FTA has competition

[wshillington]

Hi:

If any of you guys have broadband you might want to search your browser using the keywords 'free broadband tv'. There are various programs you can download that will allow you to watch some television stations over the internet. While most of the free ones are foriegn language (like FTA) or junk there are some good ones like ABC and FOX news. Its worth taking a look if you like playing around with free tv.

cheers
Bryce

 

[PSB]

I agree Free TV is Free TV!

I watch LIVE news from Scotland 2-3 times a day on the BBC for example and there are web sites out there with hundreds of channels listed!

IPTV is here and will eventually be the best way to get TV, for now I am happy with both.

There will always be a need for satellite's however, Long Live FTA

 

[GaryPen]

A real nice looking product is Replay AV by Applian. I've been meaning to give a shot.

 

[Eastcoast]

well NASA TV is also on the net, but may be FTA is amune to viruses and pop up ads etc.Just the occasional dish adjustment and clearing of snow.lol

Dave

 

[digiblur]

What's the IP address for the next Nascar race in HD at 35mbps?

 

[simulated]

127.0.0.1

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

I've also never helped crash a server while watching Ia5, like when I tried to watch news from the Middle East online when the Israel/Lebanon conflict came to a head.

Seriously, I love Internet TV, but it'll probably be a little while before you can watch PBS in HD quality online.

 

[Das Hammer]

With technology today, you can have a video conference with people from all over the world very easily. However, it just IS NOT the same as stringing up a wire, firing up the old Drake TR-4C and sending a CQ by hand with a straight key. To each their own.

If they decide to bring broadband my way I'll check it out, but it just isn't the same.

 

[Eastcoast]

Do you think the cable companies will try and control access somehow to these channels as I suppose the would loose some customers when this technology gets going.

Dave

 

[Tron]

I don't usually find streaming video to be of as high visual quality as FTA. NASA's internet stream vs. the Echostar feed on 119w is a good example.

Some channels on IA-5 are about the same as streaming vid though...

 

[1inabillion]

With technology today, you can have a video conference with people from all over the world very easily. However, it just IS NOT the same as stringing up a wire, firing up the old Drake TR-4C and sending a CQ by hand with a straight key. To each their own.

If they decide to bring broadband my way I'll check it out, but it just isn't the same.

nope its not the same at all

 

[WildeComputers]

I expect very soon that cable companies will be trying to control "FTA" Internet TV. The use of the Internet in my household has dramatically increased over the past few months (since dropping DN) and will be a serious contender vs. fall TV shows. I've always been a huge fan of Internet Radio broadcasts, and have just started exploring Internet TV broadcasts. But then again, I was born with a pocket protector.

 

[mdovell]

I find it to be pretty much a mixed bag. There's a limit to how many users can be viewing some content. I think al arabiya for example has reached a limit over the past month or so. I don't think realistically there's a limit to fta users per satellite.

The other thing is it's a different experience. With a tv I'm on a couch...with a pc it's just me on the desk.

Granted though Gateway for awhile had a good idea with a pc media thing...haven't seen it advertised in around 10 years. To note computers back in the day used to use tv's. Around the mid 80's it switched to monitors. With hdtv going maintstream maybe it's possible but that could be a few years away.

 

[wantogetstarted]

IMHO, internet TV will never take off as long as it is tied to a PC on a desk. I sit at a desk all day at work and don't find it exciting to sit in front of one when I get home. If they get it so you can watch on a normal TV then maybe but until then I have zero interest. I agree with mdovell "give me my couch!"

 

[WildeComputers]

Some analog video cards have S-video connections, which could be used with many analog TVs. All the new digital TVs (I've seen, which includes my own) have at least one DVI connection, and all new video cards from ATI and nVidia have DVI outputs. Plus, LCD monitors have increased in size and many larger ones include a built-in TV tuner. So it is very easy to add the couch to the Internet. Until manufactures integrate an ethernet/broadband connection and some software, the practical use will require a Home Theater PC (HTPC).

 

[sidekick]

This site is really pretty good for free tv on your computer.

www.wwitv.com/portal.htm

They have movies divided by genre, etc. Pretty good quality too!

 

[Stargazer]

IPTV = The Future of Television. Dish Network and Directv - Ride the wave or drown.

 

[havenx]

On the internet there is this thing called an “IP address”. The server that you are watching this “TV” on is leaving little cookies and things; furthermore, they can tell what IP is viewing what broadcast, thus creating a better ad campaign. So you’re agreeing to LET them look at certain stuff of their own interest (like a survey). You’re doing work for the people that rip us all off every day. Plus you’re feeds are slowing down my cable, that is if you live where I live, but as a whole, you’re slowing things down a bit. If everyone done it we would have a bit of a larger problem with bandwidth.

On that FTA satellites you plug in and go. You sit through the commercials. But it’s free, so this is agreeable. They do their own survey work. Local networks should be free to watch and the ads SHOULD pay for it.

Dish and Direct. Crap, ya pay for what has already been paid for by the ads. You’re paying for a service though. All them channels on a few birds close together. To each their own. You can all pay you’re bill, or a large group of people could start some campaigning for a few “local only” satellites and there could be a larger variety. Sort of like a good antenna in Chicago or something.

WE CAN NOT LET ANY TYPE OF PAY SERVICE INCLUDING THE INTERNAT CONTROL LOCAL NETWORKS, IT ALSO CREATES A SECURITY ISSUE.


Okay, I'm done ranting, however the rant does seem to have a strong point.

 

[jegrant]

This is why "net neutrality" is important, because otherwise, internet providers (be they cable, DSL, etc.) may attempt to block/slow/limit the bandwidth of IPTV channels except those that either pay the provider or are owned by the provider.

Furthermore, a columnist at PBS.org has an interesting idea that would let local PBS affiliates offer virtually all programming to their local viewers in full-screen SDTV (both live streaming, and on demand).
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20060608.html

 

[havenx]

This site is really pretty good for free tv on your computer.

www.wwitv.com/portal.htm

They have movies divided by genre, etc. Pretty good quality too!

Anyone other than me notice that a lot of these channels are on FTA?

Therefore, in this case, FTA is not the competition, its sort of the source for some of this.