The "Previous Channel" button on remote controls used to be useful. When one TV show went to commercials, you could flip to the other one with one push, and later flip back.

But today, even when you watch two shows at once, you will suffer frequent periods when both shows are in commercials at the same time.

To deal with commercials these days, you really need three channels to flip between. When I look through the TV guide, I don't even stop reading if my favorite show turns out to be on. Instead, I continue all the way through the listings until I find two more "backup shows".

The proposed "Triangle" button on the remote control is just like the "Previous Channel" button, but cycles among the two previous channels instead of just one.
-- phundug, Aug 19 2003

My set has an option to set "favorite" channels (in fact, both the TV and the cable box came with this feature). Then pressing the appropriate button cycles between them. Seems a more general solution to your problem.
-- DrCurry, Aug 19 2003


What if three or more channels are in commercials? You may need a kind of screen saver as a backup to your backup.
-- Amos Kito, Aug 19 2003


In the UK just flip to a BBC channel which does not carry adverts.
-- dobtabulous, Aug 19 2003


What [Kreuner] said. (Except for "biscuit" read "olive" and for "juice" read "Scotch".) It really simplifies things when you only have 5 channels to choose from, particularly when at least two are sure to be showing rubbish at any given time.
-- angel, Aug 19 2003


Call it the Attention Deficit button. Fishbone for watching too much TV. (simultaneously)
-- waugsqueke, Aug 19 2003



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