Search Results for "october 13"

Why cord-cutting will save you money, CW aims at cord-cutters, and the new 4K Rokus are here! With special guest Hammond Chamberlain.

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CordKillers: Ep. 138 – Can’t Beat That With a Roku Stick
Recorded:  September 27 2016
Guest: Hammond Chamberlain

Intro Video

•  

Primary Target

• Americans are paying 40% more for TV than they were 5 years ago
• Cable TV Bill Hits Average of $103 Per Month
  – Maybe Cordcutting CAN save you money
  – Leichtman Research found pay TV subscription pricces have risen 40% in 5 years
  – 2011 – $73.63 average cable/satellite
  – 2016 – $103.10
  – Subscribership down to 82% of households with a TV
  – SNL Kagan says Pay TV lost 800K subs last quarter

Signal Intelligence

• The CW App: Watch New Seasons Of ‘Arrow,’ ‘The Flash,’ ‘Supergirl’ And ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ For Free
  – CW pulled out of Hulu and is adding more of it’s own apps
  – Expanded app snow cover Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, Xbox, and Amazon Fire TViOS and Android apps
  – Last 5 episodes free with ads
  – CW rumored to be working on a subscription service of its own
  – most popular series last season digitally were ‘The Flash’ and ‘Jane the Virgin,’”
  (Previously reported Netflix gets past season shows 8 days after season finale) 

Gear Up

• Roku’s new players start at $30, and they make 4K and HDR cheaper
  – Roku announced a new line of players. The Roku Express costs $30 with a faster processer than the previous streaming stick or Roku 1. The Roku Express+ is $40 and includes composite cable inputs. Both have the stick form factor. The Roku Premiere is $80 with 4K support at 60fps, faster quad-core processors and dual-band 802.11ac WiFi. The Premiere+ is $100 and supports HDR, ethernet and microSD. It also has the headphone jack on its remote. The Roku Ultra is $130 with 4K HDR plus optical audio, USB, voice search and a lost remote button on the box. Roku’s universal search works across 100 services now. The models are available for preorder and ship October 9th.

Under Surveillance

• First Details on The Dark Tower’s Companion TV Series, Which Will Include Idris Elba
  – Entertainment Weekly says the Dark Tower TV series which will debut a year after the movie will adapt Wizard and Glass, the 4th book. Idris Elba will play the older Roland. The Man In Black will appear but MCConaughey is not confirmed.
• Yes, There Will Be a New Star Wars Story Film in 2020, But What Will It Be?
  – Disney CEO Bob Iger told investors that Star Wars movies are planned until 2020 when a third Star Wars Story will come out. Kathleen Kennedy and Iger have started talking about what happens in 2021.
• YouTube Gaming to air weekly live show with Geoff Keighley
  – YouTube Gaming will produce a weekly live show hosted by Geoff Keighley Thursdays at 8 PM. Eastern. It’ll have trailers, gameplay footage and developer interviews
• Hulu’s New Horror Series Freakish Teases Its Evil Mutants
  – Hulu original series Freakish, originally created for AwesomenessTV. high schoolers are menaced by mutants spawned after an accident at the local chemical plant—. All 10 eps. Arrive October 10. Or two free new episodes per day on Tumblr.
• Hulu’s VR app is getting new comedy and news programs
  – Hulu has ordered 10 episode of The Big Picture: News in Virtual Reality and five episodes of Virtually Mike and Nora. The shows will arrive this autumn for Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR.
• NBC will stream the debates and other election coverage in VR, starting tonight
  – Facebook will live stream the US Presidential debates in cooperation with ABC and Twitter will do the same in partnership with Bloomberg and of course YouTube will have coverage from Bloomberg, PBS, The Washington Post and Telemundo as well as streams from YouTube Live users. But NBC is partnering with AltspaceR to stream the debates in virtual reality, hosted by Al Roker’s avatar from Virtual Democracy Plaza. NBC will also stream Q&As, analysis and comedy shows and more leading up to election night coverage. The AltspaceVR app is available for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Samsung Gear VR. 2D versions will stream at altvr.com/nbcnews. Coverage starts Wednesday night.
• Brian: Justified 311, Mr. Robot 212, Atlanta 101-104
• Tom: This is Us, Justified (311), Mr. Robot (212), The Good Place, Star Wars: Rebels
• Hammond: Enterprise, Lucha Underground season 1, Modern Rogue
• On the Lookout: Long Way Round and Long Way Down

