Comments on: TV and Radio and the web http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2009/12/31/tv-and-the-web-when-will-you-connect-your-computer-to-the-web/ Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:28:22 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Robert Paterson http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2009/12/31/tv-and-the-web-when-will-you-connect-your-computer-to-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-265140 Robert Paterson Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:18:57 +0000 http://www.fastforwardblog.com/?p=4256#comment-265140 Hi Stuart! In Canada we have even fewer options and it requires more of a struggle but was this not where we all were with music? iTunes is getting better - more choice - for the technically challenged such as me, they are onto something. Maybe with the iSlate, iTunes will push even harder. Easy will win - but TV as we know it is on its death bed Hi Stuart!
In Canada we have even fewer options and it requires more of a struggle but was this not where we all were with music?

iTunes is getting better – more choice – for the technically challenged such as me, they are onto something. Maybe with the iSlate, iTunes will push even harder.

Easy will win – but TV as we know it is on its death bed

]]> By: Stuart Henshall http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2009/12/31/tv-and-the-web-when-will-you-connect-your-computer-to-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-265026 Stuart Henshall Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:35:21 +0000 http://www.fastforwardblog.com/?p=4256#comment-265026 Rob, Much the same thing exists in our household although I;m still paying for the cable for my daughter mostly. When she goes the cable TV goes. Comcast has effectively destroyed my Tivo by going all digital. I won't buy another Tivo. I hacked my AppleTv with Boxee and am enjoying HULU that way. I've use Proxies to gain access to the BBC and iPlayer. I'd happily pay the UK license fee (as an expat) to gain unlimited access and particularly easier access to TopGear. Radio etc... well yes but I really seldom listen anymore. Pandora or those playlists seem to get in the way. I think some of the tradeoffs are overlooked. Eg I pay more and more for unlimted mobile data access. I'd cut comcast cable in a second if I had TV on the mobile and could also watch it on any TV just like the mac example you use. Like some others point out there are a number of ways to make it better and save money on it. When you pay 50 a month or more for CableTV it doesn't stack up very well re available time. Prepaid TV is coming for certain. IT is partially here already with Netflix etc. Rob,
Much the same thing exists in our household although I;m still paying for the cable for my daughter mostly. When she goes the cable TV goes. Comcast has effectively destroyed my Tivo by going all digital. I won’t buy another Tivo. I hacked my AppleTv with Boxee and am enjoying HULU that way. I’ve use Proxies to gain access to the BBC and iPlayer. I’d happily pay the UK license fee (as an expat) to gain unlimited access and particularly easier access to TopGear. Radio etc… well yes but I really seldom listen anymore. Pandora or those playlists seem to get in the way.

I think some of the tradeoffs are overlooked. Eg I pay more and more for unlimted mobile data access. I’d cut comcast cable in a second if I had TV on the mobile and could also watch it on any TV just like the mac example you use. Like some others point out there are a number of ways to make it better and save money on it. When you pay 50 a month or more for CableTV it doesn’t stack up very well re available time. Prepaid TV is coming for certain. IT is partially here already with Netflix etc.

]]> By: Steven Ramirez http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2009/12/31/tv-and-the-web-when-will-you-connect-your-computer-to-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-264192 Steven Ramirez Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:13:24 +0000 http://www.fastforwardblog.com/?p=4256#comment-264192 I have also been experimenting with an Internet-only TV experience for two months. It’s interesting that you don’t say what prompted to you to try this—your high cable bill, aversion watching commercials. In my case, it was a simple question of finances. Though I agree with you that we are all headed here at some point, in my opinion the pieces necessary to make this a pleasurable experience are just not all there yet. I started with an Internet connection and my laptop. At first I watched programs using Windows Media Center, Hulu and to a lesser extent YouTube. The main issue for me was easily finding shows I wanted to watch. Then I discovered Clicker. With Clicker, things got a little better but I was still limited in terms of feature films (I just don’t watch that much television). So I signed up for Netflix. For a little under ten dollars a month, I streamed movies using my laptop. The down side? A fairly limited catalog and no HD. Next stop: Xbox. I actually bought this as a gift to my family. I quickly realized that in order to make the most of it, I needed to purchase an Xbox Live Gold membership. Another fifty dollars for one year. Happily I can now stream HD content courtesy of Netflix. As I write this, I’ve just purchased a thirty-dollar digital antenna for my flat screen TV. Finally I can just flip on the set and watch TV—great for catching the news at dinner time. I am planning to investigate Boxee at some point. But I am quickly learning that in order to save on a monthly cable bill, I will most likely have to spend a considerable amount of money. At least that’s what I’ve found so far. I have also been experimenting with an Internet-only TV experience for two months. It’s interesting that you don’t say what prompted to you to try this—your high cable bill, aversion watching commercials. In my case, it was a simple question of finances.

Though I agree with you that we are all headed here at some point, in my opinion the pieces necessary to make this a pleasurable experience are just not all there yet.

I started with an Internet connection and my laptop. At first I watched programs using Windows Media Center, Hulu and to a lesser extent YouTube. The main issue for me was easily finding shows I wanted to watch. Then I discovered Clicker.

With Clicker, things got a little better but I was still limited in terms of feature films (I just don’t watch that much television). So I signed up for Netflix. For a little under ten dollars a month, I streamed movies using my laptop. The down side? A fairly limited catalog and no HD.

Next stop: Xbox. I actually bought this as a gift to my family. I quickly realized that in order to make the most of it, I needed to purchase an Xbox Live Gold membership. Another fifty dollars for one year. Happily I can now stream HD content courtesy of Netflix.

As I write this, I’ve just purchased a thirty-dollar digital antenna for my flat screen TV. Finally I can just flip on the set and watch TV—great for catching the news at dinner time.

I am planning to investigate Boxee at some point. But I am quickly learning that in order to save on a monthly cable bill, I will most likely have to spend a considerable amount of money. At least that’s what I’ve found so far.

]]> By: Coach Steve Toth http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2009/12/31/tv-and-the-web-when-will-you-connect-your-computer-to-the-web/comment-page-1/#comment-264143 Coach Steve Toth Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:22:10 +0000 http://www.fastforwardblog.com/?p=4256#comment-264143 Your article is very refreshing and I hope the baby boomer generation gets with the program very soon. I have found by running an Internet Radio Network for over three years now that most baby boomers can't deal with the Internets intuitive technologies without some hand holding. Your article is very refreshing and I hope the baby boomer generation gets with the program very soon. I have found by running an Internet Radio Network for over three years now that most baby boomers can’t deal with the Internets intuitive technologies without some hand holding.

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