Cord Cutters Still Rare And cable industry hopes to keep it that way The New York Times is running an article with a popular theme: namely that broadband video is over-hyped as a threat to traditional cable TV. Many people cut the cord only to find out that can't gain access to the content they want anywhere if they don't have a cable TV connection -- something the Cable industry's "TV Anywhere" model encourages, given it requires a cable TV connection to get access to the industry's walled-garden playground. As such, cord cutters are still a minority: A New York Times/CBS News poll this month found that 88 percent of respondents paid for traditional TV service. Just 15 percent of those subscribers had considered replacing it with Internet video services like Hulu and YouTube. . . Even through the downturn, the number of people subscribing to pay TV continued to grow. Cable, satellite and fiber-optic providers added 677,000 customers in the first quarter of this year, according to the investment firm Sanford C. Bernstein. We've consistently shown how internet video ad revenue is minuscule when compared to traditional TV, and that it will be that way for another decade. Still, once someone develops the perfect broadband video living room solution, all of this can change rather quickly. There's a massive potential market out there of users tired of overpaying for television service and eager to pay for a la carte TV.
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 | | Mmmm... yes and no I'd agree cord cutters are still rare, but I think saying this ignores something important. That is, some people subscribe to basic cable TV service solely to drop the price of their internet service.
In my case getting basic cable is a few dollars cheaper than just subscribing to Comcast internet service. I no longer use cable/satellite TV and rely on OTA broadcasts. Netflix, and Hulu services for my content. The basic cable service remains untouched. | |
|  | | |  NPGMBR
join:2001-03-28
Arlington, VA | More important, the article ignores the switch to digital that pretty much requires all Americans to have cable tv services to view even the basic televison stations unless they use and antenna with digital converter box | |
|
 Noah VailSon made my AvatarPremium
join:2004-12-10
Lorton, VA
kudos:1
 ·Bright House
 ·Sprint Mobile Br..
| I'm a Trend Setter - maybe. I've never paid for any kind of TV. I don't do antenna either.
The only Video I watch is via Broadband. It's the best thing to ever happen to content delivery.
If someone offered a pay service that stayed ad-free, and wasn't driven by someone else's agenda; I could see myself subscribing.
Nothing on the horizon yet.
NV
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Any Goal that is Driven by Animosity, is Empowered through Deceit. | |
| | | | Re: I'm a Trend Setter - maybe. I'm curious if this is an age related thing. What generation you are in, did you grow up with pre or post IP streaming video? | |
| | | Noah VailSon made my AvatarPremium
join:2004-12-10
Lorton, VA
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Bright House
·Sprint Mobile Br..
| Re: I'm a Trend Setter - maybe. said by eric_n_dfw:I'm curious if this is an age related thing. What generation you are in, did you grow up with pre or post IP streaming video? Pre, definitely. Grew up before most folks had color TV.
NV
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Any Goal that is Driven by Animosity, is Empowered through Deceit. | |
|
|  morboComplete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000 | so you get the upside of free and picking what you want to watch and when -- but you get the downside of unskipable commercials? | |
| | | Noah VailSon made my AvatarPremium
join:2004-12-10
Lorton, VA
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Bright House
·Sprint Mobile Br..
| Re: I'm a Trend Setter - maybe. said by morbo:so you get the upside of free and picking what you want to watch and when -- but you get the downside of unskipable commercials? There's not much I'm willing to sit through commercials to watch.
We have a Netflix subscription. There's one or two out-of-market shows I BT. Maybe some content on Youtube or Tudou.
I've got a slingbox sitting out there on someone else's cable TV connection. Even thought it's free for me to use, the commercials made it not worth it.
If cable TV was still ad-free, I might well subscribe. But the industry discovered that we would pay for it AND sit through ads.
I think that says something important about us.
NV
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Any Goal that is Driven by Animosity, is Empowered through Deceit. | |
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|  TechieZeroTools Are Using MePremium
join:2002-01-25
Gibsonton, FL
 ·Verizon FiOS
| I haven't paid for cable or fiber TV for over a year now as well. I am 44 yo.
