The strange experiments of networks to lure cord-cutters. Plus, why Roku just got banned in Mexico.

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CordKillers: Ep.  177 – It’s Not That We Don’t Love You
Recorded: July 3 2017
Guest: None

Intro Video

• Cordkillers happening now

Primary Target

• AMC wants to charge you an extra $5 a month to watch its shows without commercials
  – AMC Premiere for Comcast Pay TV subscribers
  – $5 a month ad-free AMC shows on AMC app while logged in with Comcast ID
  – Has more deleted scenes and may have originals.
• NBCUniversal will stream Premier League soccer games, no cable subscription required
  – NBC offering $50 Premiere league pass, no cable sub necessary
  130 live games in US as well as studio shows
  – Games shown on NBC broadcast and cable will not be available

How to Watch

• Roku banned in Mexico over piracy concerns
  – Roku has been banned in Mexico
  – Televisa-owned Cablevision sued Roku because users were hacking it to watch pirated TV
  – Cablevision’s complaint: “We would also like Roku Inc to better supervise the use of its software so that it’s not used inappropriately.”
  – Roku says it’s not enabling the channels distributing pirated content on its platforms, and is taking them down when found.
  – Non-certified channels that are added to Roku through a system the company had set up with the intention of allowing developers to test channels without publicizing them to the entire Roku audience. These channels are not available in the Roku Channel Store
  – Roku plans to fight the decision.
• Cinesift
  – Movie database site that combines Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, Letterboxd and Metacritic scores, with Netflix and Amazon Prime availability (Updated to include more Reddit suggested features) [OC]

What to Watch

• Watch the trailer for Rick and Morty season 3, streaming from July 30th
• Netflix is going to make a two-hour episode to wrap up the story of Sense8 to be released next year.
• The first episode of Forces of Destiny is out on the Disney YouTube channel. It features Rey on Jakku with BB8.
• Netpicks for July 2017

What We’re Watching

• Brian: Justified, Okja, Preacher part 2 premiere, Robocop
• Tom: Justified, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Doctor Who, Okja, Preacher
• On the Lookout: Beyond

Front Lines

• Tablo easily turns Android TV boxes into standalone DVRs
  – The Tablo USB dual-tuner dongle is available for $70. The device plugs into an antenna and an Android TV box like the Shield TV to create a DVR. The guide data is free for the first six months and after that costs $4 a month or $40 a year.
• Twitter to stream live coverage of Wimbledon and Comic-Con
  – Twitter will broadcast the opening preview night from San Diego Comic-Con in partnership with IGN. Twitter is also streaming Wimbledon coverage like interviews and highlight reels, but no live matches this year.
• Streaming service Boomerang is now available on Apple TV. It also added its first original series, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz.
• You only have to log into NBC’s app once across Apple devices
  – NBC’s iOS app now works with Apple’s single sign-on in addition to its Apple TV app. Users only have to sing in once to be signed in across all devices linked to their Apple ID.
• Netflix is bringing Dolby Atmos surround sound to its original content starting with Okja
  – Netflix announced Okja is being presented in Dolby’s High Dynamic Range with Dolby Atmos sound. Some LG TVs as well as the Xbox One and Xbox One S can stream Atmos content. Netflix original movies, Blame! Death Note and Bright will all be released in Atmos as well.
• Seeso Is Selling Two of Its Shows to AT&T-Backed VRV, May Be Preparing to Shut Down
  – Seeso has sold two of its original programs, My Brother, My Brother and Me and Harmonquest; to Otter Media, which runs streaming service aggregate VRV. The shows will appear on VRV, but details of where/what plans the shows will appear on have not been confirmed. Decider’s sources said that other original Seeso programs could be up for sale.

Dispatches from the Front

The idea of “interactive TV” has been floating around for some time and really only becomes a legit possibility with streaming or internet-provided content. Only recently has cable TV had the ability to achieve this but also via an internet link to process viewer input. But streaming makes the most sense I believe.

