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Amazon Fire TV Developing Networked DVR

Amazon wants you to be able to record its live video programming. To that end, according to Bloomberg News, the web retailer and streaming video service is hard at work developing a networked DVR. Bloomberg says Amazon has not revealed a release date for the DVR.

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A networked DVR is one held in the provider’s central location, not in the consumer’s home. It records live content in real time. The consumer can view the recorded content at will, unbound by TV network broadcast schedules.

Amazon’s Lab 126, which built the Fire TV and Echo devices, is working on the new DVR. Staff for Lab 126 have dubbed the new DVR project ‘Frank’.

‘Frank’ will incorporate the same wireless technology that connects its Echo voice control devices to Fire TV boxes.

The device, according to Bloomberg, could stream recorded video to mobile tablets and phones. Existing Fire TV devices on the customer’s home network will support it. Amazon’s new DVR will be connected through the home WiFi network. It will not plug into a TV.

A conventional DVR (TiVo, Channel Master, etc.) usually plugs into a TV set, and features its own user interface. A networked DVR, by contrast, doesn’t have to be plugged into a TV.  It can be placed anywhere in the home, and can stream recorded content to any TV, streaming stick, or mobile device. In most cases, networked DVRs don’t have their own HDMI ports.

Amazon Prime Video is a subscription service, for which the customer pays monthly or annual fees. Beside the video service, customers get free or discounted shipping on goods ordered through Amazon. The video service is meant to compete with Netflix and Hulu.

 

(For streaming video, you need a reliable internet service. To find the best one for you, shop with Satellite Country. We can help.)

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‘CAPITALISM VS. SOCIALISM’

THE FIGHT OVER ‘NET NEUTRALITY’

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Michael O’Reilly is no shrinking violet. Speaking before the American Legislative Exchange Council last Friday, the FCC Commissioner pulled no punches in describing Title II internet rules. He said the debate over them pits “capitalism vs. socialism”.

The Title II rules enforce ‘net neutrality‘. This means they forbid blocking, throttling, or paid prioritization of internet content. The rules are meant to keep ISPs from favoring their own content over content from competitors. Some internet providers, such as Comcast and AT&T, have their own TV service divisions, and regulators thought they might treat their own video more favorably than video from Hulu, Netflix, and other streaming services. Free Press, a consumer group, says the rules are necessary for free, open communication online. Without ‘net neutrality’, it says, ISPs could block political or social views they don’t like.

The FCC enacted the Title II rules in February 2015. The biggest cable and telecom systems objected fiercely, and lobbied hard for repeal.

With a new President came new majority in the FCC. The new Chairman, Ajit Pai, has said that Title II rules should be repealed, and O’Reilly has sided with Pai. Speaking to ALEC, he said, “All of the propaganda in the world cannot paper over the fact that these new burdens were not in response to actual market place events…” O’Reilly said the rules were enacted only because of “…hypothetical concerns dreamt up by radical activists”. He called ‘net neutrality’ a stalking horse for a larger effort to “vanquish capitalism and economic liberty”.

O’Reilly also criticized the offer of discount municipal broadband. He compared it to Venezuela’s offer of low-cost gasoline. The state required oil companies to sell their product for less than production cost, leading to massive shortages. O’Reilly said that municipal offers of free or cheap broadband would also produce shortages.

O’Reilly said he would support subsidies for the poor. However, he firmly opposes “…allowing government sponsored networks to use their unfair advantages to offer broadband services”. Capitalism, he says, is absolutely necessary.

(For broadband service, talk to us. To find out how to get the most out of it, talk to us. We can help.)

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TRENDS IN VIDEO MARKETS

TV viewers have more options now than ever before, as the market finds new ways to meet their demands. Here are a few of the more significant trends in video distribution, and how they affect the way you watch TV and movies:

Digital Syndication

Scripted TV shows usually follow long story arcs- and they age quickly. A few solid hits, though, remain popular with the public long after they’re first aired. Studios and broadcasters earn more money from them by licensing large blocks of episodes to cable networks. Some of the more popular syndicated shows include Seinfeld, Jeopardy!, and The People’s Court.

