Another TV Show Arrives... Microsoft Competition?

[bigandy]

i'll be much amused if Microsoft pitch theirs as an "open" standard again, seeing as their wm3 codecs - both audio and video, don't function on Macs... at all.

call that open?

 

[Yvan256]

The subscription based method might actually make sense for television shows. After all, people are used to television being a transient medium. Subscription versus pay for download seems to be the distinction between replacing your cable connection and replacing your DVD collection. I think there is room for both in the market, and it will be interesting to see if consumers agree with me.

Can't agree more. Music? Yeah, I want to own it, listen to it hundreds of times. TV shows? I'll watch it once, maybe a few times if it's good or I didn't understand some parts (or catch a joke, etc). But 2.29$CAD per episode is way too expensive (may be ok for Pixar shorts though, but the resolution is too low for the price).

Steve is right when he says that people want to buy their music (and not rent it). But he's wrong if he thinks people won't want subscription for TV shows. Sure they've sold a lot of shows so far, but a lot of people bought one or two videos "just to see".

 

[strange days]

you poor bastard.

(after looking at the post, i realized "poor" could be interpreted as not having money as opposed to my intended meaning which implies pity)

well, you may be shocked, but i don't have a TV either, and it's choice i made 15 years ago; i could watch TV in my APPLE LC630 ( before the PowerMac ), at friend's houses on special occasions, at bars / pubs / etc..., and Radio shows in the car give you plenty news as well.

Life without TV is a bliss; there are ALWAYS means to watch that particular show you're interested in, let alone movies. Apple with their iTMS is just providing us with yet another reason NOT to be a cable sheep.

 

[Porchland]

In this case the possibility exists for MS to come in and do it right. What Apple has put out so far isn't right. It’s a hodgepodge of shows, low resolutions, and a small screen on a single device.

Apple's TV Shows store on iTunes is what it is: A place to download TV shows for your iPod at $1.99 a pop. You're criticizing a terrier for not being a labrador.

If Apple comes out with something you can watch on your TV, I doubt seriously that the resolution would stay the same as it is. Also, the NBC people have already said more is coming, "Commander in Chief" landed today, and it's almost certain that we'll get new TV content at MWSF.

Relax.

 

[evomac]

So you plug in your Apple Mac Mini. Connect it to the net. Bring up the iTMS and the all you can eat option. Select 10 or more movies \ TV Shows you want to view. The first 3 movies \ TV shows start downloading at a high transfer rate. Once those are downloaded everything after that downloads at a much slower rate. Almost 56k modem speed. Day and night. As long as you have your movie list stocked you should be fine. Its not video on demand but its close.

Thats not a bad idea at all. I have a DVR and it is the best investment I've made in awhile (not literally). I would however be willing to try your idea, considering Cable's OnDemand has crap as far as choice goes (since they want you to pay extra for the good stuff).

As far as cost goes, one OnDemand Cable offering is around 5 dollars a day. Rent two of those each day for a month and add that up!

 

[Yvan256]

Apple may be headed the same direction. I have a hunch we may see some sort of a "season pass" for content on a Mac mini media center, maybe for "American Idol," "24" or "Scrubs" or a whole lot of shows.

The per-download seems less workable for content that you would watch on your TV, since nobody's going to pay $1.99 a pop to watch 30-minute and one-hour shows on their TV. (Even if you replaced your cable completely, watching an average of two shows a day would cost you $120 a month. That is just not going to happen.)

I'd be interested in subscription for particular shows: it would lower my cable bill (which I'd drop to "basic") and subscribe to shows I like (Family Guy, Battlestar Galactica being examples).

It would also give free marketing tools to studios. If your show gets a lot of subscriptions, well, that means your show is popular. Can't get more direct than this!

 

[boombashi]

HD isn't going to be possible for a while. Do you have ANY idea how much bandwidth would be required. The investment on bandwidth alone would kill any potential profit. Crap at this point I would settle for SD TV res.

