Slightly OT - could Intel upset the cable subscriber market?

[junglehusky]

Still sounds really sketchy, there have been many would-be killer apps that never made a dent in cable. I have no idea how this box would allow consumers to choose any a la carte channel, and I'd be skeptical that sports channels would have their live content available... it sounds like it's more geared towards movies. But if it does take off, it would have the effect of driving fees for ESPN, and cable prices, up. In the long term ( I mean really long term), could it lead to downward pressure on sports rights contracts?

Intel Is Reportedly Going To Destroy The Cable Model By Offering People The Ability To Subscribe To Individual Channels

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/intel-cable-2013-1#ixzz2GmqYg0a2​

 

[uconnfan68]

Still sounds really sketchy, there have been many would-be killer apps that never made a dent in cable. I have no idea how this box would allow consumers to choose any a la carte channel, and I'd be skeptical that sports channels would have their live content available... it sounds like it's more geared towards movies. But if it does take off, it would have the effect of driving fees for ESPN, and cable prices, up. In the long term ( I mean really long term), could it lead to downward pressure on sports rights contracts?

Intel Is Reportedly Going To Destroy The Cable Model By Offering People The Ability To Subscribe To Individual Channels

​

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/intel-cable-2013-1#ixzz2GmqYg0a2​

While I'd love to have fewer shopping channels, the only promise I'm making is to boycott all non-UConn college sports for the rest of my life if we don't end up in a safe place.

 

[RS9999X]

They will help.

XBox 720 next Christmas will help. That's the killer box. Apple is working on merging its Time Capsule backup, Apple TV box, and Air Port into one device. The deluxe device will allow DVR to physical media or the Cloud. The Cheaper version will allow backups and DVR only to the Cloud. iTunes will allows scan and match of video media, etc.

Netlfix and Amazon and Vudu are booking lock up agreements. Expect Apple and Microsoft to do the same.

In 2020 your Big 5 Networks will be Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Walmart (Vudu) and Google. Expect someone (Walmart or Microsoft) to buy Netflix and the local Network thing AERO and Hulu and Microsoft to finish off Barnes and Noble and offer competitive eBooks.

 

[RS9999X]

You'll purchase your channels a la carte with far more options in 5 years. Th cable companies don't care about the content they judt want to ad space and the subscriptions for access.

Free BBC television is pretty cool if you get free WiFi in your building

Tonight they have Ghost, Dave, Avatar, Elektra, and enough CSI to choke on, etc.

http://www.tvcatchup.com/guide.html?hour=20

Sports will always be a premium. Give me the Boston and NY teams and Regional College for $10 a month or bundle it with Netflix and Spotify for $30.00 and local stations with 50 gbps Internet for $99 a month and I'm good to go.
Time Warner Cable offers free Xbox to new triple play subscribers through Best Buy promotion

Holiday campaign includes free DVR rental and HBO, Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, The Movie Channel

 

[Jarhead_1775]

I love the idea, but I don't think it's sustainable. What I mean by that is I can see it leading to a huge contraction in the number of channels available. There's only a handful of channels that I would buy. Would that be enough revenue to sustain all the channels we have now? So I think this will work and could be huge to whoever does it right, but the landscape would be hugely altered and I don't know if the likes of SNY could survive it.

 

[CL82]

I love the idea, but I don't think it's sustainable. What I mean by that is I can see it leading to a huge contraction in the number of channels available. There's only a handful of channels that I would buy. Would that be enough revenue to sustain all the channels we have now? So I think this will work and could be huge to whoever does it right, but the landscape would be hugely altered and I don't know if the likes of SNY could survive it.

I think SNY is well positioned to survive it others less so.

 

[upstater]

If Apple does this, it better warranty its products better and provide free recovery service for Time Capsule meltdowns.

The Time Capsule has issues with power source. I urge all of you with this device to use other backup means in addition to it. The thing frequently overheats and melts. The good part is that the drive doesn't melt down, only the power source, rendering it inoperable. The good part of that is recovery of your memory is possible for a mere $200+.

 

[Fishy]

I've had Time Capsules for years - never a problem.

But anyway, your backup hard drive will not impact the future of television.

Intel has no chance at making this work - no chance. It's not a hardware issue - the hardware exists now.

Gaining rights to the content is the issue and the current system pays the content owners very, very well. Until Apple or Google or someone shows that they can make the content folks more money than Cablevision, we're not going anywhere.

 

[CTMike]

I'm pretty much with Fishy on this. I'd love it, but getting unbundled content is near impossible. Separately, Intel is a hardware company. Nearly every device in a living room is powered by something other than an Intel processor and this is Intel's last-ditch attempt at that market.

 

[upstater]

I've had Time Capsules for years - never a problem.

But anyway, your backup hard drive will not impact the future of television.

Intel has no chance at making this work - no chance. It's not a hardware issue - the hardware exists now.

Gaining rights to the content is the issue and the current system pays the content owners very, very well. Until Apple or Google or someone shows that they can make the content folks more money than Cablevision, we're not going anywhere.

Look it up tho, mine went after 2 years, and I went online to find a common problem with these.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I've had Time Capsules for years - never a problem.

But anyway, your backup hard drive will not impact the future of television.

Intel has no chance at making this work - no chance. It's not a hardware issue - the hardware exists now.

Gaining rights to the content is the issue and the current system pays the content owners very, very well. Until Apple or Google or someone shows that they can make the content folks more money than Cablevision, we're not going anywhere.

Which is why comcast made the move it did with NBC/Universal. Controlling content is the key. That being said, I do think the cable/internet companies will need to adjust, just as mobile platforms will. The reality is that in the DVR era the internet bandwidth is more valuable to the customer than the cable channels. Same with data vs voice on mobile plans. I think you'll see a price shift. Cable will get cheaper and internet will get more expensive. That will offset some of the shift to Netflix, Hulu, Vudu etc.

