Future of Cable TV

Quote: Evenbob

They are all on basic cable but then I would lose On Demand, which I use all the time.

SlingTV does offer Video on Demand, but not a DVR function. With VOD you must watch the commercials, but not with a recorded show.
http://blog.sling.com/features/how-to-access-sling-tvs-video-on-demand-library/

With Sling TV if you take the $20 option with the Disney channels (ESPN, Disney, Freeform) than you can only have one active stream at a time. If you forego the Disney selection you can watch 3 active streams at a time ($25).

The corporations are not trying to cause a mass exodus from traditional cable systems to lower cost over the top streaming services. One way to do that is to limit the number of active streams especially for high priced networks. That way homes with multiple simultaneous TV viewers are less induced to switch. But single people who are thrown by the cost of Cable TV and are more likely to want to watch TV on a tablet when out of the home are attracted to the OTT service.

The House of Lords in Britain wrote a report in 2012 where they suggested that Britain make plans to end broadcast television and deliver all content over the internet. they perceived it as a win win situation as it would encourage faster broadband internet speeds, and free up valuable frequencies for more profitable use.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/house-lords-report-television-switch-broadcast-internet-368797

Loving HBO NOW
Really loving Game of Thrones
First 7 episodes were good setting everything up
Now on episode 8 and its rocking and I am totally hooked
I am glad I waited 8 years, now I can binge on 8 seasons. No waiting on any cliff hanger :-)

Quote: terapined

Loving HBO NOW...

One theory predicts that only the top eight MSO's will offer cable TV in a few years. The small ones will soon only offer internet access and let you purchase an over the top television package like DirectTV Now, HBO Now, Sling TV, Playstation Vue, etc.

Subscribers multiple-system operator (MSO) name Technology
26,000,000 AT&T -Satellite an IPTV
22,400,000 Comcast- Cable
18,421,145 Charter Communications- Cable
13,909,000 Dish Network- Satellite
4,700,000 Verizon- Fiber
4,540,280 Cox Communications- Cable
3,948,000 Altice USA- Cable
1,700,000 Frontier Communications- Fiber/IPTV
862,000 Mediacom- Cable
702,101 WOW! - Cable
451,000 Cable One- Cable
377,000 TPG (RCN & Grande)- Cable
98,010,526

The smaller companies will not have enough clout to negotiate with the entertainment networks, and will just give up. Internet services have the highest profit margins anyway.

My company, RCN, offers basic cable starting at $85 for one television with no DVR capabilities, but they offer internet starting at $30 (25 Mbps).

You will note that the Satellite TV companies are trying to expand by offering Internet Television. Dish is selling Sling, and Direct TV (AT&T) is selling DirectTV Now (as of next week). The cable companies don't want to undersell their own product.

AT&T has introduced a new service to compete with SlingTV:

Quote: Washington Post

DirecTV Now, which goes live Nov. 30, will let viewers watch shows and movies over an Internet connection, much like Netflix or Hulu-- no boxes or other equipment required. Unlike those services, AT&T's offering will come with more than 100 TV channels in a "fat bundle" of both on-demand and live programming.

Although AT&T chief executive Randall Stephenson initially promised that that level of access would cost $35, the company said Monday that it will be a promotional offer. After some amount of time (AT&T declined to say how long) the 100-channel package will rise in price to $60 a month, in line with what many analysts said will be necessary for AT&T to make a profit on the new app. Those who purchase the 100-channel package at the promotional price of $35 will get to keep that rate for as long as they are subscribed to the service-- aside from rate hikes stemming from content acquisition costs, AT&T said.

It's a smart move on AT&T's part. But SlingTV is still cheaper...

Quote: Pacomartin

That way homes with multiple simultaneous TV viewers are less induced to switch. But single people who are thrown by the cost of Cable TV and are more likely to want to watch TV on a tablet when out of the home are attracted to the OTT service.

AT&T Wireless customers who watch DirecTV Now on their mobile device will not accrue data usage from AT&T Wireless.

Quote: reno

AT&T Wireless customers who watch DirecTV Now on their mobile device will not accrue data usage from AT&T Wireless.

That should be a major selling point, unless the FCC shuts them down.

DirectTV Now for $35 seems like a better deal than Sling TV for $40. DirectTV Now includes Fox News in addition to CNN and for the first few months there will be multiple extra channels for $35. Plus you get the free cellular data if you have an AT&T phone.

Quote: Pacomartin

SlingTV does offer Video on Demand, but not a DVR function.

Sling is introducing a new cloud DVR service that will allow users to record up to 100 hours of live TV. Initially this service will be free, but theoretically Sling could add a fee at some point down the road.

You know if you have a million customers recording up 100 hours of televsion apiece and 2 terabytes holds 1000 hours of video, you need 200,000 terabytes of storage. Even if most customers won't store 100 hours of television , sometimes robots record things based on taste and then just delete them in favor of shows you actually choose.

But to record every show from 100 channels for 90 days takes 24*7*90*100/1000*2=3024 terabytes of storage. Then if a customer indicates that he wants to record a specific show for the last 90 days, you have a video distribution system that sends him that show.

This is why cloud DVR systems were reviewed by high level federal courts. The concept is very much like stealing video material that belongs to someone else and simply distributing it so that the customer can fast forward through commercials.

Quote: Pacomartin

You know if you have a million customers recording up 100 hours of televsion apiece and 2 terabytes holds 1000 hours of video, you need 200,000 terabytes of storage. Even if most customers won't store 100 hours of television , sometimes robots record things based on taste and then just delete them in favor of shows you actually choose.

But to record every show from 100 channels for 90 days takes 24*7*90*100/1000*2=3024 terabytes of storage. Then if a customer indicates that he wants to record a specific show for the last 90 days, you have a video distribution system that sends him that show.

This is why cloud DVR systems were reviewed by high level federal courts. The concept is very much like stealing video material that belongs to someone else and simply distributing it so that the customer can fast forward through commercials.

Maybe they can put the data onto an Amazon Snowmobile.

News link:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/amazon-snowmobile-truck-is-a-funny-for-real-product-2016-11&ved=0ahUKEwj5v9ek6tHQAhVdHGMKHVAWAkkQqUMIHDAA&usg=AFQjCNEpd3MiHN6xBwjCJcWhHgErf8UbTQ&sig2=uetHxkKwXs8poejIeSYChw

100 Petabytes. And it is portable.

Product link:. https://aws.amazon.com/snowmobile/

When they drove the truck into the room, I think most of us were wondering if he was serious or if it was a joke, but it's real.