Today's Wall Street Journal has a superb article on all of the decisions and issues regarding digital video recorders and skipping ads.

Here's all I know: since having Time Warner's DVR service, I haven't watched a single television ad on a recorded program. I can fast forward through 20-30 seconds at a time and it's always obvious when the show has returned. For example, with "The Apprentice," the return to the show was typically preceded by a teaser for the late night news.

Freedom from TV ads: priceless.