Comcast Internet Video Launching Before Year End > UM, WAIT, NO!

UM, WAIT, NO!

Don't have a heart attack.

»www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art···9BF487O4

"Access will be carefully guarded: Comcast subscribers can initially watch shows and movies only on their home computers after being verified by the cable system. And for now, the online viewing will be restricted to those who also get Internet service through Comcast, not through competitors like phone companies.

Comcast, wanting to make sure the shows will remain off-limits to non-subscribers, still is working on providing access over competing home broadband systems as well as on the go — at work, on laptops and, one day, over cell phones."
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»www.seabee.navy.mil

reply to funchords

reply to funchords
How about Comcast change the name from "TV Everywhere" to "TV Somewhere", or even yet "Going Nowhere".

How is this providing any significant benefit to the consumer in its current form? People still have to subscribe to their cable TV and their Internet package to get it. Even when people don't have to be a Comcast "double screw play" customer to get it, it still won't be available without a bloated, expensive cable TV subscription.

This only benefits the consumer when it is available as a separate subscription, without Comcast Internet or cable TV required, that is priced reasonably. Unfortunately, I doubt this will happen anytime soon as neither consumer choice nor inexpensive alternatives seem to be in Comcast's list of priorities.

This also raises substantial questions of network neutrality, if Comcast decides not to count streaming video usage from their service against customer caps-- thus putting services like Hulu at a substantial disadvantage. (This is why the Obama Administration has it right when they're pushing for network neutrality legislation and rulings by government agencies.)

May Comcast's current version "TV Everywhere" die a quick death. It's too bad that they just can't get it right.
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Nobel peace prize for Obammer... Now he's got one more thing in common with Arafat besides hating America. And he's just as succesful as Jimmy "the failure" Carter.

reply to caco
They shouldn't launch it until they can clear up the potential favoritism and potential network neutrality issues caused by such a hairbrained scheme.

Right now "TV Everywhere" is only such if one considers a laptop connected to their home network "everywhere". And for many who don't want an overpriced Internet connection from Comcast, it's "TV Nowhere" right out of the gate. They should be ashamed.

Comcast has every reason to drag their feet on implementing access to this from outside of their network. Doing so will only serve to encourage those "naughty" customers who have purchased Internet service elsewhere to "see the light" and come to Comcast for their surfing needs.

The idea of Comcast making this availble over cell phones makes me laugh, too. What makes anyone think that AT&T would ever support this for the iPhone, when they've required other apps (like Slingbox) to work only via WiFi? I doubt that Comcast will have much success in that arena.
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Nobel peace prize for Obammer... Now he's got one more thing in common with Arafat besides hating America. And he's just as succesful as Jimmy "the failure" Carter.

reply to funchords

quote:

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According to the AP, Comcast is working on a verification system that allows Comcast TV customers to access the service should they say -- use broadband from a competitor, or want to access the service while on the go or at work.

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In all fairness though, "working on" is not the same as "released", "works", or "is available". Presuming Comcast has webmail and/or a page for maintaining account information online, there is already a mechanism available for ensuring that the customer is a comcast customer, no matter what ISP they use to sign in from.

Currently only allowing Comcast modems to use the service definitely isn't "TV Everywhere". It's "TV at my house where I already have TV at" unless Comcast has recently come out with a cable modem that has a wireless coax input for mobile use.

reply to Romney2012

reply to NOVA_Guy

reply to caco

reply to funchords
how hard is it, honestly just make people login with their comcast.net primary UID
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports

reply to cdru
In short, Comcast is not allowed to keep access to THEIR value-added services confined to THEIR customers? (It's a service offered online with a *gatekeeper*; ESPN360.com operates the same way.)

However, in the case of TV Everywhere, the potential for abuse is rampant (I can think of three ways such a gatekeeper can be spoofed, and entirely with client-side software), and the content providers will NOT permit such a service to go forward unless such spoofing can be detected and defeated as quickly as possible.

reply to funchords
Okay.. first of all, nothing was "advertised" yet.. becuase they're simply talking about a future service that doesn't yet exists doesn't constitute as an advertisement for said product.

Second of all, this article talks about a service called On Demand Online.. not "TV Anywhere"..

Sounds like you're getting a little worked up becuase of that entitlement way of thinking.

(And people wonder why providers tend to stay tight lipped about future services, time lines for roll outs, and other related issues)

reply to BF69

reply to NOVA_Guy
They've already said that this service would count against your cap... it's been said MANY moons ago.

And yea.. again, more government meddling is going to make our lives that much better.... seriously...

reply to PGHammer

reply to fiberguy
Entitlement? What entitlement? -- I think I'm paying for my services, thank you.

The push behind TV Everywhere is really to protect Cable's TV revenue by strong-arming your favorite networks to take their TV content and put it behind a Cable TV paywall. That's terrible for the entire TV and Internet economy.

The Internet has been putting content creators directly in touch with viewers, and viewers pay for that service through their ISP subscriptions. TV Everywhere is aiming to remove that possibility.
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Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- District of Columbia -- KJ7RL
Test your Broadband connection today! -- »measurementlab.net/

You just don't get it, do you?

The entitlement mentality, and I'm sorry, but you are acting that way as is just about every bitcher here is,... is that Comcast is offering another added service and yet it's not good enough for them.. If they never offered it, we'd not be here having a conversation about it right? That's factually correct.

I see NOTHING wrong is a CABLE **TV** provider trying to push their service beyond the boob-toob.. afterall, isn't this what people want? .. and yet they bitch?

"CableTV Paywall" huh? (nice term by the way - I bet you hope it sticks?) They're allowing people who are their SUBSCRIBERS to be able to get content through the web. I don't see a problem with this.. afterall, other providers, non cable or satellite, is already doing this.. why is it a bad thing when Cable does it?

"Content creators"... so we get to the bottom line here.. what you're saying, to me as I take it, is that the "content creators" are those that post to you tube? is that it? Or are you talking about hollywood? If it's the youtube non-hollywood crowd well they already have a forum for that.. only the youtubes of the world still censor content worse than the cable companies and networks do. If it's Hollywood creators you're talking about, if they put their content out on the net, which is what comcast is doing, well.. we're in the same destination already with what Comcast is trying to do.

Comcast, at hand, is simply trying to allow THEIR CURRENT VIDEO CUSTOMERS access to content through the web.. big deal.. it's the end of the world.

What I hear in this forum are people who aren't comcast customers bitching that they can't get the content, or that they'd have to "pay" for it (oh my F'ing god.. the evil money word again) ... and those people that aren't comcast customers really don't have a need to be in this discussion in the first place since this isn't going to apply to them.

And one last thing - again, you're not getting it. You said "The Internet has been putting content creators directly in touch with viewers, and viewers pay for that service through their ISP subscriptions." .... Really? So you're saying the money people pay for their internet is what allows them access to the content?? First off, you really need to define "content creators" for one.. and two, content and connectivity are two totally different things. Content providers, of ANY flavor, have, and do, charge for content when they feel they want the money.. and if not, it's got ads for revenue.. oh know.. !! I just said "ads".. the very thing that many people feel are evil and should go away..

One simple question.. if no one wants to pay directly for things (and we're not talking the internet line itself) they get from the web, and they don't want ads... just how in the world is content, that you all want so bad, supposed to be paid for or funded? It TAKES MONEY TO MAKE THE WORLD GO AROUND.. we're not living in Startrek times where the world just seems to happen..

TV Everywhere is not doing anything that you THINK it is.. I absolutely just can't see where you're coming to these conclusions you are.