Front Lines

• This is the 4K Google Chromecast Ultra
  – VentureBeat has images they say are of a new Chromecast to be announced at a Google hardware event on October 4th. The Chromecast Ultra would be capable of 4K and cost an alleged $69. It would run the 1.21 firmware which is now in beta. 
• Plex partners with Amazon to launch a hardware-free media server, Plex Cloud
  – If running your own PC server has kept you from discovering the joys of Plex, we have good news. Plex Cloud in partnership with Amazon Cloud Drive will let you host your files remotely. You can add files to your Amazon Cloud Drive from any device then stream using the Plex app. You’ll have to pay for the Plex Pass to take advantage of the service which is $60 a year, but that gives you unlimited storage. You can sign up for the beta at https://www.plex.tv/cloud/
• AT&T to launch DirecTV Now streaming video service before 2017
  – AT&T’s Randall Stephenson announced the company’s DirecTV Now service will launch before the end of the year. DirecTV Now will provide more than 100 premium cable TV channels over the Internet in the US. The service will allow two streams per household with more streams possibly available for purchase. AT&T may also bundle wit with wireless or broadband Internet service. No other details were given. Stephensnon says the company is 90% done with deals for content. Bloomberg reports on sources saying AT&T plans for its upcoming streaming TV service, DirecTV Now, to be its primary video platform within 5 years. 
• AT&T to launch DirecTV Now streaming video service before 2017
  – ReCode reports its sources say Verizon is in advanced talks to acquire video startup Vessel. Vessel is run by former Hulu CEO Jason Kilar. Vessel has been allegedly working on a new product described as “Snapchat-like,” with image filters and other features. Recode’s Peter Kafka points out Verizon has listed video among the main reasons for acquiring AOL and soon Yahoo.
• Netflix Targeting 50% of Content to Be Original Programming, CFO Says
  – Netflix CFO David Wells told an audience at the Goldman Sachs conference Tuesday that Netflix is on track for half its content offering to be made up of Netflix originals within the next few years. Wells said not every show needs to be a home run either saying they can live with singles and doubles. This is a baseball metaphor which means not every show has to be a huge hit. Wells also said of customers who cancel Netflix, between 33% and 50% eventually return to subscribe to the service.

Dispatches from the Front

The Canadian streaming service Shomi which was launched officially in 2015 by cable giants Rogers and Shaw will close down on November 30th and Rogers estimated a $100-140 million investment loss on their 3rd quarter earnings.

According to Toronto’s Solutions Research Group (SRG) the services of Shomi and Crave (Bell Media) had one seventh the subscribers of Netflix. As a Rogers Cable Internet customer it was added as part of my tier with no apparent price increases, so I’m sure many of the subscribers they had may not be actively contributing to revenue.

This was the service where I watched shows like Mr. Robot, Last Man on Earth, Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the original seasons of Black Mirror. Not sure if another provider will then pickup the streaming rights to these shows or I will have to look to iTunes for purchasing them.

• Shomi is shutting down

 

 

Hi Tom and Brian,

A few months ago, I sent in my review about Playstation Vue service. I wasn’t thrilled with it at the time, especially the DVR functionality, so I cancelled it after the free trial.

A few weeks ago I decided to give it another shot. In Chicago we now have access to CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox and the DVR functionality has greatly improved and I am thrilled by the progress made in just a few months. Last week I unplugged all my cable boxes in preparation of the conversion and my family was on board.

Today, when cancelling my Comcast service I thought I would do a little research for your show and cancelled using their online chat service. It was easy, I didn’t have to deal with the retention department and it was actually a pleasant experience.

