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Remember Blockbuster Video? I don't mean its sad final days. I mean the days, nearly 30 years ago, when Blockbuster was a real destination by itself. You could find friends their, scouting for new releases. There were big events when high-profile movies were finally available. It was the place to be back in the days when MC Hammer told you not to touch this.
We all know what happened. Blockbuster died, and most folks believe it's because they couldn't keep up with technology. The lure of having DVDs sent to you and keeping them as long as you wanted overshadowed the idea of going to the video store. And then of course streaming changed the model forever. But is that what really happened?
Blockbuster really died because they got so bad that you were actually willing to pay more money for less convenience. You were willing to wait for stuff to show up even though you could go down to the video store, get the movie today, and pay less to rent it than you paid for Netflix.
Why? Because Blockbuster became a mess. Chances are you couldn't find that new movie, or anything you wanted. The in-store experience was a mess. Blockbuster was too involved in trying to get you to watch what they had to sell you instead of getting the content you wanted to watch. Their tech stunk too. Paper cards with faded bar codes? Yes that's where we were at. They largely ignored every improvement in tech as it happened, and eventually they paid the price.
Emblematic of all of Blockbuster's failures at the same time was its "new releases" wall. Here you would find movies from the last two years, but never the movie you actually wanted to see from last month. That movie was held back for months while the studios tried to sell you copies instead of renting them.
So, I've told you why Blockbuster died. Now let's talk about Max. Yes, I'm trashing them again.
Let's run this down point by point, shall we?
Max is a bewildering mess of content without any real understanding of what the Max brand stands for. There are about seven ways to filter things, all in different places, and you still can't find what you're looking for.
After months, I still have issues with Dolby Vision and frame rates in the Max app. They're a lot better, but they're still there. The biggest problem I have is that as I scroll down a long list, the list will randomly scroll back to the top for no reason. It makes going through that long list incredibly painful.
Have you noticed that Max has completely given up on the idea that a "new release" is something that's actually new? OK, so, writer's strike and the like. There's not as much new content out there. But Max's new releases are often movies and shows that have been out for a year, were hawked to the highest bidder instead of staying on Max, and have just come back.
There's also the more modestly named "Just added" which can have content from anytime in the last 100 years, to be honest. But at least they're not calling it new.
Yes, I would say that Netflix and Hulu suffer from some of this as well. But Max stands as the worst of the incredibly high-priced tier of streaming services. And their prices stand to go up even higher, I'm sure.
Here's the funny thing. Not that I'm so bullish on Netflix, but they do seem to do things "just better enough." Yes, Netflix is a bewildering mess of content without any real attempt at creating a brand. But in that regard it's kind of like Costco. You go in there knowing that there's a lot of stuff and you will probably find something you didn't know you wanted.
In contrast, Max is more like Costco after a hurricane hits it. (Personal experience here: I've actually seen one of these in real life, back in the 1990s.) You walk in, and there's stuff everywhere. Some of it's broken, some of it's in the wrong place. If you're lucky you can find something but you feel a little sense of misery for what the place used to look like before calamity (aka David Zaslav) came around.
In a very real way, I hope Max gets its act together. I hope it returns to being a premier destination for 100 years of Warner and Turner content. For my money, the Discovery stuff can all go away if it helps keep costs down. I hope that the company brings in a team of top programmers to fix the rest of the bugs and stops trying to reinvent things that worked perfectly last year. Maybe then, I'd feel a tiny bit more comfortable with a price increase. Keep things the way they are, though, and my Max password will probably get as much use as my old Blockbuster video card.
The post STREAMING SATURDAY: The Blockbuster Syndrome appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
We all know what happened. Blockbuster died, and most folks believe it's because they couldn't keep up with technology. The lure of having DVDs sent to you and keeping them as long as you wanted overshadowed the idea of going to the video store. And then of course streaming changed the model forever. But is that what really happened?
Why Blockbuster really died
Blockbuster really died because they got so bad that you were actually willing to pay more money for less convenience. You were willing to wait for stuff to show up even though you could go down to the video store, get the movie today, and pay less to rent it than you paid for Netflix.
Why? Because Blockbuster became a mess. Chances are you couldn't find that new movie, or anything you wanted. The in-store experience was a mess. Blockbuster was too involved in trying to get you to watch what they had to sell you instead of getting the content you wanted to watch. Their tech stunk too. Paper cards with faded bar codes? Yes that's where we were at. They largely ignored every improvement in tech as it happened, and eventually they paid the price.
Emblematic of all of Blockbuster's failures at the same time was its "new releases" wall. Here you would find movies from the last two years, but never the movie you actually wanted to see from last month. That movie was held back for months while the studios tried to sell you copies instead of renting them.
Here's why I'm talking about this on Streaming Saturday.
So, I've told you why Blockbuster died. Now let's talk about Max. Yes, I'm trashing them again.
Let's run this down point by point, shall we?
"Chances are you couldn't find that new movie, or anything you wanted."
Max is a bewildering mess of content without any real understanding of what the Max brand stands for. There are about seven ways to filter things, all in different places, and you still can't find what you're looking for.
"Their tech stunk too."
