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Suddenlink Offers TiVos, But Prohibits Netflix
Blocking service is part of contract with copyright holders
Back in July Suddenlink announced that they'd begin offering their TV customers cobranded TiVo DVRs late this year. Right on schedule, the company has announced the launch of TiVo in two markets: Lubbock and Midland, Texas. "TiVo and Suddenlink share a common goal: to deliver a unique product that offers customers the only cable solution that combines linear channels, cable video on demand and Web entertainment all in one device," said TiVO CEO Tom Rogers in a statement. Oddly, the new co-branded Suddenlink TiVo blocks the ability to use Netflix streaming, something Suddenlink says is currently prohibited by some Netflix contracts with copyright holders, something that Netflix appears to confirm.
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Merin
@shawcable.net

Merin

Anon

People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

When Netflix in the USA has so much content for under 10 bucks?

Now that netflix has the install base of smart phones, all consoles and pcs/media centers is there any reason to pay for tivo boxes when netflix has everything ad free already....
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse

Member

Re: People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

I can't watch 99% of the stuff I watch on TV via netflix..... so looks like I am "stupid" for watching cable..... until Discovery, and A&E networks put all their shows on there when they are out, and new, can't ditch cable for me

I know some discovery stuff is on there, but no where near what there is on tv right now

mxmumtuna
join:2000-08-11
Ashburn, VA

mxmumtuna

Member

Re: People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

Yeah, their streaming selection is pretty bad - and what is there has pretty poor picture/audio quality, IMHO.

GlennLouEarl
3 brothers, 1 gone
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Richmond, VA

GlennLouEarl

Premium Member

Re: People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

The selection is pretty average and needs to be improved--to match the DVD selection (even if it means matching the price--and why not). If you're watching DVD-quality content or better (meaning, the newer stuff) on your HD-TV using a Roku or Sony or other media player, then the PQ is excellent (presuming no problems with your Internet connection).

Racket
@verizon.net

Racket to mxmumtuna

Anon

to mxmumtuna
I have 20,000 Movies/TV shows to stream from Netflix, selection is good for me. The selection is far superior to ANY single premium channel currently offered by the cable companies and its on demand all the time and remembers where I am if I stop a film for a minute or a month. The picture quality is fine for me as well, it ranges from SD to 720 HD. I only have a 42" flat screen, perhaps they look bad on a 65" or maybe that new screen at the cowboys stadium.

GlennLouEarl
3 brothers, 1 gone
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Richmond, VA

GlennLouEarl

Premium Member

Re: People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

My only complaint, so far, concerning the streaming selection is that too much new stuff is DVD-only and some other new stuff that does make it to streaming only does so for a limited time... thanks to the "content owners" (who still just don't get it).

IT Guy
Ow, My Balls
Premium Member
join:2004-07-29
Las Cruces, NM
Cisco ASA 5505
Cisco Meraki MX64

IT Guy to mxmumtuna

Premium Member

to mxmumtuna
The selection definitely needs to improve, but as far as quality, I have no gripes. I use my PS3 to stream and have stumbled upon a handful of HD selections, since the upgrade to disc-less and HD enabled content. I have only come across a few selections where the video quality was less than desirable.

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

Selenia to mxmumtuna

Premium Member

to mxmumtuna
Beats the dish, on 3 mbps dsl no less. As to cable, maybe if it ever goes digital around here. So sad that I was not kidding about that last part.

Snakeoil
Ignore Button. The coward's feature.
Premium Member
join:2000-08-05
united state

Snakeoil to neufuse

Premium Member

to neufuse
Which won't happen as long as Apple pays money for the immediate resell rights to the shows.

Look at the delay in getting fresh aired shows to Hulu, to their own network websites. That is in part due to the Agreement between many of the networks and Apple. Apple charges a buck to rent the show, or 2 to own the show. No ads.
So the network/hulu have to wait a few days to at least a week before posting their free stream online. Which of course will have ads.

