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Comcast Preps YouTube-Esque Video Sharing Service For X1
Comcast is preparing what they hope to be a YouTube competitor to be embedded within the company's X1 cable box. GigaOM notes that the service will begin testing before the end of the year, allowing users to upload and share videos via an app on the X1. Comcast insists the goal of the project isn't to just make money, but "to target smaller audiences that see high value in certain types of niche content which have been underserved by the traditional cable line-up." But as we've seen with similar "me too" efforts, is there real value in trying to provide a faux YouTube to users that can already access YouTube?
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Kuro
@75.151.50.x

1 recommendation

Kuro

Anon

Data cap

Let me guess, it wont count against their datacap. That's honestly the best and only way they can compete with something like YouTube.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72

Member

Re: Data cap

Well if they have a "container" like parental controls, who can watch (groups), etc and make it easy by saying using goog, facebook, etc API or login then there is real value there, in addition to not counting against caps.

Now since this is a corporation with voters (customers), this will need to be conservative and controlled otherwise the lawsuits will fly.

Most of these companies love the brand, they just can't stomach the liability--and hence the 100% failure rate.

I won't let my kids near facebook or youtube without supervision.
ITGeeks
join:2014-04-20
Cleveland, OH

ITGeeks to Kuro

Member

to Kuro
Why would this count against your cap? It will be built into VoD which is a cable channel/service
coryw
join:2013-12-22
Flagstaff, AZ

coryw

Member

Re: Data cap

Why wouldn't it? It's data flowing over the DOCSIS portion of the connection, isn't it? I think the point of somebody asking about the data cap is that Comcast is setting up this service such that it has what many will (correctly) consider to be an unfair advantage over YouTube. A 20-minute 1080p video (about a gig) can incur a fair amount of a data cap these days, and you don't need to watch many of them before you're using a fairly large chunk of data.

It will be interesting to see how this service goes. It's one of the few "in-network" attempts at something like this that I can remember in recent memory, but Comcast has a really huge amount of customers, so it could actually gain a lot of traction. (which is both "neat" and actually sort of sad.)
BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

BosstonesOwn

Member

Re: Data cap

loophole is using it as vod. which is quite fair, however if they start to charge for off network bandwidth but not on network then we are getting closer to the walled garden they want, so they can sell us stuff.
Bengie25
join:2010-04-22
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Bengie25 to ITGeeks

Member

to ITGeeks
ISPs should be required to count all data going across your Internet line to count towards your cap. The 5mhz the use to serve digital TV could be used to serve about 30mb/s of Internet.

So watching TV should count as 30mb/s. One hour of TV would be 13GB and it should count towards your data cap.

So what I'm saying is data caps should apply to the infrastructure as a whole, not just the Internet.

dnoyeB
Ferrous Phallus
join:2000-10-09
Southfield, MI

dnoyeB

Member

Think of the programmers

It keeps the software people employed!

On the other hand, if I can upload Full Metal Jacket then were talking.

TechyDad
Premium Member
join:2001-07-13
USA

TechyDad

Premium Member

Bigger Reach

Let's see. I can upload a video to Comcast's service that will reach all Comcast customers with an X1 cable box. Or I can upload the video to YouTube where it can reach every person on the planet with an Internet connection. Niche markets can work but usually they offer some kind of benefit over the general market. I'm just not seeing any benefit to Comcast's niche Youtube-competitor, though. Sounds like yet another minimal effort attempt to keep people using the cable company systems instead of Internet video.

Corehhi
join:2002-01-28
Bluffton, SC

Corehhi

Member

Pointless

Don't see the point in this???? It's like the set top boxes that everyone wants to put out yet they're almost always worse then what's out.
ITGeeks
join:2014-04-20
Cleveland, OH

ITGeeks

Member

Re: Pointless

TWC NEO/WPA used to have something similar several years ago. You downloaded some software to your computer turned your pictures or video into their format and uploaded it. Then it was on Local on Demand with other customers videos and such.

fiosultimate
join:2014-06-09
San Antonio, TX

fiosultimate to Corehhi

Member

to Corehhi
Just like YouTube when it started and even now most people consider it worthless...they don't care about cute kitties playing
tpkatl
join:2009-11-16
Dacula, GA

tpkatl

Member

The right hand of Comcast and the left hand of Comcast are in conflict

Marketing and Sales says that I cannot have an X1 unless I am a triple play customer (at least in my part of Atlanta).

On the other hand, Comcast wants to sell the whole YouTube competitor concept to people like me.

But what's the point of this X1-video project, if they are restricting the use of the X1 box that enables it in the first place?

If Comcast wants widespread adoption of things that depend on the X1 platform, then they should be recalling all the less capable Motorola STBs and replacing them at no charge with the X1s.
Os
join:2011-01-26
US

Os

Member

Re: The right hand of Comcast and the left hand of Comcast are in conflict

In the DC market, Comcast is advertising X1 double play services all over TV. So if not available there in Atlanta, it should be soon.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72

Member

Re: The right hand of Comcast and the left hand of Comcast are in conflict

STB availability...
BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

BosstonesOwn to tpkatl

Member

to tpkatl
You sir are definitely not in marketing. The point is to have it as a "premium" item. And spend more money with them !

If only a triple play customer can have it then it is tagged as a premium item and those who want it get the triple play! Spending more money...... That is all it really is about.

Rob Lewis
@204.8.156.x

Rob Lewis

Anon

What about Peering?

Will this service be accessible by Internet users as well? That could be a big problem given the way Comcast's peering is running hot to Tata and other transit ISPs, or do they have plans to (finally) fix it?
rawboard
join:2004-08-05
Woodbury, NJ

rawboard

Member

Re: Comcast Preps YouTube-Esque Video Sharing Service For X1

So I take it this is the reason the X1 doesn't have a youtube app like directv's genie?

chip89
Premium Member
join:2012-07-05
Columbia Station, OH

chip89

Premium Member

How about improving?

My Ultra TV runs circles around X1 it can do TV,Internet,phone It has more tuners,it has Wi-if. It can do multi-media,It has External hard drive support. & It you don't need to be a new triple play customer to get it.