Tivo Commercial Skip

Though not obviously available, Series1 TiVo's remotes can be programmed to have their 30-second skips. This repurposes the Advance button (the Play arrow with a vertical line at the right edge), which normally brings you to the end of a program. Also, if you're fast-forwarding, the Advance button will skip you to the next tick mark. Here's what to do.

Bring up any recorded program or live TV. Then enter the following sequence on your remote: Select > Play > Select > 3 > 0 > Select. You should now hear the three Thumbs Up sounds. Now, whenever you hit the advance button, the program will skip forward 30 seconds. Note that neither of these hacks are permanent. If you have to reboot your TiVo for any reason, you'll have to reapply them.

The old fashioned way is to simply press the fast-forward button, which clicks through the commercials in record time. The problem, of course, is similar to using a VCR for this trick. You have to have amazing reflexes to stop at just the right moment, or you spend as much time trying to find the program as you would watching the commercials.

TiVo, however, has gotten wise to this use of its product, as have screaming hordes of advertisers. To this end, they have proposed numerous-–and sneaky--ways of getting your attention to all things commercial. However, with equally determined hackers and end users, it is likely viewers will find a way to get around seeing any ads.