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The Gadgety Path Away From the Living Room TV, Part 2
By Dave | January 4, 2008
The Apple TV allowed a bridge between iPod-friendly video files I’d been accumulating and a full sized TV. Although cable connectivity solutions existed previously, Apple TV provided a simpler, “always on” connection to my media library. Critics complained about a great many factors, from the apparent mismatch of requiring a widescreen TV while limiting output to 720p to the limited range of supported files and lack of a DVR function. But for me, the device was worth it, and I feel it’s undeniably where video is headed. Not necessarily Apple TV as a final solution, but video files, delivered over the Internet for display on screens raging from wall-sized displays to ones mounted in a pair of glasses. That’s the future.
Everything proceeded smoothly until this past fall, when NBC and Apple had their falling out, and all NBC owned content was removed from iTunes. Up until this point, NBC had presented a fairly large volume of shows on iTunes, and programs like “Heroes” and “Battlestar Galactica” had become download favorites of mine. NBC’s plan was to launch their own video delivery site, Hulu.com, now in private beta. Hulu has a couple of major drawbacks as far as I’m concerned. First, it’s free, but advertising supported. I know the money has to come from somewhere, but frankly I prefer to pay for a commercial-free experience. The combination of TV on DVD and iTunes-style digital downloads have made me pretty intolerant of commercial interruptions. It’s a little amazing how quickly the conditioning of a lifetime can be stripped away. Second, shows have to stream on their website. I’m looking to be able to watch on my devices other than my computer.
For the record, here’s what I’m looking for in alternatively delivered video content:
1. I want it to persist. None of this “file expires in a week” nonsense. That totally misses the point (being able to watch WHEN you want) and isn’t worth my time.
2. No commercials. For which I’m willing to pay. In addition to interrupting the flow of the story, commercials cost me time, something that’s currently more precious to me than $1.99 per show. To save 15+ minutes per hour of programming is worth the money.
3. To watch on something other than my computer. I’m really not interested in watching a frame on a website ringed by banner ads. Again, I’m willing to pay.
When/if NBC and other networks decide to offer downloadable files that meet these requirements, I’ll give them a look and serious consideration. I don’t insist on iTunes, I just think they’ve gotten the system most nearly correct so far. For now, for NBC-owned shows I want to watch, my strategy is to capture the shows on my media PC, edit the commercials (using my video editing software of choice, Pinnacle Studio) and output for either my Apple TV or iPod. It’s a few more steps but the result is worth it.
I came to file-playing video devices to obtain greater freedom in how and when I could watch major studio output (mainly television), but as it turned out, they exposed me to what I think will be a major force in the future of electronic media. I’m talking about podcasting. The way that technology has put the ability to be a media outlet in anyone’s hands will have an enormous impact. Shortly before acquiring my Apple TV, I discovered my first video podcast, GeekBrief.TV. That show demonstrated to me what podcasting could accomplish and opened my eyes to the Web 2.0 world. I’ve since become a faithful viewer of Fresh Ink, Blair Butler’s comic review show and Veronica Belmont’s Mahalo Daily.
Podcasting has demonstrated to me that there’s more talent and intelligence out there than is likely to be employed even among hundreds of cable networks. The people doing podcasting today, both video and audio, aren’t necessarily trying to break into the old media world, they’re making their own breaks in a new one. I can see a future, and not far off, when an evening’s viewing will be largely comprised of these small shows, selected by the viewer to address their interests in a way that the current media giants just can’t manage.
So, a journey away from the living room TV, taking multi-million-dollar TV shows on the go in pocket sized devices, may well lead right back to where it began, but with a whole new generation of independently-produced content as its focal point.
Topics: Video |
April 20th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
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April 20th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I know you are a Mac convert now, but Media Center is excellent. It has built in Netflix “watch now” functionality and completely skips commercials on shows that I record with on the DVR.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:47 pm
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