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10 ways to watch TV cheaper

April 9th, 2010, 8:10 am by
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My prediction: This is going to be a big year for TV. But not because the last episode of “Lost”  airs next month. Or because yet another season of “American Idol” is one of this year’s highest rated shows.

What’s changing is how we watch TV. Hulu.com, which offers a ton of recently aired TV shows, is a mainstream hit. There are trials by Time Warner Cable offering subscribers access to some cable TV shows on the Web. Dish announced something similar (read: “Coming soon: Dish to let users watch TV online“).

Cable TV companies are losing subscribers. Online video sites, which allow users to pick and choose what they want to watch, are gaining viewers. And for the first time last fall, a major cable provider took its fight against the ever-increasing fees paid to networks to rebroadcast shows public. Something has got to give!

While the state of paid TV is undergoing a monumental change, several services are already available to help consumers pay for only what they want to watch. Now, there’s probably more than 10 suggestions on how to watch web TV on a TV, but you get the picture.

While you can hook up a computer to your PC (a la Windows Media Center or some other DIY software), I’ve tracked down some newer alternatives to pipe TV shows from the Web to your big screen TV.  I’ve listed some below, but I’m sure every reader has his or her own favorites. Please share with the rest of us in the comments and if I’m able, I’ll elevate them to the list below. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • | 26 Comments »

Sezmi TV a deal at $20/month but not for everyone, says tester

April 8th, 2010, 7:35 pm by

This is part of a series of stories. See links below for more.

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In his quest to find an alternative to cable TV, Josh Kaplan signed up last fall to test a brand new TV service called Sezmi. This hybrid online, over-the-air broadcast would ultimately cost $4.99 to $19.99 a month when it launched in February 2010. But as a tester, the Long Beach resident got it all for free.

His verdict? Not ready for prime time.

“I really want them to be successful,” said Kaplan, who lives in Long Beach. “I love to hear of an upstart that’s challenging the status quo. I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised by the quality because I wasn’t expecting much.”

Sezmi launched in the Orange County market in February 2010 offering a different kind of TV service. Besides the usual free over-the-air channels like CBS and Fox, the Sezmi box also offers around 15 cable channels, including CNN, Nickelodeon and Discovery. The Belmont, Ca. company has contracts with Turner Broadcasting, Discovery, Viacom and NBC Universal.

The $4.99 price includes the over-the-air channels and Youtube access; the $19.99 price includes everything else. That’s a steal compared to Kaplan’s current TV bill of $175 for Verizon FiOS TV and Internet service, which continues to creep up.

But set up was off putting to Kaplan. He had difficulty connecting the box to his home network so Sezmi sent him a Homeplug kit that routes Internet service over the home’s electrical system. Still there were issues but after “about 4 to 5 days, I happened to get it to work,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • | 4 Comments »

Ditching cable for Xbox saves Seal Beach man $70/month

April 8th, 2010, 5:12 pm by

This is the first in a short series about alternatives to TV service. More coming on Friday.
DITCHING CABLE: Jeremy Baker gave up cable after he lost his job. But he still watches the latest shows thanks to services like PlayOn, Netflix and others. Photo by CINDY YAMANAKA

Everything changed when Jeremy Baker lost his job in November 2008 — including how he watched TV.

The Seal Beach resident  didn’t watch a ton of TV but his cable bill had crept up to $130 a month. Scrambling to cut costs, he canceled cable and bought a Microsoft Xbox 360 game console.

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“I know it doesn’t make sense but I did the math. After 6 months, the Xbox was paid for,” Baker said.

It’s what he did with the Xbox that helped him save money. By changing the source of his TV service, Baker was able to watch most of his favorite shows on his TV for half of what he had paid the cable company.