I am doing well with over the air HD, netflix (using XB360 or PS3 --- which I guess is paid TV in a sense) and Playon.
I don't miss it and saving the $$$ is well worth it. | |
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| | Cord cutting Won't happen on a widespread scale. Most people are technophobes, and the cable Tv and dish company is the king of "you pay us, we'll set it up, you watch." | |
| | | | Re: Cord cutting Once streaming devices make it easier for the masses like Roku and PS3 now getting into it, more will cut the cord. Two non-techies I know switched to Roku or PS3 streaming and cut cable. However they saw how I did it and asked me to set them up. When PS3 and XBOX focus on streaming video, more will dump cable on their own.
I just recently cut cable and generally don't miss it. Would like to have Disc/NatGeo/History channels but it's not worth $75/month for a few channels. If they could charge by the channel, like $5 each or a pick 10 for $30 with an online mgmt way to alter channel bundles on the fly, I might go back. The cable is already strung so there is no overhead for them. | |
| | | | | Re: Cord cutting So where are all of these people getting their internet connection from? | |
| | | | | | Re: Cord cutting I get mine from Clearwire. The other two have DSL, one looking to switch to Clear. | |
| | | | | | | Re: Cord cutting said by xenophon:I get mine from Clearwire. The other two have DSL, one looking to switch to Clear. Clearwire won't be able to support everyone streaming at once. Most people get their internet connections from the cable company or phone company. | |
| | | | | | | | Re: Cord cutting How so? They have enough spectrum and have been adding more backhaul. They started out early markets with 20Mbps backhaul but are now doing 100Mbps where they can get it (including my area). They say they'll be targeting 500Mbps backhaul in the future. May depend on market or site though on amount of backhaul available in the long run.
If Clear can't sustain enough to stream video, I'll switch back to TWC but I don't expect to anytime soon. | |
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| |  espaethDigital PlumberPremium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
Minneapolis, MN
kudos:2
·Clear Wireless
| said by xenophon:Would like to have Disc/NatGeo/History channels but it's not worth $75/month for a few channels. If they could charge by the channel, like $5 each or a pick 10 for $30 with an online mgmt way to alter channel bundles on the fly, I might go back. The problem is that the content producers want the channels bundled the way they are; that's why you see a nearly ubiquitous channel line-up on every video system in the country.
No matter how good Roku and similar boxes become, there is still going to be limitations how to easily and legally obtain content from the companies who create the media that people want to watch. | |
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| | geeyore
join:2007-05-27
Falls Church, VA | Re: Broadband video will become popular when... I haven't had cable/sat/broadcast for almost 2 years. We're 100 percent streaming Netflix/Roku and I just got the ATI Radeon HDMI working with 5.1 audio direct to the HDTV, which works great with YouTube vids, etc.
>>>> 1. It becomes easy to hook up and use.
It took 10 minutes to connect the Roku box to my network and HDTV, and another 5 minutes to get streaming Netflix working on it. It's been working flawlessly for more than 1.5 years. And I almost cannot stand handling DVD disks anymore, they seem archaic. HBO, Showtime, and CNN ... yuck, who cares.
>>>>>2. You can stream 720p up to 1080p over the wire without any delays or buffering. Even on some broadband content, streaming 1080i is a challenge.
Roku selects the stream rate automatically from Netflix, and it's usually 720p and sometimes HD 1080p, but that can get a bit tedious over a 2.4Mb DSL.
>>>>>3. You can get access to all content (such as sports) legally and easily.