If listeners are looking for a non-stressful Comcast cancellation experience, the chat service is the way to go.

Love the show.

– John from Chicago

 

 

Hey guys, it’s your boss.

I got bored tonight and decided to do the chicken challenge with Directv. My bill had crept over $125/mo (TV only) and I had the family convinced that sling or PlayStation vue were viable. I managed to get $50 off my bill, so I stayed. However, in looking for negotiation leverage I peeked at the intro prices for the various packages and found that they were darn close to the full rates for ongoing customers.

Select $50 new —> $51.99 existing
Entertainment $55 new —> $61.99 existing
Choice $60 new —> $74.99 existing
Xtra $70 new —> $81.99 existing
Utlimate $75 new —> $91.99 existing
Premier $125 new —> $144.99 existing

I find it interesting that the bottom has such a small gap in the new subscriber’s and existing. I have two wild speculations about this: first, cord cutting has made the customers at that price point need ongoing low prices, so the difference has reduced – not the top tier is $20/mo more. Second, I believe that they make up a lot of the price difference in hardware. Part of my agreement was $30/mo off for hardware. So in 2 years, that bill jumps up because of the devices and not the service. This artificially makes all the plans look cheaper, because none of them are possible without the box.

Speaking of boxes, Directv isn’t offering the GenieGo anymore, and my rep said that it was because they were preparing a streaming-only service. He said a lot of things, though, so I would only use random service rep’s word as the basis for wild speculation.

Keep up the good work.

– Joe

 

 

For this fall seasons there are all of the CW shows that I love and I want to show support. I am a cord killer and let’s say I have a system to get TV. However for these shows I want to do the most that I can to show my support. Bryan since you have had a network TV show what things make a difference for TV execs?

– Martin

 

Links

www.patreon.com/cordkillers

 

Netflix asks FCC to crack down on data caps, CBS All Access adds a commercial free tier, and do you still care about a new TiVo model? With special guest Dan Benjamin.

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CordKillers: Ep. 136 – Netflerks
Recorded: September 12 2016
Guest: Dan Benjamin

Intro Video

• The Marvel Symphonic universe

Primary Target

• Netflix asks FCC to review data caps
  –  Netflix has filed a request with the FCC to add data caps to its annual review of telecommunications deployment (usually focuses on availability and speed)
  – Netflix: “the Commission should hold that data caps on fixed-­line networks ­­and low data caps on mobile networks­­ may unreasonably limit Internet television viewing and are inconsistent with Section 706.”
• FCC changes cable box rules to please industry, gets blowback anyway
• Comcast to FCC: Your set-top box plan is illegal
  – FCC modified cable set-top box rules adopting most of the suggestions from Cable industry
  – original plan allowed third-party software
  – Industry proposed provider-made software for linear and on-demand content only in HTML5
  – FCC changed to provider software but requires recording functionality and support of non-HTML5 if used by a “widely deployed platforms, such as Roku, Apple iOS, Windows and Android.”
  – operators with more than 1 million subs must comply within two years. 400K- 1 million 4 years. below 400K exempt.
  – Standard license for software to be used by all operators
  – Comcast to Ars: “empowers the Commission to hand over to a third party [pay-TV companies’] rights to the proprietary technologies and service that make up their apps,”
  – Wheeler also wrote that all copyright and licensing agreements will remain intact, since “the delivery of pay-TV programming will continue to be overseen by pay-TV providers from end-to-end.”
  – NCTA: ” “Programmers today do not pool and offer uniform rights across all platforms and uses.”
  – Final vote scheduled for September 29
  – SUMMARY UPSHOT: FCC will let cable companies write the software apps but require DVR functions and a single license for the software. Cablecos. are upset most about the license because they think it will threaten licensing deals for shows.”

Signal Intelligence

• CBS All Access commercial-free option costs $4 more a month
  – CBS All Access – exclusive future home of Star Trek: Discovery in the US — will offer a commercial free version of the service for $10 a month
  – Current offer is $6 a month
  – Also coming to Xbox One
  – SUMMARY UPSHOT: CBS first big service after Hulu to offer a commercial-free tier.