I can certainly see this progressing to the point you’re watching a show or movie and are able to actively interact with the characters on screen especially by voice. We tell our Apple TVs, Amazon Fire TVs, Siri, Alexa etc. what we want now so why couldn’t we just yell “Look to the left!” or “Watch out behind you!” or “Turn right” at key points in a show (possibly whenever an interaction icon appeared on screen). The possible increased level of engagement with the audience might help keep viewers watching more so than otherwise. So these first baby steps do make sense if it hopes to catch on. And why not start with the kids? Get them comfortable with the simple versions now so that as they grow, and the tech develops, they grow right along. There’s also less of a need to take it to big screens now since these shows are being watched close-up by the kids and they can just press their screens to direct the action.

The other question on this is where does the line between interactive “show” and video game get drawn? If we just start directing all the action, or most of it, aren’t we just playing a fancy video game with great, albeit realistic, graphics? Video game graphics have also improved tremendously as have the non-controller methods of interaction such as motion and voice.

Then lets mix in VR and AR and 360 (or 180) and, and, and …. Ahh hell, just beam me on to the holodeck already. Isn’t that where we all want to go anyway?

– Armando

 

 

 

Brian

Just one quick thought on the Netflix Interactive stories. I agree with you that traditional video doesn’t make for a compelling interactive viewing experience, HOWEVER – what if you apply interactive storytelling to the VR experience? What if Netflix takes their learnings from this flat/2D viewing experience, and commissions 360 degree storytellers to make a series of short films with multiple overlapping storylines where the viewer drives the plot forward through there interactions?

Does this make you more or less interested?

– Andy

 

 

 

I want to offer a suggestion as to what might be the potential service that could dethrone Netflix. As I was listening to your discussion one thing that kept being mentioned as a reason for the success for some of the current streaming services was their access to Disney content. So what happens if Disney – ABC pulls all their content from existing services and instead launches it exclusively on their own product?

And to make this even a more intriguing proposition, this service could also include new original content focused around some of their most popular properties such as Marvel and Star Wars. Just imagine if they took a similar approach that they have used for Daredevil and applied it to the Star Wars Universe. I could see a lot of people signing up for this new service just for that prospect alone.
For me, a service that included the entire range of the Disney Vault, access to ABC properties like Modern Family and Once Upon a Time, plus all of the ESPN sports programming would be an absolute must buy. Without a doubt it would have something that would be of interest to every member of my household.

I hope this adds to the conversation. Love the show! Keep up with the good work!

– Tony

 

 

 

Been wanting to see some of the YouTube Red content, Rhett and Link and Game Lab at least, and kids watch YouTube a lot, as well as our typical family TV time is watching the YouTube channels we follow.

So, I bite the bullet for the free YouTube Red trial, and I want to make it a family plan sorta deal … and you can’t.

There’s YouTube Red, which gives you Play Music, but no Family option … but you can get Play Music Family, which gives you YouTube Red.

Because … [reasons].

Short term solution, get all accounts on free trial and then cancel where needed and sign up for the Family Play plan in three months. I was hoping for a ‘pay the difference’ plan, but, doesn’t look like that’s an option.

I did email support, and got a quick reply which actually answered the question first go, so that’s a plus!

– Justin

 

 

 

Hi guys,

I’m a big fan of both Cord Killers and Spoilerin’ Time — but I’m curious as to why you guys say “Episode X Season X”, especially during Spoilerin’ Time? It is widely accepted that the most standard way to reference these is by “Season X Episode X” — in fact, that is how you write them in the podcast descriptions/notes (e.g. Leftovers 305, Justified 606, etc.), and I know you both have commented that this is how you are supposed to reference episodes in digital libraries and torrents, etc. (S03E05, etc.). It’s like version numbers in software: Major.Minor.Revision.

Maybe it’s not a big deal… but honestly it takes me a few extra CPU cycles in my brain to take what you say and then translate it into, “oh yeah, he means Season 3 Episode 5”.

