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NBC.com to offer free HD downloads

Posted by Michael Gay on December 11, 2007

nbc directA post on TechCrunch claims that NBC Direct will begin to offer free HD downloads through their new service using a P2P network. If you think about that, NBC might leapfrog your viewing experience in your living room by offering HD video for free on your computer. That’s a pretty exciting thought, but it leaves two big questions:
1. If the writers strike doesn’t end, what will I watch anyway?
2. How quickly will Comcast yank your Internet service because you’re using too much bandwidth?

  • Gorman

    #1: Depends on how much you like reality shows.
    #2: Immediately. Because the thought of P2P being used for something other than piracy is absurd, of course.

    And don’t forget Comcast is already going door-to-door in some markets falsely scaring people into upgrading to HD packages before the switchover in ’09. I’m sure some suit there will see this as competition.

  • Jeff

    Not to mention Road Runner is using packet shaping now which made my p2p quit working.

  • http://stevegarfield.com steve Garfield

    #2: Never, if Comcast stops and thinks about it for a minute. Instead of all the traffic going to some central server in the sky, wouldn’t the use of a P2P distribution model lessen the cost for Comcast since the users will be serving video to each other?

  • http://stevegarfield.com steve Garfield

    NBC Direct Requirements:

    Operating System*: Windows XP (any version, including MCE) with Service Pack 2 installed
    CPU: 1.5 GHz or faster 600 MHz
    Memory: 1GB or more 512 MB
    Hard Disk: 20 GB or more free space 10 GB free space
    Screen Resolution: 1024 x 768 800 x 600
    Audio: Speakers or other audio output A sound card
    Internet Connection: Broadband/High Speed (DSL or Cable)
    Internet Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
    Other Software: Microsoft® Windows Media® Player version 10 or higher
    Microsoft .NET 2.0 or higher
    Flash 8+
    *There is a known issue with Microsoft Vista which prevents users from experiencing NBC Direct. Microsoft is aware of the issue and has assured us that full support of Vista is coming soon. Support for Apple and Linux systems will be coming in early 2008

  • JoeMo

    It’s about time someone got it; I can’t believe that it took them this long to offer HD downloads. I just hope they start offering up older content in HD as well.

  • Safran

    On behalf of Mac users everywhere, let me once again say thanks for ignoring the part of your audience that is most interested in video downloads. We owe you a solid.

  • !!!

    Question #3 – When will the afils get cheesed enough about big daddy leapfrogging the locals? Remember, the folks with the FCC license?

  • Ed

    Answer #3 – Who cares? Who needs an FCC license to distribute content now. They have no leverage any more.

  • !!!

    Ed, its the truth! That’s why I’m practicing the phrase, ‘would you like fries with that?’

  • Tonto Weinstein

    NBC is making a rather broad assumption that anyone wants to view their content, let alone in HD.

  • Anon

    Very cool – here comes the future….

  • http://woundsunlimited.com/blog Hussman

    @ Tonto – it’s nice to know that that joke is becoming old.

    Don’t know if you’ve watched NBC recently, but you might want to check out Heroes, Journeyman, The Office, 30 Rock, Scrubs, Battlestar Galatica. If not, you should… pretty good stuff.

  • Tonto Weinstein

    I say that because NBC *is* making a broad assumption that someone wants to sit in front of their computer and watch their content. They are totally missing the concept of digital downloads.

    I’ve checked out NBC and there are just a few shows worth a damn. But again, why would I care to download them if I am restricted to how/what/where I view? Didn’t they just cast their programming into the wind via broadcast?

    It’s a race for eyeballs and these tepid steps are just silly. If NBC were serious about digital media, they’d pay Netflix to add the NBC weekly DVD into the envelopes.

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