StreamingT

[Tom Young]

I believe that we are on the edge of a revolution involving TV, Video, Cable, Satellite, Broadcast TV, Movies, Internet, Cell phones, Tablets, Desktops, Laptops, LAN's, Media Players, Content Providers, Broadcast networks, CD's, DVD's, Retail Media Content, Theaters, Advertising, News, Sports and Inter/intra personal communication in general.

Without going into detail, my thinking is that we are in a transition that will dwarf any technilogical or industrial revolutionary period in history... Furthermore, that the diversity represented by the factors listed above, will merge, in relatively short time, to a single encompassing means of tranmitting visual and audio information.

The technology is outrunning the frameworks that currently exist, and the profit models that exist today will also shortly implode, as new means of avoiding "pay as you go" emerge.

One has only to look at the mergers and acquisitions that are forming to see the power struggle to capture the pocketbook of the people. The mass confusion that exists today between smart phones, internet, cable and satellite is gradually filtering down to the individual, who is looking for a magic formula to reduce expense. Laws about exclusivity, copyright, royalties are no longer enforceable, and are being broken every day by startups, working with legal impunity. Virtually every movie that has been made, is available within hours of release to any 12 year old with acces to the internet... for free.

The subject is so broad that a comprehensive explanation is vitually impossible and the whole of this impending revolution is greater than the sum of its' parts.

One place to start is with the general subject of media players which come under many names. Built in to newer TV's, Apple TV, Roku, Sony and Western Digital media plaayers, RCA, Chromecast, XBox, dlink and diamond media players, and many more, on the way.

The media Player is just a start. We all know about the content providers... Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, and the major network providers, but those of you who have a Roku, now see many dozens of "TV Channels" ... Channels... not indiviual shows. Specialty channels that provide access to everything from local highschool football, to "women's makeup" channels.. and with a few developer tweaks... access to all of YouTube.

For those who are willing to break an unenforecable law, Googling "Free_____________ (name of any new release movie) will bring up an offshore or a pirate website that will allow free downloading.

The upcoming AreoTV will allow the dropping of cable or satellite TV by providing over the air TV major network programmming through a small antenna, and controlled over the internet.

Google is looking at spreading wifi through the use of balloons... stationary over a service area... inlieu of expensive satellite broadcasting, and there are many other experimental transmission means udergoing development.

I don't pretend to be an authority on this, but have been watching bits and pieces falling together, and accellerating to the point that what's new today is already old. Tech savvy people are scrambling to find ways of cutting the cable, eliminating commercials, and going 100% to on demand services. The FCC has lost control of the most simple rules and regulation, and chaos is raising its head as the commercial interests try to stay ahead of the tech savvy and the pirates.

Just out of curiosity, I wonder how many seniors are into this digital revolution. Would like to see input of any type here, because it's happening now. To start off, anything about media players?

 

[Diwundrin]

Well now I've got all manner of whizzbang gadgets here. None of which are actually plugged into anything because basically I don't have the slightest clue how to configure them, and some, well, I can't even remember what they're for.

I do remember being told I'd need one, or should get one, whatever it was. It'll improve your 'cyber experience' immensely they said. Yeah, right.

You can give a refrigerator to an Amazonian Indian but if he doesn't know how to build the power generator to run it it's not gonna improve his life by much.

Like other technodinosaurs I need education in computer technology, but I'm getting past being able to assimilate the info now.... siiiiigh. It's all downhill from here folks.....

 

[SifuPhil]

... yet people will still proudly display their stupidity, viciousness and lack of spirituality and humanity on a daily basis, thus proving that our technological reach has always exceeded our humanistic grasp.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

Okay, Tom, I don't really understand all of what you explained, but enough that I am grasping the idea of the change. I have been thinking that we are moving closer to a time, when having to subscribe to a designated number of cable channels, simply because that is what "comes with the package" is coming to an end.
I , for one am ready to see that happen !
I have the basic comcast cable, so I can watch my weather and news, and the husband like to sit and watch TV all day long, so he just channel wanders, but mostly likes food shows, and the alligator chasers on the History Channel.
But can I just subscribe to those channels......NO way ! I have to get the whole package.

I also have an Apple TV , and with that we can get Netflix, Hulu, YouTube , Apple movies, etc., and more is being added every so often. I was looking at the information for a Roku, and think that if I get one of those, and subscribe to the channels we use from there, between that and the Apple, I could drop Comcast cable, and with the money I save from dropping Comcast; in 2-3 months time, I will have saved enough to get Amazon Prime, and all those can be watched from Roku.
So, I think I can get more for less, and have just the channels we really use.
Apple is also coming out with the new iTunes Radio soon, and that will work with my home stereo on the Apple TV, just like my iTunes music does right now.
I can display anything on my computer onto the TV screen with Airplay, so virtually everything is already almost connected .

