Is Apple about to disrupt the TV industry?

[Peace]

Not familiar with the advertising industry eh ?

There will never be ad-free live TV.

 

[mattopotamus]

Check out Tablo. It's a device that pulls in OTA using an antenna, and saves the recordings to a USB drive. It then streams the recordings to other devices through the router/wifi. There are already native apps for Roku and Amazon. I've been holding out until there is an ATV app store, and then I'm sure Tablo will make an ATV app too. This is as close as it's going to get, if not better than, the ATV having an OTA function.

I have used tablo. I still prefer Tivo's interface (just wish it integrated into the ATV).

 

[Snoopy4]

Not familiar with the advertising industry eh ?

There will never be ad-free live TV.

Drives me batty about Pay TV. First, pay TV meant no commercials, then it meant some commercials. Now even the locals are shaking down service providers to make money for a channel they broadcast in the air for free if you're luck enough to not live behind a mountain and get them. So much so that to even just get the locals only from your cable co costs you $30 a month. Its nuts.

If Apple disrupts things, I hope it means a la carte. Enough of the channel wasteland. Problem is it will probably be like anything else. To get one channel you have to also pay enough to cover the 8 other channels in the group with nothing on because someone calls it "programing".

 

[oneMadRssn]

I have used tablo. I still prefer Tivo's interface (just wish it integrated into the ATV).

UI nuances aside, both are good options. However, it seems there would be an incentive for Tivo to not put out an ATV streaming app as it would compete with their own Tivo Mini product. Further, last I used it about 12 months ago, the Tivo iOS app was pretty bad, so I'm not sure how much I trust them to make a good ATV app anyway.

The Tivo UI is pretty good though, especially for browsing large cable channel guides.

The things I don't like about Tivo are: price, proprietary format, and hardware.

Price - The hardware is expensive, but the service is really really expensive. Tablo is $5/month, or $50/year, or $150 for lifetime. Tivo is $15/month, or 3x more.

Proprietary format - Tivo records in their own wonky format. There are open-source solutions for getting this content off of a Tivo and onto your computer, but they're less than ideal. Unfortunately Tablo is no better in this regard, but they have said they are working on an interface to pull the recordings off the device easily.

Hardware - Tivo boxes in my experience use a bunch of power and get hot. I remember my premier used something like 45w when idle. That was crazy to me, for how little it did.

 

[mattopotamus]

UI nuances aside, both are good options. However, it seems there would be an incentive for Tivo to not put out an ATV streaming app as it would compete with their own Tivo Mini product. Further, last I used it about 12 months ago, the Tivo iOS app was pretty bad, so I'm not sure how much I trust them to make a good ATV app anyway.

The Tivo UI is pretty good though, especially for browsing large cable channel guides.

The things I don't like about Tivo are: price, proprietary format, and hardware.

Price - The hardware is expensive, but the service is really really expensive. Tablo is $5/month, or $50/year, or $150 for lifetime. Tivo is $15/month, or 3x more.

Proprietary format - Tivo records in their own wonky format. There are open-source solutions for getting this content off of a Tivo and onto your computer, but they're less than ideal. Unfortunately Tablo is no better in this regard, but they have said they are working on an interface to pull the recordings off the device easily.

Hardware - Tivo boxes in my experience use a bunch of power and get hot. I remember my premier used something like 45w when idle. That was crazy to me, for how little it did.

The price is high, no doubt. I bought the OTA Roamio which is only $50. It cost $15 a month but is still cheaper than a single HD DVR from ATT and I do not have to pay for cable tv.

The power problems seem to have been solved, mine uses 14w when idel (it's really on 24/7)

 

[Uofmtiger]

Isn't 4k licensing on the content? So it would probably just command a higher fee in the iTunes store. I'm unaware there's anything hardware specific they'd need to license, but I'm definitely not an expert in this area.

I tend to agree they won't give 4k away in a future software update (even if they don't need to license some patented technology). It'll be a feature of a later hardware refresh you'll have to buy.