Gear Up

• New TiVo Bolt+
• TiVo’s new interface will cut down on channel surfing
• TiVo is working on a network DVR that’ll broadcast to your non-TVs
  – Rovi completed takeover of TiVo
  – New TiVo interface
  – Centered around surfacing what you want to watch rather than just showing everything that’s on.
  – FCC filing from TiVo describes a networked OTA DVR similar to Tablo or simple.tv (codenamed Mantis)
  – HOWEVER – Today TiVo announced an update to the Bolt, called the Bolt+ for $499 (+$200 over orig)
  – Can record up to 6 channels at once (2 more than orig)
  – 3TB hard drive (vs. 1 TB orig)
  – Glossy black
  – No HDR yet could come in update. (does do 4K just like original Bolt)
  – On sale Thursday Sept. 15

Under Surveillance

• Ron Howard Puts a Family on Mars in First Trailer
  – A trailer is out for a NatGeo series called Mars from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. The six-part series weaves a scripted drama about the first Mars mission in 2033 with doc-style interviews about the reality of such a mission. Mars premieres in 171 countries in November. (Thx Kristi Kates!)
• Trailer for Netlix’s sci-fi movie, ARQ
  – And a Trailer out for Netflix SciFi movie ARQ about a man who gets shot and wakes up remembering the future. Very Edge of Tomorrow.Coming September 16. 
• HBO has plotted out at least five seasons for its sci-fi drama Westworld
  – HBO’s Westworld halted production last fall because they wanted the writers to lay out at least five seasons worth of episodes. Westwolrd Premiers October 2
• Justin Timberlake’s concert film debuts on Netflix October 12th
  – Justin Timberlake’s concert film debuts on Netflix October 12th. Justin Timberlake and The Tennessee Kids, the title is the performance from the Las Vegas stop of the singer’s 20/20 Experience Tour. 
• Netflix confirms Stranger Things season two for 2017
• Netflix confirms new ‘Narcos’ seasons 
• Netflix orders a series from ‘Mythbusters’ veterans
  – Netflix has ordered White Rabbit Project from former Mythbusters Kari Byron, Grant Imahara and Tory Belleci who will investigate strange topics using science. Coming December 9th. 
• Hulu’s ‘Future Man’ is a gamer’s dream-turned TV show
  – Hulu has a 13-episode comedy series called Future Man starring Josh Hutcherson (Peeta in Hunger Games) as janitor/dejected gamer recruited by mysterious visitors to save humanity. Includes Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg as producers. Coming in 2017
• Bill Nye is getting a talk show on Netflix
  – Netflix will launch a talk show called Bill Nye Saves the World next year. “Each episode will tackle a topic from a scientific point of view, dispelling myths, and refuting anti-scientific claims.” Tonight Show’s Mike Drucker is head writer and Phil Plait is head science writer. 
• Brian: Mr. Robot (209, 210), Justified (308 only), Narcos 201-205
• Tom: Justified (308, 309), Mr. Robot (209, 210), X-Men Apocalypse, Hitchcock
• Dan: Netflix Chef’s Table, The Good Wife, Mr. Robot
• On the Lookout: Expedition Overland