If Netflix was able to bust Apple's hold on the network market, and was able to stream broadcast shows a day after they aired, I'd be curious as to how much more Netflix would have to charge to do it.
Less then 10 bucks a month is a real sweet deal, for the library of movies that is available.

So in part, Apple is to blame as much as the networks for the way the shows are distributed after they air.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

many networks; Viacom and Fox post their shows online and Hulu the next day and even sometimes the same night they air. You forget who owns Hulu. It's not an indie company like NF or Apple. The Content owners own it.
twhiting9275
join:2002-08-30
Waterloo, IA

twhiting9275

Member

Re: People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

Hulu only makes shows available 'instantly' to + members, which is fine, given it's $8/month charge for + . That's about the only bonus us + members have, well, aside from being able to watch on other devices.

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

Selenia

Premium Member

Re: People still buy cable and stupid boxes?

Like my ps3, making it complement Netflix nicely. Now for one of them to make an Android app. Pretty please?

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine to Merin

Member

to Merin
The vast majority of people get their tv from cable and satellite. Netflix doesn't have most first run content.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray to Merin

Member

to Merin
said by Merin :

When Netflix in the USA has so much content for under 10 bucks?

Now that netflix has the install base of smart phones, all consoles and pcs/media centers is there any reason to pay for tivo boxes when netflix has everything ad free already....

Yes, people still buy cable.
They're called "Families".

Most households with diverse viewing habits (ESPN/FSN, Lifetime/OWN, Nickelodeon/Disney) can afford $60-100/month for home entertainment. Netflix content is aged/stale, and doesn't provide any dynamic / live feeds.

While I do have friends with kids who are cord-cut, they do so in order to restrict content and cull couch-potato-e-ism, not save money. 95% of the unbroken homes I know subscribe to cable or equivalent to keep the peace, and in many instances, alas, in loco parentis.

It is mostly the single person who can make the decision to avoid a $60 cable bill without consequence, and arrogantly call the boxes (or box buyers?) "stupid".

(Note, I cite $60, as that was what our local cable company wanted for "basic digital service" when we cut the cord, and it is typical of the amount paid for TV in the bundles I've negotiated for our family members. Obviously, one can find ways to spend $150 on Pay-TV alone, but typically $150 is a triple-pay bundle.)

Harddrive
Proud American and Infidel since 1968.
Premium Member
join:2000-09-20
Fort Worth, TX

Harddrive

Premium Member

I wonder...

Did Suddenlink know that Netflix would be blocked when Tivo and them started down this path?

Tivo Exec: 'When you get our Tivos in your customers' homes, Netflix will get blocked due to contractual obligations, so you might see an increase in revenue with regards to your On Demand offernings.'
Suddenlink Exec: 'Really? An increase in revenue? Where do I sign?'

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

Re: I wonder...

said by Harddrive:

Did Suddenlink know that Netflix would be blocked when Tivo and them started down this path?

Tivo Exec: 'When you get our Tivos in your customers' homes, Netflix will get blocked due to contractual obligations, so you might see an increase in revenue with regards to your On Demand offernings.'
Suddenlink Exec: 'Really? An increase in revenue? Where do I sign?'

If that was the case, and I could see it actually happening, it doesn't appear that it's Tivo's or Suddenlink's doing. It's a limitation in place between Netflix and the studios. They are just playing by the rules others are forcing onto them.

buzz_4_20
join:2003-09-20
Dover, NH

buzz_4_20

Member

Why are dumb pipes so bad again...

Welcome to the new age of being a customer.

You spend money and get nothing to show for it.

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine

Member

Re: Why are dumb pipes so bad again...

You can go the "dumb pipe" route if you wish. Just buy a TiVo at retail and use cablecard.

abnormal69
join:2003-04-19
Branson, MO

abnormal69 to buzz_4_20

Member

to buzz_4_20
Then stop spending money.
Grafton
join:2006-08-26
Morgantown, WV

Grafton

Member

Cable Co. VOD on a Tivo?

