UniversalHD... now with commercials!

[Stewart Vernon]

Don't know when this started... but I recorded a movie the other night and when I went to watch it today, it had commercial breaks in it!

I know a week ago there were no commercials and movies were ran uncut/unedited on UniversalHD... but it would appear as though they are now airing movies with commercial breaks. I didn't watch long enough to see if the movie was otherwise unedited/uncensored as the whole point of recording from UniversalHD was to get it without commercials.

This is a sadly negative trend if it is the way of things from now on with the UniversalHD channel.

Actually, with the USA and SciFiHD channels up (at least on DirecTV anyway), if UniversalHD is not going to show movies without commercials it officially becomes a waste of bandwidth in my opinion since it would be duplication of their other channels' content.

[Drew2k]

I'm pretty sure Universal HD has had commercials for quite a while ... I remember them from mid-summer last year (2007) when I watched Battlestar Galactica on UHD.

[Stewart Vernon]

I'm pretty sure Universal HD has had commercials for quite a while ... I remember them from mid-summer last year (2007) when I watched Battlestar Galactica on UHD.

They have always had commercials during TV shows, which was fine since those shows always had commercial breaks.

But UniversalHD at least used to show movies uncut and uncensored and without commercial breaks. Seen lots of nudity and swearing to verify that movies were uncut/uncensored in the past.

It would seem they are changing the way they air their movies now, though, to be more like how they air the rest of their programming. :(

[Stewart Vernon]

I was checking their Web page out tonight, and couldn't see anything indicating this change in direction... but scanning ahead in the program guide I see lots of movies with time-blocks that are longer than what I remember the movies to be... so I'm assuming this is future-trend.

Here's a copy of the email I submitted via their Web site after reading their FAQ, which peculiarly has item #1 addressing just this very topic as something that sets them apart from other channels... until now apparently :(

I had been happily watching UniversalHD for a couple of years now via Dish Network. Imagine my surprise to watch "Last Action Hero" on your channel this week to be greeted with commercial interruptions.

According to your FAQ page, the very first question incidentally:

"Q: How is Universal HD different from the other HD networks out there?
A: Universal HD is the pre-eminent must see HD service featuring high quality, diverse content including premier sporting events, blockbuster films and award winning TV series. Universal HD is a uniquely programmed, fulltime network, airing only 100% 1080i HD content, 24/7. All movies are shown in their entirety, uncut and commercial-free for a true home theater experience."

Are you now changing to show commercials and no longer show unedited/uncut movies? If so, I will be sad because that truly did set you apart from other channels.. but now you would become one of the pack.

-A potentially unhappy viewer

[l8er]

In checking the guide, their movies now all have TV ratings rather than the original theatrical rating. (Now TV-MA, TV-14, etc.).

[Carl Spock]

Nice note, HDMe. Keep us informed.

[Nick]

Mods, could this topic be moved to the "TV Talk" forum?

[Stewart Vernon]

Mods, could this topic be moved to the "TV Talk" forum?

I thought it belonged here in the Broadcast/HDTV forum since it was about an HD channel that all providers can get... but if it would get more eyes in the TV forum I would not be against the move. I just wanted to make sure all the DirecTV/Dish people could see it since I am a Dish customer but this clearly affects everyone who has this channel.

[l8er]

I wouldn't hold much hope for a response from Universal HD from email submitted via their web site. I, too, submitted an email expressing my displeasure with this change to cut and add commercials to movies. I was then presented with a garbled (poorly html programmed) screen that said, in part:

Thank you for your email to UniversalHD.com. We greatly appreciate all viewer feedback about our network, our shows and our Web site. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of correspondence we regularly receive, we are unable to provide an individual reply to every email. Therefore, we highly recommend that you visit our FAQ section on the website, where we answer many of the most commonly asked questions from our viewers..";
There was also an email address embedded in the garble: universalhd@nbcuni.com, but upon sending an email directly to that address, I got a bounce:

did not reach the following recipient(s):

UNIVERSALHD@NBCUNI.COM on Fri, 4 Jan 2008 04:26:13 -0800
The recipient name is not recognized
.... Unknown Recipient
So it would appear to me that the website email thing is just a token effort to make it look like they accept feedback, when in fact they don't. :mad:

[djzack67]

hmmmmm.......with this does anyone feel the extra pack is less worth it?

