Editing TiVo (section)

===Opposition by content providers===
====Content flagging====
In September 2005, a TiVo software upgrade added the ability for broadcasters to "flag" programs to be deleted after a certain date. Some customers had recordings deleted, or could not use their flagged recordings (transfer to a computer or burn to DVD), as they could with unflagged material. The initial showing of this for random shows was a bug in the software.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Terdiman|first1=Daniel|title=TiVo copy protection bug irks users|url=http://www.cnet.com/news/tivo-copy-protection-bug-irks-users-1/|access-date=April 30, 2016|work=[[CNET]]|date=September 14, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701015510/http://www.cnet.com/news/tivo-copy-protection-bug-irks-users-1/|archive-date=July 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> It later was enabled on [[pay-per-view]] and [[Video on demand|video-on-demand]] content.

====Pop-up advertisements====
During early 2005, TiVo began test marketing "pop-up" advertisements to select subscribers, to explore it as an alternative source of revenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2005/03/27/tivo-testing-banner-ads-during-fast-forwarding|title=TiVo testing banner ads during fast-forwarding?|author=Peter Rojas|date=March 27, 2005 |access-date=September 16, 2017|archive-date=February 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203162033/https://www.engadget.com/2005/03/27/tivo-testing-banner-ads-during-fast-forwarding/|url-status=live}}</ref> The idea was that as users fast-forward through certain commercials of TiVo advertisers, they would also see a [[pop-up ad|static image ad]] more suitable and effective than the broken video stream.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.firstadopter.com/fa/archives/000780.html |title=Tivo Testing Popup Banner Ads |website=FirstAdopter.com |date=March 28, 2005 |access-date=October 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520090743/http://www.firstadopter.com/fa/archives/000780.html |archive-date=May 20, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="cnet">{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/TiVo-tests-pop-up-style-ads/2100-1041_3-5644197.html |title=TiVo tests pop-up-style ads - CNET News |website=News.cnet.com |access-date=October 16, 2012 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102085819/http://news.cnet.com/TiVo-tests-pop-up-style-ads/2100-1041_3-5644197.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

At its announcement, the concept of extra advertisements drew heavy criticism from subscribers. Some lifetime subscribers were upset that they had already paid for a service based upon their previous ad-free experience, while others argued that they had purchased the service for the specific purpose of dodging advertisements. In 2007, TiVo made changes to its pop-up ad system to show pop-up ads only if the user fast-forwards through a commercial that has a corresponding pop-up ad.<ref name="betanews">{{cite web |url=http://www.betanews.com/article/TiVo_Fast_Forward_Popup_Ads_Return/1168964730 |title=TiVo Fast Forward Popup Ads Return |website=Betanews.com |date=January 16, 2007 |access-date=October 16, 2012 |archive-date=January 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115020757/http://www.betanews.com/article/TiVo_Fast_Forward_Popup_Ads_Return/1168964730 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_26/b4137049282814.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622071222/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_26/b4137049282814.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 22, 2009|title=Business Week: TiVo Wants to Be the Google of Television. How?|website=Businessweek.com}}</ref>

In 2019, some TiVo DVRs began running "pre-roll advertisements." These ads are short, but mandatory. The ads run before the user can play a recorded program. The ads are downloaded from the Internet, so a brief delay occurs before the mandatory ads begin, further delaying playback. Only TiVo DVRs using TiVo Experience 4 software (Roamio, Bolt, Edge, etc.) have this forced advertising, earlier TiVo software does not deploy pre-roll ads.