Posts tagged cable cutting

Boxee for iPad.All the typical Boxee functions; media playback from your PC; but with a nice take on social video. Connect it to your Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr accounts and watch what your friends are posting. Simple. 

Boxee for iPad.

All the typical Boxee functions; media playback from your PC; but with a nice take on social video. Connect it to your Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr accounts and watch what your friends are posting. Simple. 

TW Cable loses 130,000 home-cable subscribers

The temptation is to call the people who dropped TWC cord cutters, but are they really unhappy with cable or have they just lost the ability to pay?

Via purdyinblue

It’s probably a mix of both. Thankfully, I’m in a position where I can afford to pay for cable; I choose not to because the increasing prices coupled with decreasing reliability moved it from the luxury goods/services category to the more trouble than it’s worth category. 

My guess is that if more people had the technical capability to do so, they’d make the switch in a second. 

purdyinblue

Dyle Mobile TV. Interesting. Dyle.TV — industry supported (Fox, NBC) live TV that uses dedicated broadcast spectrum. Expected to launch in 32 markets by the end of the year. Via ginnewyork:

Dyle Mobile TV. Interesting.

Dyle.TV — industry supported (Fox, NBC) live TV that uses dedicated broadcast spectrum. Expected to launch in 32 markets by the end of the year.

Via ginnewyork:

gigaom.com

Disappointed that Netflix bowed out the Hulu purchase game.

Combining a great archive (Netflix) with next day TV replay (Hulu) through one service would have made all this a lot more simple.

Ruh Roh, Netflix!

For those wishing to follow suit, you might like my guide.

Elgato launches Home Run. I already use Elgato’s excellent EyeTV One to view 35 free, HD, Over The Air (OTA) channels in my CableTV-free media system. At some point, I’ll switch to this wireless solution. 

Elgato launches Home Run.

I already use Elgato’s excellent EyeTV One to view 35 free, HD, Over The Air (OTA) channels in my CableTV-free media system. At some point, I’ll switch to this wireless solution. 

An Illustrated Guide to Cutting Cable & Backing Up on Flickr Updates to the notes and comments section highlighting Moki.tv and AirServer.Via Flickr: In 2010 we ditched cable TV in favour of all-legal, online content. We spend less time watching rubbish and we’ll save around $1500 a year. Even if you’re not interested in replacing your cable, the chart contains information on creating three (easy) levels of back-up to ensure you never lose an important photo. Netflix’s Instant library combined with Hulu+ for recent TV and iTunes for recent movies covers 95% of our video content interests. Pros: • TV runs on your schedule; you never have to worry about setting a DVR. • iTunes/Netflix picture quality is vastly superior to our previous cable signal. • Our service never breaks. • Content also works on all mobile devices. • Now allows NBA and MLB live/archive streams with a subscription Cons: • Showtime (Dexter) and HBO are very slow to make their content available through online channels (if at all). For that, There’s the Mac Mini’s DVD player. • Limited special events (Oscars). • Serendipity (channel flipping) is only available through the Elgato system. Apps like Moki.tv, or Netflix will offer content you might be interested in (which I find more useful) The Set-up: Sights & Sounds An HDTV, Mac Mini, Apple TV, HDMI Switch, and audio unit are all controlled by the same remote. The initial set-up of the Harmony One remote is handled by connecting the device to your computer via USB; a guided help application walking you through the process. Adding another device to your system in the future? Just re-run the help application. After setting-up the Harmony, tapping one of the touch-screen options, e.g. Apple TV, will activate the TV, Apple TV, and ZVOX speaker; and flips the OPPO HDMI Switch and TV to the same channel. Applications on the Mac Mini can be controlled via Remote Buddy scripts. The Sennheiser HDR-140s allow the user to control the headset’s volume, independent of the ZVOX,via a switch on the right earpiece. The Engine The combination of an Apple TV and Mac Mini allows you to access a wider range of services: iTunes, Netflix, Boxee, and Hulu+. All A/V cabling, including Mini Displayport Male and USB Male Audio to HDMI Female Converting Adapter for the Mac Mini (not required for 2010 HDMI models), are available at Monoprice.com (bookmark it now). Belkin’s Conceal Surge Protector takes care of protection and cable management. The Mac Mini also runs Mail, CalDAV and Omnifocus server functions. Mobile All iOS devices are synced via the same iTunes account. Using AirPlay, you can wirelessly send purchased iTunes content from your iOS device to your HDTV via your Apple TV. The recent inclusion of AirPlay in the iOS SDK allows third party developers to add this functionality to their apps. If this is picked up by Hulu+ and BBC’s iPlayer, the need for a dedicated Mac Mini will diminish. More below in the notes on that one. Work The notebook lives on the same WiFi network, but has its own external storage. Each user account can use Screen Sharing to connect to the Mac Mini to create and manage playlists, purchases and iPhone/iPad set-up. Off-site users can connect to the Mac Mini via a Mac logged into MobileMe. Notes: If you’re wondering why I’m not using a NAS drive as my primary on-site data storage; I tried. Network performance was horrendously poor with all the simultaneous HD streams and sync/back-up. Since I started this project in ‘09 lot’s of more affordable, proper, NAS systems have appeared on the market. When I invest, it’ll probably be something by the excellent Synology Obviously there is an intial set-up cost associated with equipment purchases, but you probably already have some of the hardware required (sound system). You can phase the rest in over time. If you’re going to start somewhere and live in the US, start with the $99 Apple TV. Why only in the US? Because Netflix is a key component of the system, and that library isn’t available worldwide. The network selections also seem slim elsewhere. The next thing I’d suggest is the universal remote; having to remember which channels to set different hardware to is a pain. Let the remote do it all for you. You don’t need a dedicated Mac Mini just yet. If you have a Mac, or PC in the house, you can use that as your iTunes library to stream content to the Apple TV. You can also use Erica Sadun’s excellent work in progress, AirFlick to send URL-based video content to your Apple TV. AirFlick has also been integrated into David Hopson’s unofficial AirVideo Mac Client which will transcode (in realtime) any video format into something that can be viewed on your iOS devices. You can also VPN into the system using a great iOS app called Screens. If your WiFi network performance is poor, you might run into issues with TimeMachine running its back-ups. It’s quite a hog, and on slower networks would cripple any kind of streaming. The answer comes in the form of Time Machine Editor, a natty little app that allows you to set a schedule for your backups. I just added an Elgato EyeTV One connected to a Terk Omnidirectional amplified antenna to pick up OTA HD signals. I can pick up 35 crystal clear OTA HD channels; the Oscar’s streamed perfectly.Here’s a useful chart outlining the cost/content across different streaming services Any Questions? Follow me on Tumblr.