Thanks,

– Marc

 

Links

2017 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers
 

Preacher (201), Fargo (Season 3), Better Call Saul (310), Justified (611), Summer Movie Draft

07:34 – Summer Movie Draft
10:19 – Preacher (201)
13:09 – Fargo (Season 3)
21:23 – Better Call Saul (310)
30:40 – Justified (611)

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Is the Han Solo movie in trouble or has it actually been saved? Netflix’s answer to Brian and YouTube comes with the stars for original series. With special guest Shannon Morse.

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CordKillers: Ep. 176 – It’s Cancelled If You’re Nasty
Recorded: June 26 2017
Guest: Shannon Morse

Intro Video

Primary Target

• Ron Howard Steps in to Direct Han Solo Movie
  – Wednesday Phil Lord and Chistopher Miller announced they were leaving their Directorial gig on the new Star Wars Han Solo movie saying “Unfortunately, our vision and process weren’t aligned with our partners on this project. We normally aren’t fans of the phrase ‘creative differences’ but for once this cliché is true.” Kathleen Kennedy said, “it’s become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we’ve decided to part ways.” Thursday morning Lucasfilm announced Ron Howard has been brought on board and will resume shooting July 10th. Howard said “I hope to honor the great work already done & help deliver on the promise of a Han Solo film.”

How to Watch

• Netflix debuts choose-your-own-adventure stories for kids
  – Netflix announced the debut of interactive stories that let viewers decided what happens next. The first releases are meant for younger viewers. “Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale,” launched globally Tuesday. It pauses 13 times, has two different endings, and lasts between 18 and 39 minutes. “Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile,” arrives July 14th. “Stretch Armstrong: The Breakout,” is set for sometime next year. Keep in mind, the Netflix website, Android Devices, Chromecast and Apple TV do not support interactive content at this time.

What to Watch

• New YouTube originals
  – YouTube announced six new shows and a few renewals at Vidcon last week.
  – Good Game – esports comedy from Dan Harmon starring Dan Avidan and Arin “Egoraptor” Hanson from Game Grumps. Coming August 30
  – Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television – LAPD pairs up actors with homicide detectives to solve crimes. Ryan Hansen (Veronica Mars, Party Down ) as himself and Samira Wiley (OitNB, Handmaid’s Tale) as a detective. Cameos from Joel McHale Jon Cryer and Kristen Bell. Rawson Marshall Thurber
  – Lifeline – life insurance company sends its agents forward 33 days in time to prevent the accidental deaths of its clients.
  – Do You Want To See a Dead Body? Rob Huebel (“Childrens Hospital,” “Transparent”) find a dead body at the beach. Lots of cameos as well from Adam Scott, Judy Greer, Terry Crews, Craig Robinson, and John Cho
  – FURZE WORLD WONDERS – Colin Furze, extreme inventor helps other inventors with backyard inventions.
  – Lace Up: The Ultimate Sneaker Challenge – reality show. Design and develop the next great sneaker.
  – RENEWED:
  – Escape the Night (murder mystery)
  – Rhett and Link’s Buddy System.
  – Mind Field (Psychology and neuroscience)
  – Don’t. Get. Bit. Lazer Team 2 – RoosterTeeth scifi action comedy
• The new Game of Thrones trailer teases war and a bloody winter
  – A new Game of Thrones trailer came out in advance of season 7 starting July 16. The trailer shows all the main characters in unusual and sometimes unidentifiable locations.
• Variety says HBO is in talks with Damon Lindeloff to develop a Watchmen TV show. The project would not involve Zack Snyder.
• Netflix has canceled Girlboss, the series about a Web 2.0-era entrepreneur who starts a vintage clothing store online. It had a 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

What We’re Watching

• Brian: Fargo, Justified, Better Call Saul, GLOW, Preacher
• Tom: Fargo, Justified, Better Call Saul, GLOW episode 3 only, Preacher, Twin Peaks, Despicable Me 3
• Guest: Chelsea, Terrace House, Sailor Moon Crystal, Reign Season 4, Attack on Titan
• On the Lookout:  GLOW

