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FCC Proposal Aims to Make Subscription TV Available on Any Set-Top Box
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If the FCC really wants to make a dent in the TV market and make it more consumer friendly they should change the terms of the lease agreements given to the TV networks for broadcast rights.
If a network is broadcasting on the public airwaves and they provide streaming online, that streaming may not require authentication against a paid TV service subscription.
If networks are utilizing the public spectrum in order to turn a profit, they should also be required to agree to reasonable terms for the use of the spectrum.
If a network is broadcasting on the public airwaves and they provide streaming online, that streaming may not require authentication against a paid TV service subscription.
If networks are utilizing the public spectrum in order to turn a profit, they should also be required to agree to reasonable terms for the use of the spectrum.
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After a bit of thinking (upon reading this article blurb), it seems that what the FCC action would do would be rather messy and no matter what, the customer ends up some how paying out the nose for services or "at will" viewing of shows. I don't like the FCC getting involved at this level but then again, as many have pointed out, large companies get larger and competition gets smaller or obliterated in given areas/zones.
High availability of media content already exists but opening the doors this way would cause some companies to take a huge financial hit and others to gain instant growth and profit until they become exactly like their predecessors and find new ways to slide their hands into our pockets and fill the coffers further.
High availability of media content already exists but opening the doors this way would cause some companies to take a huge financial hit and others to gain instant growth and profit until they become exactly like their predecessors and find new ways to slide their hands into our pockets and fill the coffers further.
I'll make this simple, this is NOT the solution we are looking for. What I want is the following channels:
BBC America
Disney Channel & ABC Family (or whatever they want to call it now)
HGTV
Food Network & Cooking Channel
History Channel
Travel Channel
and possible Animal Planet
And that's it, no extra channels that I don't want, just a few simple channels at a reasonable cost, I would pay about $10 per month for this line up, assuming there are limited commercial interuptions.
BBC America
Disney Channel & ABC Family (or whatever they want to call it now)
HGTV
Food Network & Cooking Channel
History Channel
Travel Channel
and possible Animal Planet
And that's it, no extra channels that I don't want, just a few simple channels at a reasonable cost, I would pay about $10 per month for this line up, assuming there are limited commercial interuptions.
No one has even mentioned the electricity savings from eliminating few devices if this ruling is approved...I have a cable box, PS4, Pi2 to run the content that I want, mind you one device down is not crazy savings in electricity but with millions of users it'll make a difference.
Wow, you sound like my brother from another mother.
I also have triple play and don't even know my phone number. I just moved less than 5 miles but to a different city and spent forever on the phone trying to keep my deal. I was finally able to get it but had to pay $9 more per month because I had crossed city lines. Go figure.The TiVo UI is far superior to xFinity, with the exception of the fact that if you press "c" on the xfinity remote you can see all the sports that are on or upcoming with their scores and quickly switch between. So, I still keep an xfinity box side-by-side with one TiVo just for sports. I always get good deals from TiVo since I have been a customer since 2005!
I don't agree with your comparison. Apple having a closed system doesn't compare to a monopoly. A proper analogy would be if Delta Air Lines were to be allowed to be the only airline that serves Atlanta, and then Delta were to buy the FAA and DOT. That would be more of a fair comparison to what's going on with the cable company.
If you live at 1234 Broadway, Unit 1201, your choice is Comcast, or Comcast. And if you don't like it, you have no alternative. If you go with Comcast, you're at the mercy of their pricing. Comcast owns NBC Universal, so all of the channels that go with that are held hostage by Comcast's motives.
Apple is a closed system. If you don't like it, you can get a Dell. Or an HP. There's not a monopoly in the personal computer technology spectrum, one has many options, several operating systems to chose from. If you want a Mac with Windows you can have it. If you want a PC with Windows you can have it. Sure you can't (lets play dumb here) have Mac on a PC... but for all intensive purposes there's a ton of choice in the computer industry.
Now back to TV... in a large portion of the US population (estimates say 40-50% of households) there is no ability to get satellite, and only one choice of television (cable) provider. At some point as uVerse, Fios, etc continue to expand, that'll increase, but how would you see FiOS or uVerse being competitive when they have to pay their competitor (Comcast NBC Universal) to re-sell half the channels offered?
It's a mess. If it doesn't infuriate you, sorry.
This news smells like Apple walked into the back door of the FCC and paid the FCC a large amount of money to make this happen. If we get a Republucan president, you can kiss net neutrality goodbye.
and then....there's this.... please explain to me again how this is advantageous to the consumer?
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...-spectrum-auction-netflix-amazon-TV-stations/
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...-spectrum-auction-netflix-amazon-TV-stations/
Apple's "walled garden" has nothing at all to do with this. I see what you're trying to insinuate, but you failed.
The developers are free to develop their apps for other platforms if they like. Apple doesn't have all the developers sign anything that prevents them from legally making their app available on another platform.
Wow, you sound like my brother from another mother.