All? Even cable doesn't give you "all content." | |
| | |  NightfallMy Goal Is To Deny YoursPremium,MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI
 ·Site5.com
·Comcast
 ·Callcentric
| Re: Broadband video will become popular when... said by geeyore:I haven't had cable/sat/broadcast for almost 2 years. We're 100 percent streaming Netflix/Roku and I just got the ATI Radeon HDMI working with 5.1 audio direct to the HDTV, which works great with YouTube vids, etc. >>>> 1. It becomes easy to hook up and use. It took 10 minutes to connect the Roku box to my network and HDTV, and another 5 minutes to get streaming Netflix working on it. It's been working flawlessly for more than 1.5 years. And I almost cannot stand handling DVD disks anymore, they seem archaic. HBO, Showtime, and CNN ... yuck, who cares. >>>>>2. You can stream 720p up to 1080p over the wire without any delays or buffering. Even on some broadband content, streaming 1080i is a challenge. Roku selects the stream rate automatically from Netflix, and it's usually 720p and sometimes HD 1080p, but that can get a bit tedious over a 2.4Mb DSL. >>>>>3. You can get access to all content (such as sports) legally and easily. All? Even cable doesn't give you "all content." Cable gives me all local content. I can watch every Red Wings and Tigers game. I can also watch NFL and college games from my area and nationally as well. You are right, I can't get access to everything, but I can get access to everything I want to watch and live and in high def quality without stressing my internet line.
The ease of use is there now for Roku, but until that comes with content you will find on network television, you won't get many cord cutters. It certainly would be nice to watch the last couple episodes of Lost that came on last season without waiting for the DVDs and using netflix. What about content on Discovery channel? What if I want to watch Life After People on the History channel? The whole idea behind Roku is that you are using Netflix, and while that is all good, it doesn't solve the content issue for everyone.
As for the streaming, they need to have faster internet service in order to make it worthwhile. No caps either.
--
My domain - Nightfall.net | |
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| | | said by Nightfall:Here is my list. 1. It becomes easy to hook up and use. 2. You can stream 720p up to 1080p over the wire without any delays or buffering. Even on some broadband content, streaming 1080i is a challenge. 3. You can get access to all content (such as sports) legally and easily. Only when these things happen will you see more "cord cutters" when it comes to cable TV. I hold onto my cable TV because of sports programming alone. I can get other content off torrent sites, but still, thats neither easy nor legal for a bulk majority of the users out there. In time, this will happen. Just like VOIP is eating away at customers now on regular telephone lines, its going to happen on the TV side of things. Just will take a while. Until then, the majority of the cord cutters will be technical people such as the people here on BBR. Broadband video delivery is not going to replace cable TV because:
Consumers are unwilling to pay a lot of money for content. Remember, these are for the most part for profit corporations that have shareholders.
The cable companies control the pipes.
Broadcast is so much more efficient since there does not need to be 1:1 relationship between stream and end user.
Internet access is still a "best effort" service which means that streaming is not as reliable as cable, satellite or broadcast.
VOIP is a different animal, since for the most part telephone service is already 1:1. What you find though is that the cable companies are the biggest VOIP providers out there which essentially just makes them phone companies that use coax instead of twisted pair. | |
| | Reviews:
·Comcast
 ·AT&T Southeast
| said by Nightfall:Here is my list. 1. It becomes easy to hook up and use. 2. You can stream 720p up to 1080p over the wire without any delays or buffering. Even on some broadband content, streaming 1080i is a challenge. 3. You can get access to all content (such as sports) legally and easily. Only when these things happen will you see more "cord cutters" when it comes to cable TV. I hold onto my cable TV because of sports programming alone. I can get other content off torrent sites, but still, thats neither easy nor legal for a bulk majority of the users out there. In time, this will happen. Just like VOIP is eating away at customers now on regular telephone lines, its going to happen on the TV side of things. Just will take a while. Until then, the majority of the cord cutters will be technical people such as the people here on BBR. For me I watch Formula 1 and ALMS religiously. I am not in the mood to go hunting for their feeds, especially considering I Tivo the races and watch them later (especially in F1's case). When I goto Petit I want to know I'll be able to record whatever the entire broadcast is going to be, I won't be there to hunt and peck for the feed... or have it not work and miss parts of the race, etc. Same goes for F1 fly-aways and Euro races, too much of a time difference to feel like playing hunt and peck for half-ass feeds. | |
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| | We were close After getting pissed off enough at Time Warner Cable we came very close to going OTA + Streaming but there are still quite a few shows that we can't get from those sources and decided to jump back to DirecTV and sign on for 24 more months.
