Unbox Now Amazon Video on Demand

Hulu, Netflix, and iTunes have another competitor in the digital download arena. Unbox is new and improved with a revised name that more accurately describes what it is. While some have applauded the new look, others have found the Amazon viewing experience less than enjoyable. "Amazon bridges current offerings from iTunes, Hulu, and Netflix, though it’s important to note that, like iTunes, none of its content is ad-supported. It beats iTunes on TV because it has NBC, and it beats Hulu on movies because it has far more of them. Netflix’s movie service, meanwhile, only provides streaming for PCs." We are clearly in a learning mode with rapid change of these players. The average viewer is still trying to get the hang out of VOD and DVR on their cable box, but internet viewing will surely grow extremely quickly as more players emerge and more marketing reaches the masses.

Comcast and Fancast better watch out. As a Comcast user I wonder, how many shows can I watch before I hit my limit. Competition in streaming will only get more intense and your customers will not put up with slow downloads and jerky pictures, especially if it is determined that the cause is their ISP and not the web page.

Direct TV Learns its Lesson, Re-ups With Tivo

Tivo was once the DVR for Direct TV, but ended that relationship 3 years ago to bring consumers a generic DVR device. Echostar tried to copy the Tivo software but ended up losing its case in court. And Comcast sees the opportunity to offer Tivo as a choice of DVRs to its users and is expanding its rollout.

So as the on demand and viewer controlled world continues to gain traction, Direct TV has gone back to its former partner to once again offer the Tivo DVR to its consumers. "Under the nonexclusive pact, DirecTV and TiVo will work together to develop a broadband-enabled HD DVR service, slated to launch in the second half of 2009. The product will support the latest TiVo and DirecTV features and services, including TiVo's Universal Swivel Search and TiVo KidZone."

It seems a good deal for both Direct TV and Tivo, bringing an exceptional product in front of the consumer and offering them the choice of which DVR to take for their home. But is it too little, too late? Now that the Network DVR approach that Cablevision has pushed and was recently okayed by the courts, the next iteration of the DVR. Can the box in the home simply become a dumb device while the brains and content are centralized at the server? Perhaps Tivo is already thinking about how best to convert its decentralized software approach to a N-DVR device. In the meantime, this deal wants again puts Tivo in front of more customers and that sounds like a good deal.

Will The Web Become the New Testing Ground For Pilots?

Would you rather watch an old episode of Lou Grant on Hulu or a new episode or webisode of Gemini Division? If either shows huge interest will it lead to a show on broadcast or cable TV? It seems renewed interest in Lou Grant might just lead to a remake. Heck NBC is giving us Knight Rider AGAIN. But it could also be the place to try out concepts, test characters, gain consumer insights and build interests in brand new series like Gemini Division, N, Sorority Forever, and many others.

What sounds familiar is that shows are being built around sponsors. "Over at cbs.com the product placement is the product in “Stephen King’s N.,” a 25-episode series that serves as a teaser for a new short-story collection from Mr. King. (A combined effort of CBS, Simon & Schuster and Marvel Entertainment". And Gemini Division promotes a series of ads for Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system. In the Golden Age of Television, those shows had sponsors, too. And they were just as blatant. It is the ad dollars that pay the bills/

So will we see these shows pop up on network TV later in the year. Quarterlife tried but failed miserable. Still a good concept, well executed, with marketing promotion around it could prove successful. Only time and money behind it will tell.

For Web TV, a Handful of Hits but No Formula for Success

So which TV shows are you watching on the web? These "webisodes", from both amateur and professionals have filled the distribution pipe with more and more choice. And with all this glut, it becomes increasingly harder to know what to watch. Certainly the writers strike limited the choices from the established TV networks, allowing viewers to seek more alternatives. The problem is that the average viewer relies on the expertise of the TV network and their promotional skills to educate and inform us of new programs. In a web world, that promotion seems to be more viral.

