I guess I can just tivo the shows, watch them whenever I want, and then skip the commercials all together. I mean I would have been fine paying them $2/episode for a couple shows, but, eh, screw it. If they don't want my money, so be it.
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NBC Direct to Offer TV Shows
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I guess I can just tivo the shows, watch them whenever I want, and then skip the commercials all together. I mean I would have been fine paying them $2/episode for a couple shows, but, eh, screw it. If they don't want my money, so be it.
Yup, ditto. Either that or I just won't watch anything related and won't support financially either.
Does it make anybody else SICK knowing deep down it would take all but a days work (relatively) to get this crap working on a MAC on day one. How does a company announce something for only one OS, months before they start and still KNOW they won't have time to get another version up and running? The answer: THEY ARE F'N LAZY.
I guarantee the service absolutely sucks. It won't be compatible on any portable device, so why would you want to download it?
IDIOTS... just put your crap back on iTunes.
I guarantee the service absolutely sucks. It won't be compatible on any portable device, so why would you want to download it?
IDIOTS... just put your crap back on iTunes.
This is a deceptive statistic. That 5% of market share is of all desktop PC's. That includes everybody's computers at work, school, etc. How many of all desktop PC's are used for watching video on? I guarantee you that OS X's market share is a hell of a lot bigger in that realm.
Not true: it would take a day's work (maybe three) AND a choice not to get in bed with Microsoft. As long as companies are more scared of Apple than they are of Microsoft, some of them will go with Microsoft DRM. And Microsoft's opposition to the Mac is not just laziness
They didn't force me, but I certainly won't feel bad doing it. Not that it stands a chance of happening considering how lame their fall lineup is, anyway.
Why it is so hard for them to figure out people don't want to watch TV shows on their computer
I do. What I think is really going on is this thread is that Apple fanboys who were convinced by the stories that NBC really wanted to charge $4.99 an episode are frustrated to see NBC offer the shows for free because they had their hammers out, ready to bash. Now that it's not the case they're going to make up other reasons to be upset that Apple will be losing revenue and that iTunes could be made less relevant as more content providers may take NBCs path if it's successful.
I'm ditching satellite TV in favor of iTunes. I've had enough of paying $100+ a month for crap. I don't watch much TV. I don't channel surf. I watch a few shows. Why should I pay upward of $1200 a year for the handful of shows I watch? It's absurd!
So, I'm ordering my shows on iTunes this season and watching them via AppleTV. I was going to order at least one NBC show, Heroes. Now I'll simply have to view it by some other means. NBC's decision not to support iTunes won't stop me from watching. It will, however, cost them my $40 season pass.
So, I'm ordering my shows on iTunes this season and watching them via AppleTV. I was going to order at least one NBC show, Heroes. Now I'll simply have to view it by some other means. NBC's decision not to support iTunes won't stop me from watching. It will, however, cost them my $40 season pass.
I think what upsets people is the fact that NBC took the iTunes choice away. Let them give away programming for free on their website like ABC does. But why prevent people from buying via iTunes too? Personally I would never watch a show on a website or on my Mac. I want to kick back in my comfy chair and watch it on a big screen with a kicking stereo. Buying from iTunes let me do this (via AppleTV).
The second thing that upsets people is the lack of iPod support. How many people are downloading shows to watch as they commute to work or fly across the country or whatever? Now these people can't buy NBC shows.
NBC should be HAPPY that so many people WANT to buy shows at $1.99 an episode. I'll gladly pay that to not have commercials. Giving away shows for free, but forcing commercials upon the viewer, isn't a bargain. I'll look elsewhere. And we all know how EASY it is to find shows elsewhere.
The only thing NBC is doing is alienating people like me who would rather be legit and pay for the programming we enjoy - but who will NOT be forced to watch commercials.
One of the main reasons ABC offers it's shows online is because it's owned by Disney.And we know the rest of the story.
Bets are on
Will other networks follow? Who wants to make a bet? That's the crucial question for apple. ABC/Disney won't, but is this going to be:
"Welcome to the new era of Apple being the new middle man being cut out of the equation!"
...not that I'm happy about that, we'll see how it goes...
And I hope interoperability wins the day in the end - not looking good for that either...
Will other networks follow? Who wants to make a bet? That's the crucial question for apple. ABC/Disney won't, but is this going to be:
"Welcome to the new era of Apple being the new middle man being cut out of the equation!"
...not that I'm happy about that, we'll see how it goes...
And I hope interoperability wins the day in the end - not looking good for that either...
How does taking a choice away - a choice that made NBC money - benefit NBC? If they want to offer shows for free online, or sell them, or whatever, they still can. iTunes is simply another content distribution mechanism. And there are a lot of people who use and enjoy it.
NBC isn't going to convince me to obtain content some other way. I like the iTunes/iPod/AppleTV product ecosystem. Pricing is simple. DRM restrictions are totally manageable. And it just works. Why would I go for some new media player or new DRM system that is unproven and that won't work on my iPod, iPhone, or AppleTV?
Media companies really have an exaggerated sense of their own importance. Their shows are entertainment. They're relevant today and totally irrelevant tomorrow. TV isn't like music. You don't watch the same show over and over again. You watch it once or twice and then you're on to the next thing.
Apple's system is the best thing going because it's the ONLY system that actually CARES about the consumer. The rest are all about squeezing a few more pennies out of the consumer and restricting how, where, and when content can be viewed. This is not progress.
At least I know the name of the service I won't ever bother using. This has nothing to do with Apple and everything to do with convenience and usability.
also read this http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070918/190515.shtml
also read this http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070918/190515.shtml
demonoid too.
exactly.
i'm not going to give anything to NBC....not even a statistic saying i downloaded something from them for free
TV
My guess is that NBC figures that they can make more money by telling their advertisers that not only will there ads be seen on TV but all over the internet! Whoo hoo! They will use downloads to track demographics and sell specific ads offline. A lot of companies think that the internet and blogs and downloadable programs are magic buzz words that bring them money.
I can see them making more off ads than iTunes the first year or two.
Well whatever the grand scheme is, as long as I can watch all those shows for free, I'm cool with that.
Where did all the trolls come from? I think NBC is trying to astroturf their iTunes debacle.
Lets see how they are doing what's best for NBC.
Leaving the most successful internet distribution system where they were paid for their programing to move to some vapor ware system (Hulu) only to announce they are going to compete with that by offering programing on NBC.com. Oh and they are not going to support the largest selling media player.
Don't see how that's good for NBC.
I agree, the paradigm shift has begun.
Cds, Dvds, HD-Dvds, etc., and (if they don't get with the times) their manufacturers, distributors and retailers are all destined for the history books.
