For years, Freebox subscribers have benefited from a very practical feature: the ability to record their favorite shows, either on their box's hard drive (built-in or optional depending on the model) or in the cloud via the Oqee by Free application. This intelligent recording system allows you to watch programs at any time and, above all, to skip ahead in playback to skip commercial breaks, a popular option given the proliferation of advertisements on free channels.
The function is available on all Freeboxes, with a quota of free recording hours that varies depending on the offer: 320 hours for the Freebox Ultra, 100 hours for the Delta and Pop, 40 hours for the Revolution, and 10 hours for the mini 4K, One, and Crystal models. Beyond this, Free charges €0.02/hour/month. However, content can be deleted at any time to free up space.
TF1 locks fast-forwarding on its ads
But since November 2024, a major change has occurred: TF1 group channels (TF1, TMC, TFX, TF1 Séries Films) have imposed unprecedented restrictions on Free. From now on, on the 4K TV Player of the Freebox Pop and Ultra, it is impossible to skip advertising when watching a TF1 program recorded via Oqee. A message then appears on the screen: “At the request of TF1, this action is blocked during this advertising segment”.
This limitation currently only concerns cloud recordings played via the 4K TV Player. The Oqee applications for iOS, Android, web browser, or recordings on local hard drive (as on the Freebox Revolution), still allow you to skip ads. TF1's goal: guarantee the visibility of its advertisers, even on a delayed basis, in the face of fierce competition from streaming platforms.
Alternatives to continue avoiding ads
Faced with this lockdown, a few tips remain for Freebox subscribers: by favoring recording on a local hard drive, which still allows fast-forwarding through TF1 ads, or by using the Oqee applications on smartphones, tablets, or web browsers to play cloud recordings as long as the restriction is not applied.
An economic tug-of-war... to the detriment of viewers
TF1 justifies these measures by the need to preserve its advertising revenue, essential to its economic model. Free, for its part, points out that these restrictions are imposed by the broadcaster and not by itself. Subscribers, for their part, see the disappearance of a freedom that was nevertheless part of the DNA of French internet boxes. Because in the end, they are the big losers. All the more so as the situation is evolving: if the local recording parade still holds, there is no guarantee that it too will not be restricted in the future, under pressure from audiovisual groups.
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