Schedules Direct Announces Initial Pricing

[Jim_]

I wonder too what folks here might think if sub said "you get GB-PVR and all the guide data you want for $6/month". Who wouldn't do that in a heartbeat?

No one in the USA or Canada would.
That would make GBPVR a commercial application and the pay (again) for your epg option wouldnt be available.

Keep in mind DD wouldnt exist if people didnt pay their cable bills.....
Without an epg, I have no use for cable.

[jldet5]

I encourage all you cheap bastards to pony up the $15 and help get the costs down for everyone $15 isnt a huge commitment. You can always change to some other service in the future if you're unhappy.

Okay okay!! I'm in! Just kidding...I was always in.

[bdgbill]

I think it's funny that people burn hundreds and thousands of dollars a year on DVDs and Starbucks and video cards and magazines and Blackberrys and god-knows-what kinda junk, but then they balk at $5 bucks just because the idea of a committment scares them.

It's kind of like building a race car in your garage only to say "I have to pay for gas?? Pfft, forget it" - lol

I never really thought that the Tivo fee was outrageous until I heard they were also selling their customers viewing data to outside companies.

It's strange to say but having a PVR has changed my life profoundly. I probably watch half as much tv now than I did in 2004. I used to sit in front of the TV for hours mindlessly clicking the remote hoping to stumble on something "good". I never, ever watch crap TV anymore. The only shows I watch are the ones I actually enjoy and I watch them when I feel like it.

I simply could not go back to watching tv the old way. 5 bucks a month is nothing for what I get (which reminds me, it's about time I make another donation to GBPVR).

[zaphod7501]

Tipstir, call your cable company ... you WILL be able to use your 150's. It's only analog BROADCAST not analog cable that is going away. The cable company will still have analog cable service and no STB will be needed. That's a fact.

Unless you happen to have Comcast in Chicago where analog has alrready been dropped. Sadly, they all seem to have digital only in their future plans, some sooner than others. If they go "Clear QAM" then there will be tuners that work without a need for cable boxes. This was the plan that TV manufacturers had in mind with Digital Cable Ready sets. Sadly again, most cablecos have chosen to encrypt almost everything.

If you're lucky, your cableco will supply some free boxes when they change over.

[kayleigh]

Man, all this grousing about $15/qtr initial outlay for NA EPG data. We were lucky we got it free in the first place. I remember my parents complaining about paying for TV at all. Now, you're lucky if you get "free" analog TV. Plus, think about all the countries where you get fined for having an unlicensed TV.

At least we're paying a small, non-profit group who are working to offer us a cost-effective benefit we otherwise would lose completely. Which is the complete opposite of a government entity trying to "resolve" this sort of "crisis."

Just my thoughts... my "check" will be in PayPal as soon as I get word.

[mwj]

When the time comes, I'll pony up my $15. I don't know that I'd pay $60/yr, but I'll pay $15 to "vote" for a service which is less than $60/yr.

[Squid]

I appreciate the people forming schedules direct. I hope they are successful, and I will most certainly get at least 1 account.



Squid

[laserfan]

I never really thought that the Tivo fee was outrageous until I heard they were also selling their customers viewing data to outside companies.

I bought a Tivo when they first came out & got the lifetime sub for cheap. Loved it til ATSC & HD came along; haven't used it for years. Then recently I got an S3-HD for grins and am paying a $7.50/mo fee for its guide data. Not that big a deal to assure we (I!) never miss recording one of the wife's favorite shows EXCEPT I'm a little annoyed by the many commercials they sneak-in to the Tivo menu(s). But I want Tivo to survive and will pay my share to help.

I don't relish paying another $5/mo for the mere privilege (in my case) of making reliable HD recordings that I can later edit/save/convert/serve (vs. the HD Tivo which is so far un-hackable). If it ends-up hurting in the budget I can give-up a glass of wine, or a Blizzard once a month and get TWO benefits from that!

[s003apr]

SageTV and Beyond TV sell for about $75 and include lifetime EPG updates. I like GB-PVR and Myth, so there has to be a way to make this cheaper.

[sub]

I like GB-PVR and Myth, so there has to be a way to make this cheaper.

SchedulesDirect have already said the goal is $20 per year (or even less), which is a lot cheaper than this starting point of $15 per quarter, but they obviously need to get a certain number of users before they can do that.