Thoughts on G4Tech TV...

rsebolt

SatelliteGuys Family
Jun 2, 2004
66
0
I don't like it anymore.
Only show I pvr is Screen Savers and even that has 'changed'.
It really is too bad.
 

Stargazer

Supporting Founder
Supporting Founder
Sep 7, 2003
16,567
340
Western WV
The Screen Savers is the only thing I DVR too and I have noticed that it just does not seem to have quite the kick that it used to or it seems different.
 

ryanbeggs

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Mar 28, 2004
21
0
I too am disappionted in the new channel. I am seriously considering moving back to the AT60 pack. The main reason I chose the AT120 was for TechTV.
 

rtt2

Supporting Founder
Supporting Founder
Sep 8, 2003
903
0
The reason Comcast bought this channel was for national distribution of their G4 channel. Before they could not get that channel on other providers' systems except their own.
Buying TechTV allowed them to get instantaneous nationwide carriage.

They really don't care too much that TechTV is dead. After all they practically fired everyone.

I now see why other providers refused to carry G4 all this time.
 

long_time_DNC

Politically Incorrect
Lifetime Supporter
Apr 24, 2004
13,974
2,739
Pacific Northwest, where it rains a lot...
rtt2 said:
The reason Comcast bought this channel was for national distribution of their G4 channel. Before they could not get that channel on other providers' systems except their own.
Buying TechTV allowed them to get instantaneous nationwide carriage.

They really don't care too much that TechTV is dead. After all they practically fired everyone.

I now see why other providers refused to carry G4 all this time.

So, Comcast bought out a perfectly decent channel just to get nationwide carriage of something that everyone except gamers won't watch?

Not a smart move...
 

rtt2

Supporting Founder
Supporting Founder
Sep 8, 2003
903
0
long_time_DNC said:
So, Comcast bought out a perfectly decent channel just to get nationwide carriage of something that everyone except gamers won't watch?

Not a smart move...



Actually it is a very smart move from a business standpoint.

TechTV was owned Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures. TechTV like most of Allen's investment have been bleeding money fora while. Allen decided he could no longer keep giving TechTV any more money and finally sold.

He got pennies on the dollar for how much he invested over the years in it. Comcast got a channel cheap that had nationwide coverage.

Now Comcast gets to charge other providers money to carry the new channel and turn a profit.

The first thing Comcast does is cut expenses and axes all TechTV staff and moves their existing channel content from G4 over to the new entity. They now can sustain the new entity because providers are already locked into long-term contracts. Even when G4TechTV contract will expire Comcast has other channels they will bargain with that will guarantee carriage. If you want E! or Style or Golf Channel you have to get G4TechTV.
In addition they get national spot ad revenue.
Now Comcast customers no longer have to pay for this waste of bandwidth but we do.

From a business view its brilliant
From a user view it sucks.
 

SimpleSimon

SatelliteGuys Master
Supporting Founder
Feb 29, 2004
5,692
4
Florissant, CO
long_time_DNC said:
So, Comcast bought out a perfectly decent channel just to get nationwide carriage of something that everyone except gamers won't watch?

Not a smart move...
Depends on how the advertising contracts are written. Comcast may have just made a ton of money until the next ratings card comes out.
 

Stargazer

Supporting Founder
Supporting Founder
Sep 7, 2003
16,567
340
Western WV
This was TechTv's way of getting nationwide coverage going with G4TechTv and now they can get additional content for computers/technology and maybe perhaps have that to be the main content.
 

SimpleSimon

SatelliteGuys Master
Supporting Founder
Feb 29, 2004
5,692
4
Florissant, CO
Stargazer said:
This was TechTv's way of getting nationwide coverage going with G4TechTv and now they can get additional content for computers/technology and maybe perhaps have that to be the main content.
IMHO, you have it backwards. G4 was dying while TechTV was doing fine. As of the merger, they dumped most of the tech- & computer-related shows (Call For Help, Tech Live, etc.) and replaced them with hour after mindless hour of gaming junk.

If they were going to do what you said, they would've done things differently.
 

perkke

Member
Jun 7, 2004
5
0
Kennewick, WA
They have ruined it!

I personally think that from this point on it will go down hill. I would really like to see the channel flop over and die. I never have liked comcast, especially after they scared all my good freinds a Disney. The new channel is nothing like the old one, and Fresh Gear & The Screen Savers are the only programs left worth TiVoing. I really think that it would be best to have separate channels for the gamers and the tech individuals. This G4TechTV think is way to far on the gaming end of the spectrum.

I knew something was wrong when Leo left The Screen Savers.
 

Tony S

SatelliteGuys Pro
Lifetime Supporter
Sep 7, 2003
1,502
933
Hills of Eastern CT
I think that the new programming sucks :mad:

They made a big mistake getting rid of Leo. I used to watch Call for Help, Fresh Gear and the Screensavers. Now every time that I look at this channel, I can only watch it for about 30 seconds before it is so annoying that I have to turn it off :eek:

Are there really enough gamers to keep this channel alive?
 

Stargazer

Supporting Founder
Supporting Founder
Sep 7, 2003
16,567
340
Western WV
I thought some people posted a while back that TechTv was not on as many outlets as G4 was. I think more people prefer TechTv over G4 but it was not in enough homes like G4 may have been (perhaps both of them had some cable/satellite providers they were not serving yet so with a merger both would be shown on many more providers).
 

GutBomb

SatelliteGuys Pro
Jun 17, 2004
171
0
Denver, CO, USA
heh, sorry to bring this post back from the dead but... I am a gamer and the only show I like on the channel is Judgement Day. I gave Electric Playground a chance because it had tommy and vic but it just wasn't as funny. I like Judgement day because they review the games and also do the crazy-guy/straight-man comedy routine that I find hilarious.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 0, Members: 0, Guests: 0)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)