Comments on: Netflix to bring movies straight to TV

By: MartinLeoJr

MartinLeoJr — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:55:56 +0000

Streaming media over the internet is problematic in many respects and the torrent model could provide some relief. A poor or non-existent distribution strategy will limit the scalability of streaming media. Bandwidth is not free and one part of a cost efficient scalable solution could be to facilitate the sharing of data within the local network. Once a hot new movie is pulled into your Comcast neighborhood a torrent model (modified to favor local feeds) could eliminate the need to go out to the source again and again on each request for the data. Distribution… I am amazed at the DIRECTV broadcast of 1080i content. One stream from the satellite hits so many customers and digital video recorders – now that is scalable.

By: Pharaoh90

Pharaoh90 — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:00:12 +0000

Scratching my head and sticking with my DVD player TV…

By: Shin

Shin — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:01:48 +0000

#4 Yes..but the problem with a system that is already working is…Apple isn’t involved and it’s not through ITunes, so there is no way it’s really been invented yet. I’m sure it will be any day now though.

By: OhForTheLoveOf

OhForTheLoveOf — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:27:57 +0000

#8 – Omar… I hope you are right. The caveat is that one day your prediction will be true IF companies like Comcast don’t find a way to fuck it all up.

By: OmarTheAlien

OmarTheAlien — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:56:08 +0000

We have not yet achieved critical mass, and we’re still way short of the point where anything, anytime, anywhere can be accessed with a button push, and at reasonable cost. We still need that last mile of fiber to the home, and independent content still needs to find a comfortable business model. But we’re working on it, and one day, if we don’t completely self-destruct, the techies and poets will get it right. Maybe one day a (literally) starving artist in one of the unfortunate, volatile and seriously deprived regons of the world can feed his/her village for a month with one piece of work. You never know.

By: Shadowbird

Shadowbird — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:24:44 +0000

I can’t get myself to read the article…too much Motoko. *_*

By: tcc3

tcc3 — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:20:36 +0000

I can do that right now. If they really wanted to push this, they could make an app so I can access the streaming service from within Media Center. Using IE with my wireless mouse and keyboard is far clunkier than it needs to be

By: OhForTheLoveOf

OhForTheLoveOf — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:02:59 +0000

Oh for the love of…

All of these electronic delivery systems are a big opportunity for corporations, but a no-value proposition for consumers. Unless… For $20 a month I have unlimited, on demand access, to a catalog of everything ever made in widescreen hi-def formats, including commentaries…

But I won’t have that. The prices will go up… there will be limitations… There will be data mining…

Not to mention the way this will effect Internet traffic as #3 (GetSmart) points out.

It might be easy to use and the quality might be fine, but I’d rather buy discs and put them in my library.

By: GigG

GigG — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:01:27 +0000

You have been able to rent and buy Movies and TV shows from Amazon and have them DL’d to your TiVo for a while now.

By: GetSmart

GetSmart — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:29:22 +0000

Well, there goes all of the bandwidth that the torrents were using. Now there’ll be a “legitimate” (i.e. paying big bucks) customer for the ISP’s to give preference to. And these bandwidth hogging TV shows and movies won’t be downloaded just ONCE per user, as the torrent collectors do, but everytime you might want to see the show or movie. Look for the ISP’s to roll out “special” packages that provide lower latency for online gamers. At additional premium rates, of course. And don’t forget the traffic shaping, content filtering, bandwidth capping and general customer screwing that the service providers ( I use the term loosely) will be doing. Net Neutrality my ass, we’ll be lucky to send and receive email. Look for Youtube and such to drop in popularity as load times get really long. It may get cheaper to form clubs and trade music and movies via UPS.

By: Dallas

Dallas — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:20:38 +0000

Next week will be very exciting and I plan to be there ! (CES, LV). I can just see the version of Apple TV with this capability enabled with iTunes.

I am very much looking forward to the internet delivery of movies, short films and well done consumer created content.

By: moss

moss — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:45:56 +0000

You can’t tell the players apart without a scorecard, nowadays.

Netflix hired Anthony Woods (formerly of Replay TV) to develop the project. And DirecTV just purchased the rights and patents to Replay TV.

Getting to be fun.