Internet/cable TV, blurring the line.

Windy in Kansas · #1 02/03/11, 12:56 PM

Direct TV is wondering if the line is blurred between cable television and Internet video programming and regulations thereof, fed through devices that stream to television sets, such as Roku, Apple TV, etc.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/...An_MVPD_Is.php

Interesting to think about.

watcher · #2 02/03/11, 02:08 PM

Seems simple to me. If the data is transmitted using internet coding its internet data. If its transmitted using video coding its TV.

Windy in Kansas · #3 02/03/11, 02:48 PM

Neophyte here---so if I watch the television show "Outsourced" over either cable television providers signal or digital signal with an over the air antenna it would be video coding, but if I watched "Outsourced" on my television set via a Roku streaming device with signal supplied via the Internet it would Internet coding?

What about if the same show is transmitted via satellite? If the satellite receiver is used for television signal it is one kind of coding and if the satellite receiver provides Internet service it is another?

I guess that is why the article and this information is interesting and informative to me.

TheMartianChick · #4 02/03/11, 04:14 PM

This is timely for me... We just started using my daughter's Wii in this fashion, yesterday.

joseph97297 · #5 02/03/11, 05:59 PM

Hmm, interesting points.

My little brother uses his Wii that way as well. Now that I have him on a friends private server, he will be watching TV, Sports and such on the computer as we do (Live and HD).

mrpink · #6 02/03/11, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by watcher

Seems simple to me. If the data is transmitted using internet coding its internet data. If its transmitted using video coding its TV.

what do you mean by video coding and internet coding? I would agree that the lines are getting very blurry. just about every source is digital now and most digital data now is using ip at some point. I don't keep up with the current technology like I used to but I still know and understand a few things

georger · #7 02/03/11, 07:51 PM

Both are conduits for crap IMHO. Not much worth to TV or the internet these days.

Windy in Kansas · #8 02/03/11, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georger

Both are conduits for crap IMHO. Not much worth to TV or the internet these days.

georger, did you ever used to enjoy old movies or television from years ago?

With streaming video many of them are now available. I watched a 1929 or 1930 movie just last week. It was made early enough that it was jerky instead of smooth scenes. They actually did some pretty amazing things in it for a very early film.

I watch many 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s movies. I wouldn't exactly call them crap as many were good wholesome movies that you wouldn't mind your child seeing. To each their own opinion however. I much prefer to choose WHAT I want to watch rather than only having what is available WHEN I wish for any video entertainment at all. My eyes just can't handle reading like they used to.

As to the Internet---don't you enjoy these forums?

I'm a big fan as I can stay in touch with relatives at a distance that I would otherwise never write to or call. I have also been placing some 1880s documents and photos and from other times online that I will eventually share with others from my hometown. The Internet is my friend and a very useful tool.

georger · #9 02/03/11, 10:20 PM

Yea but today's TV has a lot of crap on it. And you can't deny there's a lot of crap on the internet too, much more than parents 30 years ago ever had to worry about for their kids. Forums like this one are ok, I like to talk about stuff. There are some good things but you can't deny how much rubbish there is out there too. So the curmudgeon in me still has to maintain that the internet remains a conduit for crap in spite of the relatively few good things on it.

I love the old movies from the 20s, 30s, up to the 50s and comedies from even the 70s were great (Barney Miller, WKRP in Cincinatti, MASH, All in the Family, etc...).

But I don't do that downloading thing the kids are all Ga-ga about. I usually look for my favourites in the bargin bins on VHS or DVD when I can find them. Getting them on computer, I don't care for the picture quality on the computer and my wife likes to see the subtitles on the TV screen, nice and big for her!

Heck, as far as internet goes if it weren't for the kids and the Youtube and their "need" to download whatever movies (because there's no theatre here) I could still be fine with just dial up!

Windy in Kansas · #10 02/03/11, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georger

Getting them on computer, I don't care for the picture quality on the computer and my wife likes to see the subtitles on the TV screen, nice and big for her!