I'm hopeful that at the end of the contract, with GoogleTV and the rumored new AppleTV models maturing that cutting the cable/satellite "cord" will be feasible.
(FWIW: Gory details of my TWC divorce here: »www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/sh···t=453144 ) | |
| b10010011Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA | It's the video quality that stopps me. Hulu, Netflix, YouTube? Give me a break. Sure these are all okay for watching Dailyshow clips in a tiny window on your netbook.
But put them on a 40+ inch screen and they look like an Atari 2600 while HD from cable looks like an Xbox 360. | |
| |
1 edit | Re: It's the video quality that stopps me. I would have agreed with you whole-heartedly but my experience over the past 12 months makes me think different.
I am fortunate enough to get 18Mb/sec download speed which gives me tons of headroom for HD feeds from Netflix. I also have a fairly new, 58", 1080p plasma and 20/20 vision, so compression artifacts are *very* noticeable (and annoying) to me.
My wife and I were catching up on a lot of old episodes of "Lost" last winter via Netflix on my Tivo HD and I happened to pause during a scene where they were quickly panning the camera across the thick jungle background. The image was excellent. The only defects in it were a little camera blur, no macro-blocking at all. Now, the image is 720p, not 1080, so I'm sure a BD version or the original ABC 1080i broadcast would have been sharper, but from watching a lot of "Lost", "Heros" and many movies in HD, I can attest that the PQ on NetFlix *can* be very good if you have a fast connection.
In fact, around that same time, Time Warner Cable's feed of Animal Planet HD was showing the BBC version of Planet Earth and it looked absolutely horrible. Blocks everywhere! It literally was so bad so that I stopped watching and put the BD's on my NetFlix physical disc queue so I could see them in high quality. (This may have been APHD's issue, not necessarily TWC's)
Also remember, that streaming is not the only option. Just like DirecTV's IP based VOD, the content can me sent to you as a download with your DVR buffering it up at whatever bitrate they want (slower than real-time if needed). Tivo's Amazon.com interface works this way.
PS: From reports from my friends, Hulu+ (not the free one) has very good quality as well.
FWIW: My biggest complaint about NetFlix is the lack of 1080i/p 24 frame and digital audio (it's all Dolby ProLogic AFAIK), but I'm sure that will be coming. | |
| | | BlueC
join:2009-11-26
Minneapolis, MN Reviews:
·Integra Telecom
·voip.ms
·T-Mobile US
| Re: It's the video quality that stopps me. I'm running on a 100mbps connection, and there's no improvement with Netflix. The streaming averages around a 1500-2500kbps bitrate. Lots of compression on the HD feeds, more than Directv/Cable.
Until they lower the compression, offer 5.1 surround, I won't use Netflix. The quality is just not all that great. You can have 720p, but compress the hell out of it and it won't even matter anymore. | |
| | | | | I had the same issue with my TWC setup as well and I've dropped them for DTV. Your TWC issues maybe related to:
1. your connection to their trunk
2. Your STB may be on the fritz.
My HD STB simply was throwing up all over itself and we couldn't take it back because we had HD recordings on it we wanted to save and lifting them to SD just wouldn't cut it. Plus we're running low on funds and didn't have the cash to purchase HD PVR's to lift the recordings so we dumped TWC to DTV and the picture is awesome on my 50' Visio Plasma.
True, content is king and the media moguls don't want to pass it out on the net without raking in top dollar for advertising. Cable(DTV and FIOSTv incld) needs them and vice versa. They also don't want to be caught off guard like they were when broadband kicked off so they got a little help from Washington to get laws on the books to protect them.
The truth is that between Hulu, Netflix, torrents, if you don't mind being a little behind, you can cut the cord. If you want sports(which makes just a little less money than GOD) then you're gonna pay. | |
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| | | Am doing Hulu Desktop from HTPC on a 60" panel and it is doable. Not HD but it's not bad.
Netflix HD looks good (I'm doing that via PS3) and even SD is good enough for the price.
