Apple Close to Completing Apple TV Deal with Time Warner Cable

[ness96]

1. See my post about anti-competitive practices. If Google or Verizon bring fiber to all of North America, great. I won't hold my breath for that roll-out, though. Mad Men is on now.

2. I don't know anyone below 50 or above 50 who does not have cable. Throw in with college kids and broke millenials if you want, that's cool.

3. If you're okay with all these points, how is that environment better than what we have now? The goal is cheaper/more quality, right? Or did I miss something?

4. You're interested in using the Internet without paying for Internet access (unless there's some new way HBO Go arrives in your home that I'm not aware of). I don't know what you expect in this world, I really don't. I'm interested in a lot of things, the majority of which will not come true.

5. Well, yes, of course.

6. This goes to my other point -- you want change, turn it off. Or tell TWC you're turning it off, then watch the discounts come flying.

7. Dude. Come on. iTunes, for the last time, travels over the Internet. iTunes is not some magical thing unrelated to TWC. You are now, and will continue, paying for it.

8. In the context of this conversation, I'm using TWC to refer to all big ISPs like it.

Not absurd. We're arguing over this cord-cutting nonsense, which will absolutely not leave the customer with a lower bill and the same or better quality programming. You may get cheaper, but you won't get better. You may get better, but you won't get cheaper. T'is the way of the world. And as far as the ATV is concerned, I've been advocating since my first post for Apple to add an HDD and Cablecard slots and just push TiVo out of the DVR market, because I believe their UI will be superior; it's a core competency. But I know that may be too old-school for you.

Ok, once again, my stance is against cable TV, not cable Internet. I'm going to review this once more, do you understand:

1) I have TWC Internet service

2) I cannot purchase HBO GO unless I also purchase TWC's TV service.

3). I wish to purchase HBO GO without purchasing TV service, but continuing to purchase TWC's Internet service.

You're refuting points I didn't make. Youre assuming what it is I want and refuting that. Please, review what it is I'm actually saying. Show me where I've stated that I wish to use the Internet without paying for access. You can't. You're attempting to put words in month. I have ALREADY clarified for you that my stance is against cable TV, not cable Internet. I've even stated that I currently purchase TWC Internet and will continue to do so as long as it is the best option available to me. Hell, I buy their highest tier service currently. How have you misconstrued my multiple statements of the will of the free market into "dude wants free Internet"? You're either not reading my posts or fail to comprehend them.

I am ok with 'better but not cheaper'. I said as much in my previous posts.

Cable tv is dying. Subscriptions continue to fall. The free market will win. Why do you bring up discounts? I've said many times now that I will NEVER purchase TV service. I wouldn't pay $1/month for it. Discounts mean nothing to me. Cable Internet will survive.


I desire the death of cable TV and for cable Internet to transform into dumb pipes. I will gladly pay more for Internet service in this scenario. It matters not if my isp is TWC. I wish to only purchase the content I desire via services such as iTunes/Netflix/amazon. I wish for my ISP to not throttle content delivery services.


DVR has no relevance to this conversation.

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This. Is what infuriates me..... and my wife's grandfather. Lol

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Ya well they're gonna have to restructure soon or later cuz i see this movement happening no matter what. Look how the music industry changed dramatically over the past 10 years, it's not anywhere near what it used to be. They just have to figure out different sources of revenue, & they will.

This is 100% correct. Change is coming. They will either adapt or die.

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That's just ignorant, yo.

Then why are cable subscriptions falling year after year?

 

[beeh]

Am I not using my Apple TV right? I get more content is good, and I suppose this is for people not using their ATV's at home.

My ATV sits next to my TV if I had HBO/TWC/ESPN subscription why would I choose to watch it on the ATV2 over the regular cable box? And if I'm on the go wouldn't I be using the ipad iterations. I guess I just don't see the benefit for me with this new material. Is everyone excited about these apps because they use their ATV outside their home/cable?

The ATV interface is much better than Comcast's on Demand box interface and WatchESPN, for example has way more content than normal "live" ESPN. Plus things that are not on ESPN at all - way more soccer/football and etc.

( but I wish the app would remember where you left off on a stream from ESPN )

 

[ness96]

But to have ESPN a la cart they would have to charge about $100/month to make the same money they do now. Is that what you really want? Because content creators are not going to take a loss just because you want a lower bill. The reason the system works now is because cable companies have the power to buy in bulk. I just can't see how these a la cart fantasies I read here are going to work.

I'm also tired of reading about how the cable companies are charging to show you ads. It's NOT the cable companies, it's the networks. That means that any a la cart system will include the same ads. If not more. The Hopper set top box will skip ads for you. They even went to court to fight on your behalf and you still think the cable companies want to show you ads.

