What is the best electronic device on the market to ZAP commercials from TV programs? Tivo? Something else?

John S · Yahoo User

I don't have a Tivo yet but I understand there is a way to program the remote to fast forward by 30 seconds at a time, thereby getting through the commercials faster. This requires monitoring the playback, though, and in a better scenario, I would just have all the commercials zapped out of the finished recording. Does Tivo do that? If not, is there a technology or device that does?I'm thinking about my poor retired 78 year old mother who has a chronic illness and immunity issues such that she can't get out much and watches lots of TV throughout the day. The quality of life, though, is diminished because she often has to bear with so many blankety-blank bad commercials throughout the day, I'd like to give her a gift that would get rid of these commercials. Yes, I know about commercial-free channels, DVDs, & the like. But she's hooked on soaps and several other programs that carry commercials, so I'm searching for a way to make her TV viewing more pleasant in her retirement.Yes thank you for citing that one device had this commercial zapping capability but that the advertisers revolted and got it eliminated. In this regard, I have a big difference of opinion with the advertising community because I believe citizens do have a right to get rid of the messages they don't want to look at, just like we have a right to not watch offensive or excessively violent programs. I knew this technology came out years ago but I forgot what it was called. Thanks for reminding me that it was, in fact, Tivo.Advertising has just gone too far now in my opinion and it has polluted so much of what we watch on TV, that watching TV gets tiring. Yes, yes, I know...read a book, live real life, etc. But this is for an elderly shut-in with health and immunity issues such that getting out more is not an option, eyesight isn't good enough for reading much, and TV becomes her best option. Would really love to zap commercials for her in a fast and convenient way.