There are independent licensing fees for HDCP 2.x. My guess is that it would cost more than older tech, but I don't know for sure.

 

[thepixelpusher]

If it requires a cable subscription, how is it changing anything? Not to mention ads.....at least with a DVR you can skip right through these things. If you are already paying for cable, why would you use the cable app over your DVR?

I mentioned it in another thread, but if the new ATV had the ability to pull in OTA channels, it would be huge. The current rumors do not suggest that at all though.

It would also need to pull in OTA through the current method (antenna, not streaming). I know earlier rumors suggested apple was working on an internet streaming solution for basic cable stations. That would not be good for people with data caps from their ISP. The good thing about OTA antennas is it does not affect your internet usage.

Apple TV doesn't require a cable subscription. I however did optionally subscribe to Netflix (ad-free I remind you) and Hulu Plus on the Apple TV for only $8ea. a month (total $16 dollars). I paid $85 a month for basic cable 4 years ago. Frankly, there is so much between Youtube channels and Vimeo that I don't even watch as much on Netflix and Hulu now. I even bought a few of my favorite TV shows on iTunes for $20/season of ad-free shows.

I cut the cord 4 years ago and haven't looked back. I have a HD Antenna to get the few channels I need and my Apple TV's around the house. My friends that recently cut cable told me the customer service people are almost crying when they call to cancel. They try anything to keep people. Why? The boxes like Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV are disruptive. Ads will still be there, but it is opening up wider distribution of smaller audience shows through content providers like Netflix, Amazon and now it looks like Apple is going to offer custom TV shows and movies too.

Production studios won't be consolidated like they are now. It will be broader and smaller studios will compete evenly on the distribution playing field.

Advertisers will follow the technology the same as they did with the web. Why do you think Google became a multibillion dollar company? Not for the search engine alone, but the tracking of consumer traffic and sales of that information to advertisers. Google bought Youtube because of the content and the huge traffic there that they could mine for profitable advertising sales.

Screw DVR. You'll subscribe to most ad-supported free channel content, like on Youtube, to watch at your convenience without maintaining a hard drive full of shows that you have to delete or add to. There will still be premium subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu and first run movies, but the free content will grow and compete too.

In the 4 years since dropping a cable subscription I don't regret it one bit. Cable companies got greedy and screwed themselves. It's impossible to get through an hour show because ads come up every 10 minutes. An hour show is only 40 minutes!!

 

[mattopotamus]

Apple TV doesn't require a cable subscription. I however did optionally subscribe to Netflix (ad-free I remind you) and Hulu Plus on the Apple TV for only $8ea. a month (total $16 dollars). I paid $85 a month for basic cable 4 years ago. Frankly, there is so much between Youtube channels and Vimeo that I don't even watch as much on Netflix and Hulu now. I even bought a few of my favorite TV shows on iTunes for $20/season of ad-free shows.

I cut the cord 4 years ago and haven't looked back. I have a HD Antenna to get the few channels I need and my Apple TV's around the house. My friends that recently cut cable told me the customer service people are almost crying when they call to cancel. They try anything to keep people. Why? The boxes like Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV are disruptive. Ads will still be there, but it is opening up wider distribution of smaller audience shows through content providers like Netflix, Amazon and now it looks like Apple is going to offer custom TV shows and movies too.

Production studios won't be consolidated like they are now. It will be broader and smaller studios will compete evenly on the distribution playing field.

Advertisers will follow the technology the same as they did with the web. Why do you think Google became a multibillion dollar company? Not for the search engine alone, but the tracking of consumer traffic and sales of that information to advertisers. Google bought Youtube because of the content and the huge traffic there that they could mine for profitable advertising sales.

Screw DVR. You'll subscribe to most ad-supported free channel content, like on Youtube, to watch at your convenience without maintaining a hard drive full of shows that you have to delete or add to. There will still be premium subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu and first run movies, but the free content will grow and compete too.

