The risk of streaming and the value of Sage - Nickjr and Netflix

[wayner]

A few days ago Nick Jr content disappeared from Netflix. If you have young kids this can be a problem as the value proposition for kids content on Netflix was better than for other content. My kids, especially my 11 y.o. autistic daughter used Netflix all the time on our iPads to watch their shows and the UI made it very easy for them to elect their own content.

This displays the risk of moving to a model where we get all of our content from streaming - it can disappear at any time when contracts end. But no one can ever remove content from my Sage server, unless PRISM is even more pervasive than we think.

[Skybolt]

Yeah, that is just another example of why back end (Cable Co. etc. hosted, cloud service etc.) DRV's are not any sort of deal. They can and will change things to suite them selves not the end user.

[will]

Totally agree and streaming isn't part of my media solution as the quality, control, and selection aren't there yet for me...

However, we are a minority. For the average person streaming is this amazing "new technology" which gives them so many options for no work/little cost. From their perspective, it is better to be able to have streamed Nick Jr at one point than to be forced to watch it live or not have access to it at all.

The industry is moving towards this and I wouldn't be surprised if most cable companies move 100% to a cloud-based DVR system.

I know I will eventually be forced off of SageTV either by content being taken away from me through cable companies or 4k becoming the standard (both still many years away).

[pjpjpjpj]

Of course you could just use PlayOn through Sage and either use their PlayLater function or the Sage "podcast recorder" function to save all the content you want while it's available, in case they decide to pull it....

[will]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

Of course you could just use PlayOn through Sage and either use their PlayLater function or the Sage "podcast recorder" function to save all the content you want while it's available, in case they decide to pull it....

Only if you are okay with 480p quality. I tried PlayLater and it worked well except for the quality limitation...which was a deal breaker for me.

[PiX64]

Boxee.tv has cloud DVr that from exp works really really well. Xfinity is also moving that way also

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/11/comcast-x2-platform/

Def moving that way fast!

[wayner]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

Of course you could just use PlayOn through Sage and either use their PlayLater function or the Sage "podcast recorder" function to save all the content you want while it's available, in case they decide to pull it....

I have used PlayOn in the past but it is slow to access content and it often "breaks" requiring you to update the PlayOn version on your server. It is great when it works but there seem to be too many potential points of failure to have PlayOn work consistently through Sage. There is the problem of no HD issue but that is less of a constraint for me since most of this type of Netflix viewing in our house is for kids content that often isn't available in HD anyway, and I don't know that my kids can really tell the difference even if it was.

[bclenney]

Just FYI - a lot of the Nick Jr content is available for Prime members on Amazon. Prime membership gives you 2 days free shipping on a lot of products, plus streaming of a lot of content.(Prime is $79 a year)

[wayner]

I did sign up for Amazon Prime, so far a free trial. I live in Canada and while Amazon recently introduced Prime here it isn't as good as in the US but I can use a VPN-type service to appear to be in the US for Netflix, Amazon streaming, Hulu, etc.

[drewg]

Originally Posted by bclenney

Just FYI - a lot of the Nick Jr content is available for Prime members on Amazon. Prime membership gives you 2 days free shipping on a lot of products, plus streaming of a lot of content.(Prime is $79 a year)

The problem with Prime is that the UI sucks, unless you're using a Roku. What really ticks me off is that they simply refuse to release an android app, and they recently broke streaming via side-loaded flash to android tablets. I've heard various conspiracy theories (exclusive tablet/phone streaming for iPad/iPhone, not wanting to cannibalize Kindle Fire sales, etc). I'm probably going to drop my prime subscription due to them actively breaking android support.

The nice thing about NetFlix is that it works on just about any device you can think of.

Drew

[Serra]

Originally Posted by drewg

The problem with Prime is that the UI sucks, unless you're using a Roku.

The thing I like about Amazon, not Prime specially though, is that I can buy shows that I want. I really like the way that Amazon sells stuff. It is all on the Cloud, which I don't like, but at least I can buy and watch something if I'm in the mood. Even got a rental once.

One thing that is a negative about prime is that they sell HD and non-HD at different prices. At least on Netflix if it is available, it is HD.

[darcilicious]

Originally Posted by PiX64

Boxee.tv has cloud DVr that from exp works really really well.

Only in a few select cities (less than 10 at this point, IIRC...) and you can't DVR any sub-channels, just the major networks At this point, I'm still better off with Plex

[TallMomof2]

I've used my Kindle Fire to play HD video streamed from Amazon VOD on my 52" Panasonic Plasma and it was pretty darn close to the picture quality in the TV app. My Panasonic TV has an app for both Amazon VOD and Netflix. I think most new TVs some with these apps.

But internet streaming is still not close to the picture quality I get when streaming directly from FIOS. Until then I'll keep paying Verizon.