Ah, just as I suspected, you do like the older stuff as I do.

The neat thing is that there are streaming devices you can hook to your Internet and stream the movie or video right to your television set. Well if your connection is fast enough.

With a subscription to Netflix for $7.99 per month you can watch thousands of old movies and can do so when you are ready to begin them rather than per any broadcast schedule.
Lots of them with sub-titles for the Misses too.

With a Roku brand streaming device they offer some sources besides Netflix to acquire the movies from. For $1.99 per month you can subscribe to Cowboy Classics and watch as many of them as you like. Again, streaming through Roku to your television. I don't subscribe so don't know the size of the selection available nor the quality of viewing.

I watch very little television because as you say the programming isn't worth watching.

If you do decide to watch some online here are a couple of sources for old ones;
http://www.publicdomainflicks.com/
http://www.archive.org/details/moviesandfilms

Not trying to sell anything, just wanting to inform you.
http://www.roku.com/roku-products

**Shrek** · #11 02/04/11, 01:42 AM

Windy,

Do you have an outside antenna?

I still watch Dragnet, Adam 12 , Emergency , Leave it to beaver, Hazel, Flying Nun, Highway Patrol, Rockford Files, Kojak, 3 Stooges , All in the Family , Sanford and Son , Good Times, Sea Hunt , Outer Limits, Peter Gunn , Bachelor father, Ironsides, Bat Masterson etc. all OTA.

All you have to do is be able to recieve stations with Retro TV network and the Antenna TV networks on their digital sub channels.

Luckily where I live I can recieve the stations from both the central and northern Alabama broadcast areas with a 15 foot rooftop mast mounted outdoor antenna.

Its like having a 1970s era basic cable service to me for less than $300 one time out of pocket expense.

**ladycat** · #12 02/04/11, 08:58 AM

Pardon my ignorance, but what is Roku?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

With streaming video many of them are now available. I watched a 1929 or 1930 movie just last week. It was made early enough that it was jerky instead of smooth scenes.

OT, but they weren't jerky when they were made. When you see them jerky, it's because the film restorer was running it at the wrong speed.

When you see a properly restored silent, it's as clear and smooth as modern film.

Quote:

Originally Posted by georger

I love the old movies from the 20s, 30s, up to the 50s and comedies from even the 70s were great (Barney Miller, WKRP in Cincinatti, MASH, All in the Family, etc...).

But I don't do that downloading thing the kids are all Ga-ga about.

I'm not a kid (well, maybe I am), but I'm gaga about downloading videos. I especially concentrate on the old stuff from the internet archives and the websites of collectors.

I check the bargain bins, too, but you find a hundred times as much stuff for FREE on the internet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by georger

Getting them on computer, I don't care for the picture quality on the computer and my wife likes to see the subtitles on the TV screen, nice and big for her!

I'm using an HD TV for a monitor, quality is great.

rean · #13 02/04/11, 09:08 AM

DISH is squalling because they are losing their customer base.

Windy in Kansas · #14 02/04/11, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladycat

Pardon my ignorance, but what is Roku?

OT, but they weren't jerky when they were made. When you see them jerky, it's because the film restorer was running it at the wrong speed.

When you see a properly restored silent, it's as clear and smooth as modern film.

Roku is a device, a small black box, that allows streaming from some Internet sources to ones TV set, in my case an analog set. http://www.roku.com/roku-products Once set up the device streams from the Internet connection rather than through the computer, i.e. it has a router connection itself.

It is but one device that streams to television. Apple TV, Google TV, Wii, Playstation 3, are all capable (I think) of streaming Netflix and other video to a TV.