Don't really miss cable, though would like a few channels. | |
| | bidger
join:2009-12-23
Elmira, NY Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
| said by b10010011:Hulu, Netflix, YouTube? Give me a break. Sure these are all okay for watching Dailyshow clips in a tiny window on your netbook. But put them on a 40+ inch screen and they look like an Atari 2600 while HD from cable looks like an Xbox 360. I have a 46" SONY 1080p 120Hz HD set and a 7Mbps RR connection. Netflix HD streaming, while it doesn't rival BD, is more than adequate. You must be on DSL. | |
| | | b10010011Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA Reviews:
·Comcast Formerl..
| Re: It's the video quality that stopps me. said by bidger:I have a 46" SONY 1080p 120Hz HD set and a 7Mbps RR connection. Netflix HD streaming, while it doesn't rival BD, is more than adequate. You must be on DSL. I am on Comcast 12 megabit tier and Netflix is constantly pausing and drops to "reduced quality" that makes it look like crap. In fact I have let my Netflix account expire because we got it primarily for the streaming and it's just not worth it. | |
| | | | | | Re: It's the video quality that stopps me. What kind of device were you using to watch? I can't remember the last time I got a pause or reduced quality instance aside from one time I kicked off an un-throttled bit-torrent client while watching something. | |
| | | | | b10010011Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA | Re: It's the video quality that stopps me. I have used both my Tivo-HD (that has it's own problems with aspect ratio on Netflix) and a PC with the same results. | |
| | | | | | | | Re: It's the video quality that stopps me. I've tried Netflix on many devices (roku, blueray players, PC, playon, ps3, xbox) and think that Netflix looks best on PS3, especially when it comes to smooth pan/scans. Blockiness/compression artifacts also least noticeable on PS3. 5.1 and subtitles are suppose to come in Oct as well as built in software player (no need for disc). | |
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|  BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | said by b10010011:Hulu, Netflix, YouTube? Give me a break. Sure these are all okay for watching Dailyshow clips in a tiny window on your netbook. But put them on a 40+ inch screen and they look like an Atari 2600 while HD from cable looks like an Xbox 360. Hulu has Hulu Plus which offers 720p streaming. | |
| | DonLibesPremium,ExMod 2001
join:2003-01-19 | Daily Show looks pretty darn good when streamed directly from dailyshow.com. I blow it up to fit my 27" screen and it is better resolution than what I used to get from Comcast. Admittedly, I was only willing to pay for Comcast's SD signal. Nonetheless, it's remarkable to me that I was paying for a signal inferior to what I can now get for free. | |
|
QLR
join:2009-06-23
Tallahassee, FL Reviews:
·Comcast
·Verizon Wireless..
| until i get a stronger ota signal... I will be keeping my limited cable plan. The internet price was reduced, but now, the price increases have negated the savings for me. It would be about $0.60 cheaper if I went internet only now. Just waiting for my promo to to end so I can get a lower tier or another promo. | |
| |
1 edit | Re: until i get a stronger ota signal... I cut the cord last month and enjoy the $120.00 per month savings. I do pay 65.00 per month for my U-Verse 24mb internet connection
HD over the air is my area has a much better picture then on cable or sat. I purchased a Mac Mini as my media center and have EyeTV acting as my DVR.... also with no monthly fee.
Hulu looks great on my 52" tv along with Netflix and any other web contect like Amazon rental and purchases via the Mac Mini.
I have found quite a bit of great video podcasts out there. Some of them like the entire NBC nightly news cast are available comerical free about 10 mins after it ends on the west coast.
The only thing I am missing is CNN. I could glady pay a monthly fee for that, but it seems they are just not ready to do that yet. | |
| | | | | Re: until i get a stronger ota signal... I could swear that HD OTA in my area (center of Dallas/Ft Worth) also was higher quality (less compressed) than cable, but shortly before leaving TWC I did some dual recordings of some sports on both the antenna and the cable feed and they were equally unimpressive.
Not really a scientific test, I'm sure, but I'm pretty confident that the OTA broadcasts have become more compressed over the year since the switch to all-digital. | |
|
| BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | said by QLR:I will be keeping my limited cable plan. The internet price was reduced, but now, the price increases have negated the savings for me. It would be about $0.60 cheaper if I went internet only now. Just waiting for my promo to to end so I can get a lower tier or another promo. Your OTA signals should be fine. Perhaps it's your set up.