He purchased PlayOn software for $30 and got a subscription to Netflix. For $8.99/month, Netflix offers unlimited access to its online video library, which includes thousands of movies and TV shows, plus one DVD rental at a time. PlayOn gave him access to several TV shows plucked from sites like the popular Hulu.com, ComedyCentral.com (including ”The Daily Show with Jon Stewart“) plus an assortment of on-demand shows from MTV, Food Networks, HGTV, SyFy and Discovery Channel.

The best part? He can still watch it all on his regular TV, thanks to the Xbox.

“I got really into watching the old ‘Law & Orders’ and every ‘SVU’ and ‘Criminal Intent,’”  Baker said. “I’m probably paying $60 a month.” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Internet • Video & TV • • • • • • • • | 27 Comments »

Forget Hulu, cable TV! ‘Daily Show,’ ‘Colbert’ heads to TV alternative

March 26th, 2010, 12:40 pm by

If you’re still mourning the loss of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert on Hulu.com, there’s a new cheap source in town.

MediaMall Technologies, which sells PlayOn software to TVs to web videos, announced today that it added a link to ComedyCentral.com shows, including “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report.” The feature is in beta and available for free to existing and new PlayOn users.

The software  is installed on a home computer, which accesses online videos and TV shows from Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Video, Netflix and several other online video sources. Then, on a PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and certain other networked devices compliant with the Digital Living Network Alliance, users can view the videos on their big TV — no extra cables or wiring necessary. Third-party developers also created plugins to grab on-demand videos from Food Networks, NFL, MTV and many other TV networks.

But PlayOn has really won converts because it is one of the rare ways to view Hulu videos on a regular TV. (Hulu, of course, currently offers free access to several TV shows that typically require a cable TV or paid subscription.) Earlier this month, Hulu said that the two Comedy Central shows were being pulled from its site after Hulu failed to get the rights from Viacom to continue airing the shows online.

But PlayOn isn’t free. The software is $40, though you can usually find it cheaper online and there’s a free 14-day trial. Users also need broadband Internet service plus a home network and a DLNA device, such as the game consoles. After all that is in place, there are no further charges.

However, for this new product, MediaMall says it may charge a one-time $5 to $10 fee after the Comedy Central feature graduates out of beta status, scheduled for June 2010.

“It isn’t 100% decided yet- we are still doing some research, but it is likely to be $5 to existing customers for a limited time after the release and then go up to the standard $10 price going forward,” said Tracy Burman, with MediaMall. “…There is no official agreement between ComedyCentral and PlayOn.” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Internet • Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

TiVo releases big new DVR… ho hum

March 3rd, 2010, 2:14 pm by

Noted: Pioneering DVR company TiVo has updated its devices but many in the industry are saying Ho Hum.

The new TiVo Premiere adds a wider-screen menu to fit HDTVs better and also offers shortcuts and a powerful search function that hunts down videos on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand or Blockbuster On Demand. And there’s a nifty remote with a QWERTY keyboard inside.

But other then that, there aren’t too many changes from the last upgrade. Technologizer laments the lack of video-on-demand, access to online TV site Hulu.com, and a TiVo that works with all TV services, including satellite.

While over at Zatz Not Funny, Dave Zatz writes, “The TiVo Premiere isn’t the home run I was hoping for. In it’s current form, and for potential upgraders, the Premiere basically offers the same core features of a TiVo Series 3 or HD.”

Two versions are available beginning April: the TiVo Premiere, with 320 gigabytes for $299.99; and the $499.99 TiVo Premiere XL,  with 1 terabyte, a backlit remote and THX-certified audio and video technology. As before, the box supports cable TV and Verizon FiOS users, but not satellite TV or AT&T U-verse.

Other key features: It supports E-SATA technology to users can add an external hard drive if they run out of storage space. It also uses the faster Wireless N Wi-Fi connection.

As more consumers ponder about cutting down their monthly TV bill by looking for cheap TV viewing online, TiVo won’t help much with that. Besides the upfront cost, there’s a monthly $12.95 fee for service even if you opt for basic broadcast TV service. If you want regular cable channels, you’ll need a limited cable TV subscription and a CableCARD. Plus you’ll still need broadband Internet, which can be another $30 to $50 a month. Netflix, Amazon and Blockbuster also charge for online rentals.