In the 4 years since dropping a cable subscription I don't regret it one bit. Cable companies got greedy and screwed themselves. It's impossible to get through an hour show because ads come up every 10 minutes. An hour show is only 40 minutes!!

I meant how could a new ATV, that wanted a subscription change anything. The early rumors were of a $40 a month subscription.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Apple TV doesn't require a cable subscription. I however did optionally subscribe to Netflix (ad-free I remind you) and Hulu Plus on the Apple TV for only $8ea. a month (total $16 dollars). I paid $85 a month for basic cable 4 years ago. Frankly, there is so much between Youtube channels and Vimeo that I don't even watch as much on Netflix and Hulu now. I even bought a few of my favorite TV shows on iTunes for $20/season of ad-free shows.

I cut the cord 4 years ago and haven't looked back. I have a HD Antenna to get the few channels I need and my Apple TV's around the house. My friends that recently cut cable told me the customer service people are almost crying when they call to cancel. They try anything to keep people. Why? The boxes like Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV are disruptive. Ads will still be there, but it is opening up wider distribution of smaller audience shows through content providers like Netflix, Amazon and now it looks like Apple is going to offer custom TV shows and movies too.

Production studios won't be consolidated like they are now. It will be broader and smaller studios will compete evenly on the distribution playing field.

Advertisers will follow the technology the same as they did with the web. Why do you think Google became a multibillion dollar company? Not for the search engine alone, but the tracking of consumer traffic and sales of that information to advertisers. Google bought Youtube because of the content and the huge traffic there that they could mine for profitable advertising sales.

Screw DVR. You'll subscribe to most ad-supported free channel content, like on Youtube, to watch at your convenience without maintaining a hard drive full of shows that you have to delete or add to. There will still be premium subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu and first run movies, but the free content will grow and compete too.

In the 4 years since dropping a cable subscription I don't regret it one bit. Cable companies got greedy and screwed themselves. It's impossible to get through an hour show because ads come up every 10 minutes. An hour show is only 40 minutes!!

Most scripted shows are pricey enough that 18 minutes of commercials are necessary to fund them, unless we begin paying $10-$20/month per channel a la HBO.

 

[mattopotamus]

Most scripted shows are pricey enough that 18 minutes of commercials are necessary to fund them, unless we begin paying $10-$20/month per channel a la HBO.

That is where apple could get people to pay for a subscription service. If they were able to bundle HBO, Showtime, ESPN, and some local channels people might be willing to pay $40 a month.

 

[MICHAELSD]

That is where apple could get people to pay for a subscription service. If they were able to bundle HBO, Showtime, ESPN, and some local channels people might be willing to pay $40 a month.

Sure, with commercials. $40/month absolutely would not include HBO or Showtime. It would likely be On Demand versions of local channels along with cable channels such as FX, AMC, etc. There would definitely be options to add HBO and Showtime for an extra cost, though. I've long-envisioned this type of next-generation TV service.

 

[mattopotamus]

Sure, with commercials. $40/month absolutely would not include HBO or Showtime. It would likely be On Demand versions of local channels along with cable channels such as FX, AMC, etc. There would definitely be options to add HBO and Showtime for an extra cost, though. I've long-envisioned this type of next-generation TV service.

I know it would be a long shot, but that is the only way I see at subscription service working. Especially when OTA channels are Free. They would have to get the premium channels on board. Otherwise it is cheaper to stick with a bundled service from your current cable company.

 

[thepixelpusher]

I meant how could a new ATV, that wanted a subscription change anything. The early rumors were of a $40 a month subscription.

Yes, I understood what you meant. What I was saying is that if you're looking at this like a cable box, you're missing the point. There is useful and entertaining content beyond regular cable and these next gen boxes, like Apple TV, are delivering it. It's the future of TV. It's not just cable rebundled. Cable is old school...web 1.0

 

[thepixelpusher]

Well Apple TV turned out to be a TV changer and Gaming changer. Promising content so wide and deep and integration across all iOS devices!

One word...Fantastic!