[opendtv] Re: Unwrapping the Cable TV Bundle
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2015 01:13:13 +0000
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
You refuse to acknowledge that Sling is a MVPD bundle.
But that is exactly what it is, just with far fewer
channels.
You're simply not getting the technological migration here, Craig. When I go to
a site like France 24, I can watch any number of streams, including one that is
"live," many that are on demand, and I can read any number of articles (text,
graphics). This is functionally identical to what Sling TV allows. Without
using "channels," Sling TV offers linear or on demand streams. There are no
"channels" involved. Like I said, "channels" were a means to an end. You and
the article make it sound like they are the end itself.
The Internet is not going to eliminate bundles of live linear
channels.
It abolishes "channels" entirely. The idea that we even need to dwell on the
size of "channel bundles" becomes anachronistic and meaningless. "Channels" are
needed when you use a circuit-switched network. They are, in essence,
permanently-established circuits. The Internet can emulate that, with live
streams, but it's not limited that way.
With TV Everywhere we can access the live linear content
anywhere on mobile devices,
With TVE, your remain locked up in that walled garden, however, under the
control of that single head-end. So TVE tries to defeat one of the major
benefits of Internet TV, which is the un-walling aspect.
You still don't get it. The reason for hundreds of channels
was to provide access to library content.
No, Craig. The reason for channels is that these were the only game in town,
**to allow for multiple streams to be delivered over a single cable** (or, for
that matter, OTA too). Channels are permanently set up circuits. Think of your
telephone, but instead of allowing the user to dial up short duration A to B
connections, the cable TV system pre-established a specific number of these
circuits, permanently set up, from head end to your home, one way, over that
single cable. That was the only way to do this, Craig, before packet switched
techniques emerged.
As to content, those channels can carry whatever content, live or on demand,
but only in linear streams, and only from that one head end. And the service
provider can charge by the bundle of channels.
That whole structure is going away, Craig. Sure, during the transitional phase,
the legacy "channel bundle" formula will change, but in short, who cares?
That's a minor aspect of what the change is all about.
Bert
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts:
