Non-motoring > Advertisements in TV EPGs	Buying / Selling
Thread Author: Arctophile	Replies: 32

New Mon 7 Feb 11 17:20   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Arctophile

Another TV question... I am considering the purchase of a flat screen TV and I tend to like Panasonic kit. However... I have noted that the Panasonic Freeview Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) displays advertisements. This puts me off. Does anyone know if the advertisements can be turned off? Are the adverts related to the TV programmes that you watch? Do other brands, say Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, also display advertisements within the EPG? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 18:42   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Stuartli

These advertisements are not very intrusive and you don't really notice them. However anyone who was put off buying a Panasonic because of this for a reason would, in my opinion, be a very xxxxxx person...:-)) Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 19:07   Advertisements in TV EPGs - spamcan61

You can't turn them off, so I won't buy a Panasonic, in the very unlikely event I stump up the cash for another telly. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 19:20   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Clk Sec

I'm surprised that a few adverts in a 'programme guide' would bother anyone... Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 20:58   Advertisements in TV EPGs - MD

>> I'm surprised that a few adverts in a 'programme guide' would bother anyone... >> I am not. I would pay all day long to have Ad free TV on the rare occasions I watch the 'Idiot's Gold Fish Bowl'. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 08:23   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Dog

>>I would pay all day long to have Ad free TV on the rare occasions I watch the 'Idiot's Gold Fish Bowl'<< Same ere - I rarely watch The Idiots Lantern these days. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 09:59   Advertisements in TV EPGs - teabelly

Bothers me. I don't want adverts! I record everything to skip them. I block them on all internet sites. Don't want the intrusive drivel of advertising. If I want something, I go find it. They might be un-intrusive now but what happens in the future when someone decides you have to sit through a 30 second commercial before you can use your tv or microwave or anything else?! It's a shame as Panasonic make some good gear but I'm not going to buy it as I don't want adverts on a consumer product that does not require advertising to work. If they want to show me adverts then the tv would have to be free. If I'm paying for it, I'll decide how I'm going to be using it - so the adverts are turned off. Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 12:41 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 11:31   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Dog

>>Bothers me. I don't want adverts! I record everything to skip them. I block them on all internet sites. Don't want the intrusive drivel of advertising. If I want something, I go find it<< Same ere - 100% ... I'll have to start using my £50 LG DVD recorder more, there was a 'good' program on Sunday night (The Promise) about Palestine and the jews, but I thought, well - hang on ... it's on for 1.5 hours, and 15 mins of that will be adverts, so I went to bed. Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 12:42 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 19:40   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Manatee

I didn't know that. It's quite a surprise. I thought content was governed by the broadcaster(s), not the hardware provider. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 20:16   Advertisements in TV EPGs - spamcan61

Presumably Panasonic found the EPG with adverts was cheaper to buy than doing it themselves or buying one of the alternatives. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 20:43   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Arctophile

I was surprised to discover that there is more than one broadcaster of the EPG, but apparently there is. The one that Panasonic use includes advertisements, presumably Panasonic get a cut of the revenue. So, do Sony include advertisements? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 20:47   Advertisements in TV EPGs - spamcan61

Sony TVs also have the GuidePlus ad riddled EPG, but unlike Pansonic, Sony give you the option of using a different EPG. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 20:56   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Manatee

I have Sony TV and HDD DVD thing, and have seen ads on neither. If there's a choice of EPG then I'm not aware of it. It could be that my gear is not current enough! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 21:05   Advertisements in TV EPGs - spamcan61

>> I have Sony TV and HDD DVD thing, and have seen ads on neither. If >> there's a choice of EPG then I'm not aware of it. It could be that >> my gear is not current enough! >> No idea TBH, I just Googled a bit and found at least some Sony gear where you could change to a diifferent EPG. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 21:10   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Slidingpillar

Ditto, shiny new Sony, no adverts in EPG. Bearing in mind the Freeview/BBC EPG is designed to be event driven an overrunning programme should still be recorded. Not true of the other EPGs. Manufacturers choice usually though, not viewers. Have to admit, I'm disappointed with Panasonic's choice of EPG as their kit is pretty good stuff whether it be a TV or a breadmaker... Last edited by: Slidingpillar on Mon 7 Feb 11 at 21:11 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 21:17   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Iffy

...it be a TV or a breadmaker... I bet PU's is at the back of the cupboard by now. Back on topic, no adverts on the Sky EPG. Although you could say the whole thing is one big advert for Sky. I have a pvr at the caravan which has its own advert-free guide, using one of those would avoid using the guide with ads which comes with the telly. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 21:19   Advertisements in TV EPGs - R.P.