Read more about the new boxes and see more photos at TiVo’s site: TiVo Premiere, press release, official video

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The Daily Show, Colbert Report leaving Hulu

March 3rd, 2010, 8:44 am by

Spotted: Go-to Web TV site Hulu.com lost online favorites “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report,” according to the official Hulu Blog.

Even though the two shows were very popular and generated ad revenue, Andy Forssell, Hulu’s senior vice president of content and distribution, said that the company could not get the rights from owners Comedy Central and Viacom to continue airing the show online.

“In the past 21 months, we’ve had very strong results for both Hulu and Comedy Central, in terms of the views and revenue we’ve generated, thanks to a couple of key trends. First, more and more of our viewers have voted with their time by making these shows a regular part of their day. And second, we’ve driven steadily increasing revenue per view as advertisers voted with their budgets to take advantage of innovative ad formats and very strong advertising effectiveness,” Forssell wrote.

The shows will exit next Tuesday, March 9 at 11:59 p.m. They will available at Comedy Central sites TheDailyShow.com and ColbertNation.com.

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Posted in: Internet • Video & TV • • • • • • • | 3 Comments »

Want to ditch your cable TV service for $19.99/month?

February 19th, 2010, 5:02 pm by
Sezmi's set-top box and antenna

Sezmi box and antenna

For those tired of an ever-increasing TV bill, it’s Sezmi to the rescue.

The Belmont, Calif.  company launched its hybrid TV service in the Orange County, Los Angeles area this week with service plans between $4.99 to $19.99.

The lower price includes stuff that is mostly free already, including local TV channels and Youtube videos, plus access to on-demand movies for an extra fee.

The higher-price subscription adds access to 15 cable channels, including CNN, Nickelodeon and Discovery (see chart on lower right). The company has contracts with Turner Broadcasting, Discovery, Viacom and NBC Universal.

Users must invest in a $299 box and have high-speed Internet at home. The box mixes free over-the-air local TV channels with on-demand movies and videos and the cable channels.

Now, Sezmi calls the box, which includes a 1-terabyte DVR, a hybrid model of broadcast and broadband. It’s not a souped-up digital converter box that millions of analog TV users bought last year in order to watch local channels. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • Wi-Fi & networking • • • • • • • | 20 Comments »

First to get Time Warner’s HBO GO? Verizon FiOS

February 17th, 2010, 10:35 am by

Time Warner is toying with a new online video site and announced today that HBOGO.com will offer 600 hours of HBO programming. The first company to sign up, however, isn’t a cable company. It’s Verizon FiOS.

FiOS TV and Internet customers soon will be able to go online and get free, unlimited access to Time Warner-owned HBO programs by signing in with their FiOS log-in credentials at www.verizon.com/fiostvonline. Up to three users in the same household can log in simultaneously. One catch: Users must subscribe to both FiOS TV and Internet. Plus, the content is meant for computer viewing — not TV.

The service starts tomorrow, Feb. 18, for FiOS customers who already subscribe to HBO.

So where are the cable companies, especially Time Warner Cable? The cable division of Time Warner spun off last year so the two similar-named companies are no longer connected.

But I suspect this service will be coming for cable users, since both Time Warner Cable and Comcast are heading up TV Everywhere, a movement to offer TV shows online to paying cable customers. It’s ironic though that a cable company wasn’t the first subscriber of the new Time Warner service.

FiOS already offers customers an online portal to get access to two channels online: Epix and NBC’s full coverage of the Winter Olympics, both are not exclusive to FiOS. Verizon has previously announced that it will also offer TNT and TBS online.

FiOS is available in limited areas of Orange County, including in the cities of Brea, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Stanton and Westminster.

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Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • | 3 Comments »

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