book, Online Video

Join Boxee Just to Piss Off Cable Providers

14 Comments

A few months ago, I tried Boxee. It’s software that allows me to watch more Internet video via an otherwise limited device like AppleTV. It was a bit difficult to install (download, put on USB drive, reboot AppleTV), and it vanished when I accepted a new release on AppleTV.

I didn’t bother trying again, because it had two limitations- while it was nice to access Hulu and other content on my boob toob, the resolution was far below a VHS. In fact it truly looked like gritty video on my television set. Second, it was buggy. Boxee folks are constantly working on the technology, but it caused my AppleTV to stutter, and was a bit slow.

Of course now that I’ve read this AdAge article, I would invite and encourage everyone to download and use Boxee. The cable companies, fearing dissintermediation, are pressuring companies like Hulu to make Boxee not work. It reminds me of the “cat and mouse” chase between police speed detectors and the devices that alert to a speed trap. The police develop a better device, and the free market creates another way to for the technologically advanced to detect the traps.

From AdAge:

Boxee got noticed by cable and broadcast networks, which pressured Hulu to start blocking it two weeks ago. Since then, it’s been a cat-and-mouse game as Boxee engineers devise work-arounds and Hulu engineers stop them. The issue is that Boxee made it a little too easy to watch web video on TV, which causes two problems: First, when users watch a show online, the networks earn a fraction of the ad revenue they earn when people watch on TV. Second, it’s likely Boxee might encourage people to just drop cable, depriving operators of subscription revenue.

I don’t like monopolies and I don’t like restrictions on innovation. Hail Boxee and here’s a note to cable… how about start earning your fees?

14 thoughts on “Join Boxee Just to Piss Off Cable Providers”

  1. It’s funny that the big content owners hate Boxee, but the new innovative creators love it. Between OTA TiVo, YouTube, DivX Connected and my Netflix subscription, it’s hard to justify paying cable for just a handful of programs. I’d much rather pay $19.99 per month for all of that content, then the $75 Comcast charges for their walled garden.

  4. we need to charge these big network outlets rent for the use of the public’s air waves and wires

    People forget they belong to us not them

  6. a few months ago, I tried Boxeebabiee, and that drove me nuts.

    Anybody remember her? Is she still relevant? Well, at least I know PeterCoffin will get the reference.

  7. @5 Network TV is “free.” I supposed the Networks could charge advertiser more and advertisers could up the cost to their clients who will up the cost of their products, which you don’t have to buy, but you’re being taxed now for the networks to broadcast and what are you getting for it?

    TV is a very powerful tool.

    I suppose legislation could prevent any increase to the consumer and the tax could be allocated to a People’s Network

    .05 of every cable dollar goes to C-SPAN. I’ve never heard a complaint, why not make a portion of the billions in ad revenue corporate Networks make be allocated to a truly free People’s Network?

    PBS was supposed fill in the gap, but with grants and funds from corporations how free and unbias are they really?

    We have to break the ties from all this corporate influence if we want a free nation and avoid the mess we find ourselves into today.

    All people have to do is want it.

  9. Why do you think I tried to get you to join Boxee, my self-branded-hat-wearing friend?

    Peter is doing what he can to help destroy television 🙂

  12. I’m embarrassed to admit that since the change to digital t.v. (yeah, supposedly the date was deferred till June, but most stations here already made the jump), I can get reception on neither analog set plus converter box, nor digital t.v. As a result, my roommate (aka fiance) and I are planning to split the cost of satellite dish. There is only one cable provider in the area, and I hate them with venom and would die before subscribing. This sort of single-minded prejudice makes decision-making much easier.

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