Things To Like And Dislike In The Plan To Build Netflix Directly Into Your TV
from the good-for-netflix,-but-for-everyone-else? dept
Various authorized movie download sites have been flopping lately due to various reasons -- but one of the big ones is the continued difficulty in actually being able to watch the downloaded movies on your television. In many cases, part of the problem is the DRM that many movie download sites use, but an even more fundamental problem is that there still isn't a decent link between most household computers and household televisions. Apparently, Netflix is trying to solve this. Late Wednesday, the company announced plans to get various consumer electronics firms, starting with LG, to build technology directly into TVs or other set-top boxes that will allow Netflix subscribers to download and watch movies directly on the TV. Netflix had considered building its own branded set-top boxes, but wisely reconsidered. Given the proliferation of set-top boxes, and the dismal failure of other companies that have tried to go that route, it makes sense to get consumer electronics makers to build the tech directly into their own offerings.Initially, from Netflix's perspective, this plan makes a lot of sense. It's already been experimenting with streaming movies to subscribers on their computers (at no extra cost) for about a year. Netflix also has the name recognition and clout to get consumer electronics firms to go along with this plan (and it wouldn't be surprising to see a few other CE companies fall into line quickly behind LG). However, that doesn't mean this is the best result for consumers (or even for Netflix in the long run). By building in a proprietary solution that effectively only works with Netflix, buyers won't have much of a choice. They won't be able to compare other movie streaming/downloading services via their TVs and will have to effectively make a choice and stick with it for the life of their TV. What would have been a lot more interesting and better for everyone (perhaps other than Netflix) would have been for the CE companies to agree to a standard by which various movie distribution firms could have streamed movies directly to TVs, and then allowed those companies to offer competing services. I don't want to buy a DVD player that only plays movies from Netflix, so why should my TV only play streaming videos from Netflix?
While it may initially seem like a win for Netflix to lock out the competition this way, that may not be the case. If Blockbuster is smart (a big "if") it's currently running around trying to get CE companies to align with it, instead. Then we have another standards battle situation, where people decide not to buy any such solution until everyone agrees to play nice (witness the HD DVD standards battle that has greatly slowed the growth in next generation DVDs). If there were a standard that others could plug into, then it would encourage more people to upgrade. However, if the competition is between a "Netflix" device and some other device, it may make people wait to see how the market really shakes out.
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Filed Under: internet, movie rentals, streaming video, tv
Companies: lg, netflix
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Just sell to Apple already
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Re: Just sell to Apple already
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why arent we just working on better media extenders in general and then having netflix et al piggy back on those?
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Our satellite service commitment...
Our two year commitment to DirecTV is up, and we are terminating it. I haven't watched the damned thing in over a year anyway.
Good riddance. After all, sewage is something I prefer to get pumped *out* of the house.
--
Concealed carry is a civil right
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Re: Our satellite service commitment...
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In related news...
(via BoingBoing)
Bad Cop No Netflix
http://davisfreeberg.com/2008/01/03/bad-copp-no-netflix/
Of course, I would argue that anyone stupid enough to still be using Microsoft products deserves every single last bit of the pain they'll no doubt get.
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A DVI to HDMI cable worked pretty well for me. It only cost a few bucks from newegg. God, are people really that ignorant about technology?!
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Most people that can make that work already have and Netflix won't be targeting them.
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Did you miss the part where it says Netflix had considered building its own branded set-top boxes, but wisely reconsidered? I love people who can write but can't read...
most people don't have TVs that have an HDMI connector or even just a VGA.
This, and most people don't have their computer next to their TV. In my parents' house for instance, the two are about as far apart as they could be (TV is downstairs at the east end, the computer is upstairs at the west end.)
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I was only responding to the ridiculous notion that "that there still isn't a decent link between most household computers and household televisions." There are any numbers of cheap "links" between TVs and computers.
The fact that some people might choose not to use these cheap "links" and might choose not to have a computer near their TVs is simply irrelevant.
