Interesting Read: How Apple will beat DIRECTV

[Scott Greczkowski]

Here is an interesting read.. How Apple will eventually defeat DIRECTV.

This is How Apple Will Eventually Defeat DIRECTV | Hidden Dimensions | The Mac Observer

 

[jcrandall]

Apple has a long way to go to not be a secondary source for many people comared to a multi-channel provider like Directv.

This article is nothing beyond someone saying they cancelled DirecTV to use Netflix, same concept.

As for the writers equipment knowledge, he mentions the HR25 having no ethernet port - there is no HR25. Hopefully he meant the H25 non-dvr.

 

[bobvick]

I like how he said that a SWiM system is "complex." Seems to me SWiM is anything but complex compared to the way it was before. I didn't really get the comparison either, Apple does not subsidze equipment like DirecTV or Dish Network does. It is kind of an apples to oranges comparison. What DirecTV and Dish do now is nothing different from what cable TV providers have did for years. If you really want an HR24 do what he did, get one from a local retailer or Solid Signal. I want an HR34 when they become available nationally. I will have to shell out probably about $400 to "lease" one and be signed up for another 2 year contract, but it is my decision. Evidently he did not bother to read how the new HD GUI speeds up the older DVR series either.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I agree with him on the equipment, if he wants a HR24 and wants to pay for it then DIRECTV should send him a HR24, not whatever box the shipping department grabs next.

 

[DodgerKing]

In a time when people stand in line for Apple products for sometimes days in advance, DIRECTV simplifies its inventory management by sending you whatever unit they please.

That is because you pay for the APPLE products and you are given the DirecTV products. If you want to buy your own HD DVR, then you can make sure you get the one you want.

What that tells me is that the DIRECTV culture doesn’t take pride its equipment, doesn’t try to create a sense of enthusiasm in the customer for new technologies and will let TV equipment linger in the home until it slows to a crawl … or fails.

With APPLE, like all computers, you shop for equipment. With DirecTV, like all TV service, you shop for the service. Most people pay for the TV service and channels. Most do not care about the equipment that provides the service as long as they get the channels they pay for.

There’s no incentive to create a great user experience. Instead, it’s all about content.

Of course. That is the whole point of paid for TV service. It is all about the content.

This is the reason why more people chose a better service provider with worse equipment over a better equipment provider with worse service. You cannot currently replace a paid TV service with a streaming TV service and expect to get the same programming. You will be missing out on about 90% of what is available.

 

[charper1]

UGH; this is so painful because the writer (and I use that term very loosely) seems to be almost ignorant of the technologies in play and how each is different in regards to what each service/company aims to serve and how; and he can't stop falling over his apple-wagging tongue. Its people like this that try to come off as an "in the know" super-expert; who couldn't be any farther from that. All the personal credits at the bottom serve zero purpose other than to attempt to camouflage his near-zero credentials regarding the story he just wrote; with their personal impressiveness. The are many incorrect and/or very personal opinions and perceptions that are based on little actual fact. I think the one point I can agree on is that the customer should be able to say "I am ordering model "X" and get that model.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

BTW I do want to note I did not make up the title, its the title of the original article.

 

[DS0816]

Thanks for the link, Scott!


John Martellaro writes:

Our family has enjoyed DIRECTV for 14 years now, but I don’t want to repeat this experience, and I can foresee a day when new technologies and new thinking will leave satellite TV behind.

The equipment isn't the selling point for either DirecTV or Dish Network. Geeks that are into this are a minority. But, there's no harm being among the minority or in being a geek for the technology.

More and more it feels like DirecTV has become no better than the reputation earned in, say, the 1980s and 1990s of cable operators. (Hell, I'm bored with the channel lineup; which is another subject.)

I suppose the author could make more inroads if he drops the service. That way he can find out whether DirecTV is more accommodating with equipment. (I think I came across, years ago, that it costs more for a company to sign up a new customer than keep an existing one.)