Front Lines

• More hotels will let you watch your own Netflix
  – AT&T announced hotels can now get DirecTV HD systems with StayCast, a Google Cast powered service. Guests must download the StayCast app and get on hotel WiFi but can then send Cast-enabled apps like Hulu and Netflix to their hotel TVs. StayCast also has a deal with Hyatt and Samsung’s Hospitality TVs.
• YouTube TV expands to ten more US metropolitan markets
  – YouTube TV expanded to Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Alabama, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Detroit, and Minneapolis-St. Paul.
• Mohu’s latest indoor antenna has a 65-mile range
  – Mohu’s antenna called the Leaf Glide, claims a 65-mile reception range, up from 50 miles in the previous model. It’s slightly bigger too at 21.5 inches by 11.5 which supposedly lets it pick up lower frequency bands better.
• Sling TV’s cloud DVR is now available on iOS
  – Sling TV has expanded the availability of its cloud DVR to iOS devices, Windows 10 and its own AirTV Player. The cloud DVR was already supported on Xbox One, Fire TV, Android, Apple TV and Roku. The DVR can be used on some but not all channels. No ABC Disney channels, including ESPN can be recorded. The AirTV player also got the ability to remove unwanted Over-the-air channels from the lineup.
• Sony crowdsources ideas for its next PlayStation TV series
  – Sony has launched its Emerging Filmmakers Program. You have until August 1st to submit a story. The top 10 concepts will be pitched to a panel of judges who will approve five to be turned into pilot episodes to be voted on by the PlayStation community. Sony will pay the top 50 pitches $250 and own the ideas. Top 10 finalists get $1,000 and the top 5 get $5,000.
• Vimeo announced it will not launch the subscription video service it announced three years ago and had been scheduled to start in 2018.

Dispatches from the Front

I have been a cord cutter for the last several years. Life has gotten much easier since solutions such as PlayStation Vue and Sling TV have been released. I have been settled on PlayStation Vue and I’m using Amazon Fire TVs to watch on my TV. Since the announcement that Amazon will have an app on the Apple TV, I am also a Prime subscriber, I have been contemplating getting an Apple TV. My main interest is in the TV app that keeps track of the shows I am watching and serves the next episode up. I was wondering if this works as advertised and is makes the new Apple TV worth purchasing. The reason I ask is that I am a little Device heavy at the moment; 1 Fire TV, 2 Fire TV sticks, 2 older Apple TVs, and Chromecast, I want to make sure the next device I buy is worth it. I appreciate your input and opinion.

– Joe

 

 

 

Hi Guys,
I’ve been thinking about what Netflix might miss out on.
The horse they didn’t bet on. I’m going to go with plug-ins. Whether it’s HBO, Showtime, or CBS/CW, we aren’t getting everything from one source other than cable. Youtube is close now with their offering of live TV and Amazon is close as well, with their “channel” options.

So I’m calling it now. The next couple years will be the battle of the UI. Which service you use will depend on not only original content, but the UI itself and the extras it provides.

Examples:
Multiple Profiles are becoming common place.
Can they include RSS feeds of shows you like, but not offered within the channel?
What type of PlayLists can they provide:
– manually set up of shows you love
– a shuffle mode of similar type shows (for the lay back experience),
– new this week playlists so you aren’t behind on your current shows but watching them on your schedule.

Now the new thing is networks and more importantly local networks. Netflix hasn’t jumped into any of that. Do they consider HBO competition or should it be a value addon. HBO and Amazon, as well as Hulu and Showtime, seem to be working side by side. This gives Prime, as an example, an advantage. Viewers can watch Game of Thrones in the same UI as Transparent, next to Preacher (Starz), next to Shameless (Showtime), while Netflix only has their originals. So, in my opinion, Netflix should jump on this ban wagon quickly.

Final thought, I’ve been waiting a long time for 3-month or 6-month subscription cards. We as cord cutters are cash conscious. We may want something like See-so or Britbox but they feel a bit expensive. Yet, I would have no problem putting it on a Xmas or birthday wish list. Hulu spoiled me with their cards as I would give them to my daughter for a year of service every year for Xmas, but now I need more options for my viewing needs.

Thanks as always for the Show and the time you put into them.

