From: bob@atlantis.CS.ORST.EDU (robert s. richardson)
Newsgroups: alt.cable-tv.re-regulate
Subject: Re: Anti-regulation ad overriding normal commercial!!!!
Date: 9 Sep 92 08:18:21 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Outreach Services - Oregon State University

In article <1992Sep8.202242.9801@meaddata.com> sdw@meaddata.com (Stephen Williams) writes:
>The thing that really shocked me was that when it was over, there was
>a noticable flip, as if the channel was switched back to another feed,
>and the last 1.5 seconds of some mail-order commercial (order screen).
>
>They obviously produced this thing and overroad the normal ad with
>their own (they had the Cont. Cable logo in the ad).
>
>I wonder if Lifetime agreed to this?

What you saw was a mis-calibrated commercial inserter, probably a low-
end model because of the "flip" you describe.  Probably a Channelmatic
'Lil Moneymaker (no kidding, that's what they're called.)

Your cable company provides for local insertion of spots sponsored by
your cable company or local businesses and ad agencies.  These are all on
a tape at the "head-end" facility, where they are inserted by machine
on cue from the network, such as lifetime.  This is accomplished by
DTMF tones (like a touch-tone phone) embedded in the program material
or placed on a separate channel that occur a few seconds before a
scheduled local break.  The insertion equipment must then use these
seconds to start the tape and switch to the local video.  If this
"preroll delay" is mis-adjusted, then you will see a few seconds of
network commercial feed at the end of the local break.  It is be
coincidence that the commercial you saw inserted was the anti-
regulation spot.  It could have been any.  Its not like your cable
company was paying some guy to sit around waiting for commercials
to cover up.  Your cable operator pays Lifetime for this capability, as
well as the other networks that allow local breaks.

This message presented as a public service by:

Bob Richardson
Principal, OmiCo Industries
Makers of the MagicBox(tm) Cable Television Solution
Character Generation, Ad Insertion, Program Playback, Video Switching,
Tape Delay, Classified Ads, Digital Audio, Photo-Ads, Remote Control,
Billing, Accounting, and Logging--all in one affordable package for
small to large Cable Systems/MSOs.  Also available for LPTV operators.

For info, contact:
Sound Concepts, Inc.
(503) 757-1011
or
OmiCo Industries
(503) 758-5018

Disclaimer:  I'll be honest here: I sell to the cable industry. 
Regulation hurts my business.  I'm against regulating calbe in the
way that congress wants to.  This does not mean I'm opposed to the
regulation of cable per se, but I don't like its current proposed form.

Newsgroups: alt.cable-tv.re-regulate
Subject: Re: Anti-regulation ad overriding normal commercial!!!!
Summary: 
Expires: 
Followup-To: 
Distribution: 
Organization: Computer Science Outreach Services - Oregon State University
Keywords: 

In article <1992Sep8.202242.9801@meaddata.com> sdw@meaddata.com (Stephen Williams) writes:
>I couldn't believe it!
>
>Here in Miamisburg (suburb of Dayton, OH), we have Continental
>Cablevision.
>
>My family happened to have the TV on on Lifetime watching something,
>and they had a anti-regulation ad with newspaper quote style warnings
>of rate doubling, etc.
>
>The thing that really shocked me was that when it was over, there was
>a noticable flip, as if the channel was switched back to another feed,
>and the last 1.5 seconds of some mail-order commercial (order screen).
>
>They obviously produced this thing and overroad the normal ad with
>their own (they had the Cont. Cable logo in the ad).
>
>I wonder if Lifetime agreed to this?
>
>sdw
>--
>Stephen D. Williams    SDW Systems (513) 496-5223 Pager (513) 439-5428 VMail
>Object Oriented R&D    Internet: sdw@world.std.com CIS 76244.210@compuserve.com
>Source Distribution    By Horse: 10028 Village Tree Ct., Miamisburg, OH 45342
>GNU Support            ICBM: 39 34N 85 15W I love it when a plan comes together
Newsgroups: alt.cable-tv.re-regulate