A little while back, the missus and I decided to get the Foxtel IQ2 as we had bought a full high-definition television and wanted to make full use of it. Also, with the demands of work and the incredible timing of phone calls at home when watching live, it proved difficult at times to catch certain shows either at the time of broadcast or without interuption.
Putting aside the fact that we had to stump up $200 to upgrade plus $10 a month (which initially I couldn’t understand but now have a hunch why this cost is charged) it’s not a bad device. It’s not so much the device with which I am impressed but more the concept of timeshifting that it unlocks.
I reckon timeshifting will become the mainstream in the coming years as people move from consuming media according to the schedule of the networks to what suits the consumer. This includes “on demand” services that are still embryonic.
Anyway, one of the best uses for timeshifting is to record all of the shows you want to watch shortly before you watch them so you can skip all of the advertising. Otherwise, in cases like American Idol where 90% of the show is guff and you just want to see the actual performances as well as who gets sent home, you can save yourself heaps of time and move on to your other shows. So whilst you may be slightly delayed in catching everything live, you could spend that time watching all of your other favourite shows.
So why do you have to pay $10 a month for an IQ2?
Well, advertisers are slightly miffed by the fact that digital video recorders (DVRs) allow people to skip their ads. I’m still annoyed by the fact that I have to shell out $10 but attempt to rationalise the cost along that line of thought. There have been attempts by advertisers to enforce a slower fast forward speed for advertising which has thankfully not gotten a leg up just yet.
Anyway, this tip might help you make more efficient use of your time when consuming media at home.
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