I am VERY annoyed!

[Lolac]

I am so annoyed with Paramount for putting MULTIPLE advertisements for their upcoming DVDs at the beginning of TAGS season 2. Not only did they do that, but they made it so you CAN'T get to the main menu from the ads nor can you fast forward through them. You are FORCED to watch them each time you watch the disc. I find this unconsionable and I intend to let Paramount know how I feel about this. I will not buy anymore Paramount DVDs if this is what I have to put up with. Does anyone else feel this way?

Lolac

[TripperFan]

I hear ya!!! We've got some of those on different DVDs also - even movie ones. Meanwhile, isn't part of the point of buying DVDs (and previously VHS) AVOIDING advertising?

It infuriates me too Lolac!

[Leigh Ann]

I agree with you. It is very annoying to have to watch the advertisements every time you watch the disc. At least the only one they did that on is the first one.

[David VP]

You are FORCED to watch them each time you watch the disc.

Lolac......

You are NOT "FORCED" to watch them.

I have no idea WHY so many people seem to feel this way, but they're wrong.

To skip the 6 min. & 10 sec. of ads on Disc 1 (only), just click "Chapter Forward" or your "Skip" button 6 times in a row (really fast will work too; only takes 3 to 4 seconds), and you'll get to the "FBI/Piracy Warning" screen, which can't be skipped, but that only lasts for about 9 seconds. Then the Main Menu appears.

Total time to get to Main Menu after Disc 1 loads = 36 seconds (give or take). -- This includes the 23 seconds you'll have to wait for the "Paramount" logo "swooshing" ad to go by (which, like the FBI thing, is also unskippable).

Still, it's not a huge deal, IMO, esp. considering the great content of this TAGS set.

36 seconds is a lot better than 6 minutes & 10 seconds, which is the length of the Paramount ads.

But I still can't figure out WHY so many people (who have apparently pushed every button EXCEPT the only one that works -- the "Skip"/"Chapter" key) haven't figured this out as yet.

[Munsters#1]

I have "Disc Menu" on my remote. If you hit that, it takes you right to the menu and you can skip those ads.

[Lolac]

I have hit all of those buttons, to no avail. David VP, I will try your method of hitting it fast 6 times, because I've never tried that. I'll let you know how it works. I like the way Disney does it. They give you the option of choosing menu to skip their ads.

Lolac

[David VP]

I will try your method of hitting it fast 6 times, because I've never tried that.

Well, the "fast" part isn't going to help you IF the button's been "locked out" (disabled) in the first place.

My "fast" comment was going on the assumption the "Skip"/"Chapter" key has NOT been locked out -- and I'm almost certain it has NOT been "locked" on ANY brand of DVD Player, so it should work for you, Lolac.

I was just saying that you can "skip" really fast by clicking it 6 times in a row quickly, because it doesn't require a "pause" between these keystrokes.

It would have been nicer if they hadn't "chaptered" the 6 ads; so that just ONE "Skip" would do it. But since each ad is a separate "chapter", additional annoyance is required.

[David VP]

I have "Disc Menu" on my remote. If you hit that, it takes you right to the menu and you can skip those ads.

What brand Player has that?

[bry]

well, i don't understand why you had to talk down to people to answer this statement. i have tried all that as well and i HAVE to sit through the promos.
i would have never thought to pressed the button 6 times fast like you said. why would i have thought of that? i press it a couple times and nothing, i figure it will not work.
next time, get off your cloud and treat a person with respect.
nobody comes here to be talked down to.

[TripperFan]

Same here - we have a top of the line Denon and my husband is an IT Manager, and knows almost EVERYTHING about home theatre (we have a $30,000 system) and he can't do it. So you're either a bloody magician or b.s.ing because we (obviously) tried the skip chapter thing and have never been able to get it.

In a sense, it doesn't make sense that the distributors would put advertising on as it costs them money, and then allow you the option of skipping through it all - because everyone would - it defeats the purpose. It's just super annoying to spend good money and have to endure more advertising.

[David VP]

We have a top of the line Denon and my husband is an IT Manager, and knows almost EVERYTHING about home theatre (we have a $30,000 system) and he can't do it. So you're either a bloody magician or b.s.ing because we (obviously) tried the skip chapter thing and have never been able to get it.

I'm neither a magician nor am I "B.S.'ing" you -- why would I do that?

The "Skip Forward" (aka: "Chapter Forward") button works to get past the ads....period. I'm just stating a fact.*

* = At least on Panasonic Players at any rate. And I have doubts that ANY brand player's "Skip Forward" feature has been "locked out" or disabled. (In fact, I'm doubting it's even POSSIBLE, technology-wise, for just SOME players to have this Skip button "locked out", while other players are unlocked. The discs either have the "Block The Skip Button" encoded onto them, or they don't. Am I not correct here? Does anyone know? I'm not entirely sure on that; I'm only guessing. But it seems logical to me that it's NOT just a 'hit-&-miss' proposition.)

In a sense, it doesn't make sense that the distributors would put advertising on as it costs them money, and then allow you the option of skipping through it all - because everyone would - it defeats the purpose. It's just super annoying to spend good money and have to endure more advertising.

Yes, I agree with you somewhat on this point. But there are MANY companies that DO just that -- the 'All In The Family' sets by CTHE/Sony for example. Those sets have non-forced ads via a separate section from the Main Menu. They aren't forcing anyone to click on those ads; and, hence, possibly those ads are never viewed by some people who purchased those DVD sets.

I apologize to this board if it seemed like I was on a "High Horse" of some kind. I didn't really intend to come off like that. And I'm sorry if it seemed that way.

I certainly don't want to tick anyone off re. this "forced ad" thing -- it's just that I'm nearly positive I'm correct regarding this "Skip" button funtionality on this TAGS set. Mine works. WHY would SOME players' skip keys work; while others don't? THAT I cannot fathom.

Try your "Skip" buttons again -- I just now said "Sim-Sim-Sala-Bim" while in total darkness and while touching my Ouija Board -- so I've cast a 'spell' on all your Players, so the 'skip' oughta work now.

P.S. -- Another thought on this thing ---

To those of you who can't get "Skip" to work -- have you been trying to "Skip" past the disc-opening 'Paramount Logo' and, after that failed, just assumed you couldn't also skip by the ads too? If so, you need to wait 23 seconds while the Paramount logo swoops in & out (because that logo thing cannot be skipped). But once the ads kick in, the "Skip" key becomes an active button once again. Just a thought anyway, in case you've given up on skipping right at the start of the disc when the studio logo comes up.

[TripperFan]

See - I told you that you were a magician!!!

O.k. - we'll give it another shot this weekend and see what happens. I'll let you know.

[Lolac]

Well, I got it to work by hitting the skip button 6 times. I don't know why it would work this time and not at first, but I'm just happy it did. Thanks for the help!

Lolac

[David VP]

Thanks for the help!

You're ....

[Munsters#1]

Originally Posted by David VP

What brand Player has that?

I have a Sylvania, but I had to do some reconfigurationing to it, to make it do whatever I want.

I made it...

Skip unskippable ads.
Accept DVDs from all 7 Regions.
and play VCDs.

I mean, what's the point to having a DVD player, if it doesn't do everything you want it to do.