How are people using Suddlenlink's VOD with a Tivo anyways? I have a new Tivo premiere (a little underwhelmed but i still like it a lot) and i knew i was loosing out on Comcast VOD and that didn't bother me one bit, I have access to netflix, blockbuster, and amazon right now and hulu access is on its way with a software update Cable co. VOD can take a hike...

travisc
join:2001-11-09
Uxbridge, ON

travisc

Member

Re: Cable Co. VOD on a Tivo?

There are ways to make cableco VOD work on a TiVo, I know Seachange has a way to do it using the Internet as the return path.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

1 recommendation

Kearnstd

Premium Member

This is no shock at all to me

the Media companies who own the content see Netflix on cable company DVRs as a threat to their ability to control what the customer can watch. and the MAFIAA hates customers having control with a passion. its why they wrote their contract with Netflix the way it is.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: This is no shock at all to me

and if you owned that same content and made the money they do you'd say the same thing that the MPAA is doing. Money talks and all the BS walks.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

KrK

Premium Member

Re: This is no shock at all to me

Negative.

I'd be all over getting as many eyeballs on my content-- much of it older and long, LONG paid for... for reasonable (low) licensing costs or royalties. It would be like getting money for nothing, really as the other companies do the heavy lifting of providing it to customers and you just get paid.

I'd learn from the mistakes of the past... Radio... TV... VCR... DVD etc etc and be much more flexible.

... but that's just me.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Re: This is no shock at all to me

said by KrK:

Negative.

I'd be all over getting as many eyeballs on my content-- much of it older and long, LONG paid for... for reasonable (low) licensing costs or royalties. It would be like getting money for nothing, really as the other companies do the heavy lifting of providing it to customers and you just get paid.

I'd learn from the mistakes of the past... Radio... TV... VCR... DVD etc etc and be much more flexible.

... but that's just me.

but this is trying to apply logic to an industry which lacks it! =)

you have the idea similar to how id manage content as an IP owner.

for things to be stated in Investor terminology: you make constant money while Netflix is footing the bill for the distribution. Netflix gets a reasonable license fee, Content owner makes money on long since canceled TV show. Netflix is paying for the bandwidth to stream it.

CoolMan
join:2008-01-07
Maryville, TN
ARRIS BGW210-700
Netgear R7000

CoolMan

Member

Blockbuster on the TiVo

All there On Demand movies that you have to pay for on there current cable boxes in my area is branded in partnership with Blockbuster. They signed a deal with them a little over a year ago actually »investor.blockbuster.com ··· =1333842

They also have a kiosk set up in the local brick and mortar Blockbuster advertising for Suddenlink products and services.
longgone
join:2000-12-30
Culloden, WV

longgone

Member

Re: Blockbuster on the TiVo

said by CoolMan:

All there On Demand movies that you have to pay for on there current cable boxes in my area is branded in partnership with Blockbuster. They signed a deal with them a little over a year ago actually »investor.blockbuster.com ··· =1333842

They also have a kiosk set up in the local brick and mortar Blockbuster advertising for Suddenlink products and services.

Well, now that little deal surely made in heaven by those two significant content providers may have just kept a couple remaining BB Shops operational, rather than like almost all the other BB actually having their massive "Going Out Of Business" location closures.

Commenting on any of the content owners and providers is like reporting on the game of Solitaire, as they are the same individual Player, but the only card we get to see....is the Joker.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

IP to set top STREAMING!

Screw that, let consumers stream content from any source they want, then copyright holders can take a flying leap. The loophole (at least for Verizon) is that you still have to have your PC (or some device: home server, android phone, iphone, etc) on with the MEDIA manager app running for the streaming or content material to be accessible. No dobut other companies can make this work as well. Right now the app seems to work well for "locally" stored material.. but wait until video is streamed from other online sources (much better than youtube).