CBS Sports and USA NOW Channels Now Available on Apple TV [Update: And More]

[StoneJack]

Channels/broadcasters collect the subscription fees because content belongs to them, they bought it with money and recupe their costs by fees.

Otherwise, we'll have to pay for each show and no one knows how that can be made possible. In other words, when you subscribe, you receive the buffet style food, not just bread or butter.

Since no show, except news or special live shows, can be made live, it means someone has to pay or invest beforehand in cameras, scenario, artists, etc to make the show and make it available for you. If Apple owned rights to every show, it could make ala carte menu, but this is not the case and probably never will be.

Since AppleTV itself is free, it means that the only way channels provide content to Apple is that they are paid through fees, otherwise they go bankrupt and we will lose all that entertainment - which could be very expensive.

So for premium content, one possible way is that Apple makes a deal with content providers and collect their fees on their behalf, becoming itself a content sharing provider. Thats' direct Apple online service, rumored to start soon.

If Apple can make good deals, we will all win, including content providers. In other words, Apple will cut the middlemen - the cable companies- and go straigth to broadcasters with their content. Cable companies may only win if they provide enough bandwidth.

 

[jblagden]

AGAIN, the channels themselves require a satellite/cable subscription. All devices, like ATV or Roku have the same requirements.

Not all of them. iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube, The Weather Channel, Ted Talks, PBS, Yahoo Screen, Sky News, ABC and Crackle don't require a cable subscription. That's 12 channels which don't require a cable subscription. Apple TV has great potential as a cord-cutting device. Eventually, I might be willing to spend $110 per year to watch baseball.

 

[Hookemfins]

I'm not claiming that Apple directly requires that channels to only be viewed with a satellite/cable subscription. I'm saying Apple's choices in which "channels" they allow onto the AppleTV make it a distinction without a difference. Imagine if your local car dealership's stock of cars was 90% red, and the past months of new cars they received were 100% red. They're not, strictly speaking, requiring that all cars sold must be red, but the effect is the same as if they were requiring it. At the very least, it can be said that Apple is endorsing the "channels" that require a cable/satellite subscription.

The way I look at it in both regards to Apple as well as the car dealership, I can choose to go elsewhere. If I don't like ATV 4 than I'll go with Roku. Apple has their business model and what they require from apps. If I don't like it I move on. If the car dealership can't do a swap with another dealer to get me a blue car, I'll go elsewhere.

----------

Not all of them. iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube, The Weather Channel, Ted Talks, PBS, Yahoo Screen, Sky News, ABC and Crackle don't require a cable subscription. That's 12 channels which don't require a cable subscription. Apple TV has great potential as a cord-cutting device. Eventually, I might be willing to spend $110 per year to watch baseball.

and from oneMadRssn:

At the very least, it can be said that Apple is endorsing the "channels" that require a cable/satellite subscription.

iTunes-- No but requirement to purchase shows or seasons which are pricey
Netflix-- Still have to pay a monthly fee
Hulu-- Not only a monthly fee but commercials
The Wall Street Journal--True
YouTube--True but some subscriptions
The Weather Channel--Don't know, don't care
Ted Talks, PBS, Yahoo Screen, Sky News, ABC and Crackle--True but in the case of ABC I think you do.
MLB and NHL monthly or yearly subscription.

My problem you single out Apple TV but the same applies to Roku and the others. Yes Roku offers more. If that's the case than go with Roku.

As I said above, if I don't like than I'll go elsewhere.

I have been saying that full cord cutting is something that is going to take years to fully implement. It is still cheaper to pay satellite/cable than do it on your own. Unless you don't watch much TV than I think it pays to cord cut. Us sports fans are really can't cut the cord yet.

 

[oneMadRssn]

The way I look at it in both regards to Apple as well as the car dealership, I can choose to go elsewhere. If I don't like ATV 4 than I'll go with Roku. Apple has their business model and what they require from apps. If I don't like it I move on. If the car dealership can't do a swap with another dealer to get me a blue car, I'll go elsewhere.

