Comments on: a lively debate with mark cuban

By: FemaleEDPillz

FemaleEDPillz — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:09:01 +0000

Hello Thank you for this website! Here is mine http://neurontin.wikidot.com/

By: CK

CK — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:12:00 +0000

Just installed BOXEE and love it so far. I dropped my cable a year ago and went OTA + iTunes and it works well for me. Despite all that, I have to agree with prior sentiments about BOXEE needing a business model. If you don’t find one fast you’ll just be a new TIVO, a great product that the Telcos imitated just enough to keep their customers.

By: Whuuut

Whuuut — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:24:30 +0000

I couldn’t disagree more about the need for content providers to help us “sift” through some sort of digital wasteland of low production media.

Isn’t that the whole point of social media? I “vote” #1 by watching the content and #2 rating it or recommending it.

The best stuff filters to the top ala Digg, and best yet I can filter based on my criteria or characteristics. I can “rank” what I might like by what my peers or friends recommend. The fact that I love technology or that I am not a 5 year old can all filter the “best” match of content to me!

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:25:47 +0000

Mark has a very valid point. The same companies (Comcast, Time Warner, etc…) that control the physical hardware backing the internet are also the cable companies. Currently, our broadband usage is being metered out and limited to maximize their profits while allowing just enough to keep us from complaining.

How much more bandwidth would it take to feed 1 HD stream into a household? Probably about 5-6 mbps or about 1-2 more than I currently have. Is this a coincidence? Of course it isn’t.

Here’s another example, here (Westminster, CO) there were widespread talks to turn the city into a wireless cloud. The whole expense was calculated and easily justified by using funds from public services (Police, Fire, etc…). Did it happen? No. It went from very nearly becoming a reality to becoming a hush hush topic. Smells like someone got bought off to me? If you don’t think so, look up Westminster. The city is not shy at all about providing public services to its residents. We have one of the top recreation infrastructures in the country.

Where the railroad system was derailed in the early 20th century because of greed, corruption, and monopolistic business. The internet is being controlled the same way today. The only difference is, they have enough sense to stay out of each others way and not make it a public issue.

Japan, the highest bandwidth country, on average has a 24mbps per capita average (more than enough to support many tvs running HD content plus internet downloads). The US sits somewhere closer to 4mbps (24th place).

I love living in the states, but I wish our people would shut up for a second to realize that our Democracy is becoming an oligarchy.

The current speeds will easily support individuals but, until someone takes a stand, families will be stuck in the traditional model.

By: Glen

Glen — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:58:44 +0000

Hmm I think Mr. Cuban fails to see the big picture. The generation is no longer short attention span, it is tech savvy. Just from a low level tech stand point my tivo HD DVR, basically a networked linux box with cable card – delivers regular tv content, netflix on demand, amazon movie dls, and streaming content from any of my MS wireless N networked PCs. Thanks to time shifting we are no longer bound to network schedules. We already pick and choose the content we want. Boxee is just an extension of that. I have a so-so 6MB DSL connection. It servers my VOIP, my wireless N network and wired PC. I DL content at my leasure. If I want to see the latest release in HD? Playstation network has it for 5 bucks, I kick off a dl before I leave for work – bang ready to watch and 14 days to do it. Keep in mind all of this is NOT using boxee, so it’s happening.

final thoughts – if you need any proof, look at Susan Doyle. A middle aged Scottish woman is more famous than you becuase the content of her singing on a show only seen in the UK was downloaded around the world.

By: Audio Sessions (Enhanced AAC) - Episode 7 - Boxee Interview

Audio Sessions (Enhanced AAC) - Episode 7 - Boxee Interview — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:35:26 +0000

[...] Mark Cuban Vs Boxee Debate [...]

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:40:21 +0000

Amen! I recently TRIED to put together my own DVR and was quite discouraged to find that the number of clear QAM channels is tiny (broadcast stations and PBS, the bare minimum required by law) and not only that, but some cable companies are now turning off the analog-out on the HD cable channels to stop “piracy”. That means there’s essentially no way to build your own DVR. You have to buy it pre-packaged.

Add to that that I spent 30 hours TRYING to get Move Networks’ player working in any way shape or form on a Linux box (WINE/Virtual machines/you name it) so I can watch ABC.com shows and failed. I WANTED TO WATCH THE COMMERCIALS AND SUPPORT MY SHOWS!

You know what I ended up with? The easiest thing to do was to download the shows. I’d much rather do this the “legal” way, but all the various companies involved want to make that impossible to do on my own terms and I’m not willing to put up with their terms anymore. I’m just sick of it. I’m just not willing to put up with it anymore. They’ve been screwing us all for so long and we’ve just taken it because we had no real choice.

Guess what. Now we do.

By: 3Z3VH

3Z3VH — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:49:45 +0000

Why can the internet not be a primary source of content for the mainstream user ? Have people forgotten AOL’s past success, being a content provider for the internet, when cheaper alternatives existed to give people direct internet connections ? People love their content delivered to them on a silver platter, and this is no different, BUT going with the mindset that cable companies are the only ones who can solve this is very narrow sighted. All it takes is a single place to get your content, which CAN be simply a content portal on the internet.

Even right now, what is easier, going to Hulu and choosing a show you want to watch, or finding that same show on a 300 channel cable box ? Ok, say you set up the DVR to record that show… how is that different than a simple “Favorites” list on a site like Hulu ?

As for the bandwidth concerns everyone is talking about… what bandwidth are the cable companies planning to use to deliver on-demand video ? Why can that same bandwidth not be dedicated to internet IP traffic ? Why is it not possible to set up your content portal to allow people to “subscribe” to their favorite shows and download them in the background for later viewing (saving bandwidth for when it is available) ?

All of this can (and is) happening today, simply to a limited degree, and is only being done by the bleeding-edge power-users. The only thing that needs to be done to make this more ‘mainstream’ is for a content provider to design a user interface that is more friendly to the non-techie consumer.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:15:44 +0000

As for Cable companies getting thiers by using bandwidth caps, remember that a bunch of cities will have access to WiMax this summer and more are coming. WiMax will be competing directly with the other Internet providers and since WiMax providers do not also sell Cable TV, WiMax may be a great streaming alternative with 6mb speeds for residential customers. They won’t have the same incentive to cap bandwidth.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:46:17 +0000

Jay, you are spot on. Too often comments offered are myopic and egocentric in scope and lack the simple realities of business.

One thing that jumped out at me as I read the exchange was Avner’s mention of 20 and 30 somethings. Basing one of his arguments on the purchasing power (content desire) of 20-30 year olds seems very short-sighted. The average persons income, housing, and entertainment choices change dramatically as they age. When you are 16 your entertainment focus is your iPod, your car system, or internet based and your purchasing power is comparatively small. When you are 40-60 you are more likely to be nestled on your sofa watching your 50″ panel and listening to a mid to upper level audio system. While the amount of dollars spent by teen-35 year olds is far from inconsequential, its not enough to compel a sea change in how content delivery.

At the end of the day it’s the content owners/providers that have the lion’s share of the power not the content delivery system. If they want their content available they will control where it shows up and how its delivered. The rest is all just propellerhead territory..