A test of cable TV vs. Apple TV
Cory Bergman March 26th, 2007
For the next week, I’m going to conduct a test. I’m going to turn off my cable TV and attempt to replace the shows I watch by buying them on iTunes and watching them on Apple TV. Then at the end of the week, I’ll compare the costs and see how many shows I missed — and how many new shows and video podcasts I’ve discovered along the way. This experiment, by the way, does not preclude me from watching online video that isn’t available on iTunes, because I do that anyway. But I will miss the Final Four. Stay tuned for a full report in a week.
13 Comments Add your own
1. flotsam | March 26th, 2007 at 10:50 am
…and add “quality of viewing experience” ??
2. My name. | March 26th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
God, where have you been? March Madness is free online, live and on-demand. Click my name.
3. The Tony | March 26th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
I bet it (SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111) turns out that it’s different, and that downloading shows on iTunes costs money.
4. LR Fiance | March 26th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
I am not participating in this test. It will be an interesting week at the LR household.
5. Troy Thomas | March 26th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
iPhoto slideshows on my plasma AND having access to my music this way (plumbed into my stereo) are my favorite things so far
6. Cory | March 26th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
The Final Four is not part of March Madness on Demand, unfortunately.
7. Cory | March 26th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Oh, and The Tony, you should see my cable bill these days. iTunes may end up being cheaper.
8. Dan | March 26th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Many shows I watch are not available
to be bought on iTunes or anywhere else.
Some are available free online at abc.com
like Brothers and Sisters, October Road, etc.,
but you can’t take those with you on an airplane
and of course can’t play them within iTunes.
And no Rome, or Weeds (they have two year old
episodes on iTunes) or Entourage.
Grey’s Annatomy is the only one of my shows on iTunes.
Seems like a big spurt to put shows on iTunes at first,
but now it’s the same old series. Why the hold up?
Dan
9. The Tony | March 26th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
But now, you’re paying your cable bill, PLUS extra coinage for stuff you could’ve just watched on the TV you’re already paying for.
Viva la science!
10. Bryan Murley | March 26th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Wow. Missing out on the final four for an Apple TV v. Cable experiment. That’s definitely taking one for the team. Hats off to you.
11. Safran | March 26th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
I was wondering if the LR Fiance was going to pipe in. And how Cory will react if LRF is watching a show he isn’t “supposed to watch,” as in closing his eyes, covering his ears and saying “la la la la I am not listening la la la…”
You sure you want to marry this guy?
PS: Once you’re married, since the LR Spouse moniker is taken, what will your new handle be? (LR Daughter and LR Offspring are trademarked too, so you’re going to have to plan for the future…)
12. discreet_chaos | March 26th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
You know that I’m one for the gentle tweak, so with that in mind — You’re obviously an adherent, but still a strange bird.
You work in local tv, but…
1) You advocate letting any random user take your content, give it to Google and thus remove most of your employer’s income from the product.
2) With this experiment, though I’d be interested in hearing the result, you’re basically trying to see whether it’s currently possible to remove the local station from the equation, entirely.
3) You live in Seattle, but you’re going to send your money to San Francisco.
Have fun and I guess it’s refreshing that you’re not motivated by self-preservation, but still…
13. invitedmedia | March 27th, 2007 at 6:40 am
how about LRQueen?
i would have suggested LRBoss, but by the style of writing published here last week by a first time contributor i think that title might just be grown into.
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