Do a TVfool report. Also what kind of antenna are you using?
»www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29 | |
| | | QLR
join:2009-06-23
Tallahassee, FL Reviews:
·Comcast
·Verizon Wireless..
| Re: until i get a stronger ota signal... I am only using a Terk indoor antenna. My place is weird as well. A concrete building built in the 1970's (?) with only westward facing windows. Most of my stations require the antenna to be pointed towards the northeast (a no-go for me). I can only get PBS and Fox/CW stations in town; I rarely watch those 3 channels. The apartment has no outdoor antenna and since there's concrete everywhere, there is no place to put the antenna (or dish) 
So, as I am saying, I am likely stuck with cable until I move. | |
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| | Content The traditional media is currently denying licensing attempts, so there is a lot of entertainment that is only available on TV.
When high tech companies start making their own tv shows and movies, the TV system will die. | |
| | | My hopes What I hope the cable companies are paying attention to is that yes, right now it takes effort and dedication to "cut the cord." Give it five more years and I can almost guarantee that by then it will be even easier to "cut the cord."
If I were a cable company the question I would be asking myself is "Why do our customers want to cut the cord? What are we doing as a company that elicits this response?" | |
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1 edit | OTA + Internet After much research I dumped our ridiculously expensive cable and went to OTA, whatever isn't broadcast 'locally' I can get by other means. Locally meaning I have full HD reception (higher quality then cable I might add) from a radius of approx. 115 Miles. Just gotta make a few tweaks and should be good to go. Most of our favorite shows are broadcast locally on Global in HD, and the few like True Blood and Dexter I've just bought the BD for except for this season of course...but I get those elsewhere.
Maybe some day I will go back to cable...but I doubt it very much...it's hard to compete with FREE.
I don't mind commercials, but I get really upset when I am paying to watch them. Much the same reason I am about to dump Sirius, I love the Howard channels but I get extremely mad during the replays having to listen to the tonnes of commercials. I understand a live show needs breaks...but come on, a recording!?
Ian | |
| TheMGPremium
join:2007-09-04
Canada
kudos:1 | Where TV networks fail... ...P2P provides. | |
| Reviews:
·Optimum Online
·Verizon FiOS
| cable company perspective.. from the cable company perspective it's all about the tv...
sports, speical shows on premiums such as showtime, ppv events, etc, etc, etc...
little do they know that they are losing an entire new generation of potential subscribers to the internet. that means the market for take it or leave it blocks of programming as they exist today are going the way of the dinosaur. the lack of consumer choice (of channels, if not the niche content--shows themselves) will shrivel this market to a stump which companies will fight over. compare the "on-demand" programming available with your set-top vs the internet... Even with the Verizon set-top you need to interface with your PC to make much of the internet based content work.
i thought this would be impossible and counter intuitive, but the smaller screen (aka internet media tablets) are surging in popularity (ipad or it's competition) giving cable & telco providers of video something to think about. the only companies tinkering with a strategy are Time Warner, & Verizon. the others are in wait & see (their marketshare shrivel up). | |
| | | You're all kidding yourselves Seems like everyone here is saying they will leave cable when everything is available in HD via broadband. At the present state of technology, if everyone got the content via the web, imagine the complaints to the internet providers about slow connection speeds at peak times. My own connection is 1/5th the speed at peak times than it is at off peak. So the solution would be what? Pay for premium internet connection costing $50 to $100 monthly. Eventually the networks will see that web content is eating up profits and they won't tolerate that without finding a way to bill you. The whole reason there is so much crappy "reality" TV is that it is cheap to produce and helps balance the lower advertising revenue. If anything, the brief commercial interruptions online might transform into a mandatory product survey before you continue on with the video feed. Netflix charges, Hulu is now charging, HBO will soon charge for online content. Everyone offering a different assortment of content. If you like something from each, you'll wind up paying for all. Add them up and you will pray for the old cable bill to return. | |
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