Most seek out known web channels - You Tube, Hulu, Nextnewnetworks, My Damn Channel, Funny or Die, and others. But as these choices continue to multiply, the possible audience continues to fragment. And that fragmentation makes it hard to aggregate viewers into a meaningful number to advertise against. In the short run, they can get meaningful hits; but in the long run, it is hard to maintain those numbers on a consistent basis. The big networks have felt that firsthand.

So what is the viewer to do. I believe it spells opportunity for the big networks to once again use the power of the TV medium to distribute on its main channels and promote its associated web channels as the place to watch more. Tying these web channels back to a bigger network can create a more segmented approach. Those we channels without a meaningful partner must either get larger to compete or will soon fade away. It may be challenging and fun to create shows without big budgets or unions to control labor costs, but once the business model is determined, this gratis programming cannot continue to function. Goodwill will work for only so long.

Comcast Sets Subscriber Bandwidth Limit

How much is 250 Gigabytes/Month? To me, its like asking how much Electricity do you consume per month or how many gallons of water you use. What if those companies limited you to an amount. If you don't know how much you currently consume, how can you know whether it is enough or not. And how would you measure your usage so you don't run out before the end of the month. And what would happen if or when you exceed that amount.

Comcast is painting the picture that it represents more than enough. "To hit the 250-Gbyte ceiling, a customer would have to do any one of the following, according to Comcast: send 50 million e-mails; download 62,500 songs or 125 standard-definition movies; or upload 25,000 hi-resolution digital photos." It is made to sound impossible to hit, doesn't it. So then why that number? If its so unreachable, why worry.

Clearly, Comcast is most concerned with who they describe as bandwidth hogs. More typical users are meant to feel that it won't affect them. But I look at these heavy users and see opportunity for Comcast, not a problem. These are your best customers, consuming your product at a high rate. "If a customer uses more than 250 Gbytes, he or she may be contacted by Comcast to notify them of excessive use, the company said. 'At that time, we'll tell them exactly how much data per month they had used,' Comcast said. 'We know from experience the vast majority of customers we ask to curb usage do so voluntarily.'" Could their be a way to monetize and manage that important customer base without causing such bad pr. It's almost like you want to drive them away to your competitors. And I'm sure Verizon would love to take them!

To Comcast's credit, they are trying to support the speeds to the many, by limiting the heavy user fews. But today's heavy users will in the near future become the majority. As more of us utilize the web and grow increasingly more comfortable with large file downloads, more of us will be affected by these download limits. It is a bandaid cure to a much bigger problem. A better solution is clearly needed.

More Comcast Systems to Get Tivo

I have both a Tivo connected directly to cable which receives unscrambled signals for my bedroom and a DVR/settop box for my family room. I have a unique opportunity to watch both recording devices perform and frankly the Tivo is the clear winner. Why? For those that have never worked with a Tivo, your DVR is a capable, a "C" student. Tivo, however, is at the head of the class. Its remote is better, its controls easier, its search capability more preferred, and its trick features much better. It understands the viewing experience and even makes suggestions to watch at a later date. Yes, I love my Tivo!

"Comcast, after expanding the availability of its TiVo service in its New England market with limited trials to customers in Connecticut, plans to “light up” a full marketing campaign around TiVo in September and is preparing rollouts in additional markets before the end of the year." I cross my fingers for it to come to my house. Now if they can make it easier to capture the programs I have already recorded on my old DVR and transfer the ones I still want to keep to this new device, then sign me up today.

TV Tomorrow: Navigation and Recommendation

TV continues to be more crowded as new channels emerge through different distribution paths. We need better navigation and recommendations to help the average person find the "stuff" that most appeals to them. We need a weblike experience on the TV set to better move through the myriad of options in front of us. And at the same time, helps to lead us and present to us content and advertising better targeted to our interests. As long as we are okay with the notion that Big Brother may be watching and our viewing patterns are no longer anonymous, our choices may become more "personalized". That should not be a problem as we are already going down that slippery slope and our web surfing patterns are already be watched.