Many Markets already have on demand HD through cable boxes, and MS Media Center already supports HD Recording and HD over the network to Media Center Extenders (ie XBOX 360). I think some may be looking at the whole thing from the wrong perspective. The future of "on demand" television isn't necessarily through the typical internet backbone - there are other dedicated means of delivering Television content that are more efficient that over the internet. I think Apple is aware of this, and chances are they will release a competitor to the MS Media Center, and most likely kick the crap out of it, since the MS implementation sucks. I should know I have one

It will be interesting to see who starts buying up cable and satellite providers first

 

[dernhelm]

In this case the possibility exists for MS to come in and do it right. What Apple has put out so far isn't right. It’s a hodgepodge of shows, low resolutions, and a small screen on a single device.

I pretty much agree with you here - Apple's current position is not where they want to end up. They haven't really overstepped anything (or missed long, if you get my meaning), but they are a long way from arriving. Curiously, they seem to be taking a very cautious approach to this whole thing. I'm not really sure why, but they don't seem completely sold on the idea of a video download service as anything much more than a novelty. Perhaps it is the absurd amount of bandwidth they would need to turn it mainstream, I don't know.

But I think this is something that I might find quite compelling, and a possible replacement for Satellite or cable TV. But certain things would need to happen first:
1) More content. A LOT more content
2) An easier way to get it piped to my TV (e.g. a new video-based Airport express hooked up to an s-video, composite input. Maybe longer term switch to component/DVI/HDMI input.)
3) Movies should at least be in widescreen format (480p)

I'm also interested in their marketing strategy, and whether or not they will jump to a subscription model like Netflix, or simply stay a pay-per-download service.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Apple's TV Shows store on iTunes is what it is: A place to download TV shows for your iPod at $1.99 a pop. You're criticizing a terrier for not being a labrador.

If Apple comes out with something you can watch on your TV, I doubt seriously that the resolution would stay the same as it is. Also, the NBC people have already said more is coming, "Commander in Chief" landed today, and it's almost certain that we'll get new TV content at MWSF.

Relax.

In which case we are talking Apples (sorry) to Oranges in terms of what Microsoft vs. Apple is offering so its a moot point. Yes they are adding content but look at what iTMS debuted with when it opened vs. what they came out with when they launched video. Not exactly a huge selection by any stretch of the imagination. What happened to Apple’s unofficial motto of “If you are going to do something do it right.” Me thinks that two things happened. Apple wants to push iPod sales with video support which would happen as long as they have some content. Or Apple was nervous that all the rumored talks of MS talking with the various production studios was/is about to lead to something big and they hit the panic button that in this case launched movies on iTMS.

 

[Kevin Nelson]

Mark me down for the subscription based service - I buy DVD's all the time and I use my Alchemy DVR Card to tape shows from basic cable to watch later, I will keep buying my music though.
Being able to subscribe to a service where i can do all that for say 29.99 - 39.99 a month let's me skip joining Netflix and paying more for cable just to watch a handful of shows. Even at the high end, it would be cheaper than cable TV.
This is not jsut a battle against Microsoft however, Cable companies are going to start wising up to program based subscriptions soon if the FCC announcement a couple months (weeks?) agao is to be believed.

 

[scotty321]

Two-step plan for running Microsoft:

1. Watch what Apple does.
2. Copy it.

 

[LastLine]

The day TV starts appearing on iTMS UK I'll start getting excited

 

[Stella]

if microsoft can get TV offerings to the rest of the world before Apple, then I'm all for it.

 

[asphalt-proof]

well, you may be shocked, but i don't have a TV either, and it's choice i made 15 years ago; i could watch TV in my APPLE LC630 ( before the PowerMac ), at friend's houses on special occasions, at bars / pubs / etc..., and Radio shows in the car give you plenty news as well.

