Streaming video: major re-think required

[Grampz]

This thread makes me reflect to many years in my past. My first online experience was in running a bbs (remember those?) which we mostly used for user communication, porn, and the text based game Tradewars. While we were running this the web was introduced and started to grow. The developer of the PowerBBS software that we were using did not think that http ability was important until close to the end of bbs replacement by the web. Kind of a moot point as the bbs way was run over by the new technology.

Regarding streaming content, I still prefer watching a handful of shows I enjoy which I record when aired. On the other hand, my wife's preference is using Netflix and Hulu. A pvr has the ability to handle my requests. The wife normally closes npvr, loads up Firefox, and uses the streamed content.

So.. Without figuring out the Universe plug in, paying for PlayOn (which there is a Roku channel), and more digging, learning, configuration, more hairs pulled out of balding head, etc.., what is the next logical step? I admire npvr as it does exactly what I need for watching and recording live tv. People, like the misses, want something simple and dependable. npvr satisfies my needs, and she enjoys watching recordings with me, but I need to constantly work on making the experience better.. Pause/FF latency, audio/video syncing, plug in coordination with the interface, another etc.... I can understand where she finds it easier to hop on the web for what she wants to watch when I am not home.

I don't foresee the pvr experience dying out as their is so much advertising money tied into live tv. Future companies like Hulu with their select, short and focused advertising could change that though. Things are changing like they always will!!

Greg

[mvallevand]

This thread makes me reflect to many years in my past. My first online experience was in running a bbs (remember those?) which we mostly used for user communication, porn, and the text based game Tradewars.

I used BBS'es (PCBoard Fido etc) for years and never used them for porn. For me is was all about freeware/sharware. In fact I even wrote a shareware program called BBSee and I even got registrations.

While we were running this the web was introduced and started to grow. The developer of the PowerBBS software that we were using did not think that http ability was important until close to the end of bbs replacement by the web. Kind of a moot point as the bbs way was run over by the new technology.

So.. Without figuring out the Universe plug in, paying for PlayOn (which there is a Roku channel), and more digging, learning, configuration, more hairs pulled out of balding head, etc.., what is the next logical step?

PlayOn and Universe are probably the easiest thing to install. I did post a YouTube sample a few minutes ago.

Martin

[whurlston]

I'm going to go out on a limb and and guess you mean the BBSee catalogue system and not the virus.

[mvallevand]

Yes, while I have written my share of bugs, I have never written a virus. In the BBS era, they were different usually boot sector and floppy based too. I remember an early version of McAfee I had, that was able to identify 36 virii.

Martin

[whurlston]

I remember those. I remember having a client whose kid kept bringing home floppies from his friends at school and loading them on the computer. At one point they had 7 viruses (4 boot sector) that had actually corrupted one another and they were mad at me because I told them the only way to fix the computer was to format the drive.

[Grampz]

I live in Kansas City, USA area... This is the first area where Google is installing their high speed internet. Supposedly a hundred times faster than current broadband. How will the future tv/online experience change with this amount of bandwidth? A point to ponder!

Greg

[NumberFive]

Considering I can already stream 4x BBC HD iPlayer programmes simultaneously on a 20 Mbps connection, I'd say it won't change that much. There'll still be a finite amount of stuff you can watch.

[ACTCMS]

Usage will always expand to fit the capacity available - remember when a 14400 bps modem went like lightning and an 80Gb HD was absolutely huge...

[mvallevand]

My cable company is already streaming all my 100's of channels over copper into my house, most of it is encrypted. If they replaced the pipe with GigE I couldn't watch more but I'd probably pay more. For streaming video over the Internet I think companies and consumers do have to think about full BluRay now and 4K in the future, many of us may have trouble now with this low quality 4K http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=...9ECEC8F88F (try original quality) I don't think GigE will be a plus I expect we will see more on demand addressable services even for basic TV (like FIOS in the US) and it could mean the end of free PVR.

Martin

[gEd]

I just found out that Netflix is arriving in the UK

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/homecinema/netfl...-50006587/

Netflix is massive in the US, and its launch in Blighty will be a huge boost for online streaming of movies and TV. After the one-month free trial, it costs £6 in the UK and €7 in Ireland.