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If I want to stream stuff HD videos my computer to a device, should I go Roku or Boxee or Apple? I'm thinking of something along the lines of DLNA streaming to a PS3/Xbox, except hopefully for something that doesn't guzzle power and have fans blowing all the time as my first-gen console equipment does. I don't particularly care about glossy media server interfaces, I just want to be able to get to and launch videos. The talk about Plex here being slow and bad and web-based makes my skin crawl compared to my past with DLNA devices.
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Oct 11, 2012 16:16
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:39 |
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To clarify, I don't own a Mac or use OSX, but I do have Windows and Linux. I usually avoid Apple, but if they make the thing that works best or most hassle-free for me in this department I don't mind giving them my money, and their thing works with MLB TV (which I expect I'll be a regular subscriber of) and Hulu Plus (to which I don't subscribe but I hear adding compatibility later is tough.) I figured the majority of problems would be getting a server that can somehow fake the Apple AirPlay or whatever protocol it uses, and handling of more advanced things like subtitles.
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Oct 11, 2012 22:24
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I always thought the point of ClearQAM was that cable companies serve both a for-profit business (selling premium channels) and a public good to give people local affiliates where they can't get it over the air. That public good part is done because in exchange the local government gives the cable company a monopoly over the town. That's kind of what I heard when I questioned the cable monopoly to my small municipality (which can't pick up OTA signals from San Francisco), so I wouldn't necessarily expect it to disappear from your local headend immediately. Then again, for the past few decades things have been getting really strange in regards to companies charging cable for rights to the local affiliate stations. This is mostly in non-monopolized markets like New York, however.
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Oct 17, 2012 10:00
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Don Lapre posted:The issue for providers is that basic cable isn't free, but it effectively is if they use clearqam for it. It's kind of a language game. "Basic Cable" as an industry term used to include a suite of well-known cable networks that these days bloat your bill to $50. People don't expect ESPN to be unencrypted. However they expect their local community stations to be. Networks charge cable companies carriage fees and cable companies charge customers for those channels, but you shouldn't be expected to pay for local stations in your OTA market if your city is giving the cable co a bunch of rights, exclusivity, and sometimes below-market property to set up shop in your community. Most of our glorious Suburb Nation doesn't live close enough to our core cities to pick up anything OTA these days, so the cities give the cableco's a bunch of assistance to wire the city and in addition the cableco can sell ESPN, CNN, Disney, HBO etc. What we really need to do is get the FCC to regulate retransmission fees, which were added in 1992 and have been pursued aggressively by the media companies (particularly Murdoch) since. Craptacular! fucked around with this message at 15:59 on Oct 20, 2012 |
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Oct 20, 2012 15:46
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For four years I've had a Windows Media Center PC-DVR with an HD HomeRun getting local antenna signals. It's saved a lot of money over the years, but I was growing loving sick of the thing the other month. Finally, on a whim I just decided to buy a HomeRun Prime and sign up for cable again. I have three tuners for cable networks, and my old HomeRun acts as an extra two tuners that take priority for NBC/FOX/CBS/etc since my local carrier runs those unencrypted. I am finally loving my DVR again. Yes, I know, a story in the cutting cable thread that ends with signing back up for cable, but my cablecard only costs a couple dollars a month, $5 max. The majority of my bill is the actual content and not a receiver fee compounded with an HD Tuner fee and a DVR rental fee and so on. That's the part of cable that always pissed me off.
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Jan 5, 2013 04:13
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:39 |
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No, he knows what he's talking about but hasn't kept up with current events. Franz, the FCC backpedaled and are allowing carriers to encrypt up their ClearQAM locals.
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Apr 13, 2013 13:05
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