After months, I still have issues with Dolby Vision and frame rates in the Max app. They're a lot better, but they're still there. The biggest problem I have is that as I scroll down a long list, the list will randomly scroll back to the top for no reason. It makes going through that long list incredibly painful.
"…its new releases wall"
Have you noticed that Max has completely given up on the idea that a "new release" is something that's actually new? OK, so, writer's strike and the like. There's not as much new content out there. But Max's new releases are often movies and shows that have been out for a year, were hawked to the highest bidder instead of staying on Max, and have just come back.
There's also the more modestly named "Just added" which can have content from anytime in the last 100 years, to be honest. But at least they're not calling it new.
Max isn't the only app with this problem…
Yes, I would say that Netflix and Hulu suffer from some of this as well. But Max stands as the worst of the incredibly high-priced tier of streaming services. And their prices stand to go up even higher, I'm sure.
Here's the funny thing. Not that I'm so bullish on Netflix, but they do seem to do things "just better enough." Yes, Netflix is a bewildering mess of content without any real attempt at creating a brand. But in that regard it's kind of like Costco. You go in there knowing that there's a lot of stuff and you will probably find something you didn't know you wanted.
In contrast, Max is more like Costco after a hurricane hits it. (Personal experience here: I've actually seen one of these in real life, back in the 1990s.) You walk in, and there's stuff everywhere. Some of it's broken, some of it's in the wrong place. If you're lucky you can find something but you feel a little sense of misery for what the place used to look like before calamity (aka David Zaslav) came around.
In a very real way, I hope Max gets its act together. I hope it returns to being a premier destination for 100 years of Warner and Turner content. For my money, the Discovery stuff can all go away if it helps keep costs down. I hope that the company brings in a team of top programmers to fix the rest of the bugs and stops trying to reinvent things that worked perfectly last year. Maybe then, I'd feel a tiny bit more comfortable with a price increase. Keep things the way they are, though, and my Max password will probably get as much use as my old Blockbuster video card.
The post STREAMING SATURDAY: The Blockbuster Syndrome appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
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449 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n43A0sNukCg
Direct YouTube Link - SpaceX Seeks to Conduct 450 Starship Launches a Year in Texas!
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n43A0sNukCg
Direct YouTube Link - SpaceX Seeks to Conduct 450 Starship Launches a Year in Texas!
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
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5 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68506 Replies
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2671308 views
Marques Brownlee
Time for another AWESOME video from Marques Brownlee!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scwlR0QHGOk
Direct YouTube Link - The NEW Tesla Roadster: My Honest Reaction
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scwlR0QHGOk
Direct YouTube Link - The NEW Tesla Roadster: My Honest Reaction
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
0 Replies
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5 views
iJustine
Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m44iKsdN1-Q
Direct YouTube Link - NVIDIA RTX Spark launch party!!!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m44iKsdN1-Q
Direct YouTube Link - NVIDIA RTX Spark launch party!!!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
0 Replies
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17 views
For quite a while now, people with a VIP211k have been losing their recordings on their activated external HDDs... even when there's nothing physically wrong with HDD. I believe this is an intentional and underhanded tactic that Dish is pulling in an attempt to force users away from the VIP211k.
They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.
Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.
On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.
It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.
I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.
Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.
On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.
It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.
I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
168 Replies
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7496 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Has anyone subscribed to NBA League Pass for 2026-27 and try to link their account to NBA.com to stream League Pass? I purchased it for 2026-27, and when I linked, I got a message saying success, but then I receive an error that my linked subscription does not include the preseason games for NBA League Pass. Is that how it has always been? I know satellite doesn't have the preseason games on the NBA League Pass channels, but I thought that I was able to stream the preseason once I linked my account on NBA.com?
2 Replies
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87 views
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
143 Replies
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1468 views
Nah, you just don't understand how ignore works, which is why you made your own NFL thread thinking there wasn't one
For some reason, the satelliteguys.us site is loading a lot slower than usual on both Chrome on my Asus laptop and Safari on my iPhone.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
530 Replies
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18125 views
Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat. 
WTF… …What the Foxbat!Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat.
S
wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming youWTF… …What the Foxbat!
I know. Here's what Scott has in store for me if I get out of line:wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming you
S
OMG to freaking funny
You're no fun.
I thought I would come here and find lots of complaints about the update to the dish anywhere mobile app, but am not seeing any. It used to look just like the desktop webpage. Now you can no longer filter by sports channels or movie channels. Plus that they made it look like a big button telephone and you see fewer channels in the screen which requires more scrolling. Yes I realize you can look at sports then select which sport you want to look at, I just liked being able to see all sporting events in the guide with all other channels being filtered out. Am I alone in the wilderness on this?
7 Replies
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158 views
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Apple has finally released their Apple TV 4K with built-in Siri and a microphone so it can respond to your queries even if you don't have the remote. It also increases in price, to $299. I had been planning on updating my current Apple TV 4K streamers, but that's $600 for the two of them, and that's a pass at this point.
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
Apple TV 4K
Apple TV 4K. New Siri AI and hands-free control. Stunning picture and immersive HomePod surround sound. Works with your Apple and smart home devices.
www.apple.com
20 Replies
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333 views
S
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
they all do that anyways.. ever notice your cell phone slows down when you come up for an upgrade..
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
You should have looked in the APP STORE instead.