Life without TV is a bliss; there are ALWAYS means to watch that particular show you're interested in, let alone movies. Apple with their iTMS is just providing us with yet another reason NOT to be a cable sheep.

I'm with you though I actually do have a TV but only watch about 2 hours a week and that's only when I am rcking my son to sleep. I depend on my computer and the newspaper for my news, entertainment, etc and i have netflix for movies that I play on my computer. No need for an expesive cable bill. That said, I would pay a subscription fee to download TV. How much? Maybe $15 a month for unlimited/high limited usage. There are only a couple of shows on right now that really interest me. THe thought of being able to watch only what I want to watch, when I want and without commercials is very appealing. I think that this is one 'innovation' Steve should copy from Bill.

 

[dernhelm]

The day TV starts appearing on iTMS UK I'll start getting excited

This will also be the day when the quality of the content goes up.

 

[evomac]

well, you may be shocked, but i don't have a TV either, and it's choice i made 15 years ago; i could watch TV in my APPLE LC630 ( before the PowerMac ), at friend's houses on special occasions, at bars / pubs / etc..., and Radio shows in the car give you plenty news as well.

Life without TV is a bliss; there are ALWAYS means to watch that particular show you're interested in, let alone movies. Apple with their iTMS is just providing us with yet another reason NOT to be a cable sheep.

I like your idea, but it has a few flaws. If your watching a movie on your computer then no one else in the family gets to do anything.

Although I hate being forced to pay a huge bill each month to watch Scrubs and college football, There is no alternative!(?) {none of these will offer live sports so they are not viable replacements-just supplements}

 

[Peace]

I like your idea, but it has a few flaws. If your watching a movie on your computer then no one else in the family gets to do anything.

Although I hate being forced to pay a huge bill each month to watch Scrubs and college football, There is no alternative!(?) {none of these will offer live sports so they are not viable replacements-just supplements}

It's also a good example of marketing creating a need for something people really don't need..

 

[aegisdesign]

It's also a good example of marketing creating a need for something people really don't need..

Altogether now...

"Television, the drug of the Nation
Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation"

 

[maya]

Love the show.

As far as M$ mimicing it, who knows it might happen. I believe they tried out a beta version of they MOMs and it didn't work out well. What a surprise?

 

[maya]

Altogether now...

"Television, the drug of the Nation
Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation"

Depends how you watch that television. On a CRT based tube, etc...

 

[maya]

It's also a good example of marketing creating a need for something people really don't need..

Hold on, M$ creating something we do not need. Get out of here with your comments.

 

[Motley]

Frontrow on an iMac/MacMini using a subscription service actually sounds like a pretty good idea. Who needs to set a DVR when the show is available immediately from a download/streaming service (minimize the buffering though) and have the ability to load onto on iPod or burn to a cd or DVD. Add me to the own music subscribe to TV set.

 

[Peace]

Frontrow on an iMac/MacMini using a subscription service actually sounds like a pretty good idea. Who needs to set a DVR when the show is available immediately from a download/streaming service (minimize the buffering though) and have the ability to load onto on iPod or burn to a cd or DVD. Add me to the own music subscribe to TV set.

Personally I'd rather watch a higher definition tv show recorded on my DVR than a bandwidth eating downloaded m4v file.

 

[ericdano]

Screw Commander and Cheif

Screw that show. It's contrived, lame, and weak. ABC, give me BOSTON LEGAL.

I for one will be a regular at the iTunes store for new episodes of Battlestar Galactica......If they would have Stargate on there I could cancel that part of my cable service....

 

[evomac]

Personally I'd rather watch a higher definition tv show recorded on my DVR than a bandwidth eating downloaded m4v file.

The exact reason I say too little too late for these so called subscription television services. Plus, how many people are going to actually cancel their cable when/if these become available. None. Which means that you can add another 30-40 to your monthly bills.

Slightly analogous to having a landline and a cell phone.