t even hooked upto any form of Ariel or cable box so unless they are beaming the ads in by magic they are shit out of luck.

Don’t watch tv at all so they are basically used as monitors.

 

[Caffeine]

cue the southpark walking ad girl episode. I hate it they are getting very intrusive I'm just tired of seeing ads lol. I replaced our dying roku with chromecast. I stopped using discord with the ad rollout update.

 

[skit_data]

What the hell's a Roku?

 

[LordOfChaos]

Ain't no way I'd allow this. Ads on other inputs you used to specifically avoid Roku ads? F that. I'd keep it disconnected and disable all I could and use an external box if it came to that.

What the hell's a Roku?

The most popular built in smart TV software out there, also sell external boxes, they're a pretty big company and the leading streaming distribution platform

 

[Fbh]

I like nothing more than to get home after work and relax watching my Roku TV!

 

[marjo]

That's not the worst part:

"That’s not all though. The filing indicates the system will be able to analyze the content that is paused and then determine relevant advertising to be displayed."

Fuck Roku or any display that tries to analyze and overlay adds on content from hdmi inputs. That's an automatic 'never buy' from me.

 

[Bert Big Balls]

Yeah... No. Get fucked.