Apple TV Not Allowed in a Office?

[theturtle]

Hello, had a quick question. So my boss put me in charge of upgrading the internet at our office complex (which is a collection of individual office units, but attached). For 15 years now, we've been paying $130 for 7mb down and .75 upload. Thank you DSL.

We're looking to get comcast, 50 down and 10 up, and get cabled installed in the bosses office so he can keep track of news, stocks, whatever etc etc.

Now this is where Im a bit confused. Comcast will charge me minimum 50 for cable a month. The thing is, all of what my boss will want to watch is available with Apple TV. I accidentally said out loud what I was thinking which was, Hmm. I wonder if its more cost effective to just get Apple TV instead of cable, then the comcast rep quickly said it was against the rules to have an Apple TV at a business location as Apple TV was made for residences. He claimed that he had 2-3 customers who did what I was thinking of doing and was fined 5,000.

My question is, was he just trying to do a scare tactic to get me to sign up for cable? I googled it but no where did I read that it was somehow prohibited to have apple tv in the office.

 

[dgr874]

Wow, the cable companies are getting really desperate...

 

[swordfish5736]

That sounds like he wants you to signup for a cable TV subscription. schools and businesses use them all the time.

This is the same company that renames customers *******, claims data caps are mandated by law, and also says they don't have data caps because the customer can just pay more for more Internet.

Could be entertaining to attempt to get him to explain who enforces such a fine and where the rule came from.

 

[Sun Baked]

Same thing would likely apply to Comcast cable that applies to Apple TV, mostly due to the commercial usage of the product by the end user.

And whether it is viewed by a couple/few people versus viewed in a setting where there is economic benefit to the viewing.

Usually you will see it strongly enforced for NFL broadcasts and the like, and you likely have heard the warnings broadcast for those.

 

[webbuzz]

There is no such thing. What you experienced was a clueless customer service rep.

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Same thing would likely apply to Comcast cable that applies to Apple TV, mostly due to the commercial usage of the product by the end user.

And whether it is viewed by a couple/few people versus viewed in a setting where there is economic benefit to the viewing.

Usually you will see it strongly enforced for NFL broadcasts and the like, and you likely have heard the warnings broadcast for those.

The OP isn't hosting viewing parties.

 

[theturtle]

To be perfectly honest with you guys, he is probably getting apple tv to occasionally watch MLB tv to destress.

The only people who will have access to the wifi will be the boss and myself. The other employees will only have internet through their workstations, which are extremely slow computers so I doubt they'll do anything that is super data intensive.

It doesn't matter that we're doing comcast business vs xfinity, which to my knowledge is only for residences.

I don't know, the person I spoke to was actually a regional sales manager so he had me a bit concerned on whether he had any validity to what he was saying.

 

[Sun Baked]

Just tell him that he scared you enough that you are going to install an antenna on the roof and drop broadcast digital tv into the building, and watch free tv in the office, lunch room and conference room.

Then install the apple tv on boss' tv.

 

[webbuzz]

To be perfectly honest with you guys, he is probably getting apple tv to occasionally watch MLB tv to destress.

The only people who will have access to the wifi will be the boss and myself. The other employees will only have internet through their workstations, which are extremely slow computers so I doubt they'll do anything that is super data intensive.

It doesn't matter that we're doing comcast business vs xfinity, which to my knowledge is only for residences.

I don't know, the person I spoke to was actually a regional sales manager so he had me a bit concerned on whether he had any validity to what he was saying.

Here is the Acceptable Use policy for Comcast Business. There is no mention of video streaming.

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Just tell him that he scared you enough that you are going to install an antenna on the roof and drop broadcast digital tv into the building, and watch free tv in the office, lunch room and conference room.

Then install the apple tv on boss' tv.

Haha! I like that idea!

 

[thekohser]

It's the Apple-related licenses

Disclosure: I am an employee of Comcast Business.