Though a syndicated show is seldom as popular as the original series, it is profitable because the studio doesn’t face new production expense.

Syndication is not new. It has existed nearly as long as the cable TV industry. What is relatively new is digital syndication. Content providers have begun to license older shows for dedicated steaming platforms such as Netflix, DirecTV Now, and Sling TV.

Streaming of Live Sports

In 2015, the NFL licensed Yahoo to stream a live game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills. Yahoo had exclusive rights to the game, and streamed it world-wide. The game was between small-market teams in an unfavorable time slot (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EST). Still, it brought in 15.2 million unique viewers.

The game marked the first time a streaming service outbid a broadcast network for an NFL game.  Since then, FOX Sports Go and WatchESPN apps provide live streams of games from multiple markets.

Transactional Video

The conventional pay TV model is a cable or satellite subscription. You pay by the month for a large channel package.

One of the most important trends in TV now ditches the subscription model. Some providers charge small fees for each episode or small group of episodes. as little as $0.99. Google Play, Amazon Prime Video, and iTunes are among the vendors offering video on a per-episode basis. Some will offer discounts, up to 40% per episode, for purchase of a “season pass”, access to an entire season of a series.

In either case, you would pay only for the shows you watch, not for channels or channels bundles.

 Streaming Direct to Consumer

Usually, cable and broadcast TV networks offer their programming through cable or satellite systems. Some offer them through streaming platforms such as Netflix, Playstation Vue, or Sling TV.

One of the most important new trends in the business is cutting out the middleman. Content providers are increasingly likely to offer their shows directly to viewers. 20th Century Fox, ABC-Disney, and NBC Universal opened the way in 2005 by forming Hulu.

This year, the CBS Corporation launched CBS All-Access, and HBO launched HBO Now.  These are stand-alone video services that don’t require cable or satellite subscriptions.

Authentication

Authentication is likely to be the most enduring of trends in the video market. It is essential for newer platforms that enable streaming on multiple devices. If the device you want to stream with is not the one you enrolled with, how does the provider know you’re a customer?

Video services rely increasingly on authentication to identify customers and log them in. In most cases, this means you enter a user name and a four-digit code.

The advantage for you is that you’re not limited to the video services own devices, and you can more easily use your service away from home.

(To follow all trends in internet service, visit buysatellite.net. To get the best connection, talk to us. We can help.)

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HULU LIVE TV SERVICE 

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What had been rumored for months is now official. Hulu has confirmed that it will soon be launching a live streaming TV service.

Cord Cutter News, having acquired a copy of a survey Hulu sent to a small sample of its elite subscribers, reported that the internet video streaming service will charge $35.00 for its basic channel package streamed to one in-home or mobile device. For $50.00 per month, the customer will have the option of streaming the package to multiple devices. The offer includes 20 hours of DVR storage and live or on-demand access to all four major broadcast networks.

This last item is interesting, because CBS has not been mentioned in news reports about about carriage rights deals for Hulu’s new service.

For $20.00, the customer can increase DVR storage capacity to 300 hours.

The basic package likely will have about 80 channels, including AMC, ESPN, TBS, TNT, and USA. Sling TV, the pioneer in multichannel streaming TV, charges only $20.00 for its basic package, but it has only 27 channels. PlayStation Vue offers 55 channels in its Access Slim package for $30.00 per month.

Early reports indicate that Hulu’s live TV service will sell HBO as a $15.00 per month premium option, and Cinemax for $10.00 per month. Showtime, WWE, and Starz/Encore are also likely to be in its lineup, probably as $10.00 premium options. NFL RedZone and FOX Soccer Plus may also be included as premium options.

Hulu’s Live TV service is likely to become active late this year.

YouTube is another veteran internet video streaming service that has begun to offer paid curated content. Its $10.00 per month ‘Red’ platform offers ad-free video geared for teenagers and young adults.

