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Aereo Latest to Try and Disrupt TV Sector
Streaming OTA Broadcasts Via Broadband For $12 a Month
Barry Diller, founder of the Fox network, is the latest to try and disrupt the TV sector with a new service dubbed Aereo by IAC/InterActive. Aereo, which will first launch in New York City in March, will take over the air broadcasts from major networks and stream them to phones, tablets, and connected televisions. The service will cost $12 a month and is intended to be a supplement to those users who have cut the cord in favor of Netflix, Hulu, (and/or piracy), replacing the basic cable connection. As with so many other efforts of this kind, the established TV ecosystem won't take kindly to this effort, and you can expect legal assaults before the offering ever sees broader deployment.
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Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

Transmaster

Member

3 Letters

DOA

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

Noah Vail

Premium Member

Re: 3 Letters

said by Transmaster:

DOA

If we repeal Big Media's laws, services like this can begin to thrive.

I wouldn't even give BM their bribery/lobbying dollars back.
bnceo
join:2007-10-11
Bel Air, MD

bnceo

Member

OTA Only?

I don't see the problem here with the OTA only networks being broadcasted. They are free for anyone anyways. As a former NJer who now lives in Maryland, I wish I could watch some NY/NJ local programming.

It's when someone tries to rebroadcast cable tv networks that things can get hostile.

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

fifty nine

Member

Re: OTA Only?

said by bnceo:

I don't see the problem here with the OTA only networks being broadcasted. They are free for anyone anyways. As a former NJer who now lives in Maryland, I wish I could watch some NY/NJ local programming.

It's when someone tries to rebroadcast cable tv networks that things can get hostile.

If they rebroadcast broadcast content without consent that can also get them in trouble.
quote:
As a former NJer who now lives in Maryland, I wish I could watch some NY/NJ local programming.
A friend with a slingbox is about your only hope. These public services are basically dead on arrival.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: OTA Only?

said by fifty nine:

If they rebroadcast broadcast content without consent that can also get them in trouble.

This is how they THINK they can beat the law:
quote:
Legal disputes have laid low past attempts at similar services. Ivi TV, a service almost identical to Aereo, was shut down by a federal judge in New York after content providers sued on the grounds that their services, rebroadcast online, were stolen. Aereo plans to work around this sort of entanglement through its network of tiny antennas, thousands of which are arrayed around the borough of Brooklyn. It’s a license to use those antennas, which are receiving broadcast signals, that Aereo customers are actually paying for. Still, Aereo and IAC are bracing for legal disputes.
Just like Ivi, they will lose.
gworkman
join:2005-10-18
Las Vegas, NV

gworkman

Member

Re: OTA Only?

They are slightly different than IVI. They will not allow you to watch the programming out of market.

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

fifty nine

Member

Re: OTA Only?

said by gworkman:

They are slightly different than IVI. They will not allow you to watch the programming out of market.

That's not different from IVI.
gworkman
join:2005-10-18
Las Vegas, NV

gworkman

Member

Re: OTA Only?

With IVI, I could watch Chicago, NY, LA, Seattle and a couple of other markets in AZ. This company will not allow you to watch NY programming outside of the market. That is different.

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

cdru

MVM

Re: OTA Only?

It's different, but I wouldn't expect it to successfully get around the retransmission issue. I see a lot of similarities between this type of thing and the company that was recently shut down that allowed you to "rent" a DVD player for streaming a movie. Clever way of trying to use a loophole to skirt around a limitation, but very low chances of winning any legal challenges.

Now if they got retrans consent from each of the stations, then it would be different.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080 to fifty nine

Member

to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:

said by bnceo:

I don't see the problem here with the OTA only networks being broadcasted. They are free for anyone anyways. As a former NJer who now lives in Maryland, I wish I could watch some NY/NJ local programming.

It's when someone tries to rebroadcast cable tv networks that things can get hostile.

If they rebroadcast broadcast content without consent that can also get them in trouble.
quote:
As a former NJer who now lives in Maryland, I wish I could watch some NY/NJ local programming.
A friend with a slingbox is about your only hope. These public services are basically dead on arrival.

Feel free to watch ABC NEWS:
»abclocal.go.com/wabc/liv ··· =7241659

You'd be surprised how many broadcast-tv (OTA) affiliates already stream for free. You just have to look around.. the quality varies, so, YMMV. but compared with $$ PAYING A FEE $$,?!?!?

Insane! Next on the list.. $$ pay cable-tv $$ channels muahahahha! I know of 3 FREE cnn feeds out there already! (plus some others which are rogue streams put up by individuals with cap cards). Content knows no borders.. the internet consumer never had it so good! Just prey they don't try to jack up the price of internet on you once the tech-illiterate catch wind that they're paying $$ HUNDREDS $$ a month on what bleeds for free (legal or not) out there!

joako
Premium Member
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null

joako to fifty nine

Premium Member

to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:

quote:
As a former NJer who now lives in Maryland, I wish I could watch some NY/NJ local programming.
A friend with a slingbox is about your only hope. These public services are basically dead on arrival.

