I may just buy Apple TV (and ditch Dish Network) When/If this happens

[JonE]

Apple pitches $30-a-month iTunes TV subscriptions - report

By Slash Lane
Published: 12:10 PM EST

Apple has reportedly reached out to TV networks in recent weeks with a proposed $30-per-month subscription plan to deliver content via iTunes -- a service it hopes to launch in early 2010.

Citing multiple sources, Peter Kafka at MediaMemo said Apple's subscription proposal is not based on any specific piece of hardware, like the Apple TV or forthcoming tablet. Rather, the plan would stick with the existing iTunes desktop software.

AppleInsider | Apple pitches $30-a-month iTunes TV subscriptions - report

 

[meStevo]

Guess you don't watch sports.

 

[JonE]

Not really, no. Listen to baseball on the iPhone app, beyond that I could give a crap about sports. I will probably give that up once the season is over.

 

[JonE]

Saw a report on the news the other night about someone who has done something similar (yes, it was a slow news day,) and between apple TV and Tivo with Netflix the cost savings was about $50 a month. Since I've pretty much quit watching sports, besides baseball, there's nothing I'll miss there, and baseball is on the iPhone, plus I can get MLB.TV on my laptop if I so choose. The Dish contract is up in February, that's when I'll decide if it's right. It requires having the money to do it also.

 

[mike123abc]

Guess you don't watch sports.

Since most the sports I watch are OTA, it would not be a big deal for me if all the series I like on cable are carried on itunes. It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

[JonE]

I watch about a half dozen shows on cable. Mythbusters, Dirty Jobs, Deadliest Catch, Burn Notice, and a few others. All are available on iTunes and I can get others I don't have like Mad Men since Dish doesn't carry AMC in HD. Plus Netflix for Movies and MLB.Tv for baseball, plus ESPN360 for Sunday Night Baseball would be plenty.

 

[JonE]

Pulled the plug on Dish today, will have Apple TV by this time next month. :woohoo:

 

[Cegarrett]

I'm also considering dropping Dish for some version of IP TV/xstreamhd but want to keep my 4 rooms active with different channels. let me know how this works.

 

[dont24]

Pulled the plug on Dish today, will have Apple TV by this time next month. :woohoo:

Couple of things. That subscription isn't in place yet. Other issue ( for me at least ) the current Apple TV offering is 3yr old hardware. Many folks have been waiting for Apple to finally upgrade this device.
Apple is looking to drop TV shows to $1. ( down from $1.99 )

 

[JonE]

Yeah the subscription service will be a while, but I'll be purchasing the half-dozen shows I do watch, plus movies and (free) podcasts in HD. I've read where average costs for someone who watches that many TV shows and rents two or 3 movies is close to 16 a month. About 80 percent less than what I was paying Dish to watch 2-3 channels.

 

[meStevo]

24 episodes and 3 movies for 16 dollars a month?

 

[JonE]

That's the average, yeah. The movies are in HD. The TV shows, some are, some aren't, but then that's the case with Dish, too. It has Mad Men in HD where Dish doesn't.

 

[dont24]

$16 a month seems pretty low for that, through iTunes. You may want to look into patchstick and get more out of your ATV. But if your viewing habits cost you 80% less than sat or cable, more power to you.

 

[JonE]

Well, again that's average. After you've ordered your seasons there are some months you won't pay anything unless you order movies or something. The regular network tv stuff I have an OTA antenna for. And stuff like Burn Notice, Mad Men, Discovery Channel stuff Is available for the shows I watched on Pay TV. And there are other means of watching the few sports I did watch like Baseball.

 

[dont24]

Google appletv patchstick. For starters, you could add Boxee/XMBC to your ATV. Many possibilities.

 

[JonE]

Google appletv patchstick. Fort starters, you could add Boxee/XMBC to your ATV. many possibilities.

I'll look at that, thanks.

 

[lparsons21]

I did those hacks to my AppleTV. They work if you count jerky video and overall twitchiness as 'work'. I reset the ATV back to Apple only, works better.

But I doubt you can get 24 episodes of anything for $16 since they are $1.99 and up each.

 

[Bigguy]

I second the motion on the patchstick. The hardware is to old to do much with video other than the Apple software. I too went back to the Apple software. I do like the Apple tv though.
I got got rid of cable and use OTA with my Tivo HD, Netflix ,Apple tv & Blockbuster now.

 

[JonE]

I did those hacks to my AppleTV. They work if you count jerky video and overall twitchiness as 'work'. I reset the ATV back to Apple only, works better.

But I doubt you can get 24 episodes of anything for $16 since they are $1.99 and up each.

Well, AGAIN, that's AVERAGE per month. Since I did the math, you figure that I'd be spending $192 a year on what I watch on a regular basis that isn't available OTA.

192 / 12 = $16

That's what I personally watch that isn't already on regular TV which I am watching OTA. And that's not including movie rentals or purchases. Figure I watch 4 HD Rentals per month, that's still $36 a month, which is still $45-$50 less than what I was paying for Dish.

And I'll likely pass on the patchstick for ATV. I don't even jailbreak my iPhone for various reasons.

And no video outages during major snowstorms, no having to worry about lease charges or DVR fees. Nice way to control costs while still watching what you want to watch.

 

[truckracer]

I am FTA and OTA most of the time. I don't sub to cable or pizza dish.
I can watch movies on my iphone and ipod using ipocket tv (jailbroken app) and the componet output video cable from the ipod and iphone. pic quality is quite good on most of them.