Comments on: Boxee, Me & Free TV http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/ Double True! Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:36:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kerstin Schuster http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-104580 Kerstin Schuster Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:55:12 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-104580 I can only agree - great! I can only agree – great!

]]> By: Chris Ov http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103265 Chris Ov Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:10:53 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103265 Dave - I was immediately conflicted reading your post. The geeky gadget guy in me has been dying to do that same thing you did...on the PC side of the world. The time-strarved 2-kids doing swimming/taekwondo/hockey/dance/soccer side of me said "Are you nuts? This will take forever!". (Notice that the finance side of me had already called together the budget committee when my wife was sleeping, subsequently determined that 1 person counted as quorum, and then approved the budget to undertake this activity.) But seriously, with the amount of technology (software/hardware) and know-how (or at least fimiliarity) required to do what you outlined, I gotta think that this activity is still limited to the 10%-ish part of the world. Until there's a more unified solution (which of course will require some cpliance by not only hardware/software guys, but the Content providers as well), I think this will sadly remain on the margins, not the mainstream. We're getting closer all the time though...when are those damn content providers/gatekeeper going to GET IT? Dave – I was immediately conflicted reading your post.

The geeky gadget guy in me has been dying to do that same thing you did…on the PC side of the world.

The time-strarved 2-kids doing swimming/taekwondo/hockey/dance/soccer side of me said “Are you nuts? This will take forever!”.

(Notice that the finance side of me had already called together the budget committee when my wife was sleeping, subsequently determined that 1 person counted as quorum, and then approved the budget to undertake this activity.)

But seriously, with the amount of technology (software/hardware) and know-how (or at least fimiliarity) required to do what you outlined, I gotta think that this activity is still limited to the 10%-ish part of the world. Until there’s a more unified solution (which of course will require some cpliance by not only hardware/software guys, but the Content providers as well), I think this will sadly remain on the margins, not the mainstream.

We’re getting closer all the time though…when are those damn content providers/gatekeeper going to GET IT?

]]> By: Dave Stubbs http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103260 Dave Stubbs Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:25:09 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103260 Jake, you're not alone. Few people actually realize that HD signals are now available over-the-air or how simple it is to get them. And it's not like the networks or cable companies are going to let the cat out of the bag. But in two days stations across the US will officially switch from analogue to digital. The date was originally slated for February 17th but the Obama administration delayed the switch until June 12th to give consumers and retailers more time to prepare and largely because the government ran out of <a href="https://www.dtv2009.gov/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">digital set-top coupons</a> (seriously). Anyone with a relatively new HD capable TV can simply attach an antenna to the coaxial input, point the antenna at a nearby transmitter and start receiving the high bitrate HD signal. You only need a box if you have an older model analogue TV. In fact, anyone who purchased a TV in the US after March 1, 2007 likely has an OTA capable DTV set. <a href="http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">US law stated</a> that as of that date "all television receivers shipped in interstate commerce or imported into the United States must contain a digital tuner" and retailers were mandated to inform anyone purchasing an analogue TV after May 25th that they needed to also buy a converter box. I will point out that this solution isn't for everyone. People outside of urban areas, or with an obstructed line of site to a transmission point, or in areas under served by network programming may find OTA is a poor replacement for cable. But it's definitely worth investigating. I've added some links for OTA station research to the resource list above. Jake, you’re not alone. Few people actually realize that HD signals are now available over-the-air or how simple it is to get them. And it’s not like the networks or cable companies are going to let the cat out of the bag. But in two days stations across the US will officially switch from analogue to digital. The date was originally slated for February 17th but the Obama administration delayed the switch until June 12th to give consumers and retailers more time to prepare and largely because the government ran out of digital set-top coupons (seriously).

Anyone with a relatively new HD capable TV can simply attach an antenna to the coaxial input, point the antenna at a nearby transmitter and start receiving the high bitrate HD signal. You only need a box if you have an older model analogue TV. In fact, anyone who purchased a TV in the US after March 1, 2007 likely has an OTA capable DTV set. US law stated that as of that date “all television receivers shipped in interstate commerce or imported into the United States must contain a digital tuner” and retailers were mandated to inform anyone purchasing an analogue TV after May 25th that they needed to also buy a converter box.

I will point out that this solution isn’t for everyone. People outside of urban areas, or with an obstructed line of site to a transmission point, or in areas under served by network programming may find OTA is a poor replacement for cable. But it’s definitely worth investigating. I’ve added some links for OTA station research to the resource list above.