 

[cjwct]

Simple Solution ... order from Dishstore for quick, convenient service in which you get what you want

 

[spaceghost]

This was a very painful read. The Iphone has revolutionized the wireless industry, not in technology, but in consumer demand. I will give apple that. Apple fanboys think anything Apple craps out is going to be another golden egg. The Ipad was not revolutionary. If all you want is to watch a few movies, surf the web and check email, then yes, it works for you. But for the rest of us, its just another gadget. Apple TV is the same way. Its not going to make a big change at all like the Iphone did.
The Iphones competitors? Motorola and Nokia and BLackberry. Those guys weren't pushing out anything great in the first place. Apple TV's competitors? Every major cable and satellite carrier, IPTV providers, and worse, the studios. Good luck getting Nick, Disney or ESPN, Apple.

 

[whiteyanderson]

You can watch pretty much anything you want on an existing AppleTV set top unit. If you're technologically adept in the slightest you'd know this. It does not take much effort to do this. Will Apple take over the cable/satellite providers? I do not know. But somebody will and it will happen fairly soon. I for one cannot wait. If it wasn't for my wife's fears of anything other than a standard remote, I'd have dumped DirecTV's overpriced service and archaic equipment ages ago. I for one haven't watched a single thing on DirecTV in about 6 months, yay for his and hers TV sets.

The thing is that the cable/satellite co's have had a stranglehold for ages and it's finally being threatened. Why anyone still clings to the notion that paying through the nose for a package, when you actually watch a fraction of what you pay for is a good thing, is way beyond me. Yes DirecTV has a great picture, but more and more people are realizing there are other ways to achieve this. This isn't so much about eliminating these companies as it is about forcing them to readjust their packaging and pricing.

You may not like Apple, I do. You can claim that Apple has not done much, as much as you want. This only makes you as ignorant as the fanboys. Apple has done something and that thing is right, they have made accesible products that work, that people want. You seem to forget that Hey you "give" Apple credit for consumer demand, but last time I checked, consumer demand only drives any industry.

Where all the Roku's/Boxee's/Google TV's have failed, Apple or somebody else will succeed. All it will take is one broadcaster in your list of THREE to get in line and the rest will fall. Last time I checked iTunes had a pretty extensive list of offerings from the major studios too. Cable and satellite companies are losing customers, more and more people are opting out. They know this and are seeing it in the numbers. Companies like TW can still make a profit on broadband services. What exactly will a satellite company do when it hits the fan? Every time I call into DTV to aks a question, I always ask when my contract is up, I'm licking my chops to drop them and I tell them this. We've been with DTV for about 10 years. They literally THROW discounts at me. How much longer can they do this? I've already dropped my bill by 60% over the last 6 months. With AppleTV I have MORE to watch than I ever did with the Premium package of DTV. And I watch what I want, when I want it. Can I afford DTV? Yep. Do I want to keep funneling them money for a majority of services and channels I do not want or need? Nope. There comes a point where you just realize that it isn't worth it.

 

[whiteyanderson]

Oh and PS: Since when did DTV or any provider GIVE you equipment? You pay a monthly service fee, DVR fee, you may get a free upgrade receiver WITH a 2 year contract extension. They give nothing away. I suppose you could say the dish itself is free though. I mean, if you don't think they are padding your monthly bill to account for everyone's "free" equipment that is.

 

[lparsons21]

Nice writeup, but I don't agree with much of it. I have both an AppleTV version 1 (the one with a 40G hd) and a AppleTV version 2. I got the version 2 to be able to rent tv shows, but they've done away with that. So I'm back to the version 1 cause I can fill it with video and haul it with me to anywhere I go. Quite handy.

That said, I can't find the things I watch on my DTV connected TV for a price that is better than DTV. At $2.99/tv show and roughly $4.99/movie, it ain't happening! Here's the math :

Assume 3 shows per day, 7 days a week :

@2.99 = $62.79/week or roughly $250/month PLUS movies and NO LIVE SPORTS AT ALL!!

Yeah, I know, with the ATV2 I can go to HULUPlus and see some of the shows for $8/month which would reduce it. Of course, that gets me worse video quality and worse audio most times. And we won't mention what happens if the ISP is having 'issues' or the stream glitches.

IMO, we are quite a ways away from someone taking it away from the SAT/cable companies...