– Nicky

 

 

 

I recently dropped Comcast cable in favor of DirecTV Now/Netflix/Hulu/Prime on Apple TV. The strange reason was the data usage policy that Comcast has and the viewing differences of generations. We have 5 teens and they don’t watch cable at all; it’s all about streaming for them and we were close to the cap every month and needed to babysit it. We finally decided to go digital. While the monthly cost is about the same I love the consumption model much better now that we are adjusted. I can easily see a future without DirecTV Now as well.

– Bill 

Links

2017 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers

Better Call Saul (309), Justified (610), Summer Movie Draft.
06:10 – Summer Movie Draft
10:06 – Better Call Saul (309)
23:02 – Justified (610)

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What Netflix needs to do to survive, why Apple hired Sony’s TV presidents, and whether Netflix should warn you about download limits. Brian says no! With special guest Kristi Kates.

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CordKillers: Ep. 175 – Netflix Killers
Recorded:  June 19 2017
Guest:  Kristi Kates

Intro Video

• Kylo Ren ASMR

Primary Target

• 80% Cut the Cord Because Cable TV is Simply Too Expensive
  – A report from TiVo shows nearly half of pay TV subscribers are at least considering cutting the cord and that 80% of cord cutters made the change because pay TV was too expensive. After price the main reasons for cord-cutting were given as the availability of streaming services and the use of over the air antennas. Of those unsatisfied with their current Pay TV service 81.4% said it was the high price, 32.9% said it was poor customer service and 29.9% said it was the quality of the TV service.
• Netflix has more American subscribers than cable TV
  – Leichtman research estimates that as of the first three months of 2017, Netflix has 50.85 million US subscribers and all cable TV outlets combined have 48.61 million. That doesn’t include satellite TV service like Dish and DirecTV but still, Netflix can say they’re bigger than cable. As for Internet-only services Leichtman estimates Sling TV has 1.36 million subscribers and DirecTV Now has 375,000. YouTube TV and Hulu TV hadn’t launched yet in the time period covered.

How to Watch

• Apple has hired two well-regarded TV execs to ramp up its original video plans
  – Apple has hired Sony TV joint Presidents Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg. The two men helped bring about shows like Breaking Bad, The Shield, Justified and Shark Tank. They’ll both report to Eddy Cue.

What to Watch

• Star Trek: Discovery Begins September 24
  – Star Trek Discovery’s 15-episode first season will start September 24 with the first 8 episodes running until November 5th. The last seven will begin streaming in January.
• Yes, The Dark Tower Movie Is a Sequel to the Books
  – About the Dark Tower, Nick Arcel told IGN “It is, in fact, a continuation. It is a canon continuation. That’s exactly what we intended and what Stephen King has signed off on.”
• Bill Nye Saves the World will be back for a second season

What We’re Watching

• Brian: Justified, Better Call Saul, Flight of the Conchords
• Tom: Justified, American Gods, Fargo, Better Call Saul, Twin Peaks, Orphan Black, Handmaid’s Tale
• Kristi: Star Trek Voyager,  Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Gravity is Just a Habit
• On the Lookout:  Brown Girls

Front Lines

• Musical.ly debuts original mini-shows from NBC and MTV
  – The lip-syncing social video app Musical.ly released its first original content to run along side user created videos, after inking deals with Viacom, NBCUniversal and Hearst Magazines Digital Media. The content is designed to be interactive, encouraging viewers to send in responses. The 2-4 minute episodes air weekly from the MTV, E! and Seventeen at launch, free to all users without ads. Shows will be featured in Musical.ly’s trending section for 24-hours after dropping.
• Time Warner has signed a two-year deal with Snapchat for 10 original shows a year, including scripted drama and comedies.
• Amazon Prime video users who add Showtime, HBO, Cinemax and Starz will now be able to login to the services individual apps with their Amazon accounts.
• DirecTV Now’s latest attempt to draw new subscribers is a free Roku Premiere
  – AT&T is offering two free Roku Premiere boxes for new DirecTV subscribers who pay for two months service up front. The Roku Premiere normally costs $70 and can handle 4K content, though DirecTV Now does not yet stream in 4K.
• Netflix places limits on how many times you can download certain content
  – Android Police noted that Netflix has limits on how many times you can download it’s shows for offline viewing. Combined with the fact that every download has an expiration date that requires a re-download, this could catch people who repeatedly run out of time to view a downloaded show or download to multiple devices. Netflix doesn’t tell you what the limit is, and Android Police says it seems to vary by show.
• Sling TV rolls out a better DVR with an option to protect recordings, record from Fox
  – Sling TV has added the ability to protect a recording from deletion on its $5 a month 50-hour cloud DVR service. Sling will also start showing the option to a record a show from the franchise screen, not just episode screens. And episodes from the same show will be grouped into folders now on Roku and eventually on other platforms as well. The DVR is now available on the Fire TV and Xbox platforms and finally Fox channels are now available to record.