[l8er]

hmmmmm.......with this does anyone feel the extra pack is less worth it? A definite yes. Universal HD still claims to have uncut, commercial free movies - but that's clearly no longer the case.

[Drew2k]

I saw a portion of Full Metal Jacket yesterday, and the F-Bomb was still there. So the difference seems to be the commercials - it doesn't look like they censored/altered the content ... yet.

[l8er]

Yes but "uncut" no longer applies since they're cutting the film to insert the commercials and that in itself is altering the content. "Commercial free" no longer applies since they're adding commercials.

This greatly reduces the value of the HD Extra Pack for me. I called to cancel the HD Extra Pack this morning (and BTW was told my "free" period would expire January 17th - contrary to what some other people have posted.)

[Mike728]

There was also an email address embedded in the garble: universalhd@nbcuni.com, but upon sending an email directly to that address, I got a bounce:

So it would appear to me that the website email thing is just a token effort to make it look like they accept feedback, when in fact they don't. :mad:

You could always join their forum and bring it up there. :shrug:

[l8er]

You could always join their forum and bring it up there. :shrug: Have you looked at their forum? Low participation from anyone I seriously doubt anyone from Universal HD is actually reading it.

[say-what]

hmmmmm.......with this does anyone feel the extra pack is less worth it?
I didn't get the HD Extra Pack for this channel's movies and series - I really only place a minimal value on UHD for the upcomming Olympic Coverage and any other special events like this that NBC may use for overflow/additional coverage.

So this change doesn't affect my opinion as to the value of the HD Extra Pack or UHD.

[Stewart Vernon]

I got the same error message garbled stuff too when I submitted my email to them... and I figure from past experience most companies like that don't respond even if they do read what you submit. So oh well on that front!

It is weird to seem some uncensored stuff then a commercial break... still leaves the experience watered-down to me... and the way is paved to start cutting too once we accept the commercials. They could have done a deal where sponsors pay for spots at the beginning and immediately after the end of a movie... show a few commercias there... and still leave the movie itself intact. I would have been ok with that change, but commercials in the middle makes me not take the effort to watch.

[Steve Mehs]

Universal HD appears to still be uncensored, along with Full Metal Jacket that was mentioned above, I watched Robocop earlier and my favorite four letter F word was not beeped out or dubbed over.

[dbconsultant]

I got the same error message garbled stuff too when I submitted my email to them... and I figure from past experience most companies like that don't respond even if they do read what you submit. So oh well on that front!

It is weird to seem some uncensored stuff then a commercial break... still leaves the experience watered-down to me... and the way is paved to start cutting too once we accept the commercials. They could have done a deal where sponsors pay for spots at the beginning and immediately after the end of a movie... show a few commercias there... and still leave the movie itself intact. I would have been ok with that change, but commercials in the middle makes me not take the effort to watch.

We agree - and there are too many channels out there that do show the movies uncut and commercial free to waste time dvr'ing UniHD's now. A lot of our movies are recorded so that we can transfer them to DVD for travelling and who wants to have to keep fast-forwarding through DVD's?

[armophob]

I am just disgusted with UHD's sound at this point. How they can pay so little attention to the audio of there shows and consider themselves an HD channel astounds me. HD is supposed to be the whole experience not just the clarity of the video. I have to drop DD on some shows just to get the voices through the center channel using dolby 2.0.

[midwest_dxer]

Back when I first installed the small dish to replace the C-band dish(mid 80's I think) there were very few,if any commercials on any of the Sat channels,except for self-promo ads.Now it seems all the channels are littered with commercials.IMHO,Sat service should be free,or nearly so,like broadcast television.And,as far as the HD offerings,NTSC on C-band looked much better on a large-screen TV than most of the current HD channels do on my new HD big screen TV.Just my 2 cents.

[mssturgeon]

I think the days of paying for an "HD Tier" with channels that include commercials is coming to an end ... anyone else?

I have the HD Tier (DirecTV) with my package, but I never watch any channels in the 70's anymore. Occasionally I check HDNet Movies, and tune in to the specific sports match on ESPN here and there ... but that's about it.

- Shane