Future of Cable TV

January 2nd, 2017 at 5:37:04 PM permalink
reno
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 58
Posts: 1384
Quote: Pacomartin
DirectTV Now for $35 seems like a better deal than Sling TV for $40.


Better sign up ASAP to lock in the $35 rate for their Go Big package (100 channels). Starting on January 9, new customers will have to pay $60 per month.
January 18th, 2017 at 10:04:42 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
January 18th end of year report for Netflix. On their way to 100 million subscribers by the end of this year. USA is about maxed out, but they are getting more money on average per month.


Netflix
QTR subscribers. USA Int USA Int
March 31, 2014 35,674 12,683 $7.74 $7.57
June 30, 2014 36,244 13,801 $7.96 $7.94
September 30, 2014 37,219 15,843 $8.06 $8.01
December 31, 2014 39,114 18,277 $8.11 $7.70
March 31, 2015 41,397 20,877 $8.14 $7.17
June 30, 2015 42,300 23,251 $8.33 $7.00
September 30, 2015 43,181 25,987 $8.43 $7.19
December 31, 2015 44,738 30,024 $8.49 $6.88
March 31, 2016 46,967 34,533 $8.47 $6.79
June 30, 2016 47,129 36,048 $8.75 $7.46
September 30, 2016 47,497 39,246 $9.35 $7.73
January 18, 2017 49,431 44,365 $9.46 $7.12 <===================



Quote: Netflix report on Competition January 18th 2017

Internet video is a global phenomenon.

Amazon Prime Video expanded recently to match our territory footprint, while
YouTube remains far larger than either of us in terms of global video enjoyment minutes.

Video consumption is growing on Facebook, and Apple is rumored to be adding video to its music service.

Satellite TV operators are moving to become internet MVPDs, such as ViaSat to ViaPlay in the Nordics, DISH to Sling, and DirecTV to DirecTV Now.

Insurgent firms such as Molotov.tv in France and Hulu are building native-internet interfaces for TV network bundles.

CBS is releasing a major original series (Star Trek) exclusively on its domestic SVOD service (with us as international partner).

Finally, the BBC has become the first major linear network to announce plans to go binge-first with new seasons, favoring internet over linear viewers.

We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC.

In short, it’s becoming an internet TV world, which presents both challenges and opportunities for Netflix as we strive to earn screen time.
January 18th, 2017 at 11:47:34 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
The only thing I watch on TV now is
news, and only an hour a day of
that. The rest is Prime, Nflix and
Hulu. Prime is the best for me,
they have a better selection of
TV series. I watch very few movies,
that format is on it's way out. You
can't have decent character or
story development in 105 min.

Right now I'm taken with Homeland
on Hulu. The acting is riveting, the
story line finely developed. It's a
masterpiece and deserves every
award it's won. There's a long scene
in season two that has the finest
acting I've seen in a TV series. It
took 17 episodes to get there,
for it to be as powerful as it was.
You could never do that in a
movie.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
January 22nd, 2017 at 3:14:43 PM permalink
Dalex64
Member since: Mar 8, 2014
Threads: 3
Posts: 3687
I just signed up for Sling TV.

With my first month payment, I get a Roku express for my television. My payment for the month is less than the retail price for the Roku.

Looks like I have no problem with my limited bandwidth. That was my main concern when signing up.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan
January 22nd, 2017 at 8:31:25 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Dalex64
I just signed up for Sling TV.


Orange or Blue?


Streaming limitations
The number of devices that may be allowed to watch simultaneously will depend on which services you purchase. If you subscribe to our Sling Orange service, you can watch only one stream at a time. If you subscribe to our Sling Blue service, you can watch up to three streams at a time. If you subscribe to both services in Sling Orange + Sling Blue, you can watch up to four simultaneous streams.
January 22nd, 2017 at 8:56:08 PM permalink
Dalex64
Member since: Mar 8, 2014
Threads: 3
Posts: 3687
Blue, it had the channels we wanted.

Multiple streams isn't a concern.

The interface isn't the greatest. There is no single grid like TVGuide where you can simultaneously see what is on, what is scheduled, and click on what you want to watch.

Instead, there is a page with tiles for what is on right now. You have to click through the individual channel tabs to see what is scheduled.

I found a website streamingtvguides.com which has a grid view specifically for slingtv and others. My other option would be to use something like TVGuide.com with a cable provider for listings, and pare that down with favorites. That's a pain, though.
"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan
January 23rd, 2017 at 12:03:23 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Dalex64
The interface isn't the greatest. There is no single grid like TVGuide where you can simultaneously see what is on, what is scheduled, and click on what you want to watch.



I'm surprised Sling doesn't give you the option on how you want to view your online guide. TiVo let's you choose which way you want to look at the guide, and let's you change back and forth easily.

Two hour time block for all channels


Current shows right now, and 6 hours in the future for selected channel.


The buttons labelled A/B/C/D let you change options
February 11th, 2017 at 10:01:11 AM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
I just got the AMZN Firestick. Nice enough on its own, but when you get the Kodi add-on and Exodus, where the magic happens. Think of it as Napster for TV, but you do not download and keep everything. I've been catching up on "Bar Rescue" but loads of movies, even current movies.

Upside is $34 and you are all-in. Dump even Netflix. Trying to find live-TV feeds for world-wide, which are supposed to be there.

Downside is way easy to be a couch lump. Other downside is that installing Kodi is not intuitive. There are videos for how to do it, if you cut your teeth on PCs in the 80s/90s you will be able to figure it out, but you will when done remember how far things have come. Other downside is not all episodes of a show may be there, even if the description is. Only happened once.

Final downside is that this is like Napster used to be. Not all feeds are equal or perfect. It is usually good enough, but you have to pick from several providers, not all may work. But vs. $90/month for cable with in the end less choice it is hard to beat. My Roku may get retired.
The President is a fink.
February 12th, 2017 at 11:30:35 AM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
I get Prime and Nflix and got a free month
of Hulu, just to watch Homeland. Which
sucked after the 3rd season, but not as
much as Hulu itself sucked.

They have nothing to offer that Prime
and Nflix don't have, and their connection
to the internet is 3rd world. Some days
I couldn't even log on, it was so bad. I
cancelled them in disgust after 3 weeks.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
February 12th, 2017 at 12:32:36 PM permalink
terapined
Member since: Aug 6, 2014
Threads: 73
Posts: 11786
HBO Now
Watch it through my Xbox one.
Game of Thrones, I'm up to season 3 ep 3.
What a series and I have so much more to look forward to
The Young Pope.
What a show. The writing never ceases to amaze me because it always surprises me yet makes sense
A Pope with attitude.
Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World"