Dispatches from the Front

Tom and Brian,

First time commenter long time listener!

I wanted to weigh in on the discussion around why Netflix content has such an memorable impact to the market. I believe Netflix’s secret sauce is its ease of access to its service.

If you recall, right out of the gate, Netflix’s streaming service was available on multiple platforms including smartphones, tablets, smart TV’s as well as DVD/Bluray players and gaming platforms (Xbox 360/One, PlayStation 3/4, Nintendo Wii/Wii U, xDS). Users both technically savvy and not could access Netflix’s content and have a very similar experience within their comfort zone. In my opinion, this helped Netflix leapfrog the competition and solidify itself in the space. Even now, Netflix continues to target ease of access by integrating Netflix into cord-keeping offerings like Comcast’s voice enabled x1 platform.

Love the show!

– Mike

 

 

 

 

Hi guys! Debbie from hot and sticky San Antonio here (oh wait, that’s a different show). I’m listening to you guys talk about Katy Perry’s livestreaming (show 174) and I feel the need to point out that Katy Perry’s livestream was the same basic format as that of CBS’s Big Brother. Fly On The Wall Productions, which is involved with Big Brother, produced Katy Perry’s five-day livestream. The Big Brother live feeds are on CBS All Access, and a new cast debuts later this month.

– Debbie

 

 

 

 

I wanted to update you guys on what Vidangel.com. They recently released a new service to filter video content over the top of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. Thanks for your podcast, I enjoy the up to date news on all things media-ish.

– Michael

 

 

 

 

FYI: In order to watch Scam School on the Science Channel when it airs, I found that I can sign up for a free 5 day trial of Playstation Vue. Unfortunately, this means I cannot confirm this will work until after Cordkillers airs. Why only 5 days?

– Brian

 

 

 

Hello Cordkillers,

Nicole Lee’s complaint about not being able to change the stop time on recordings is one of my biggest pet peeves with PlayStation Vue. When you start a “recorded” show it will ask you if you want to see the DVR version or the On Demand version. The DVR version lets you fast forward commercials. However, way too often the recorded version cuts off before the last few minutes of the show. This happens more often with certain shows (Doctor Who and Better Call Saul are two I can recall). Of course you can’t fast forward the on-demand version so you can’t jump to the end to see what you missed. As far as I can tell there is no setting to record X minutes longer. So frustrating.

– Keith

 

 

 

 

Tom and Brian,

Was curious if you’d ever done any review on the Select TV service or discussed their future SelectTV One set top box.
Their service looks like Just Watch on steroids for $2.99 a month.

Could their SelectTV One box be the ala carte solution Brian has longed for once ATSC 3.0 gets rolling?
Look forward to your next show…

– Armando

Links

2017 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers
 

House of Cards (Season 5), Better Call Saul (308), Justified (609), Summer Movie Draft.
01:23 – Summer Movie Draft
05:39 – House of Cards (Season 5)
17:48 – Better Call Saul (308)
23:31 – Justified (609)

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Wonder Woman, Leftovers (307-308), Justified (608), Summer Movie Draft.
00:54 – Summer Movie Draft
08:02 – Wonder Woman
17:33 – Leftovers (307-308)
31:19 – Justified (608)

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Plex goes live, Tablo adds more tuners, and Apple TV gets ready to add Amazon.

