Archives For TV Shows

TiVo Premiere To Access Xfinity On Demand

Dave Zatz —  May 9, 2011 — 40 Comments

Remember the mysterious screengrab that TiVo accidentally released at the Premiere launch? Well, a year later, they’ve finally come clean. Comcast, er Xfinity, On Demand will be made available to TiVo Premiere DVRs in select markets – and San Francisco is up first. Although no specific ETA was provided beyond “early next year.” Presumably, the companies are getting it done using back channel communication methods, facilitated by SeaChange, and similar to those seen with RCN, Suddenlink, and perhaps what’s coming to Cox.

From TiVo’s press release: Continue Reading…

In Broadband, CableCARD, TiVo, TV Shows
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How Verizon Really Can Take TV Everywhere

Mari Silbey —  April 18, 2011 — 18 Comments

FiOS streaming live TV tablet

Slowly but surely we’re getting more access to TV on our PCs, iPads, and smartphones. But a comment on Dave’s post about the IMG 1.9 release reminded me that for some folks, the fact that FiOS TV service doesn’t let you move content around easily today is still a deal-breaker.

Until Verizon has a way for me to get TV off their box and onto my PC/ pad/ phone- the same way that Tivo does, I will continue to be a Tivo customer.

What most folks don’t know is that Verizon has done an astounding amount of work on its infrastructure in order to enable services that make content more flexible and accessible on different devices. We learned in January that the telecom had overhauled its hybrid QAM/IP system, making it possible to switch over to all-IP broadcasting for live television in addition to VOD and widget services. More recently, however, the company announced its new Verizon Digital Media Services platform, which both transcodes and formats TV for different devices, and handles session management so you can start watching a show in one place, and finish up somewhere else. (See Light Reading’s stellar coverage here and here)

Verizon claims that VDMS is a one-of-a-kind digital delivery utility, and it’s aiming to sell the technology as a service to cable companies for their TV Everywhere services. I have serious doubts about the potential success of that plan, but for Verizon’s own purposes, VDMS appears to give the company everything it needs to take FiOS TV to the next level. You know how the new WatchESPN service lets you watch live ESPN broadcasts on the go? I’m betting Verizon will offer more linear content the same way in the near future to FiOS TV users, along with the option to transition viewing sessions of VOD and recorded content to various gadgets for mobile viewing. This could be a good year to be a FiOS subscriber.  Continue Reading…

In Broadband, Industry, Placeshifting, TV Shows, Web
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Hulu Keeping Programmers Happy. How About Consumers?

Mari Silbey —  April 5, 2011 — 7 Comments

Hulu screenshot Q1 2011 revenue report

Hulu posted some pretty awesome revenue numbers last night, including projections that the company will make close to half a billion dollars in 2011 and drive 300 million dollars in revenue to its content partners. However, all of that success comes with a price. Like every other over-the-top video provider, Hulu has had to limit its catalog in order to keep content owners happy and stay financially viable. And that makes it hard to maintain loyal viewers. The company says it is on track to exceed one million Hulu Plus subscribers this year, which suggests growing interest in Hulu’s premium platform. But I have to question whether that growth is sustainable over the long term. Once the ability to access television online becomes more commonplace, will Hulu be able to continue wooing consumers and survive  as a stand-alone platform?

Two arguments against Hulu come to mind. First, now that cable companies are taking TV everywhere, Hulu has to contend with an industry that is masterful in paying out cash to its content providers. In a shootout between the two, I’d bet on the cable companies. Second, Netflix has proven, so far, that it’s possible to be a successful streaming company. However, even Netflix faces serious challenges in the future, and it’s hard to imagine that two companies in such a difficult space can survive without strong differentiation. Netflix has a serious leg up on Hulu with more than 20 million paying subscribers to date. Can Hulu really compete with that?

Hulu certainly still has options ahead, including the opportunity to build out an original content strategy and/or offer live television. And it still has Comcast as an investor, albeit one without management control now that the NBCU/Comcast merger has come to fruition. Will that be enough? Only consumer audiences will tell. But I’m less optimistic now than I was six months ago, particularly given how quickly cable companies have pushed their iPad TV apps to market.

In Industry, Netflix, Placeshifting, TV Shows
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Probst To Survivor Fans: TiVo Doesn’t Help Our Ratings

Davis Freeberg —  February 17, 2011 — 10 Comments

Survivor-TiVo

Over the years, I’ve had more than one love affair with a TV show. But no matter how much I’ve enjoyed epic hits like 24, Alias or Joey Grecco’s Cheaters, none of them have been able to generate the level of excitement that I feel when I watch Survivor. I’m not sure if it’s the Machiavellian nature of the show or simply being able to watch an assortment of characters who are so wacky that they end up making Gilligan’s Island look like the Love Boat. I love the show so much, that I even organized a home version of the game with my family over the holidays… and I ended up getting voted out 2nd for trying to emulate Russell Hantz’s bulldog strategy.

Because Survivor is the number #1 show on my Season Pass priority list, you would think that I’d never miss an episode. But every year Survivor changes the name of their show just a little bit, so that DVR subscribers have to resubscribe to each new season.

While this may or may not be hurting Survivor’s DVR consumption, the fact that the producers of the show haven’t noticed has always baffled me. It’d be like me changing my RSS feed every six months, so that only my superfans could easily follow my blog. Unless you like languishing in obscurity, this isn’t a very good strategy for retaining an audience or capturing people’s attention.

Recently, Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, launched a blog to promote the show and other charitable causes that he cares about. On his site, he solicits questions from fans and answers the more common ones. While all tidbits about the show caught my attention, one particular answer jumped out at me. In answering the question of how long will Survivor continue to run, Probst says that the survival of Survivor is dependent upon live viewers because “TiVo doesn’t help us in the ratings.” Continue Reading…

In DVR, TiVo, TV Shows
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Who’s Got a Smart TV? I Do! I Do!

Mari Silbey —  January 6, 2011 — 2 Comments

The big TV manufacturers are all pushing 3D very hard, consumer sentiment be damned. But they’re also all getting on board with their own smart TV offerings, including services with app stores, and content that can be place-shifted to different devices. Yesterday Samsung and Panasonic both showed off their own TV app markets: Media Hub for Samsung, and Viera Connect for Panasonic. Samsung is touting TV episodes that can be accessed from mobile Galaxy devices, as well as an app ecosystem that it’s currently building out with developers. Panasonic showcased apps for Hulu Plus, MLB, BodyMedia, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, Withings, and Ustream during its event.

As the TV manufacturers jump into the app space, how will it change the landscape for both pay-TV operators and over-the-top box companies? (Not to mention the likes of Yahoo…) It will be interesting to watch.

In Industry, Media, Mobile, Software, TV Shows, Web
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