Bad Idea: Non-Skippable Ads on DVDs

Is that hurtling car gonna crush Bruce Willis? Find out—right after these messages.

Yes, most standard DVD movies already come loaded with an annoying number of previews and coming attractions (which, thankfully, you can usually skip). But try this on for size: the bloggers at Zatz Not Funny unearthed a patent application from IBM that would allow for non-skippable ads at any point on a DVD. Wonderful.

According to the patent filing, a DVD could come embedded with a certificate that determines whether the disc should be played with advertisements; if the DVD is flagged for ads, then the non-skippable commercials could run at any point during the video. The ads could also be grabbed from the Internet (provided the player in question has a Net connection) or simply come pre-loaded onto the disc.

Now, before we all freak out, keep in mind that IBM's patent was filed over a year ago, and that there's a good chance the idea will never work its way onto our DVDs. Also, writer Davis Freeberg suggests some relatively benign possibilities for the patent: for example, maybe the ads would only be activated on budget versions of a disc (say, a $3.99 copy of the new "Die Hard" flick, as opposed to the standard $29.95 version) or even free DVDs.

I guess that's fine, as long as the no-commercial discs are still available. But here's what worries me: the possibility of downloading fresh ads from the Internet, an idea that might entice advertisers who've been loathe to buy commercial time on DVDs in the past. (Most standard DVD players can't connect to the Net, but Ethernet-equipped HD DVD players and upcoming Blu-ray decks certainly could.) In that case, I could easily envision discs with pre-roll ads—similar to those in movie theaters—through which you'd be forced to sit. Would disc prices drop if pre-movie ads became part of the package? Sadly, I doubt it; after all, the last time I checked, movie ticket prices continue to climb despite all the pre-roll commercials.

Related:
IBM Files For DVD Advertisement Patent [Zatz Not Funny!]