The TiVo UI is far superior to xFinity, with the exception of the fact that if you press "c" on the xfinity remote you can see all the sports that are on or upcoming with their scores and quickly switch between. So, I still keep an xfinity box side-by-side with one TiVo just for sports. I always get good deals from TiVo since I have been a customer since 2005!
Wow, this forum has been completely productive for me today. It sparked anger in me that I finally took action.
My bill has always been around $110 plus tax (so say $125).. Tripple Play with the second tier TV so it has the few extra channels I like, and it has the Blast Internet (i think about 125 mbit) and the phone service. If you put a gun to my head I don't know my home phone number, like you. LOL
So I called comcast, said "cancel service" and went to retentions. She was weird. She first said "Oh I see here you're on a promo that expires next month and your bill will go up another $15 a month" (clearly they don't harvest the best sales talent, LOL
I said if they can't get me a deal that makes me happy, cancel it I'll go to uVerse (bluff it's not available yet). She offered higher pricing. I said no. She then offered to cut the phone for $10 a month. I said no, on the website it shows $89 a month no contract for double play. So she made it happen. So I was able to cut $40 off my bill to drop a phone I don't know the number to. Not bad. And it's locked in pricing for 12 months.
I think this is what Steve Jobs meant when he said "I finally cracked it"
No proof of this but I can put good money on the fact that I think he lobbied for this extensively. Instead of trying to iron a content deal with these cable providers, I think his aim is to initially have their service on his device. Then becoming the go to setup box and eventually get enough leverage to get great deals.
Unlike music, where he was able to make great deals then led to iTunes + iPods being the go to devices, he was unable to do so for the Apple TV.
If this turns out to be fact, this will pretty damn clever.
No proof of this but I can put good money on the fact that I think he lobbied for this extensively. Instead of trying to iron a content deal with these cable providers, I think his aim is to initially have their service on his device. Then becoming the go to setup box and eventually get enough leverage to get great deals.
Unlike music, where he was able to make great deals then led to iTunes + iPods being the go to devices, he was unable to do so for the Apple TV.
If this turns out to be fact, this will pretty damn clever.
I think that the content providers need to make their content easily accessible to customers.
I would gladly deal with an app for each channel, with commercials even, so that I can watch what I really want, when I want.
As it stands, I cut the cord completely. I have only internet service in my house, and use Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and sites like YouTube and AnimeHaven for content.
My family is large, and ranging from 11 to 63 years old and everyone is happy.
It really is more entertainment than we have time for, more flexible and cheaper than the alternative cable box setup. No
Apple TV required either; between my MBPs and PS3/PS4 & XboxOne, I'm covered in every room in the house.
No sports though, but we don't care about a single one, so we're good there.
I would gladly deal with an app for each channel, with commercials even, so that I can watch what I really want, when I want.
As it stands, I cut the cord completely. I have only internet service in my house, and use Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and sites like YouTube and AnimeHaven for content.
My family is large, and ranging from 11 to 63 years old and everyone is happy.
It really is more entertainment than we have time for, more flexible and cheaper than the alternative cable box setup. No
Apple TV required either; between my MBPs and PS3/PS4 & XboxOne, I'm covered in every room in the house.
No sports though, but we don't care about a single one, so we're good there.
Cable boxes are notorious electricity hogs. One study found that "They have become the biggest single energy user in many homes, apart from air conditioning." http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-power-hog-20140617-story.html
An Apple TV uses 2 Watts while streaming HD Movies. A typical cable box uses 35W. You could power 17 Apple TVs and still use less power than a cable box.
The cable companies have no incentive to spend any money on designing an efficient box, they just pass those costs onto the consumer.
My biggest sticking point with going that way is live events, being able to turn on CNN, etc ... thanks to them being in cahoots with the cable companies, to watch it on AppleTV one has to have a cable subscription. What's the point? LOL
And things like when there's a debate on Fox News or MSNBC it makes it real challenging to find online.
We can pay for lots of different services today but I'm getting tired of a $100+ monthly TV bill. If I keep paying so much for TV, how will I afford my $300+ cell bill a month!
Only when those device manufacturers have a geographic monopoly. Our phone/tablet devices aren't stuck in that scenario. What the cable companies have would be like saying, "You live in this neighborhood, so your only choice is to use Samsung phones and tablets. Wan't to use Apple? Sorry, but you'll have to move to a different neighborhood/city where Apple is the only thing allowed."
Considering Obama appointed a Cable Industry Exec to head the FCC, the one who tried to kill Net Neutrality (I wonder why), I think your narrow comment is woefully naive.
Donald Trump is your next President. He even said he'll make Apple manufacture the iPhone in the US along with imposing a 35% tariff on any vehicle not made in the US, including the American car companies.
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Of course it's different, it's Apple. Speaking of cognitive defects........
I'm already doing exactly this, since a Hulu Plus subscription provides all the TV my family really cares to watch.
So, we have cable internet service, which we use to replace cable TV service. They're getting money from me, of course, but I'm not getting gouged for 200 channels I have no interest in so I can watch the three I do.