If people want to watch movies streamed from Netflix on their TVs there are plenty of simple ways to do it, if the choice is made.
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If it doesn't work for most consumers, it's not "decent." Most people don't have media center computers--heck quite a few only have one computer at all--and see a computer as something that is used at a desk.
The old-fashioned view--of an entertainment center made of multiple dumb, single-purpose devices--is still the prevalent view. Yes, a choice has to be made. But fifteen years ago, such a choice consisted of a small thing with one connection and a remote. People still don't set clocks on their VCRs (if they have them), they certainly don't want to deal with an operating system.
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If a consumer can buy a $600 PS3, connect it to a network, and connect it to a TV, there is simply no reason they cannot do the same to a PC. If connecting a PS3, Wii, or a 360 is too complicated for "most consumers," that's not really my problem.
"Most people don't have media center computers"
That's asinine. Before DVDs, most people did not have DVD players. But they bought them and installed them without any major injuries. I don't see how this is any different.
"The old-fashioned view--of an entertainment center made of multiple dumb, single-purpose devices--is still the prevalent view."
Actually, gaming consoles have been multi-purpose for several years.
"Yes, a choice has to be made."
Once again, if someone can choose to install a Blu-Ray player, they can choose to install a PC. The argument that there is no "decent link" between PCs and TV is as ludicrous as the argument that there is no "decent link" between Blu-ray players and TVs.
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Did you miss the part where it says Netflix had considered building its own branded set-top boxes, but wisely reconsidered? I love people who can write but can't read..."
oh, a TV's not a box. thanks
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How old is your TV?
been coming with RGB ports. Many TV's also have
DVI ports. In all likelihood, if your TV is
not some dinosaur that will be oboleted by the
digital switchover then it will be no big deal
to hook a PC up to it (even without a converter
of some sort).
RGB also avoids all of that DRM nonsense.
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I'm all for technology...
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Re: I'm all for technology...
I agree picture quality-wise, but how about scratched discs? Every other disc I get from Netflix or the video store, I have to spend time buffing out the scratches so I can actually watch the thing! Would be nice if they would do it, but no...pain in the ass, I'd like to get digital delivery if only for that. Then again, just as DVDs solved problems with rewinding and tape stretching, digital delivery may have other, unforseen problems.
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Might work out that way..
And I wouldn't mind another box in any event. If I could stream movies on demand, I may well not have much of a use for cable - well, other than High Speed internet, lol.
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standards anyone?
That being said, this industry isn't exactly associated with vision (especially when the MPAA gets involved) so I'll stick with bittorrent.
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Re: standards anyone?
Blu-ray has a standards body. So does HD-DVD. Like you say, it will take cooperation, and it's the best path. But it will never happen. Corporations are so stupid...
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No, just the life of the set-top box.
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meh
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Re: meh
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Too ad they never pulled off the deal with TiVo
I would absolutely have purchased an HD or BlueRay player if it weren't for the format war, but my parents bought a Beta VCR, so I know what it is like to build a library and have the format die. The cost of the player alone isn't the problem. A dual mode doesn't solve the problem either. I'm sitting it out for now.
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Where there is a will there is a way
@Binston: I thought I was the only one who tried to build more functionality into my computer instead of my entertainment center. I don't want more boxes, I want everything built into my PC. To get a large display, I may use a TV (or even a projector) but the PC is still the picture source. I just don't understand why people want this hugh entertainment center with multiple set top boxes. My PC is my stereo, TV, PC (of course), game system, DVD player, CD Player, and more that I'm sure I am forgeting. The budget to build this PC was 1500. I'm sure this is less than the combined total of all those boxes in the entertainment center.
freak3dot
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Re: Where there is a will there is a way
1. I already own other dedicated boxes (amp, DVD, DVR, etc)
2. Even if I were willing to fork over the cash together a media center PC, it would take considerable time and effort to get to where I actually like to be (just putting together the hardware)
3. After the hardware, loading the content (current DVDs for example).
4. Configuring remote control functionality (love my Logithech!)
5. You get the picture. It can be done but you can see how much 'will' I have to overcome to get to my 'way'. One can imagine why a typical user can't be bothered.