 

[Warrigal]

I'm well out of touch now but years ago I was teaching computing studies to 14 and 15 year old girls. The curriculum was excellent and looked backwards in time to the development of computing from ancient times to the Industrial Revolution and on through the different generations of computers and operating systems. We aimed to get the girls literate in computer jargon and used the Sunday newspapers as a source of technical articles. We paid particular attention to articles that talked about possible future developments. Way back then we were anticipating the convergence of computing and telecommunications and that is what we see now.

I've attempted to keep up with some developments but I'm not going to stress my brain beyond comfortable limits.

 

[Jackie22]

This is a very interesting subject....I see more and more people cutting back on landline phone service and cable TV, myself being one, hopefully one day to eliminate completely.

 

[Old Hipster]

I'm too busy working on my time machine to take me back to the late 1950's.

 

[SifuPhil]

I'm too busy working on my time machine to take me back to the late 1950's.

Funny you mention that ... last night's Twilight Zone episode was "A Stop At Willoughby", where a stressed-out executive is given the opportunity to go back to 1888 in an idyllic village ...

That would certainly be one way to escape the technological rat-race.

 

[Old Hipster]

Funny you mention that ... last night's Twilight Zone episode was "A Stop At Willoughby", where a stressed-out executive is given the opportunity to go back to 1888 in an idyllic village ...

That would certainly be one way to escape the technological rat-race.

One of my favorite episodes. I can say that about almost every Twilight Zone episode. Nothing can top The Twilight Zone, EVER.

 

[Katybug]

This is a very interesting subject....I see more and more people cutting back on landline phone service and cable TV, myself being one, hopefully one day to eliminate completely.

Lots of people are having their landlines removed, but not me. I don't get decent reception w/my cell phone in my condo and many other times/places as well, so the thought of giving up my landline would be out of the question. LOL, it's my cell phone I want rid of!

Glad I had a landline when my neighbor across the hall banged on my door a few months ago. His wife was having a seizure and he couldn't call 911 with his cell. He had one installed for himself the next week.

And without cable, TV here wouldn't be worth a tinker's damn to me. I don't watch it that much, but love my HBO...Boardwalk Empire is one of the best shows on.

 

[That Guy]

Have worked in the field of bringing the world all this "wonderful" stuff for many, many years and lost interest long ago. I vote for telepathy.

 

[Old Hipster]

Lots of people are having their landlines removed, but not me. I don't get decent reception w/my cell phone in my condo and many other times/places as well, so the thought of giving up my landline would be out of the question. LOL, it's my cell phone I want rid of!

Glad I had a landline when my neighbor across the hall banged on my door a few months ago. His wife was having a seizure and he couldn't call 911 with his cell. He had one installed for himself the next week.

And without cable, TV here wouldn't be worth a tinker's damn to me. I don't watch it that much, but love my HBO...Boardwalk Empire is one of the best shows on.

I'll never give up my landline either.

And even when the power goes out and cell towers have ice on them and nothing works, we can still plug in an old phone and it works.

 

[Anne]

Ditto on the landline, we won't give ours up, either. With the ice storms we've had, that's one thing we could rely on. I love the computer, but know zilch about it...(zilch...don't hear that word anymore).

The advances in technology are nearly miraculous, but, here I am, posting on a board instead of having a chat with friends & neighbors. Go figure.

 

[That Guy]

I'll never give up my landline either.

And even when the power goes out and cell towers have ice on them and nothing works, we can still plug in an old phone and it works.

I tell you this on good authority. Soon . . . very soon, landlines will connect directly to a cell tower from the house. No more copper lines to a central switch. Verizon has refused to repair any of the downed phone lines after Sandy as that's the plan for the future (tomorrow if not sooner).

 

[Anne]

I tell you this on good authority. Soon . . . very soon, landlines will connect directly to a cell tower from the house. No more copper lines to a central switch. Verizon has refused to repair any of the downed phone lines after Sandy as that's the plan for the future (tomorrow if not sooner).

Everything - on a huge network. Sounds like a Pat Robertson book I read many years ago. Spooky.

 

[That Guy]

Everything - on a huge network. Sounds like a Pat Robertson book I read many years ago. Spooky.

I've worked on equipment about the size of mini fridge that can service the city of Los Angeles. When something like that decides to hiccup . . . everybody goes dark and silent...