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The Leftovers (306), Better Call Saul (307), Fargo (306), Justified (607), Summer Movie Draft.

00:47 – Summer Movie Draft
04:14 – The Leftovers (306)
10:28 – Better Call Saul (307)
15:38 – Fargo (306)
22:15 – Justified (607)

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Verizon gets into over the top streaming, Facebook dropping thousands, and people don’t like cable companies. With special guest Ron Richards.

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CordKillers: Ep. 172 – Cordkilling Purgatory
Recorded: May 29 2017
Guest: Ron Richards

Intro Video

• Oats Studios “Volume 1” – Teaser Trailer

Primary Target

• Verizon CEO confirms company’s plan to launch a streaming TV service
  – Verizon’s acquisition of Yahoo is expected to close mid-June
  – Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam expects to use the Combined Yahoo-AOL, which will be called Oath, to “test out an over the top service.”
  – This would be different than Go90.
  – Verizon is paying the NFL some $21 million for rights to the Sept. 24 regular-season game between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars in London, and the telco will stream the game live across its portfolio of video platforms including AOL, Yahoo, Fios TV, Go90 and Complex.com.

How to Watch

• Facebook signs BuzzFeed, Vox, others for original video shows
  – Sources tell Reuters Facebook has signed deals with Vox Media, BuzzFeed, ATTN, Group Nine Media and others to make shows. A new video service from Facebook would have long and short-form content with ad breaks. Scripted shows would run 20-30 minutes and unscripted shows range 5- 10 minutes long. Facebook is supposedly paying up to $250,000 for the longer shows and between 10 and 35,000 for the shorter episodes. Shows will premiere exclusively on Facebook but run on creators sites after a period of time.

What to Watch

• The first trailer for the animated Netflix show, Castlevania, is out. The show arrives July 7th.
• Trailer for Game of Thrones season 7 out. Returns to HBO July 16.
• Orphan Black final season trailer out. Returns to BBC America June 10.

What We’re Watching

• Brian: Better Call Saul, Fargo, Justified, The Leftovers, The Wizard of Lies
• Tom: Better Call Saul, Bob’s Burgers, Fargo, Justified, Handmaid’s Tale, The Leftovers, American Gods
• Ron: Twin Peaks, Iron Fist,  The Get Down, The Good Fight
• On the Look Out:  Catastrophe

Front Lines

• Netflix is bringing Ellen DeGeneres back to standup
  – Netflix posted on Twitter to Ellen Degeners “Looks like it’s been 15 years since you did a stand-up special, @TheEllenShow. How about one for Netflix?” She replied “Let me think about it. OK I’m in.” In an official statement Ellen sais she’s writing it now and will let folks know where and wen it will be recorded.
• Netflix cancels Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Get Down’
  – Netflix will not give Baz Luhrman’s The Get Down another season. It’s unusual for Netflix to cancel shows especially after only one season.
• The Cable TV Industry Is Getting Even Less Popular
  – A survey from the American Customer Satisfaction index found that cable operators and ISPs tied for last place with an average customer satisfaction rating of 64%. That’s down 1.5 percentage points for cable. Wireless carriers improved 3 points to 73%. Comcast was near the bottom at 58% down six points just above Mediacom’s 56%. Verizon FiOS was top of TV services at 71%. The top-ranked industries in this year’s survey were makers of television and video players at 87%, and soft drink makers at 84%.
• Almost every adult still watches TV the old-fashioned way
  – Nielsen’s numbers show 92 percent of those older than 18 watch television on a TV. And 82.1% of total minutes of TV watched last year were watched on a TV. Computers, phones and tablets made up less than 8 percent of total viewing time.
• Jon Stewart isn’t doing an animated HBO show anymore
  – Jon Stewart’s four year deal to create animated shorts for HBO has been shelved. A joint statement said “technical issues in terms of production and distribution that proved too difficult given the quick turnaround and topical nature of the material.” HBO and Stewart said in their statement that they’re now working to develop new projects, “which you will be hearing about in the near future.”
• Twitter for Apple TV adds live, 360 degree video and Periscope’s global map
  – Twitter updated its Apple TV app to include support for Periscope’s Global Map and the ability to watch live 360-degree videos. Viewers use the Apple TV remote to navigate the 360-degree videos.

