John McCain wants to blow up the cable industry as we currently know it

[Saunders]

The problem with this (and I like the idea in theory) is everyone assuming they'll just stream whatever they want. I guarantee if that happens, you'll see ludicrous bandwidth caps overnight. Stuff like Netflix is poorly encoded and you'll hit a modest cap pretty fast.

I doubt bandwidth caps are what you see. Odds are you see everything going to something of a subscription basis, like Netflix, but ESPNOnline, BTNOnline or whatever, all charging monthly fees. If you are lucky they let it go through a web browser rather than a dedicated client. And you had better hope people don't decide to start using a recent Microsoft patent to turn pay per view into pay per viewer..

Comcast has already started rolling out bandwidth caps to discourage streamers.

[strigori]

The problem with this (and I like the idea in theory) is everyone assuming they'll just stream whatever they want. I guarantee if that happens, you'll see ludicrous bandwidth caps overnight. Stuff like Netflix is poorly encoded and you'll hit a modest cap pretty fast.

I doubt bandwidth caps are what you see. Odds are you see everything going to something of a subscription basis, like Netflix, but ESPNOnline, BTNOnline or whatever, all charging monthly fees. If you are lucky they let it go through a web browser rather than a dedicated client. And you had better hope people don't decide to start using a recent Microsoft patent to turn pay per view into pay per viewer..

Comcast has already started rolling out bandwidth caps to discourage streamers.

Another reason why the monopolies need to die. If there were several companies in that down, that kinda thing does not fly. I still want that Google Fiber line....

[Conga3]

John McCain needs to retire.

[StPaulHusker]

I picture McCain at home with an old tube TV with rabbit ears. No remote. He has to get up every time he wants to change the channel.

[VectorVictor]

I like this idea. But what if Comcast, TimeWarner and Cox come back and say, "OK, each channel is $10. Pick what you want." These guys already have a monopoly in most municipalities, so you have the same choice you had before - cable, satellite (which will do the same or similar pricing) or rabbit ears and local TV only.

 

If they do that, what channels do you pick? And how much would that increase/decrease your bill?

 

That's not the natural endgame from all of this, IMO.

 

Follow the case of Aereo (article on Forbes.com)--a company was able to successfully fight to rebroadcast over the air HD channels via the internet. They're a good first step in the future of broadcast television.

 

IMO, future of television will likely go through the internet--you pick a la carte, and you have a guide that points you to the internet broadcast feed based on the channels you pick up. We already see this, to some small degree, with TV over IP sets--AT&T U-Verse in the DFW area does this, as it's the only way they can provide HD television using a copper pair for the last mile, as AT&T is too cheap to run fiber the last mile (see FiOS, Google).

 

The only reason cable companies aren't on board with the future state is because they make their money from gouging people on set top boxes and premium channel subscriptions. Going a la carte via the internet reduces them to a utility (like electricity) that they have little control over. People can then bring their own set-top devices or purchase a cheap one at Wal-Mart--they don't have to pay $15/mo. over two years for a box that cost the cable company $100.

 

Don't forget this is also why there have been fights about net neutrality--if the cable companies can prioritize traffic, then they control the content again when television goes the way of IP/Internet broadcast, and then they can force subscribers to pay to circumvent these restrictions.

 

You're right to worry about the monopolies--it's amazing how much better pricing and service for Time Warner got ever since Verizon FiOS showed up and kicked their ass up and down the block.