OT: TV delivery alternatives (was: DirecTivo vs. 'New Direct TV DVR'?)

[Thomas Charron]

On 5/22/07, Ben Scott <dragonhawk at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 5/22/07, Thomas Charron <twaffle at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Personally, there are many programs that I enjoy tremendously that
> > are quite fun and informative.
>   Moi aussi.  But if I don't find the overall deal worth it, I won't buy it.

  The concept of getting what you pay for is variable tho.  How do you
rate overall worth, not as an individual, but 'to the masses'.  The
40-50$ a month price range is generally what most people will pay for
television, Sat or Cable.

>   If everyone buys a product that doesn't provide the value desired,
> it will never improve.

  True, but on the other hand, if the entire town of Lyndeborough
boycotts DirecTV, they really won't give a rats ass.  Let the people
in Nashua start boycotting, so I can start reaping the damned
benefits!  :-)

>   I also won't partake of something when I dislike the terms it is
> provided under.  In other words, if a company really doesn't want me
> to watch their stuff, I will will be happy to do what they desire, and
> not watch it.  I won't "retaliate" by downloading it without their
> consent.  I simply will not watch it.  I think that's the wrong thing
> to do (for a number of reasons, which I won't get into here).  (You're
> entitled to your opinion.  I'm entitled to mine.  (And on the
> Internet, everyone is entitled to voice their opinion.  And usually
> does!  (And (on an unrelated note) I like parenthesis.  (Which I've
> mentioned before.)  (No LISP jokes, please.)))

  And, just like the special Olympics, we're still all..   Wait, that
might offend someone.  :-)

  That would explain the LISP tho.

  *ducks, runs for cover*

> > Ok, so maybe Mythbusters blowing up a cement truck till it simply vaporized
> > has limited education..  :-)
>   Best explosion I've seen on TV seen since PEPCON.  (Pity two people
> died in that disaster.)

  But by me not purchasing DirecTV, I'm ALSO affecting the Discovery
Channel.  And our explosively minded friends.

> > But throwing away an entire product simply because it isn't as
> > convenient as one would like is kind of overkill.
>   It's all a matter of point-of-view.  What some call "inconvenience"
> I call "treating your paying customers like criminals".  ~shrug~

  But in many cases, perhaps we feel we have a right to more then we
do.  Would I LIKE to be able to have a party at my house and invite 30
of my friends to watch the movie I just recorded in HDTV off of
ShowTime?  F[beep]k yea!  Should I legally be able to?  I don't know,
none of us really do, because it isn't something that's governed by
the laws of physics.

> > It's a valid option for some.  But personally it is even more
> > inconvenient then the product choices we have with Satellite.
>   It certainly would not work for everybody.  But I'm curious as to
> how well it will work.  Perhaps it may be more viable than one might
> think.  If I do it, I'll report how it goes.

  Ok, but make sure to make us wait a week before we get the email so
we get the full experience.  :-)

> >>  There are benefits, too: No commercials to skip.  No scenes/frames
> >> being deleted to squeeze in more programming.  No silly censorship.
> >   And a one week lead time.  :-)
>   I still have 5 episodes of the most recent season of the new
> Battlestar Galactica waiting on my TiVo.  :-)

  I'm torn between saying, 'Delete them now before they ruin the
entire storyline', but at the same time, something about their version
just keeps me watching.  I'm thinking subliminal messages..

-- 
-- Thomas