I would love to have a lower bill too and only see the highest quality shows and movies. That however is unrealistic. If we all only paid for the shows we want that means all the other shows will go away. What will fill those time slots? You think it would be so awesome to have hours of dead air? The system would collapse and we would end up with nothing. A lot of you simply don't understand the mechanics of the entertainment industry. It is so much more complicated than just cutting ties with cable/sat providers.

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+1 I have to agree with all of this and your previous posts. It amazes me how people think its so easy to change the entire entertainment industry just because they don't care for some shows or channels. They ONLY want a handful of shows and screw the ones they don't want. It's okay for thousands of people to lose their jobs and careers, and I'm not talking about actors either. Gaffers, techs, camera operators, sound techs, lighting specialists and on and on and on. The naïveté of some people around here is astounding.

The idea that shifting content delivery away from cable TV to the Internet will annihilate the production industry is just absurd.

Will it change? Absolutely. Will it die? God no. This is the free market my friend. The model will adapt to survive.

 

[whodatrr]

I cut the cable years ago, but I just plugged back in. Here's why:

1. Providers are getting better - I always hated set-top boxes, as well as channel the surfing experience. Frankly, I've only subscribed to cable for about 3 out of the last 25 or so years. Prior to the Internet, I mostly read books and rented videos, instead of wasting hours watching mindless garbage. But NetFlix & Hulu have peaked my interest by providing me what I want, when I want it. Now, HBO Go & TWC TV are doing more of that.
2. Pirating is getting harder - USENET is now pretty much useless, & torrents are getting too tedious & spammy to be bothered with. I've now got from 5-7 people in my household, and I'm pretty much the only person with the know-how to deal with all that garbage... and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of downloading a 5gb file only to find out it's some PW protected SPAM. I'm sick of watching films with horrible resolution and dutch subtitles. I'm sick of storing TBs of videos that will probably never be watching, on the off chance that they will. Really, all of this is becoming a royal PITA.
3. Price/Value ratio is better - It only cost me ~$20 to add basic cable and HBO, on top of my TWC Internet service. That's about the same as my Hulu+ and NetFlix family plan.

It seems to me that cable providers finally have my needs addressed, and they're doing it at a price point that's acceptable. HBO Go is great and I do like using TWC TV on some of my devices. If they add TWC to ATV, that'd be great too.

When you call TWC, make sure to let them know that you only want TWC TV and HBO. In my 1st call to them, they told me I needed to spend $54 a month for that. After a couple calls, and limiting it to TWC TV and HBO, I got that number down to ~$20. Also, though you do need to physically pick up a set top box, you don't need to plug it in. Mine is somewhere in my garage. We access all of our cable content through HBO Go on ATV, and TWC TV on other devices. Anyhow, that's my take on it... YMMV.

 

[stealthboy]

Nooo! The whole point of using iTunes and the AppleTV was to drop the satellite and cable connection entirely. This defeats the purpose.

Give me a la carte channels then we'll talk.

 

[xforce11]

Would love to cut the cable and buy network subscriptions via Apple outright or pay for the channels I actually watch on cable. I know it is a ways off. Frustration with TWC when I'm not home I can watch all of 5 channels via the TWC app (the only one that matters is BBC America). Sure it is nice to not have to have a more than one TV in my house since I can us my iPad or computer as a TV and now it looks like my Apple TV. But why not away from home? I go on vacation or away from home my it does me no good. I'm assuming that the Apple TV TWC app would be like the iPad app tied to TWC internet not the TWC account. TWC would rock if I could watch TWC away from home on my devices AND would be a rockstar if I could watch my DVR'ed content via my devices. But that is a pipe dream. (Prove me wrong soon TWC innovate!)

 

[scapegoat81]

And how do you propose to get this content to your house? The Internet -- which is TWC or whoever. So after you pay them, too, you're back at the same fee.

Now you're just trolling. Ignore mode *On

 

[scapegoat81]

But to have ESPN a la cart they would have to charge about $100/month to make the same money they do now. Is that what you really want? Because content creators are not going to take a loss just because you want a lower bill. The reason the system works now is because cable companies have the power to buy in bulk. I just can't see how these a la cart fantasies I read here are going to work.

I'm also tired of reading about how the cable companies are charging to show you ads. It's NOT the cable companies, it's the networks. That means that any a la cart system will include the same ads. If not more. The Hopper set top box will skip ads for you. They even went to court to fight on your behalf and you still think the cable companies want to show you ads.

I would love to have a lower bill too and only see the highest quality shows and movies. That however is unrealistic. If we all only paid for the shows we want that means all the other shows will go away. What will fill those time slots? You think it would be so awesome to have hours of dead air? The system would collapse and we would end up with nothing. A lot of you simply don't understand the mechanics of the entertainment industry. It is so much more complicated than just cutting ties with cable/sat providers.