Dispatches from the Front

Hey, guys. Just have a couple of questions about all of the proxy banning going on.
I’m an American, living in America, with an American debit card and accounts that were all set up without anonymization. I just got DD-WRT set up on a new router so I could run openVPN and anonymize my traffic without breaking things like Google Cast and wifi direct by running VPN clients on individual machines.
I had forgotten, however, that Hulu and Amazon Prime are blocking proxies and VPNs with startling aggression. While my Netflix still works, it’s only a matter of time for that one as well.
I’m wondering what the logic is to so aggressively blocking VPNs, especially on accounts that have all the markers of being American except a verifiable IP address (I typically use a Florida server).
Am I expected to give up the only thing really protecting my online privacy, and my data, just because Hulu and Amazon Prime want to use a butcher knife instead of a scalpel to solve their (arguably) imaginary VPN problem?

– Dean

 

 

 

Hi Guys and possible Guest,

I finally did it, I cut the cable. I still had to keep the phone to keep my modem free for my internet. (Keeping the phone makes my bill $85 vs $89 but it was $156}

Now comes the next step. What services do I want to go with. So in Jun, I’m doing Playstation, July might be Sling if Playstation doesn’t work out. August will either be YouTube or Hulu. [Leaning more towards Youtube if it gets to Omaha]

My question is about these services and which is GeoLocked to the home and which ones aren’t. My daughter is quite used to watching Hulu and Youtube, when at work or her Dad’s all of which is in my same city. Do we have any information on these two and if they tv options can be watched out of the home?

Thanks
– Nicky

 

 

 

 

Hey guys,

As one that lives just slightly out of reach of high speed broadband (100mb/s stops 3/4 of a mile down the road from me). I use a 4G wireless router in the house with 2mb/s download.

With limited bandwith but still having a household of people fighting for the bits, I was curious if you could point me to streaming services that best accomodate.

My personal anecdotal experience:

Netflix the best as it seemlessly buffers and downres’s to fit the stream without ever a hiccup for me.
Youtube second as it allows me to several different res options that I can pick manually if I experience trouble.
Hulu next as it is usually consistent but very limited options for res changes if I experience problems.
Crackle, same experience as Hulu but the limited show options cause me to rank lower.
Vudu, worst for me, always defaults back to HD res, tends to freeze up when I switch to SD. Even at SD, I have to disconnect every cell phone, game devise and computer from network to stream.

Just thoughts from one of the majority in this country not on Gigabit fiber.

– Joe

 

 

 

Hi Killers,

With the arrival of “American Gods” on Starz I decided to try the service with their 7 day free trial. I quickly decided that there was nothing else on Starz that I cared about watching. Also, their Android app provided a really poor experience. So I decided to take Brian’s advice and look at this logically. I have no great need to watch this series live. I cancelled Starz. Instead, I will wait until it’s offered for purchase. I might have to wait a year. Oh well. As you both often point out, there is plenty of fun stuff to watch in the meantime.

Been a fan and supporter since the beginning. You guys make me laugh, which is reason enough to continue. Love. The. Show.

– Lisa

 

 

 

 

Hey Guys,

Talking about ESPN for sports is almost like talking about MTV for music. While ESPN has a lot of shows ABOUT sports, they don’t actually air that many games.

I am fully against them counting eyeballs in bars towards their numbers. Most bars have ESPN talk shows on throughout the day that no one is actually watching because, really, what else are they going to put on when there are no local sports games playing. I think that stacking the numbers like this will give them leverage to keep charging their obnoxiously high fees which will in turn keep all of the cable rates, and potentially streaming service rates, high.

I love your show and never miss an episode, but whenever there is a sports question and you guys bring up ESPN, I cringe. I am a huge sports fan and I wouldn’t even notice if someone removed ESPN and all of its channels from whatever service I was paying for at the time.

Your boss and long-time fan,
– Ryan

 

Links

2017 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers