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Why we still can't watch live TV online
CNN ^ | 17 Dec 2010 | Mark Milian

Posted on 12/17/2010 12:35:01 PM PST by smokingfrog

What's the difference between the big screen in your living room, the smaller screen on your laptop or the tiny one in your pocket?

Size aside, there's quite a difference, media executives say.

To many, it's a mystery why we can't easily watch online broadcasts of the TV signals that are transmitted by networks over the air, on cable or via satellite.

Even Bryan Perez, the senior vice president for NBA Digital, admits, "It's a challenge to explain."

The simplified answer is that various media companies have a financial stake in where and how an episode of "Mad Men" can be aired. Networks must weigh the tradeoff between sacrificing viewers on one medium for another and also risk straining their lucrative relationships with cable TV companies.

But Time Warner Cable and Comcast are dipping their toes in the internet-video pool. Comcast is testing a new service that brings Web video and social networks onto the TV screen, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

In virtually all of these negotiations, coming to an agreement over streaming live video is no quick task. In addition to the cable and satellite providers, broadcast networks have their own contracts and input, and so do the sports leagues.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Miscellaneous; Technical
KEYWORDS: webtv
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To: frposty; E. Pluribus Unum
Lot's of people are doing that already. If you can get good local TV reception, the picture quality will probably be better than that of cable or Dish (you're getting the feed straight from the TV station, not re-encoded by an intermediate party).

See here for where we were just discussing this very thing.

21 posted on 12/17/2010 1:29:18 PM PST by whd23 (Every time a link is de-blogged an angel gets its wings.)
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To: Ozone34
I have one Slingbox in San Diego, and one in Tampa Florida.
Wonderful gadgets! Both are old, original Slingbox Classics.
I have an HTC Ozone phone (Verizon) which runs Windows 6.5.
I get great TV on my phone all the time. My phone is also wifi. We travel a lot in our motorhome, and this setup means we haven't had to invest in a satellite receiver for the Winnebago yet. I can get internet and/or TV coverage most everwhere we go, either cell or wifi.
I also invested in a Sling Catcher for our big screen TV at home in Florida.
With this we can get the San Diego channels on our TV in Florida.
Go Chargers!
22 posted on 12/17/2010 1:35:43 PM PST by RightField (one of the obstreperous citizens insisting on incorrect thinking - C. Krauthamer)
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To: smokingfrog

I can’t figure out why anyone would want to watch tv on something that fits in your hand or that is as close as a monitor usually is.??


23 posted on 12/17/2010 1:38:14 PM PST by stuartcr (When politicians politicize issues, aren't they just doing their job?)
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To: Ozone34

What I never could figure out is why a computer pull a signal out of the air and display it. I am running wireless right now.


24 posted on 12/17/2010 1:45:20 PM PST by Citizen Tom Paine (An old sailor sends)
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To: Lost Highway

Yes.

The technology is far beyond what the ‘executives’ (including many politicians who try to write laws for ... and judges who try to adjudicate ...).

It is quite easy to attach a laptop to one of the new LCD TVs with either the regular vga monitor cable or HDMI cable.

It is quite easy to watch TV on a pc if one installs a PCTV card.

And, there are websites that actually do ‘broadcast’ live TV events/programs. [Of course, the industry considers them illegal and tries to ... {see politicians and judges in above commentary}.]


25 posted on 12/17/2010 2:24:02 PM PST by TomGuy
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To: Ozone34

I have the original sling box hooked up to old fashioned analog cable without a seperate tuner. The cable company is taking a channel or two from me every year, I expect them to completely shut off analog anytime now.


26 posted on 12/17/2010 2:26:16 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: frposty

I watch Netflix via a Roku box which streams the video from my router/cable Internet.

I originally watched some of the Netflix streams via a laptop hooked to a 32” LCD TV.

The quality of the laptop-to-tv stream was cloudly and had some buffering issues. The quality via the Roku box is very comparable to a regular cable TV broadcast. (I have the highspeed cable which is 12-18 Mbps speed.)


27 posted on 12/17/2010 2:30:05 PM PST by TomGuy
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To: Citizen Tom Paine

Why would you be limited to the computer monitor? My TV will accept HDMI or RGB from a computer. Not only that, I have a streamer hooked up to the TV which lets me stream video from the computer to the TV without using wires if I want to.

Even my Blu Ray player will stream video from my computer, play youtube, Netflix and several pay-per-view services.

The reason they don’t want to release content on the internet is because they know it will be competing on the TV with their major clients, the broadcasters and cable companies.


28 posted on 12/17/2010 2:35:07 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: frposty

I have a LG BD570. It will stream video from the computer. Play video files directly. Play Netflix, youtube, Cinema Now, Roky and the free Divx channel.

I pay $10/mo for the Netflix but no other service or cable, I have more TV than I care to watch.


29 posted on 12/17/2010 2:37:18 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: dangerdoc

I use IVI (http://www.ivi.tv/) You get all the locals for NY, SEA, LA and a few others. It is worth the $5 trial.


30 posted on 12/17/2010 3:39:43 PM PST by Dacula (Proud husband of a Breast Cancer survivor.)
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To: Dacula

Looks interesting but I’m picking up most of that stuff for free with my antenna in full HD. I’m surprised that they are allowed to carry the network stuff. Is it only live streaming or can you pick up old shows, it may be worth the price if I can watch something when I want instead of setting the recorder.


31 posted on 12/17/2010 5:04:03 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: smokingfrog
What's the difference between the big screen in your living room, the smaller screen on your laptop or the tiny one in your pocket?

None. It's all garbage. The teeheevee left my living room in the early 80s. Cable went away a decade later. I did build an antenna when analog went away, but had already quit watching anything regular on broadcast nearly a decade ago. Today it's the occasional football game and nothing else.

I check up on "cable" when traveling (I travel a lot), but always go back to the book(s) I pack for the trip. Even the once-good "History" channel is so boring with its "PawnStars" and "Trucking" programs... forget it.

Teeheevee is so worthless, I don't care to watch it at home, in the hotel, or on my cellphone. Let it die and free up RF spectrum for something useful.

32 posted on 12/17/2010 6:01:58 PM PST by sionnsar (IranAzadi|5yst3m 0wn3d-it's N0t Y0ur5:SONY|Why are TSA exempt from their own searches?)
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To: dfwgator

If you look hard enough, there are two great sources for watching live sporting events, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA Sports, European ‘football’, etc. I watch NFL RedZone on the laptop with the network game on the big screen. ;)


33 posted on 12/17/2010 6:06:16 PM PST by AJ504 (The Constitution was NOT written on an Etch-A-Sketch!)
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To: AJ504
ive looked, most of em suck...

how about a link ???

34 posted on 12/17/2010 10:34:06 PM PST by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
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To: dangerdoc

I like free. If it is free, it is for me.


35 posted on 12/18/2010 5:49:51 AM PST by Dacula (Proud husband of a Breast Cancer survivor.)
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