Comments on: The results: Apple TV vs. cable TV

By: John Ward

John Ward — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:05:40 +0000

I think I could get rid of my digital cable DVR too and go to basic cable if I would be using the Apple TV as my DVR. All I mostly watch are just a few shows that are on iTunes now and maybe a special event on G4. I just wonder if it’s going to be cheaper because that is what I want. Cable Packages are too much money!

By: Bloggernaj

Bloggernaj — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:40:51 +0000

This sounds like a fun experiment-however I agree these cable channels really ought to let us choose our channels a la carte; however most of us would choose the same ones. But you should start a movement-may I suggest http://www.measuredup.com a new social networking site that lets you rant or rave about a customer service experience or lack of the customer getting what they need.

By: Nomad

Nomad — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:20:36 +0000

[[Ok, Apple folks. I was clicking away on my Apple TV remote when all of a sudden Kate’s Mac Book starting spouting Swedish. Turns out the Apple TV remote also triggers iTunes on her laptop, and her Swedish lessons were the first to start playing. This was funny for the first night, but by the end of the week Kate was ready to confiscate the remote.]]

There is a feature to allow you to associate your Apple remote with either your Mac or your AppleTV. Once you do that, other random IR signals won’t trigger any activity. We had this same problem between two Macbooks, and the association resolved it for us.

By: Francis DFD

Francis DFD — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:47:39 +0000

You should pair the remote with the apple TV, or the laptop with it’s remote.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:09:28 +0000

My problem is it would be 54 dollars a week for the shows I normally watch.

By: Safran

Safran — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 18:32:24 +0000

Way to take one for the team! LR Fiance, I mean.

Good report, and a fascinating experiment. Yeah, having cable/sat gives you more choices from a financial POV, there’s no question. But it’s interesting to look at this stuff in new ways, and I’m glad you did it.

Given our name, LRF throwing away the remote would be oddly appropriate.

By: eon

eon — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:26:07 +0000

Lastlly there is a device called HDHomeRun that consist of 2 ATSC/QAM tuners. It connects to your network. You can use the VLC transcoding Wizard to save shows in MP4 format which can be added to iTunes. Check it out, it’s only $169

By: eon

eon — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:22:13 +0000

another great source is to go to http://www.guba.com then click on the free video tab, search for dvdscr, click more videos, then the itunes button. I guarantee that you will get some good content. You may even feel like making popcorn to go with it!

By: eon

eon — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:20:30 +0000

If you go to Google Video and do an empty search with duration over 20 minutes, high rating, then click on the RSS button, you will be presented with good content that you can add to iTunes by clicking on the Subscribe in iTunes button on the lower right of the Safari window. The Chris Titus standup special is there as is American Pie and other good stuff.

By: SS

SS — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:25:18 +0000

A good experiment, but 12 shows a week could go by real quick… and if you have kids you can forget about it. Not that I think kids should watch a ton of tv, but add 2-3 shows to your scenario and you’re paying MORE for less.

By: The Tony

The Tony — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:16:27 +0000

All in all, I’d say this was definitely…and experiment.

And I’m sure we’re all better people for having lived through it, somehow.

I’m going to go watch TV, now.

By: G Man

G Man — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:50:24 +0000

In your math, did you figure in the cost of the high speed connection, which I’m assuming you got from Comcast? If you don’t have the connection - you don’t have TV. You might through away the cable box, but you’re still in bed with a utility - be it the cable company or the phone company. And what do you do when they start charging by usage?

I do like the irony of the fact that HD programming comes in best on an over the air antenna.

Remember when TV was free?

By: Brad

Brad — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:47:06 +0000

I’m also toying with the idea of unplugging the cable box when we move. But what I’d like to do is throw an OTA HDTV tuner in my computer (which is currently my PVR) so that we can pick up network programming for free even though we don’t have an HDTV in the house.

Then all we’d have to buy from iTunes or a similar service would be shows that air on cable. The Daily Show withdrawal would be hard though.

By: Cory

Cory — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 03:58:45 +0000

Ah, I was looking on Yahoo for 60 Minutes. Didn’t realize they were on CBSNews.com. Also, didn’t check NBC.com for SNL. Thanks, both, I updated.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 03:56:01 +0000

And if you want newsy in the morning while you surf the web, why not listen to Morning Edition?