Sounds to me like you're conceding the point that Apple chooses to provide primarily cable-subscription-required services, that this is an intentional Apple decision, if your advice is to go elsewhere.

As for going elsewhere, I've done my research and AppleTV comes out on top, in spite of these negatives. As I said earlier, there is hope it will improve. All the complaints here I have also submitted to Apple's feedback system. Overall, I'm a fan of Apple. I hope they can improve and do better.

 

[sinsin07]

...unless the person posting actually knows what they are talking about. Go back to bed, Junior.

No need for hostility.

Just pointing out the futility of personal guarantees in internet forums.

They're meaningless.

The fact that you are posting guarantees in forum would indicate you need bed more than I.

 

[Hookemfins]

Sounds to me like you're conceding the point that Apple chooses to provide primarily cable-subscription-required services, that this is an intentional Apple decision, if your advice is to go elsewhere.

Far from it. My advice to go elsewhere is if you think Apple is intentional or don't like how Apple is conducting their business.

I to went with Apple but at the time it was for air play.

 

[Tech198]

Flick !.... and their hidden...

Quite a build up on the Home screen by default... Looks like my room, before i cleaned it that is.

 

[bpeeps]

Pretty easy to create Profiles to solve this problem. I have one for me and one for my wife and when my adult kids come to visit I have one for them to share. That way my personal settings are just for me. Really easy to set this up at netflix.com.

You should really read the comment I was responding to. He didn't like continually having to select profiles on his devices while watching Netflix, while I prefer it.

 

[jklps]

I have a solution.

Let's all ditch cable. Every single person. And use the internet to get our shows for free.

I'm sure that all the people creating content will love to continue to create new shows and not get paid for it.

That seems to be what people want every time they whine about needing a cable login.

Production of the tv shows/live programming/sports that you like isn't free. But hey, keep whining every time a new channel is added to tv about it.

 

[tallscot]

Perhaps Apple will adopt an amazing new concept as a Store model where I can actually choose what content I want to see on Apple TV rather then forcing it on me at regular intervals and having me spend time removing content I can't see because I am not subscribed or have a cable TV service.

Also, perhaps Apple will remove the "icon hunter" interface and allow me to search for all content available through the device instead of hunting for, clicking on, and then having to search within the icon's limited scope of content. Maybe I could even use my voice to find content, I bet nobody has done that before.

Alas, most likely the only way to use the new Apple TV properly is if I have an Apple Watch strapped to my wrist, knowing Apple.

Roku lets you customize.

----------

Oh boy, I can use a DVR to record all the shows I want or I can go through an Apple TV user interface that has no organization at all and stream what they think I want to see and tie up the WiFi bandwidth in my house while doing it.

I really like the Playstation user interface. Netflix, for example, is superior on the PS.

 

[GreginNJ]

Begin by

How about this for a start: Why doesn't Apple have a page listing what channels are on AppleTV. Ideally it would include what it comes with, what you need to subscribe to, and what only work if you already get it through your cable system.

I've looked all over and NOBODY will tell me what feeds AppleTV will supply. Not the Apple Web Page, not anywhere else on the web, not the Apple Stores (the sales people kinda mumble and look at their feet when I ask), nowhere. I see lots of news stories like this one about this or that channel being added but no comprehensive list.

I want to cut the cable. I'm really interested in the AppleTV. But if they won't tell me what it provides then no deal.

http://www.apple.com/appletv/whats-on/

I think it includes everything except for Nat Geo which was just added last week (followed by the usual chorus of "another channel to hide").

 

[Daalseth]

http://www.apple.com/appletv/whats-on/

I think it includes everything except for Nat Geo which was just added last week (followed by the usual chorus of "another channel to hide").

THANK YOU! I've been looking for this sort of thing.

 

[morningsong]

Why would they have CBS Sports and not CBS All Access???
I really need this for Big Brother!

May have to go to Roku..