An Illustrated Guide to Cutting Cable & Backing Up on Flickr


Updates to the notes and comments section highlighting Moki.tv and AirServer.

Via Flickr:
In 2010 we ditched cable TV in favour of all-legal, online content. We spend less time watching rubbish and we’ll save around $1500 a year. Even if you’re not interested in replacing your cable, the chart contains information on creating three (easy) levels of back-up to ensure you never lose an important photo.

Netflix’s Instant library combined with Hulu+ for recent TV and iTunes for recent movies covers 95% of our video content interests.

Pros:
• TV runs on your schedule; you never have to worry about setting a DVR.
• iTunes/Netflix picture quality is vastly superior to our previous cable signal.
• Our service never breaks.
• Content also works on all mobile devices.
• Now allows NBA and MLB live/archive streams with a subscription

Cons:
• Showtime (Dexter) and HBO are very slow to make their content available through online channels (if at all). For that, There’s the Mac Mini’s DVD player.
• Limited special events (Oscars).
• Serendipity (channel flipping) is only available through the Elgato system. Apps like Moki.tv, or Netflix will offer content you might be interested in (which I find more useful)


The Set-up:

Sights & Sounds
An HDTV, Mac Mini, Apple TV, HDMI Switch, and audio unit are all controlled by the same remote. The initial set-up of the Harmony One remote is handled by connecting the device to your computer via USB; a guided help application walking you through the process. Adding another device to your system in the future? Just re-run the help application. After setting-up the Harmony, tapping one of the touch-screen options, e.g. Apple TV, will activate the TV, Apple TV, and ZVOX speaker; and flips the OPPO HDMI Switch and TV to the same channel. Applications on the Mac Mini can be controlled via Remote Buddy scripts. The Sennheiser HDR-140s allow the user to control the headset’s volume, independent of the ZVOX,via a switch on the right earpiece.


The Engine
The combination of an Apple TV and Mac Mini allows you to access a wider range of services: iTunes, Netflix, Boxee, and Hulu+. All A/V cabling, including Mini Displayport Male and USB Male Audio to HDMI Female Converting Adapter for the Mac Mini (not required for 2010 HDMI models), are available at Monoprice.com (bookmark it now). Belkin’s Conceal Surge Protector takes care of protection and cable management. The Mac Mini also runs Mail, CalDAV and Omnifocus server functions.


Mobile
All iOS devices are synced via the same iTunes account. Using AirPlay, you can wirelessly send purchased iTunes content from your iOS device to your HDTV via your Apple TV. The recent inclusion of AirPlay in the iOS SDK allows third party developers to add this functionality to their apps. If this is picked up by Hulu+ and BBC’s iPlayer, the need for a dedicated Mac Mini will diminish. More below in the notes on that one.


Work
The notebook lives on the same WiFi network, but has its own external storage. Each user account can use Screen Sharing to connect to the Mac Mini to create and manage playlists, purchases and iPhone/iPad set-up.
Off-site users can connect to the Mac Mini via a Mac logged into MobileMe.


Notes:

If you’re wondering why I’m not using a NAS drive as my primary on-site data storage; I tried. Network performance was horrendously poor with all the simultaneous HD streams and sync/back-up. Since I started this project in ‘09 lot’s of more affordable, proper, NAS systems have appeared on the market. When I invest, it’ll probably be something by the excellent Synology

Obviously there is an intial set-up cost associated with equipment purchases, but you probably already have some of the hardware required (sound system). You can phase the rest in over time. If you’re going to start somewhere and live in the US, start with the $99 Apple TV. Why only in the US? Because Netflix is a key component of the system, and that library isn’t available worldwide. The network selections also seem slim elsewhere. The next thing I’d suggest is the universal remote; having to remember which channels to set different hardware to is a pain. Let the remote do it all for you.

You don’t need a dedicated Mac Mini just yet. If you have a Mac, or PC in the house, you can use that as your iTunes library to stream content to the Apple TV. You can also use Erica Sadun’s excellent work in progress, AirFlick to send URL-based video content to your Apple TV. AirFlick has also been integrated into David Hopson’s unofficial AirVideo Mac Client which will transcode (in realtime) any video format into something that can be viewed on your iOS devices.

You can also VPN into the system using a great iOS app called Screens.

If your WiFi network performance is poor, you might run into issues with TimeMachine running its back-ups. It’s quite a hog, and on slower networks would cripple any kind of streaming. The answer comes in the form of Time Machine Editor, a natty little app that allows you to set a schedule for your backups.

I just added an Elgato EyeTV One connected to a Terk Omnidirectional amplified antenna to pick up OTA HD signals. I can pick up 35 crystal clear OTA HD channels; the Oscar’s streamed perfectly.

Here’s a useful chart outlining the cost/content across different streaming services

Any Questions? Follow me on Tumblr.