"Forrester lays out a decade-long evolution that will ultimately result in most programming delivered on-demand with targeted ad messages based on location and behavior, along with community functions. This "Personal TV," as Forrester calls it, would also deliver a Web-like experience for consumers, with a portal-like menu of programming options and search functions." Why a decade of change; with so many companies vested in their infrastructure, change to an open architecture where all are welcome to join may take some time to gain full commitment. As an example, Verizon is unhappy with cable's version of an open settop box through its Tru2way platform. Cable's idea of open may not be Verizons.

Beyond better personalization and navigation comes recommendation. Tivo is already on that path, providing suggestions it records for its members of content they might like to watch. Its most recent announcement, a partnership with Entertainment Weekly of its top choices to watch. I, for one, appreciate the suggestion box and the help to find interesting content to watch. "The partnership is part of a growing push by TiVo to differentiate itself from DVRs offered by cable and satellite companies, which have managed to find a bigger audience even though they lack many of TiVo's bells and whistles." It continues demonstrate to me why Tivo is such a better product than the cable DVR today.

Will the quality of the content keep up with the quantity? Probably not. But perhaps it offers a better opportunity to revisit some long forgotten shows from your childhood. It's all out there to be watched again and again.

Preferring the Web Over Watching TV

Kids like the internet. What the telephone was to past generations for social networking, the internet and wireless is to this generation. And while internet usage is growing, I don't necessarily believe it is a zero sum game, where tv viewership needs to decline as a result. Kids have become increasingly masterful at multi-tasking, watching on one medium as they simultaneously surf on the other. But we did it too, watching TV as we did our homework.

So the data may suggest..."For children ages 10 to 14 who use the Internet, the computer is a bigger draw than the TV set, according to a study recently released by DoubleClick Performics, a search marketing company." But is their really a high correlation? I also believe that the internet remains the hot new toy these days. Its the superhighway that allows us easy access to content, research, information and all kinds of stuff. We can rent or buy, consume to our hearts content. And there appears to be a lot of risk taking on the web. From gaming to user generated videos, it is all new, exciting, and still somewhat unknown.

With the exception of the Olympics on TV the past 2 weeks, linear television viewing has been a bore. Yes, the Fall TV season is fast approaching, but there are few shows generating buzz and nothing exciting to capture on the DVR. Blame the writers strike on some of that problem. So far 2008 has been a bust for TV programming. Until broadcasters start to take some risks, we will continue to see a dumbing down of programming and more reason to escape to other media choices. Perhaps that is the real reason viewership is declining and why children are gravitating more to the internet.

AT&T Wants To Set Up TVs, PCs

Very few of us are tech savvy. Most VCR owners seemed incapable of programming the correct time on their machine. We rely on experts and help to advise and teach us on how things work. At the same time, technology has realized the need to build plug and play devices, suitable for the masses to master.

The rise of HDTV, wireless networks, shared devices, and for some, even downloading, can make one's head spin. Companies that work in this new media world that provide full service and true expertise build brand preference and loyalty. Circuit City touts its Firedog service, Best Buy brands its service as Geek Squad. Service matters. Service at a fair price matters more. In my own home, Comcast has been here when DVRs stop working and modems stop blinking. Sometimes getting them in a timely manner is problematic, but they have corrected the problems and have not charged for their service. When Comcast uses their own employees, rather than outsource, the results have been positive. Building on that consistency and touting service support for customers that bring new devices into the home will bring Comcast even greater brand preference and loyalty.

I say this because the article from Multichannel does a disservice to AT&T. "AT&T’s computer and home-network installation services start at $99. TV and home-theater services like flat-panel TV wall mounting and home video installation start at $149. In-home PC repair service, including parts and hardware replacement, begin at $179." Charging customers for service, especially if you are getting them to switch from a competitor to your product, seems problematic. A fee may be necessary for non-customers, but to satisfy and grow your customer base, this pricing model seems excessive.