(To get the most out of streaming video services, you need a reliable internet connection. If yours doesn’t measure up, talk to us. We can help.)

 

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STREAMING SERVICES: VIDEO & MUSIC

One advantage of having a HughesNet broadband connection is access to video and music streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Sling TV, Spotify, and Pandora. Such services stream content to you directly via the web. Most of them don’t require a cable or satellite TV subscription, nor installation of any proprietary equipment. Most are compatible with iOS and Android tablets and smartphones, XBox One and Playstation Vue gaming consoles, Mac and PC computers, and Chromecast, Roku, and Apple TV streaming devices.

Most such services are very inexpensive. Pandora and Spotify, two of the leading web music services, charge nothing for their basic service tiers. The only catch is that your music will be interrupted occasionally by commercials. To skip the ads, you’ll pay a nominal monthly fee: $4.99 for Pandora, $9.99 for Spotify.

Video streaming services are not free, but they don’t cost much. Hulu, which carries a wide variety of TV shows and movies, charges $7.99 per month for video streaming with “limited commercials”. For an additional $4.00 per month. you can get the commercial-free version. Netflix, the most popular streaming video service, carries a huge library of TV shows and movies. The basic Netflix service, at $7.99 per month, will stream to just one device, and is available only in standard definition. For $9.99 per month, you can get an HD-capable version for up to two devices. For $11.99 per month, you can get it in Ultra HD on up to four devices. Most of Amazon Prime Video’s content is free with a $99.00 annual membership, which includes free shipping for most items sold in Amazon’s online store.

Sling TV, launched by Dish Network in early 2015, is an interesting addition to the streaming video market. Sling TV differs from most other streaming services in offering live TV. The basic 23-channel package costs just $20.00 per month. Several movie and sports packages can be added to the core package for just $5.00 per month each. For about $50.00 to $60.00 per month, about half the cost of a standard cable or satellite TV subscription, you could get a combined live TV, sports, and premium movie channel bundle. You would have a very complete TV service, and if you don’t require a huge number of channels, you can save a substantial sum of money. Unlike the standard Dish Network service, Sling TV doesn’t require a satellite dish or a long term contract.

These are just a few of the internet video and music streaming services available. For a wide variety of convenient and low-cost entertainment options, you should look into it.

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TV EVERYWHERE

With your HughesNet service, you’ll have expanded options for TV viewing. With the ability to stream video via the internet, you are not limited to the programming choices or bundles offered by cable and satellite TV systems.

TV Everywhere is an industry term for streaming video services that don’t require conventional cable boxes or satellite dishes. It’s also known as authenticated streaming or authenticated video-on-demand. For most such services, you won’t need to have any equipment installed, and for some, you won’t have to sign any long term contracts. Access to programming is through an authentication code you enter on your device.

The pay TV industry developed TV Everywhere to answer the competitive challenge posed by streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

TV Everywhere offers flexibility in viewing platforms. Most TVE applications are compatible with iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, Mac and PC computers, Roku, PlayStation, XBox One, Apple TV, and Chromecast devices.

Most TVE services are additions to conventional cable or satellite TV subscriptions. Last February, though, Dish Network launched Sling TV, an independent web-streaming-only platform. Sling TV customers don’t have to sign any long term contracts, can pay on a month-to-month basis, and don’t need Dish Network dishes or receivers. Most programming packages are light on the wallet. The core Sling TV package of 23 channels costs just $20.00 per month.

Since then, some cable system operators are considering offering similar products. Comcast and Verizon have tested separate streaming apps in some markets. Use of these apps does not require the standard cable TV subscription, though Comcast’s streaming service is available only to its broadband subscribers.

As a rule, streaming video services cost much less than cable or satellite TV subscriptions. This is mainly because their channel bundles are usually much smaller. You will need to research TVE providers, though, to be sure you save money- and that you’re getting the channels you want.

(For access to TV Everywhere or other internet services, talk to us.)