[opendtv] Re: News: Ditch Your TV
- From: "Ciril Kosorok" <kosorok@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 20:13:39 +1100
The downside: The video quality of streaming services is often inferior to
cable TV, McGuire says.
He's too kind. It's not inferior, it's downright crap on a 50" screen!
Ciril Kosorok
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Birkmaier" <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "OpenDTV Mail List" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 4:59 AM
Subject: [opendtv] News: Ditch Your TV
http://www.forbes.com/2008/12/08/ditch-your-tv-tech-personal-cx_mji_1208ditchtv.html?partner=alerts
Digital Media
Ditch Your TV
Mary Jane Irwin, 12.08.08, 12:00 PM EST
The Internet is offering (almost) all the programming you need, at little
or no cost.
Usually, we all look forward to the holidays as a time of cheer,
relaxation and endless James Bond marathons on TV.
But this year, with global economies in shambles and daily reports of
massive layoffs, your all-you-can-watch $50 monthly cable TV service is
looking excessive. And forget upgrading to a fancier digital video
recorder or a new jumbo HDTV.
Fortunately, there are now myriad ways for you to get your weekly dose of
House without cable or even a TV. Just use your laptop to access online
video repositories like Hulu.com, where you can watch most Fox and NBC
programs for free 12 hours after they air.
You can also go directly to TV network sites. On ABC.com, you can find
shows like Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives streamed free--often in
high definition. CBS is offering its shows with social chat features, and
most other programs can be picked up a la carte from Amazon.com or iTunes.
Finally, you can also use your Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 to stream
content.
All this means that your computer or game console is a far cheaper way to
watch TV and movies than a cable subscription, and you'll have the added
bonus of watching any time you like. Really, the only thing you're going
to miss is HBO or Showtime, but you can rent the last season of Entourage
or The Tudors from Netflix or buy them on iTunes.
It's inevitable that the Internet will rival, if not surpass, television.
According to Nielsen, Internet viewers watched on average 27 hours of
streamed video feeds per month during the third quarter. And online
viewing of video content at television network sites soared 155% from
August to September, due to season premieres, coverage of political news
and the financial crisis, Nielsen said.
The biggest roadblock is live programming. TV networks aren't ready to
cannibalize their premium TV ad spots, which is why most shows air online
a day after they've been taped. But the networks are starting to make
concessions: The NFL is streaming Sunday Night Football live and CNN
offers live streaming reports.
Gartner analyst Mike McGuire says it will all come down to broadband
penetration. "For digital natives--young adults and the tech-savvy--the
Internet is becoming a viable alternative, if not a preferred alternative"
to TV, he says.
McGuire expects that, come January, with everyone so concerned about
household budgets, consumers will take a hard look at their cable bills.
Many, he says, may decide it's more cost-effective to run the "biggest,
fattest [Internet] connection into my house instead of pay for premium
cable." Sure, you're paying for the privilege to watch those premium
shows, but through iTunes, "you're paying only for programming you want to
acquire or download."
For most people, this makes sense, McGuire says. It's about personalized
programming--TV Guide is no longer the task master of the living room, and
you don't have to watch Heroes at its broadcast time on Monday nights. If
you want to watch it Wednesday, just view it at NBC.com.
The downside: The video quality of streaming services is often inferior to
cable TV, McGuire says.
So, the biggest barrier to free or pay-as-you-watch TV is no longer about
quality or quantity. The question is now, "How do I view this content on
my fancy plasma TV?"
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