If you have DirecTV and don't care about your real locals call them and "notify them that you have moved to NY/NJ and would like to receive local stations"
unoriginal
Premium Member
join:2000-07-12
San Diego, CA

unoriginal

Premium Member

Re: OTA Only?

"Moving" your directv address to NYC will only get someone from out the area the big 4 networks. Everything else is on a spot beam that probably doesn't cover someone more than 100 miles or so from the city. See an example here: »www.satstar.net/beams.ht ··· id=28238

rchandra
Stargate Universe fan
Premium Member
join:2000-11-09
14225-2105
ARRIS ONT1000GJ4
EnGenius EAP1250

rchandra to bnceo

Premium Member

to bnceo
Every time TWC is having a dispute with some local broadcaster, there's news stories and sometimes blackouts. The last one wasn't all that long ago, and I can't remember whether it was WIVB or WUTV. I'm relatively sure it's TWC who pays LIN, Sinclair, or whomever. So, by extension, any entity which wishes carriage (of any sort) must make an agreement with the station owners. Don't forget, any locally produced content, such as WIVB's news, has copyrights, and therefore WIVB gets to decide what's done with their content (if nothing else).

Cheese
Premium Member
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL

Cheese

Premium Member

I have an HD OTA antenna

Which cost me like 20 bucks, and it works. Why would I pay 12 a month to stream the same channels?
gworkman
join:2005-10-18
Las Vegas, NV

gworkman

Member

Re: I have an HD OTA antenna

Because you can't stick an OTA antenna on a tablet or cell phone and recieve a TV signal.

Cheese
Premium Member
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL

Cheese

Premium Member

Re: I have an HD OTA antenna

said by gworkman:

Because you can't stick an OTA antenna on a tablet or cell phone and recieve a TV signal.

Well, that's true. lol

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

fifty nine to gworkman

Member

to gworkman
said by gworkman:

Because you can't stick an OTA antenna on a tablet or cell phone and recieve a TV signal.

Oh yes you can.

You have a few options. I use a slingbox at home. I think there was also a tuner dongle which attached to iPhone and iPad via the dock port.
gworkman
join:2005-10-18
Las Vegas, NV

gworkman

Member

Re: I have an HD OTA antenna

Really? This is simple to prove. Show me a link for any device I can plug into my iPhone or Android phone that will allow me to recieve OTA programming with an antenna.

FLATLINE
join:2007-02-27
Buffalo, NY

FLATLINE

Member

Re: I have an HD OTA antenna

Are we really pretending we dont know what a Slingbox is?

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

Transmaster

Member

Re: I have an HD OTA antenna

said by FLATLINE:

Are we really pretending we dont know what a Slingbox is?

The problem is you have to have a slingbox located where the programing you want to watch is.

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

fifty nine to gworkman

Member

to gworkman
said by gworkman:

Really? This is simple to prove. Show me a link for any device I can plug into my iPhone or Android phone that will allow me to recieve OTA programming with an antenna.

»www.engadget.com/2010/01 ··· t-works/

I'm hoping it will be released soon.

However, it seems to be iOS only. Sorry fandroids.
gworkman
join:2005-10-18
Las Vegas, NV

gworkman

Member

Re: I have an HD OTA antenna

TIVIT looks like a cool toy. Looks like it was at CES 2 years ago and never really saw the light of day.

joako
Premium Member
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null

joako to gworkman

Premium Member

to gworkman
said by gworkman:

Because you can't stick an OTA antenna on a tablet or cell phone and recieve a TV signal.

I take it you haven't seen many knock-off iPhones?


Cheese
Premium Member
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL

Cheese

Premium Member

Re: I have an HD OTA antenna

said by joako:

said by gworkman:

Because you can't stick an OTA antenna on a tablet or cell phone and recieve a TV signal.

I take it you haven't seen many knock-off iPhones?


Ah, the good ol iFake...lol

Tomek
Premium Member
join:2002-01-30
Valley Stream, NY

Tomek

Premium Member

I played with it

My friend works there so he showed me the early beta.

The difference between this and other "re-broadcasters" that in reality you get your own personal antenna with subscription. Then the signal is processed and delivered to you. They actually have huge array of micro-antennas. Combined with TV-guide like interface and DVR functionality, it works rather well.
It is accessible by HTML5 website, so no need for apps.

It is aimed at people who want to watch OTA programming on the go or people who cannot get decent reception. I think it is pretty cool.

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

fifty nine

Member

Re: I played with it

said by Tomek:

They actually have huge array of micro-antennas. Combined with TV-guide like interface and DVR functionality, it works rather well.

Yeah, sure. An "array of micro antennas" at an "undisclosed location."