No its not iffy - not bought any bread since Christmas. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 21:21   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Iffy

...No its not iffy - not bought any bread since Christmas... Nice to know you're there - and I'm impressed. You don't want a toasted sandwich maker do you? Or a blender, or a mandolin or a.... Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 7 Feb 11 23:56   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Stuartli

If such a simple matter bothers anyone, just go to: www.radiotimes.co.uk or look in your daily paper. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 00:10   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Hard Cheese

Sony have no ads in the EPG. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 07:14   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Clk Sec

Adverts only appear on the programme guide of my recent Panasonic TV via the DVD recorder. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 08:32   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Clk Sec

>>Adverts only appear... I should have said that adverts appear on the programme guide of my Panasonic DVD recorder, but they do not appear on the programme guide of my Panasonic television. Bought both a few months ago. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 10:19   Advertisements in TV EPGs - spamcan61

>> If such a simple matter bothers anyone, just go to: >> >> www.radiotimes.co.uk >> >> or look in your daily paper. >> I can't directly record from there though... It's just annoying that a well established brand like Panasonic chose to use the cheapskate route here. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 11:52   Advertisements in TV EPGs - PeterS

>> If such a simple matter bothers anyone, just go to: >> >> www.radiotimes.co.uk >> >> or look in your daily paper. >> For me its a case of I don't want it, I don't need it and its of no benefit to me - so why should it be there? Just additional clutter on the screen Especially if someone else is benefiting - fine if they share some of the advertsing income with me ;-) Fortunately none of our LG TVs have any adverts on the EPG. In fact I didn't realise that any manufacturers did - one more thing to look out for! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 12:03   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Fursty Ferret

I have a six month old Sony LCD with all the toys (Freeview HD, X-cross navigation etc) and have never seen an ad in the EPG other than the small "Freeview" logo in the corner which is apparently insisted upon by Freeview. I would NEVER buy a TV that showed ads in the EPG. Ever. Sorry, Panasonic, until today I thought you were a reputable company. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 10:23   Advertisements in TV EPGs - L'escargot

There more irritating EPG things than advertisements. For example, the EPG of our previous set top box could be scrolled up and down 7 channels at a time (which we liked) but the one built into our current recorder will only scroll up and down one channel at a time ~ and slowly at that. It's things like this that they ought to (but don't) tell you in adverts and instructuin manuals. You have to find out the hard way after you bought the thing. Last edited by: L'escargot on Wed 9 Feb 11 at 10:24 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 10:57   Advertisements in TV EPGs - spamcan61

I do find that user reviews of 'stuff' on Amazon etc. are much more useful than the technical specifications these days, as they're more likely to pick up this sort of issue. OK they can be a very mixed bag, but there's often info. in them I can't find on the manufacturer's web site. I suppose even a fairly straightforward device like a Freeview recorder has so many potential options and features that a 'pro' review is unlikely to be able to cover them all. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 11:33   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Arctophile

One of the things that irritated me with the adverts is that they take up ~20% of the screen width. This reduces the time span visible in the EPG. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 11 Feb 11 17:15   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Boxsterboy

The EPG on our Sharp TV doesn't have ads. Good picture, too! Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 11 Feb 11 17:47   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Clk Sec

>>The EPG on our Sharp TV doesn't have ads. Good picture, too! Ditto our recently acquired Panasonic TV. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 11 Feb 11 18:20   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Stuartli

>>Ditto our recently acquired Panasonic TV. >> You surprise me. My nine-month-old Panasonic has no ads on the Freesat EPG but does on the left of the Freeview/Radio Times equivalent on Freeview. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 11 Feb 11 19:22   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Clk Sec

>> You surprise me. No adverts on the Panasonic TV that we've had for five months now, although they do feature on the DVD recorder's EPG. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 12 Feb 11 00:12   Advertisements in TV EPGs - Stuartli

>>No adverts on the Panasonic TV that we've had for five months now, although they do feature on the DVD recorder's EPG>> They don't bother me. My surprise was that 2010 models seem to have different approaches to EPG displays and advertising, or otherwise. My TX-P42G20B was the first of the 2010 models to be released (Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners), so it seems surprising that later models apparently compromise on what would normally be the norm for subsequent models during the year EPG wise. Reply to this message | Report message