Back when Dish Network first released its AutoHop ad-skipping DVR feature, the service automatically recorded prime-time network broadcasts so that viewers could watch all their favorite NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox shows at a later date without having to fast-forward through commercial breaks. But now that Dish has been sued by those same broadcasters, AutoHop is slightly less "auto."
According to Variety, two recent AutoHop tweaks seem to be concessions to litigious broadcasters:
• Rather than default to recording all broadcast networks, users select which ones to record.
• Now, when users are given the option to skip ads, the default is set to "no," instead of "yes."
The broadcaster lawsuits against Dish allege that the satellite provider is violating copyright law by editing broadcasters' content when it processes recorded content to remove commercials.
Some networks have responded to the AutoHop by refusing to accept ads for Dish.
by Chris Morran via The Consumerist
I think it's cool that Dish tweaked my favorite features of the Hopper. It's giving me, the customer, just that much more power and I like it. I haven't understood what all the fuss is about with the networks and Auto Hop since the very beginning, but now I'm thinking the networks have to be a little bit happier right? I hope so, because I really enjoy everything that Auto Hop has to offer. I’ve been using it since my coworker at Dish told me about it on release, and love how easy it's made watching my favorite primetime shows. I've even come to find I'm watching more network shows because of all the time I save using Auto Hop and skipping commercials. It'll be very interesting to see what the networks have to say in the end.
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