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+1 I have to agree with all of this and your previous posts. It amazes me how people think its so easy to change the entire entertainment industry just because they don't care for some shows or channels. They ONLY want a handful of shows and screw the ones they don't want. It's okay for thousands of people to lose their jobs and careers, and I'm not talking about actors either. Gaffers, techs, camera operators, sound techs, lighting specialists and on and on and on. The naïveté of some people around here is astounding.

Keep fighting the good fight then old timer (no pun intended)

 

[nick_elt]

when will there be some actual content for my apple tv here in Europe. Its only good for airplay here. (cheap enough to buy it just for that tho)

 

[eatmyjustice]

How about letting me buy HBO GO without also having to pay TWC for the privilege?

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You're not missing out. TWC is an evil company. You're better off not ever tainting your life with their service.

I want HBO too....but I don't think we'll see HBO separated from a cable subscription. I'm pretty sure Time Warner owns HBO. ***edit... I probably should have looked into this before posting. Seems TWC has not been affiliated with TW since 2009.

 

[Alberto526]

Win win win

Consider getting rid of a cable box or two.....within a year, the Apple TV pays for itself! WIN

 

[Mteixeira]

This is just another painful reminder that Steve Jobs is gone. I can't imagine him negotiating these dumb deals with entertainment companies. Apple always stood for anti-establishment business moves that made users life easier, and delivered something consumers wanted (sometimes before we even knew it). It's so obvious folks are flocking to streaming content as an alternative to their cable contracts. If a company like Apple can partner with current solutions like Hulu or Netflix or maybe become their own subscription based provider and use their muscle to bring these studios to the table, they could create a new pricing model that consumers do want. We obviously don't want hundreds of channels we never watch so that we can get the one or two we want and we don't want to pay $30-$90 per month for the privilege of all those useless channels. A HBO streaming channel not tied to a bloated subscription that costs $5 - $7 per month and I'm in...and I'm willing to bet a lot of other consumers are too.

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

lol at all people saying "I don't want a cable subscription!".

What do you think pays for TV content?

I only watch my local stations' over the air signals with an antenna connected to my TV. Believe it or not, there's this thing called ad revenue where they get paid based off of the commercials they sell...

 

[otisg]

I have TWC Internet and Basic Cable, but have been reluctant to get their Digital Cable service because of pricing and contracts. If I could subscribe to ONLY the TWC TV service through Apple TV for, say, $50/month or less and on a month-to-month basis, I would do so in a heartbeat. No need for a tech installation, cable boxes, or service fee woes. That is my dream for this, although realistically it will be exactly like the Roku version, just with a better interface.

 

[MacManTexas56]

This is just another painful reminder that Steve Jobs is gone. I can't imagine him negotiating these dumb deals with entertainment companies. Apple always stood for anti-establishment business moves that made users life easier, and delivered something consumers wanted (sometimes before we even knew it). It's so obvious folks are flocking to streaming content as an alternative to their cable contracts. If a company like Apple can partner with current solutions like Hulu or Netflix or maybe become their own subscription based provider and use their muscle to bring these studios to the table, they could create a new pricing model that consumers do want. We obviously don't want hundreds of channels we never watch so that we can get the one or two we want and we don't want to pay $30-$90 per month for the privilege of all those useless channels. A HBO streaming channel not tied to a bloated subscription that costs $5 - $7 per month and I'm in...and I'm willing to bet a lot of other consumers are too.

he's gone...get over it! you would be jumping around like crazy if he was the one that introduced this.

Also, do you really think these content providers are going to give out a channel or 2 at a cheap price? You start ordering one channel at a time and by the time you buy what you need...it's probably going to cost way more than the bundle service. Sure it sounds nice if you literally only want HBO GO...but what if you want 10 channels total and they are charging $10 per channel? Trust me....i have the same dream as you...but in reality it's not going to happen. They will make sure they get their cut and then some.

 

[otisg]

Absolutely irrelevant news to anyone outside the US, i.e. most of Apple's market. So why is this on page 1?

Because it's Apple news, nonetheless, and particularly exciting news if you DO live in the US and also in TWC territory, like myself.

 

[69650]

Seems like Apple has decided that if you can't beat 'em then join 'em. Looks like AppleTV is going to end up as just another way to access your existing cable TV subscriptions. Handy if you want to watch in another room or if you want to watch on the go though your iPhone or iPad.

 

[Count Blah]

I say let some other poor soul pay, I'm on the brink of getting rid of cable all together.

DO IT!!! IF you live in any kind of metro area, you can get lots of channels OTA, including the sub-channels that often have pretty good classic TV programming. I supplement my content with a netflix subscription as well. You spend less time in front of the TV, and more time in life.

I highly recommend this route to everyone.