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Re: Re: Where there is a will there is a way
An entire PC is overkill. However, PC's are infinitely flexible and (relatively) easy to dedicate to the task.
Media servers are like DVRs. It's hard to fully appreciate or understand their coolness until you've actually used one.
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HD On-Demand
Netflix has a great idea here, but they need to consider their competition already has the technology to complete. They need to offer similar/better quality, lower pricing, and wider selection; which I'm sure they can do.
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TIVO has become my media center
The E-SATA (external hard drive) compatibility assures you of virtually limitless storage. Recorded content can be moved to and viewed on your laptop or iPod making those devices additional storage for the TiVo also.
You get all of this with a slick interface that can be operated by my 70 year old mother.
NetFlix has some catching up to do.
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wireless tv reciever
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Not such a bad idea Mike
The only way that such an offering would work (from a CE standpoint) is to integrate an RJ45 ethernet interface to the TV and have software that goes and gets the movies. That being the case, even if it is specific to Netflix at the time of purchase, the software can always be changed to go get movies from Blockbuster via an update from the manufacturers web site.
Then, IF they are smart, the other industry players should all get together and go to the IETF and draft an RFC so there will be an industry standard protocol for such an offering. In this manner consumers can be confident that their TV WONT be tied down to one movie vendor. Even if they purchase the first gen (vendor specific) product, it should easily be updated to use another vendor or the IETF standard via a software/firmware update since the only hardware should be an ethernet port and a hard drive.
I can see this working since broadband Internet has become ubiquitous.
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The Misunderstandings Dept. ;)
All that has nothing to do with anything. It's a "Plug your Internet into your NEW TV" and start watching Netflix (et al.). As for streaming, it's not likely to be streaming as we know it today (Winblows Media Player), but rather a DVD or HD-DVD quality product if it's streaming at all. It may work more like a DVR.
Either way, what people have now is a moot point as what Netflix is talking about is to be included in the "next gen" TVs so what grandma owns today is of no consequence.
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Article on Another Site Says Differently
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tick, tick, tick
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uh, they already have a TV...the question is do people want another component (besides the DVD player, cable box, VCR)? Requiring that just for Netflix's service is a bad move on the part of Netflix (see "dismal failure" link in the first paragraph of the article)
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you: "uh, they already have a TV.."
me: uh, they already have a tv that plays netflix???? "they" sure are cutting edge!
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how about supporting OS X first...?
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Sorry, I misunderstood what you meant by that...I did not realize that "box" was slang for "television set." Can you imagine why?
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brought to you by the idiot box: euphemism for TV since 1968
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Netflix + Tivo (cable) = success!
That's where Netflix should go. Of course, I don't think cable companies would be happy to offer this service (unless they bend consumers over to have them pay for it in addition to the Netflix fees).
But it would be a start.
Even if cable/Tivo says no, there is always a chance Microsoft would say "Yes" with its XBox platform.
At any rate, the idea's going to fail. With so much stuff connected to my television already, I don't think I can even spare another port without having to buy yet another device to manage all the connections!
Now, for those posters who think people are too stupid to connect their PCs to their televisions, it's time to shed some light on this.
Consumers won't "connect" the two because of a matter of convenience. Who sits on a couch to type? In addition, many consumers still own those crappy SDTVs and the resolution of those things blow chunks compared to LCD.
As a tech-savvy person myself, I've yet to connect the two because I see no reason to. What, to watch Netflix DVDs on my TV? Please, that's what my DVD player's for.
I see the day when some company's going to merge the two devices, but until then, best leave them apart.
Note: It is also NOT recommended to place your computer next to a CRT that has such a powerful magnet as to damage your computer drives. Yes, people still don't understand that computer data is still based on magnetic technology.
Well, if you'll excuse me. It's time to find a movie "On Demand" from my cable company, which defeats the purpose of Netflix's set-top box.
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