]]> By: Jake http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103259 Jake Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:54:00 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103259 This was fascinating. I had no idea that you could pick up HD channels with an antennae - I thought you had to have the box now. I'll definitely have to look into this - I'm sick of paying my cable bill every month and still dealing with lousy service from the cable company! This was fascinating. I had no idea that you could pick up HD channels with an antennae – I thought you had to have the box now. I’ll definitely have to look into this – I’m sick of paying my cable bill every month and still dealing with lousy service from the cable company!

]]> By: Dave Stubbs http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103244 Dave Stubbs Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:30:06 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103244 Paul, thanks for all the help on this project. You and Caroline provided valuable txt support when I was making my decision at the Apple store. Andreas, thanks for the background info and for explaining who did what. It's greatly appreciated. And thanks most of all for all your hard work on XBMC. Paul, thanks for all the help on this project. You and Caroline provided valuable txt support when I was making my decision at the Apple store.

Andreas, thanks for the background info and for explaining who did what. It’s greatly appreciated. And thanks most of all for all your hard work on XBMC.

]]> By: Andreas http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103243 Andreas Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:42:05 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103243 FYI; the MediaStream skin was design by Team Razorfish for XBMC, not for Plex, (and Plex is just a Mac only fork of XBMC). XBMC runs on Mac as well, there is a "XBMC for Mac" version, and unlike Plex it also works on PPC (PowerPC) processors as well as Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger). So XBMC for Mac on Apple XBMC is not "like Plex", it is Plex that is like XBMC, the only difference is that Plex uses a other default skin then XBMC. XBMC has many more developers and a much larger community than Plex, and while Plex is only focusing on Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) on Intel processors, XBMC is aiming to be compatible with all hardware platforms and operating-system, there is even an XBMC for Android in the works. Who knows, maybe the iPhone will the next platform after that. FYI; the MediaStream skin was design by Team Razorfish for XBMC, not for Plex, (and Plex is just a Mac only fork of XBMC). XBMC runs on Mac as well, there is a “XBMC for Mac” version, and unlike Plex it also works on PPC (PowerPC) processors as well as Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger).

So XBMC for Mac on Apple XBMC is not “like Plex”, it is Plex that is like XBMC, the only difference is that Plex uses a other default skin then XBMC. XBMC has many more developers and a much larger community than Plex, and while Plex is only focusing on Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) on Intel processors, XBMC is aiming to be compatible with all hardware platforms and operating-system, there is even an XBMC for Android in the works. Who knows, maybe the iPhone will the next platform after that.

]]> By: Phil http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103236 Phil Fri, 29 May 2009 14:57:20 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103236 @Paul Hart In a condo - if in an elevated position - you may actually be better positioned (literally) than most grab those sweet sweet OTA HD waves. An internal HD antenna pointed at a major broadcasting hub, like the CN tower in Toronto, will do the trick. I have this one placed in my bedroom window and it works perfectly (at least 10 HD channels). http://tinyurl.com/dmtcyb @Paul Hart
In a condo – if in an elevated position – you may actually be better positioned (literally) than most grab those sweet sweet OTA HD waves. An internal HD antenna pointed at a major broadcasting hub, like the CN tower in Toronto, will do the trick.

I have this one placed in my bedroom window and it works perfectly (at least 10 HD channels). http://tinyurl.com/dmtcyb

]]> By: RT @gteehan Dave Stubbs, a par… | Jeremy Bell http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103231 RT @gteehan Dave Stubbs, a par… | Jeremy Bell Thu, 28 May 2009 23:29:48 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103231 [...] May 28 RT @gteehan Dave Stubbs, a partner here at T+L wrote a great post about how he got rid of his cable co http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594 [...] [...] May 28 RT @gteehan Dave Stubbs, a partner here at T+L wrote a great post about how he got rid of his cable co http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594 [...]

]]> By: Derek http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103228 Derek Thu, 28 May 2009 18:10:52 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103228 Great summary Dave. I'm definitely going to give this a go at some point, so long as I can actually get a clear signal from a tower for OTA HD. Great summary Dave. I’m definitely going to give this a go at some point, so long as I can actually get a clear signal from a tower for OTA HD.

]]> By: Paul Hart http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/2009/05/28/free-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-103227 Paul Hart Thu, 28 May 2009 18:09:10 +0000 http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1594#comment-103227 Wow, you've done tons there! We're still just at the "Boxee on AppleTV plus external storage" stage, though it does the trick for us. OTA is tempting, but I'm not sure how we'd swing it when we live in a condo. Wow, you’ve done tons there! We’re still just at the “Boxee on AppleTV plus external storage” stage, though it does the trick for us. OTA is tempting, but I’m not sure how we’d swing it when we live in a condo.

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