*wink wink* *nudge nudge*

They won't fool very many for very long. Certainly that can't fool anyone who understands the laws of physics.
biochemistry
Premium Member
join:2003-05-09
92361

biochemistry

Premium Member

Re: I played with it

What goes up must come down? (ie this company)

Tomek
Premium Member
join:2002-01-30
Valley Stream, NY

Tomek to fifty nine

Premium Member

to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:

said by Tomek:

They actually have huge array of micro-antennas. Combined with TV-guide like interface and DVR functionality, it works rather well.

Yeah, sure. An "array of micro antennas" at an "undisclosed location."

*wink wink* *nudge nudge*

They won't fool very many for very long. Certainly that can't fool anyone who understands the laws of physics.

You don't have to believe me, I saw it. The location is actually in brooklyn.
sandman_1
join:2011-04-23
11111

sandman_1

Member

Nope

$12/month vs getting your own antenna and getting the channels for free. They even have recorders for OTA TV so you can DVR your local show. I just don't see this catching on.
biochemistry
Premium Member
join:2003-05-09
92361

biochemistry

Premium Member

Re: Nope

They are first launching in NYC. I'm betting a lot of apartment dwellers have difficulty receiving OTA broadcasts.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Re: Nope

said by biochemistry:

They are first launching in NYC. I'm betting a lot of apartment dwellers have difficulty receiving OTA broadcasts.

said by biochemistry:

They are first launching in NYC. I'm betting a lot of apartment dwellers have difficulty receiving OTA broadcasts.

Major consumer electronic showrooms in LA demonstrate the *inability* to receive all OTA channels, despite having 80' roofs with the best antenna arrays possible.

The average apartment dweller is lucky to get one or two channels, unless they have a rooftop antenna, in which case they can get half. And only the most stalwart cheapskates are going to go through the effort necessary to do any better.

We spent the better part of $600 to make OTA DTV work well (Winegard antenna, rotor, discrete outboard HDTV tuner). in NYC, it would have cost a lot more, with no DIY options.

Given the circumstances, $12/month doesn't seem so unreasonable.

•••••

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

fifty nine to biochemistry

Member

to biochemistry
said by biochemistry:

They are first launching in NYC. I'm betting a lot of apartment dwellers have difficulty receiving OTA broadcasts.

I work in Midtown manhattan. Even a paperclip works fine here.
kaila
join:2000-10-11
Lincolnshire, IL

kaila

Member

Call me crazy.......

but could cable outfits (comcast excluded) somehow partner or give ammunition to these guys to drive a wedge between them (the cablecos) and the local rebroadcast fee increase madness, possibly slowing or stopping fallout like we've seen effecting tw & cablevision customers lately?
slckusr
Premium Member
join:2003-03-17
Greenville, SC

slckusr

Premium Member

Re: Call me crazy.......

said by kaila:

but could cable outfits (comcast excluded) somehow partner or give ammunition to these guys to drive a wedge between them (the cablecos) and the local rebroadcast fee increase madness, possibly slowing or stopping fallout like we've seen effecting tw & cablevision customers lately?

Or will it have the opposite effect and unify all the cable/broadcasters to finally have some ammunition to dump free ota tv. and repurpose those airwaves for other uses.

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

fifty nine to kaila

Member

to kaila
said by kaila:

but could cable outfits (comcast excluded) somehow partner or give ammunition to these guys to drive a wedge between them (the cablecos) and the local rebroadcast fee increase madness, possibly slowing or stopping fallout like we've seen effecting tw & cablevision customers lately?

Nope. Because without the retrans disputes, the cable companies can't foist increases above and beyond their cost increases on you.

chlen
Ethically Challenged
Premium Member
join:2001-01-16
Saratoga, NY

chlen

Premium Member

TW does this already no?

I hve internet only through TW and everywhere around here if you have a cable line lit for modem you can plug it into your TV and get OTA channels, no antenna. You get the SD and HD OTA transmissions. It is really not bad at all, great quality.

••••••••

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
·Charter

nunya

MVM

Won't fly.

As an official, real, living, breathing cord-cutter, I can tell you this will not fly. Their price point is too high.
I've become picky about what content I'll pay for. After all, that's why I canceled cable TV. I think most cord-cutters feel the same way.
No-one will pay $12 monthly for something they can get for free with a little effort.
I'll gladly pay $8 / mo for Netflix. I'll even pay for some of the shows available on Amazon. I won't pay for Hulu Plus and their constant barrage of Ads and "web only" content.

Now, let's say Aereo comes along at $5 / month; I could see people doing that. When you are going "a la carte", you have to watch how much you are spending. If you spend too much, you could put yourself right back into the price range of cable or satellite - and probably defeat the purpose of "cord-cutting" to begin with.

For now, I'll stick with my rooftop antenna, HDHomeRun, and MythTV.

The cable and satellite providers may not be losing any sleep yet, but people are starting to wake up and come around. Unless the TV providers come up with a "real" a la carte offering, they are doomed to go the way of the POTS line (a slow but steady death).