[MCQ]

That didn't take very long...

http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/051107/1188107.html?.v=1
NBC offering via DirecTV

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051107/phm046.html?.v=19
CBS offering via Comcast Digital Cable

Both planning to offer shows at 99 cents, though it's essentially a rental - ability to watch for 24 hours after purchase. The right price point though, and great if you don't care about keeping the episode afterward. Pretty nice if you can get an episode in HDTV format at that price point.

[Ryan]

Can someone enlighten me on how DirecTV plans on doing this? I thought was on-demand via satellite was technically infeasible, the way Dish and DirecTV are set up. It sounds like the show is downloaded to a PVR, and then deleted after 24 hours, in which case why not just record it the first time, and keep it forever?

It sounds interesting, but who wants on-demand crap anyways?

I know it sounds like I'm just bashing on the idea of on-demand, and on the networks, it's just that I don't get the point of DirecTV's implementation (the way I understand. I'm probably wrong).

[drewprops]

ABC will undoubtedly follow suit. The interesting thing to watch will be whether:
a) ABC maintains their relationship with iTunes and
b) The other networks enter into online sales of their programs, because as soon as the shows hit cable they ARE going to ripped and traded.

[SKMDC]

Originally Posted by MCQ That didn't take very long... http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/051107/1188107.html?.v=1 NBC offering via DirecTV http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051107/phm046.html?.v=19 CBS offering via Comcast Digital Cable Both planning to offer shows at 99 cents, though it's essentially a rental - ability to watch for 24 hours after purchase. The right price point though, and great if you don't care about keeping the episode afterward. Pretty nice if you can get an episode in HDTV format at that price point.

This has been in the works for a while, it's ComCast's big new selling point.
I'm not sure how the DirectTv version will work, but the new TiVo software supposedly has a disabling feature that made any pay-per-view you had on your hard drive unwatchable after a period of time unless you ponied up more dough.

[sunrain]

Originally Posted by CubeDude It sounds like the show is downloaded to a PVR, and then deleted after 24 hours, in which case why not just record it the first time, and keep it forever?

This part makes no sense to me either. The only convenience I could see was that the downloads have the commercials pre-stripped away.

[Franz Josef]

Originally Posted by SKMDC I'm not sure how the DirectTv version will work, but the new TiVo software supposedly has a disabling feature that made any pay-per-view you had on your hard drive unwatchable after a period of time unless you ponied up more dough.

Yes, TIVO now allows "flagging" so that the PVR will automatically delete the program after say a week (even if not watched) at the broadcasters request. So much for customer empowerment.

[SKMDC]

Originally Posted by Franz Josef Yes, TIVO now allows "flagging" so that the PVR will automatically delete the program after say a week (even if not watched) at the broadcasters request. So much for customer empowerment.

TiVo's been doing a few scuzzy things since they've lost the DirecTv account. They are willing to jump through hoops for any big media outlet that bats an eye at them.
On stand alone units they are trying out the ever-popular (ugh) cell phone model of hinging rebates to 1 year contracts.

[Franz Josef]

yeah, they've forfeited what customer goodwill they had - maybe the DirectTV box is a better bet?

[MCQ]

I kept getting confused by the press releases, I guess the DTV one is only available via their PVR. Yeah, that's just dumb.

The digital cable one is interesting though.