Comments on: NBC to allow free show downloads

By: Peanut

Peanut — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:12:09 +0000

I’m gonna go ahead and assume that this is US only? Or can we in the UK watch the latest episodes of our favourite US shows months before they air over here?

By: Curtis

Curtis — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:52:05 +0000

So they’re trying a few things to see what sticks. What’s wrong with that? It sort of reminds me of the dot com boom: everybody wants to get Something, Anything, out there Right Now before they miss out on something Big.

Offering free download with embeded commercials via Unbox, AOL, and whoever else is the way to go. Going direct is just a way for NBC to get purified numbers to back my point.

By: Griffith

Griffith — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:40:09 +0000

This isn’t an evolution, this is a step back. At the very least, NBC should open this service, but still allow consumers to purchase higher quality content to view in their media devices.

How did Apple earn the sympathy of consumer with it’s iTunes store? It certainly wasn’t by giving us “cheap” (in the sense of quality) solutions such as this one.

By: John

John — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:27:01 +0000

What exactly does it give me a “higher quality video experience” than? I’m not sure what we’re comparing against here, but without HD, it is actually decided lower quality than, say, a series 3 TiVo.

On the bright side, I’m less likely this way to ‘catch up’ on episodes of new shows I didn’t record, and therefore less likely to watch them. Perhaps I should thank NBC for inadvertently curbing my TV habit. :-D

By: Drew

Drew — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 05:11:14 +0000

I think that was a bit…excessive.

Yes, I agree that this is a bold, good move for NBC, to some degree. Having the file saved on my computer versus is infinitely better than having to worry about the hiccups of watching it streaming over the internet. What I don’t agree with, though, is NBC boasting about how progressive they’re being with this, and how it’s all about giving the viewer more control, when it actually takes control away from the viewer.

Yes, I guess I am “anal” because I’m a Mac viewer. But guess what…there are a lot of Mac viewers out there. And if something happens and Heroes or Office doesn’t get recorded on their DVR’s, they’re out of luck. While we had several options before, now we have decidedly fewer. So, yeah, you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a bit upset by that.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 23:12:36 +0000

Fuck off! This is a HUGE step for most channel providers! I presume you’re just anal because you’re a mac viewer but as things go this is exactly the same as most other channels are offering, there aren’t many that offer more are there now? Be happy with what you’ve got for fucks sake, its more than you had before, maybe eventually things will be more open but these companies have to test the water do they not? We are in the middle of massive change.