With an XBox right now you can get every major network show ($7 Hulu+) a whole lot of movie and old TV content ($8 Netflix) plus ESPN (free: but only if you get your internet from the right provider). That's about 80% of what people use cable for. The cable news channels, weather channel, NG, HGTV, Discovery etc. are still hitched to cable.

 

[The Funster]

This is why 13 year TV contracts are stupid. Technology is evolving quickly and viewing habits will change accordingly. The Big 12 contract expires in 2025. It's not 13 years, it's a freaking lifetime. My guess is that no one will be watching over the air TV then the way we do right now. Those contracts will be worthless long before they are due to expire.

 

[sdhusky]

I'm pretty much with Fishy on this. I'd love it, but getting unbundled content is near impossible. Separately, Intel is a hardware company. Nearly every device in a living room is powered by something other than an Intel processor and this is Intel's last-ditch attempt at that market.

I got rid of cable TV a few months ago and just have a very high speed internet connection.

I can watch all the ESPN's live on my TV. With WatchEspn I have access to more college sports than I can watch.

I get CNN & BBC News streamed live. Foxnews, NBC I can watch segments of interest

I have Hulu Plus so I get most of the shows I watched a day later.

I have Amazon Prime so I have access to 1000's of TV shows and movies.

Crackle - "I hear that Downtown Abby is pretty good"

NetFlix - 1000's more TV and movies

I have the local TV with in HD with a Paper Thin Leaf HD antenna. Reception is perfect.

I buy whatever movies I want and still spend less.

I do miss HBO, but I don't think it will be long until I can get that.

I can't say I've missed cable very much. Intel wouldn't have to offer much to make it even less painful.

 

[sdhusky]

Which is why comcast made the move it did with NBC/Universal. Controlling content is the key. That being said, I do think the cable/internet companies will need to adjust, just as mobile platforms will. The reality is that in the DVR era the internet bandwidth is more valuable to the customer than the cable channels. Same with data vs voice on mobile plans. I think you'll see a price shift. Cable will get cheaper and internet will get more expensive. That will offset some of the shift to Netflix, Hulu, Vudu etc.

With an XBox right now you can get every major network show ($7 Hulu+) a whole lot of movie and old TV content ($8 Netflix) plus ESPN (free: but only if you get your internet from the right provider). That's about 80% of what people use cable for. The cable news channels, weather channel, NG, HGTV, Discovery etc. are still hitched to cable.

Roku for $50 does the same thing. You can news, weather etc on Roku

 

[ZooCougar]

I watch so little TV other than sports. I always DVRd the shows I liked, in Europe I use Apple TV. I move back to the states this month, I have no idea what kind of cable I will get or even if I will..

 

[CTMike]

I got rid of cable TV a few months ago and just have a very high speed internet connection.

I can watch all the ESPN's live on my TV. With WatchEspn I have access to more college sports than I can watch.

I get CNN & BBC News streamed live. Foxnews, NBC I can watch segments of interest

I have Hulu Plus so I get most of the shows I watched a day later.

I have Amazon Prime so I have access to 1000's of TV shows and movies.

Crackle - "I hear that Downtown Abby is pretty good"

NetFlix - 1000's more TV and movies

I have the local TV with in HD with a Paper Thin Leaf HD antenna. Reception is perfect.

I buy whatever movies I want and still spend less.

I do miss HBO, but I don't think it will be long until I can get that.

I can't say I've missed cable very much. Intel wouldn't have to offer much to make it even less painful.

I'm a little late to the party, but starting to go down this road myself... I'm just drawing a blank what Intel could add to the equation at this point.

 

[kyleslamb]

This has been a bit of a misleading story. While they're selling it as "a la carte," its really going to be a bunch of channels sold as bundles based on the video provider. So if you want ESPN, you're probably going to have to purchase all the Disney channels together as a package. That's the only way that these networks are going to go for this.

 

[RS9999X]

Today I can get my 50 gbps service from Optimum for $65 a month and a cable card for Xbox. I can use Optimim or Vudu for PPV. I can order Espn packages a la cart and rotate Between HBO, NETFLIX, Amazon etc.

Sent from my Lumia 920 via Windows 8. Now bite me Apple Droids.

 

[RS9999X]

The 65 deal comes with basic cable and access to their WiFi network. Every bar carries ESPN....


Sent from my Lumia 920 via Windows 8. Now bite me Apple Droids.

 

[RS9999X]

Sony getting into the content game for a la carte. Intel and Sony bring lawyers
See todays press release.


Sent from my Lumia 920 via Windows 8. Now bite me Apple Droids.

 

[pepband99]

I got rid of cable TV a few months ago and just have a very high speed internet connection.

I can watch all the ESPN's live on my TV. With WatchEspn I have access to more college sports than I can watch.

I get CNN & BBC News streamed live. Foxnews, NBC I can watch segments of interest

I have Hulu Plus so I get most of the shows I watched a day later.

I have Amazon Prime so I have access to 1000's of TV shows and movies.

Crackle - "I hear that Downtown Abby is pretty good"

NetFlix - 1000's more TV and movies

I have the local TV with in HD with a Paper Thin Leaf HD antenna. Reception is perfect.

I buy whatever movies I want and still spend less.

I do miss HBO, but I don't think it will be long until I can get that.

I can't say I've missed cable very much. Intel wouldn't have to offer much to make it even less painful.

But, you have one advantage that will kill it for most of us... you're out of market, rooting for UConn. SNY territory is blacked out on non-national games (at least for now). It's a deal killer, and maybe the only thing keeping me connected at the moment.