The downside is that you don't surf as much and fall into programs such as Pawn Stars and Cupcake Wars.

The upside is that you don't waste your life watching such empty programming as Pawn Stars and Cupcake Wars.

 

[otisg]

Is everyone here ignoring the fact that Time Warner Cable is god-****ing-awful? I can't wait for this to run into the ground because of them.

This is precisely why I want Apple to manage my subscription to TWC TV, just like they do with Netflix. If I could pay month-to-month through iTunes, I wouldn't be as reluctant to subscribe. Right now, when I call TWC to look into digital TV, I get loads of BS and price quotes that differ from the website, as well as no clear idea of what prices will be after offers expire, etc. If Apple can eliminate this one hassle as a first step towards Internet-based TV, i'll be on board at launch.

 

[MacManTexas56]

This is precisely why I want Apple to manage my subscription to TWC TV, just like they do with Netflix. If I could pay month-to-month through iTunes, I wouldn't be as reluctant to subscribe. Right now, when I call TWC to look into digital TV, I get loads of BS and price quotes that differ from the website, as well as no clear idea of what prices will be after offers expire, etc. If Apple can eliminate this one hassle as a first step towards Internet-based TV, i'll be on board at launch.

for now i don't think it's going to be that way. It's probably going to be just like how Roku is...just a way to watch twc app on apple tv.

 

[zhenya]

This, a million times this.

I have no idea in what alternate reality this makes sense. Where giving people just another way to view the content they are already paying for to begin with is in any way a 'privilege'. If I already have cable and a cable box why the hell do I need an app on my AppleTV?!

What I really would like to see is apps like HBOGo where you can purchase a monthly subscription JUST for that service (without a full Cable Subscription with a bunch of crap I'm not going to use) for $5-$15 / month. I have a feeling quite a few people would leap at the chance to get unrestricted access to shows like Game of Thrones and others a day after they're released without buying the season (A YEAR LATER) for $40 on iTunes.

If you have more than one TV in the house this will give you access to the television you are paying for on all of them. We have one cable box and 3 tv's, all with ATV's connected to them. I refuse to pay the extra $10-20 per month for each additional cable box, so we've been managing with the iPad app and a Slingbox and Airplay. An app directly on the ATV would be WAY better.

 

[BaldiMac]

This is precisely why I want Apple to manage my subscription to TWC TV, just like they do with Netflix. If I could pay month-to-month through iTunes, I wouldn't be as reluctant to subscribe. Right now, when I call TWC to look into digital TV, I get loads of BS and price quotes that differ from the website, as well as no clear idea of what prices will be after offers expire, etc. If Apple can eliminate this one hassle as a first step towards Internet-based TV, i'll be on board at launch.

If I could pay the same amount for cable tv to TWC and avoid having to use their hardware and software, I'd be a lot happier with their service.

No cable box. No cable card. No TWC Navigator DVR. No monthly hardware fees. No "DVR Service fee". (What in the world is "DVR Service" anyway? They don't provide any service directly for DVRs other than what they provide for a standard cable box!) No more customer service reps that can't understand that a reboot won't allow your DVR to suddenly record twice as much programming.

 

[3282868]

This may have already been discussed.

Interesting. Cable packages may move to a la carte programming, pay for what you want in addition to not needing cable boxes with monthly charges. A new AppleTV HD with DVR should be less than the ~$149+ annual box top fees, all you need is a subscription and account, log in on any of your devices and done. Much like the HBOGO app. It would also allow watching any recorded shows and movies from your home to any device for free (over wifi or carrier network). That would be a big game changer from paying for 100's+ channels you don't watch to selective programming without clunky rental cable boxes. Would like to see TWC, Comcast, etc move away from the current antiquated model.

 

[griz]

You would need a TWC account and a TWC modem, so it would only be for people already subscribed.

Not if the deal allowed you to subscribe to TWC similarly to the way you subscribe to HULU or Netflix. Apple would never want to limit their market to just where TWC was available. Would be awesome if I could use my current cable company or Telecom for a la carte data and choose my TV plan from anyone via IP.
But frankly, I'd much rather see the networks break from the cable companies and just allow me to get ABC or HBO on AppleTV directly. The contracts in place must be so huge that this would never happen, but we can dream.

 

[scapegoat81]

If cable TV starts being offered over the Internet, that alone should cut the cable costs, right? Nobody would be forced to buy subscriptions from local cable companies. My cousin in his Verizon-less area could buy Verizon cable and watch it with Internet-based service like this. Suddenly, there would be way more competition everywhere.

Best of all, unless they are colluding, each cable company should STRIVE to put itself on the Internet to reach more users, right? They'll drive each other's prices down. The obstacle is that one person can give his login credentials to everyone.

Finally, someone makes sense