The chief problem with internet-based television programming is that the content owners are dragging their feet.
Case in point: My new Apple TV.
Among other features, it allows me to watch free streaming content through my Netflix account. So on the advice of a friend I started watching a program called Dexter, a Showtime channel drama about a Miami serial killer who only snuffs those who deserve it.
Good show. I watched two seasons of it this way, streaming it off Netflix directly to my TV. But where are seasons 3 and 4? Not available for Netflix streaming.
I figured maybe they would be available on iTunes. And they are. But not for rent, only for purchase. That means instead of paying 99ยข each for the 24 episodes in season 3, I would have to pay $1.99 for each episode. Furthermore, I can’t just get it directly through the Apple TV, as it only displays rentals. Instead I have to purchase and download it on my computer, then point the Apple TV to it in order to watch on my television.
To be fair, it works beautifully. I tried it last night. But why should I have to do this? Why should I have to pay double and go through the hassle of using my computer as a middleman?
The answer seems simple. Showtime isn’t allowing iTunes rentals of their shows. Only purchases.
Foot-dragging. Or price gouging. Or something.
Now that I have all the hardware and services lined up to get a la carte internet-based entertainment to my television set, I really hope the content providers open their doors and let it happen.
It’s not foot dragging or price gouging. The older seasons are cheaper b/c they are in fact older. You are essentially trading time for money. By waiting, you get something cheaper. You are now demanding that you get something sooner without paying a premium for it.
Now that Showtime has you excited, they want you to pay a premium for fulfilling that excitement, and its their right. They are charging what the market will bear. If you can’t bear it, then don’t pay it.
If you’re willing to pay it (which it sounds like you are), then they got the price just right.
“To be fair, it works beautifully. I tried it last night. But why should I have to do this? Why should I have to pay double and go through the hassle of using my computer as a middleman?”
You’re certainly right about the paying double part. Though to some extent, I think providers uncertainty about the different distribution methods comes into play and is and excuse with some validity. They’re afraid of piracy – probably that if they provide most recent seasons as a stream for the cheaper rental fee, some one might crack it and make it available & they’d lose all the sales. They probably don’t quite know what the different prices for rent vs. “own” mean to their profitability and are proceeding with caution. Ugh…can’t believe I made excuse for the entertainment content industry, think I need a shower, I feel dirty.
On the other end though, as far as purchasing & downloading it from another machine & sharing it…that’s on Apple. No local storage on the Apple TV necessitated that hoop to jump through. To get the device down to $100 meant no HDD. I’m sure they’d have loved to include one – but from a marketing & business perspective, probably figured the $99 price point was critical to wider adoption. I’ll admit, I think there’s a pretty good chance I’m going to get one and as stupid as it sounds, if it were $150 I’d probably be less inclined to consider it & just get a network Blu-Ray player.
Nick, it’s not simply a matter of charging what the market will bear. It’s not just the price I’m griping about–it’s the mode of delivery as well.
I have no problem with older seasons being available “free” through Netflix while having to pay for newer ones through iTunes. What bugs me is that the method by which I can just browse for it on my tv for a one-time watch isn’t available. What is available is a go-through-your-computer method which will leave me wondering what the hell I’m going to do with a few gigs of television that I have already seen. And I think it’s bullshit.
Locke, I think you’re right that they’re experimenting, testing the waters. Which is just a charitable way of saying “foot-dragging.” If they decide rentals can only work at $1.25 an episode, let them do it. But for god’s sake, do it already. What consumers want isn’t a big mystery. We want a la carte programming to watch any time we feel like it and we just want to watch it without worrying about storage or synching or any of that other bullshit.
And Apple used to include a hard drive in the previous generation of the Apple TV. But as the big Steve points out, it wasn’t too popular. One of the reasons why is that people do not want to buy television shows and then worry about managing the storage for them. They just want to watch.
I managed to get a deal on Showtime, $4 a month for the next 6 months. So I’m paying $24 to have the current season (5?) of Dexter and the previous season on demand. Plus a couple seasons of Weeds including the current one. As far as a bargain goes, I got the best deal
Trivia time, in Latin, the opposite of dexter is sinister. Coincidence? I think not.
Scott, this is part of going from Apple TV being a hard-drive to Apple TV being a streaming only device. Showtime doesn’t want people streaming newer content, because they want to get every penny they can for the content.
At any rate…
How is Airplay working for you? Everything I have seen about the 2010 Apple TV looks good, and I’ll probably get one soon.
I think the iOS Apple TV is really going to shine once the $200+ Google TV devices come online.
How about using your phone or ipad as a remote? Work pretty good?