It sounds like the Comcast Business sales representative may have been referring to Apple's licenses and conditions, not Comcast's. For example, in the Apple TV product guide, it says:

"This product is licensed under the MPEG-4 Visual Patent Portfolio License for the personal and non-commercial use of a consumer"

"THE AVC FUNCTIONALITY IN THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED HEREIN ONLY FOR THE PERSONAL AND NONCOMMERCIAL USE OF A CONSUMER"

"The Family Pack License does not extend to business or commercial users."

And the Licensing terms state:

"This License does not allow the Apple Software to exist on more than one device at a time, and you may not make the Apple Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple devices or multiple computers at the same time."

Comcast may be vilified for various misdeeds, but it does not appear to me that this is an appropriate case to use as a cudgel against Comcast.

Also, my understanding is that Basic Business TV may be purchased from Comcast Business for the equivalent of $4.95 per month, because that's the bundling discount at work. If your management only wants to watch the broadcast channels and some of the "Headline News" type of networks, this would be a very inexpensive option, wouldn't it?

 

[960design]

Disclosure: I am an employee of Comcast Business.

It sounds like the Comcast Business sales representative may have been referring to Apple's licenses and conditions, not Comcast's. For example, in the Apple TV product guide, it says:

"This product is licensed under the MPEG-4 Visual Patent Portfolio License for the personal and non-commercial use of a consumer"

"THE AVC FUNCTIONALITY IN THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED HEREIN ONLY FOR THE PERSONAL AND NONCOMMERCIAL USE OF A CONSUMER"

"The Family Pack License does not extend to business or commercial users."

And the Licensing terms state:

"This License does not allow the Apple Software to exist on more than one device at a time, and you may not make the Apple Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple devices or multiple computers at the same time."

Comcast may be vilified for various misdeeds, but it does not appear to me that this is an appropriate case to use as a cudgel against Comcast.

Also, my understanding is that Basic Business TV may be purchased from Comcast Business for the equivalent of $4.95 per month, because that's the bundling discount at work. If your management only wants to watch the broadcast channels and some of the "Headline News" type of networks, this would be a very inexpensive option, wouldn't it?

Now that is an excellent answer. Thumbs up!

Yes you can use an AppleTV in a business; No you cannot resell the broadcast or charge for the viewing of the AppleTV in a business.

Install the AppleTV and enjoy.

 

[D.T.]

I have Comcast Business class at my _house_. We even use it to watch porn ...

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Most 'commercial use' licenses are to stop people from hooking up their cable to a transmitter and 'rebroadcasting' the content to other people who are paying for it, but it depends on the interpretation.

Since the Apple TV IS listed on their 'Business Store' page, I'd assume that Apple is quite all right with business customers using the device on their networks. They might object if they found a company using one Apple TV unit to 'broadcast' the programming across hundreds of TV monitors across a huge plant site.

And I have found cable sales people to be capable of saying the most outlandish things, even things that don't make any sense. I had one, in front of a client, once tell them, and me, that they couldn't have their own firewall. That their service included a 'firewall', and they forbid people from installing their own. I asked them several times if that was 'company policy', and they said yes. I called the contact I had at the provider and asked them the question, and handed the salesperson my phone. Watching the imparting of knowledge can be so entertaining...

 

[thekohser]

I have Comcast Business class at my _house_. We even use it to watch porn ...

Indeed. I just discovered yesterday that we have one particular Comcast Business customer whose e-commerce website sells "love dolls", exhorting prospective customers to "hang out with one of our silicone beauties". It would appear that Comcast Business does not discriminate amongst customers.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Ignore Comcast's lies and propose the Apple TV to your boss.

 

[impulse462]

Wow, the cable companies are getting really desperate...

I thought the same thing. To the OP, get an apple tv.

 

[theturtle]

Much appreciated for the reply goes. We're going to go with an Apple TV or a Roku 3. Haven't decided yet. Still, the upgrade in speed should be a big welcome from out 7 down, .75 up we're ditching.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Much appreciated for the reply goes. We're going to go with an Apple TV or a Roku 3. Haven't decided yet. Still, the upgrade in speed should be a big welcome from out 7 down, .75 up we're ditching.

We have a couple of ATV at my place on my recommendation. Great for when visitors come in and want to show a presentation from their Mac or IOS device. You can also download AirPlay apps for window users.