Front Lines

• Amazon Said to Seek Sports Video Rights From Tennis to Rugby
  – Bloomberg’s sources tell it Amazon is looking into buying the rights to live sporting events. Tennis, rugby, golf, soccer and auto racing are among the sports named. They might also look to add sports networks as add-ons. Amazon hired a former Sports Illustrated exec James DeLorenzo and former YouTube exec Charlie Neiman to build partnerships with sports companies. 
• Time Inc. readies streaming TV network
  – Time Inc. will launch its first streaming network Tuesday called People/Entertainment Weekly Network or PEN. The free ad-supported network will launch on Roku, Amazon, Fire TV, Apple TV and Chromecast with 50 hours of existing programming and 15 original series coming in the year. 
• PlayStation 4 will play Netflix and YouTube videos in HDR
  – Sony announced new PlayStation models last week. The new PS Pro will be able to play 4K videos from Netflix and all PS4 models will get an update to allow HDR videos from the services. 
• Sony Bravia TVs to lose YouTube access
  – After September 30, Sony Bravia TVs from before 2012 will no longer be able to play YouTube. According to Sony, YouTube is exceeding the capability of the older hardware, likely a reference to encrypted connections. 
• Sling TV’s streaming service for cord cutters hits Windows 10
  – Sling TV added the Pac-12 network to its sports package and Starz as a $9 a month add-on. Sling TV also launched a Winodws 10 app. 
• Fire TV and Fire TV Stick updated with better voice search, personalized recommendations from HBO & Netflix
  – The latest Fire TV update integrates search across 75 apps. Roku claims 25 and Apple says 30. So the race for cross-app search continues. 

Dispatches from the Front
Hey guys,

Just listened to this past week’s show and wanted to add some points about your experiences with NBCs coverage of the Olympics.

Admittingly, I tend to live in the NBCSN app for most of the year because they have exclusive rights to English Premier League soccer, but I found that the NBCSN app did most of the things you were saying they should for the Olympics.

The app on my phone updated and added the Olympic rings in the icon. When I opened it, it gave me the chance to select Olympic events, athletes and/or countries I wanted to track.

Then I would receive live notifications each day telling me when an important event was about to start and give me the option to just click on it to go to the live stream and watch.

I would get what seemed like at least a dozen notifications a day that included my preferences and other random events it considered note worthy (so for example “Watch the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt run in the 200m semi.” And so on)

One complaint though is that most events tended to be a raw feed. If it made the primetime broadcast, that would be when you would get the actual commentary or special athlete profile segments. During the day, if it was not something broadcast on live TV it was just the event with sounds from the venue.

Aside from the Olympic stuff…wanted to offer a tip for Premier League fans. All games are broadcast on TV, but depending on the cable company some games are in SD. However in the app, all games are HD. There is also a RedZone like, app only channel called Goal Rush. This shows the game of the day live and cuts to big plays and goals in all of the games. Definitely great if you have a fantasy team.

Cheers!
– Byron NYC

 

 

Hey Tom and Brian,

Wanted to throw a quick comment (non-advertising related) regarding your discussion on The Departed. The movie, despite being often as “original” or a “masterpiece”, is not original. The movie itself is a remake of the 2002 award-winning film “Infernal Affairs” from Hong Kong (the true “original” has a prequel and sequel as well, of which portions were incorporated in the American remake). I don’t believe it’s on Netflix though it’s available for rent and purchase on Amazon.

Best,
– Derrick

 

 

Hey Cord Killers,

What would be the best way to watch The CW without cable? I’ve used the Xbox app but it’s not that great, & the app has adds. Would you recommend buying an HD antenna, or buying season passes for the DC TV shows on Amazon?

If antenna is the better route, what brand would you recommend?

Thanks,
– Zach

 

• The Best Indoor HDTV Antenna

 

 

Hey guys,
You keep saying that Netflix has the new star trek discovery show for everywhere but the US…well you forgot about Canada. Bell Media outbid Netflix, will air the premiere on CTV and then the rest on the SPACE channel. Which you need cable for!!
They say it may be available “later” for streaming. Space also got the entire star trek back catalogue that will just air…on cable…not streaming

Man…Bell sucks.

– Joel

 

 

 

Hey Brian and Tom,

On your recent discussion of how to retain your in country Netflix experience while traveling, my solution has been to use a VPN tied to my home router. I run Tomato on my Asus router (because I’m a geek) but I’m wondering if the router vendors are starting to include VPN software as well. I had no issues traveling to Europe or South America and keeping my home version of Netflix.

Granted, roll your own VPN is probably more complicated than most are interested messing with, but the router vendors might have an opportunity to differentiate their product for the globetrotting public.

– Bryan

• polarcloud

Links

www.patreon.com/cordkillers