Roku devices are priced $59 and up depending upon which model you choose. The highest price model can now be used with a flash drive to bring flash data to your television set. Giant digital photo frame -- or ?
-----------
The old movie I previously spoke of appeared to me to be made with a hand cranked camera and with too few of frames per second for smooth flow. Perhaps I'm simply wrong. Many of the scenes were very crude. Wish I could remember where/what source I viewed it at so I could provide further. I don't recall that it was made by any major studio of the era.
-----------
BTW, for me to use a Roku I did have to also purchase a router as my computer was hardwired to the ethernet connection rather than wireless. Roku can be wired or wireless.

joseph97297 · #15 02/04/11, 11:05 AM

As for picture quality, when properly viewed, there is no difference between a tv and computer.

The TV shows that we DL are all in 1080 and very high quality. I just got done downloading a load of permaculture items (videos, books at around 30 gigs) and the quality is spot on.

As for subtitles, you can get them for the computer. (We use VLC if we need subtitles).

As for the amount of 'crap' on, I agree with you there. We have our few shows that we watch and areas of interest, most documentary, and those are widely available.

The only TV we have in the house is hooked up to the Wii, and since I modded that out to watch AVI files, that is what the kids watch their movies on (no scratched disc, or tapes to worry about).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As for streaming, I do use that when watch sports or racing via internet during the season, but I would rather download a tv show, to me it takes the chances of skips and there are no commercials what so ever, so just a nice uninterrupted tv show....

mnn2501 · #16 02/04/11, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georger

Both are conduits for crap IMHO. Not much worth to TV or the internet these days.

Yet you're using the internet to get here.

arabian knight · #17 02/04/11, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joseph97297

As for picture quality, when properly viewed, there is no difference between a tv and computer.

The TV shows that we DL are all in 1080 and very high quality.
The only TV we have in the house is hooked up to the Wii, and since I modded that out to watch AVI files, that is what the kids watch their movies on (no scratched disc, or tapes to worry about).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As for streaming, I do use that when watch sports or racing via internet during the season, but I would rather download a tv show, to me it takes the chances of skips and there are no commercials what so ever, so just a nice uninterrupted tv show....

I beg to differ that when you are DL to a Wii your output is not 1080, but 480p. And being Wii is only using the video inputs instead of RBG, or HDMI, (Which Surprised me) the TV is not "Up scaling" to 1080 either.
Now granted it will be clear and sharp, but I doubt if it is in 1080. I have a Wii and just looked at the specs and it only shows 480p output, and Using only a one yellow video in, the TV then can't do the upscaling either. Sorry.
But still a very good picture I have no doubt on that. I have yet to use my Wii to watch movies on but may in the future. But I have a BluRay Player that May Just be able to do the DL into also, as that can use a memory stick also.

mnn2501 · #18 02/04/11, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georger

Yea but today's TV has a lot of crap on it. And you can't deny there's a lot of crap on the internet too, !

There is, but there's lots of good programming also.
Plus there was crap on TV 30, 40, 50 years ago too. -- remember Mod-Squad? Police Woman? 6 Million Dollar Man? etc

I have a channel changer and an off button and I bet you do too.

I really tire of people looking back and saying everything was better in the past, when they have already filtered the bad stuff out in their mind.

joseph97297 · #19 02/04/11, 12:29 PM

I'm sorry, I didn't mean that I DL shows for the WII (direct anyways).

I usually download to one of the external hard drives, then either transfer to the USB Hard Drive or SD card to move the kids shows over to the Wii. The hard drive that I use to store the games on I partitioned into two parts, one standard the other in WBFS format. It was a 2 Gig, so I put 1 gig in WBFS, and left the other standard, so I can have space for either movies or shows for the kids

We watch on our computer (the missus and I). That was what I meant about the 1080.

For the kids, the Wii output is more than adequate as they do not worry about the quality, just the show. I recently put Season 2 of Andy Griffith on for our youngest son and I have to admit it is rather nice. In a basic Avi format, you can take a movie down to 700 MB rather than the 3-4 gigs.......saves on space and time.

Windy in Kansas · #20 02/04/11, 12:59 PM

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2011-02/...re-experience/

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