this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2024

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Roku has patented a way to show ads over anything you plug into your TV (arstechnica.com)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

233 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A patent application from the company spotted by Lowpass describes a system for displaying ads over any device connected over HDMI, a list that could include cable boxes, game consoles, DVD or Blu-ray players, PCs, or even other video streaming devices. Roku filed for the patent in August 2023 and it was published in November 2023, though it hasn't yet been granted.

The technology described would detect whether content was paused in multiple ways—if the video being displayed is static, if there's no audio being played, if a pause symbol is shown anywhere on screen, or if (on a TV with HDMI-CEC enabled) a pause signal has been received from some passthrough remote control. The system would analyze the paused image and use metadata "to identify one or more objects" in the video frame, transmit that identification information to a network, and receive and display a "relevant ad" over top of whatever the paused content is.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Well, fuck, that's pretty gross.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 6 months ago (3 children)

if the video being displayed is static

Imagine you're playing Skyrim and while reading one of the books your TV covers up the content with an ad! That would be infuriating!

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

It will be interesting to see how the technology fares with something like pi-hole.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

There should be a special division in all patenting offices called Burning With Fire ™

[–] [email protected] 22 points 6 months ago

Please don't tell the idea to HP or they might get inspired.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 6 months ago (2 children)

This is like Windows putting ads in the fucking startmenu....

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Is this real? I've never seen a native ad in windows and honestly don't know if maybe it's some kind of a regional thing.

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 6 months ago (3 children)

More like Windows showing ads even when you boot Linux

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[–] [email protected] 66 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I've just invented a way to never use a Roku product again, and I've chosen not to patent it.

The process is this:

Don't buy anything from Roku anymore.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago

Or anything with Roku embedded in it already.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

I would assume that these ads still need an internet connection to play. Another great reason to use an external box to play your media and leave the smart TV offline.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

*offline!

[–] [email protected] 55 points 6 months ago

I'm tired boss...

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