Over-the-Top Interest?

Discussions on how emerging technology can assist the distribution of media content through mobile, kiosks, Internet, social networks, etc.
jdcr256
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#11

Post by jdcr256 »

We receive over-the-air HD for local channels, which is piped to a home-built PC-based DVR. This is connected to one TV, and content is streamed to our second TV via an XBOX360.

In addition, we use this same DVR PC to view Hulu and Netflix content on the first TV, and we use Netflix via a Wii on the second TV.

Living in Utah, General Conference is recorded via the DVR PC from the HD OTA stream from KSL, and Comcast is subscribed to during the months of Sept. - Dec. in order to view BYU football...:D
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nbflint
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#12

Post by nbflint »

We stream movies and classic tv shows through a netbook connected to our main tv. I use the online streaming more often than the Satellite because the classic TV shows I want to watch aren't available on the Sat lineup.

Without knowing the context of the question it is hard for anyone to express interest other than what they are currently doing. If, for example, the question is in respects to the church streaming its entire video library to tv's in ward buildings on demand, interest may be up or down.

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sirbryan
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Over the Top can be good

#13

Post by sirbryan »

Put it this way: if there was a BYUTV app for Boxee, I'd install it in a heartbeat.

I'm probably more of a geek than most, but all of our media viewing comes through Netflix and occasionally Hulu by means of Boxee on my Mac Mini. That thing has run both analog and digital televisions over the past few years (and a Linux PC with MythTV before that). If we want to record broadcast television (love the quality of local HD channels), I schedule it on my MythTV server and Boxee can play it back.

For stuff Boxee doesn't have available, say for example streams from BYUTV or lds.org, I just pull up a browser on the Mini and go to the site.

The problem is going to be integration into these devices people are hooking up to TV's (like PlayStations, Wii's, etc.) or the Internet enabled TV's themselves, unless you go via some open-source/public route, like a Boxee app, YouTube channel, or whatever Google comes out with.
emckirdy
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#14

Post by emckirdy »

This is an interesting thread to stumble upon. In a couple months, our DirecTV contract will be up, and we fully intend to cancel it, and replace it with an AppleTV. This will allow us to still see most of the programs we want (although with no DVR capability), and even if we 'rent' an episode for 99 cents, one month of that will still come to a lot less than what we're shelling out for DirecTV's dozens of channels that we never watch.

The only reason we've really kept around any kind of satellite/cable service is for the sake of BYU TV, especially for seeing General Conference. AppleTV won't solve that for us, but hopefully a way will be shown unto us whereby we can stream the sessions from a laptop to the AppleTV, and watch on TV that way.
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JonesRC
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#15

Post by JonesRC »

emckirdy wrote:The only reason we've really kept around any kind of satellite/cable service is for the sake of BYU TV, especially for seeing General Conference. AppleTV won't solve that for us, but hopefully a way will be shown unto us whereby we can stream the sessions from a laptop to the AppleTV, and watch on TV that way.
Actually, you can find General Conference on your Apple TV. Go to the Podcast section, do a search for LDS Conference and it will show up. It is currently available in 11 languages and ASL and in HD, Video High, and Video Low formats. We are hoping that at some point in time we can become a provider and make it a lot easier to find but it is very much accessible in iTunes and the Apple TV. Look at it more as VOD instead of a podcast. You will find complete Sessions as well as separate talks. Enjoy.
emckirdy
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#16

Post by emckirdy »

This is very interesting. In addition to archived sessions, will this method work for live sessions, as it is being broadcast from the Conference Center?
JamesAnderson
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#17

Post by JamesAnderson »

Don't know if it will or not. Apple requires everything to go through the App Store, and while Google TV is just barely getting up so some of the material initially will of necessity start through the Android Market, getting the content is going to be a whole different matter, and often straight from the provider, you will likely only need the frontend app as an interface only.

Am unclear on any of the others.

Another thing about satellite TV is that it has the locals, necessary for local news and weather, not all stations put their news online either, and some programming that you might want to watch is simply not available online, at least not yet or for some time to come.
emckirdy
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#18

Post by emckirdy »

Very true, about local programming. However, we live right in between Portland and Eugene, and our neighbors (with digital antennae) have no problem getting local channels OTA.

Believe me, we looked into that. Losing touch with Oprah -- especially in her final season -- was not an option.
Hedrick-p40
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Apple TV 2

#19

Post by Hedrick-p40 »

I've been holding off on an over-the-top device for some time. I couldn't justify paying $200+ for an Apple TV and the Roku was still lacking in features. All of the sudden we're in this flurry of OTT competition. Opening all sorts of options on what someone wants in an OTT device. I've been very impressed with all the new features on all the over-the-top devices.

For me, I went with the new Apple TV 2. For $99 I've been happy with the quality, plus with most of my watching coming from Netflix and my iTunes library, it was the perfect fit.

My second choice would have been the Roku. But I must say, I am rather tantalized at what Western Digital has to offer and Google TV seems cool enough (but I don't have dish network). I've done away with cable and am completely satisfied with what I am able to watch-- albeit a little behind everyone else.

This may make me slightly out of the loop when chatting around the watercooler about the latest Office episode.
sgoodmansen
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#20

Post by sgoodmansen »

We use netflix on the wii on one tv and have a Roku connected to the second tv. We also have the ability to connect a laptop to either tv, but that is not ideal.
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