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Comcast new Broadband TV service, OnDemandOnline

Hey its value added !

http://www.dslreports.com/show...unt-Against-Cap-101045
Comcast has been offering more details of an online video effort that was unveiled late last week. According to the cable company, the broadband TV service, dubbed "OnDemand Online," will count against your monthly 250GB bandwidth cap, which will keep the network neutrality brigades from criticizing the carrier. The service, which will launch later this year, will only be available to Comcast customers in Comcast TV areas. The product will be a value-added service that should appeal to some (though not as much as more HD channels). Still, like we noted last week, it's still not clear how this will keep consumers from established (and sometimes free) alternative options.
 
That's actually a pleasant surprise. At least it confirms that Comcast isn't trying to use bandwidth caps to hamper steaming video competitors.
 
Originally posted by: frostedflakes
That's actually a pleasant surprise. At least it confirms that Comcast isn't trying to use bandwidth caps to hamper steaming video competitors.

Exactly. If anything people should be happy about this.

If they didn't count against the cap then people would bitch that it's penalizing other online video.

I think people just like to bitch. Mob mentality.
 
I like the move towards more content online, but I'm still saying goodbye to Comcast come June and the end of my promotional rate (and the need for my roommate to have a phone).
 
Isn't 250gb/month quite a bit?

I'm trying to imagine this...even in the heyday of my porn acquisition I don't think I ever came close to that number.
 
Can they provide me a precise estimate of what the per hour bandwith usage is for on demand? For both SD & HD content? I'd assume that even compressed, HD would start to chew that up pretty quick.
 
Originally posted by: Gulzakar
Isn't 250gb/month quite a bit?

I'm trying to imagine this...even in the heyday of my porn acquisition I don't think I ever came close to that number.

For pure internet, yeh. But when you are including on demand video in that then the number can possibly get chewed up pretty quick depending on what streaming bandwith rates are.
 
Originally posted by: vi edit
Originally posted by: Gulzakar
Isn't 250gb/month quite a bit?

I'm trying to imagine this...even in the heyday of my porn acquisition I don't think I ever came close to that number.

For pure internet, yeh. But when you are including on demand video in that then the number can possibly get chewed up pretty quick depending on what streaming bandwith rates are.

Comcast On Demand does not count toward the 250GB cap.

This new service - On Demand Online does, though. I imagine the bandwidth use of that will be similar to other web-based video streaming websites (youtube, hulu, etc).
 
Ah. So this is an additional video service for PC's unrelated to the video one piped to cable boxes?
 
Originally posted by: vi edit
Ah. So this is an additional video service for PC's unrelated to the video one piped to cable boxes?

Yes, it is completely unrelated to Comcast cable service entirely, actually.

You can basically think of it as a cable version of Hulu - so you'll get shows from (and this is just a guess) TBS, TNT, Comedy Central, MTV, and other cable networks, rather than Hulu's typically broadcast network fare.

Why anyone would complain about this is beyond me. I think people just like hating on Comcast.
 
Originally posted by: thescreensavers
So if I have comcast basic cable, and Comcast HSI I can view this online TV thing?

You just need to be a Comcast cable subscriber. You don't need to have Comcast internet.

And as it says in the article:

"Most of the content will be free if you subscribe to Comcast's cable TV service. But it's possible that there will be some pay-per-view stuff, too."

It's basically an effort from Comcast to counter users leaving their cable TV service for online-based services.
 
So Comcast is releasing a streaming video site on the internet that counts against your internet bandwidth usage cap... Am I insane, or does that make perfect sense? I can't understand why anyone would complain about this. "Oh my God, a website that counts against my established usage cap? Curse you Comcast!" I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm against usage caps in general, but I don't see why you'd single out the Comcast website and not Comcast internet usage policy here.
 
Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy
So Comcast is releasing a streaming video site on the internet that counts against your internet bandwidth usage cap... Am I insane, or does that make perfect sense? I can't understand why anyone would complain about this. "Oh my God, a website that counts against my established usage cap? Curse you Comcast!" I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm against usage caps in general, but I don't see why you'd single out the Comcast website and not Comcast internet usage policy here.

It's cool to hate cable companies and telco. And by cool I mean idiotic.

Comcast is offering this awesome service, for no extra charge. And since it's on network the quality will be great!
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy
So Comcast is releasing a streaming video site on the internet that counts against your internet bandwidth usage cap... Am I insane, or does that make perfect sense? I can't understand why anyone would complain about this. "Oh my God, a website that counts against my established usage cap? Curse you Comcast!" I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm against usage caps in general, but I don't see why you'd single out the Comcast website and not Comcast internet usage policy here.

It's cool to hate cable companies and telco. And by cool I mean idiotic.

Comcast is offering this awesome service, for no extra charge. And since it's on network the quality will be great!

I don't understand your defense of Comcast. I agree with you on this particular topic, but do you have Comcast? They have sucked for years and years. High prices with unreliable service and terrible support, at least in my area. They charge extra for HD channels AND for the hd box, while their neighbor Cablevision does not.

Do you know why these companies suck? Not because of mob mentality, but because there is no competition in most areas and thus they can do whatever the hell they want. Like charge you 100 bucks a month for bad internet, a phone you'll never use and SD television.

I had Dish and Direct TV for a while and the price was lower and the channels were better, but of course the internet (DSL) blew and the picture would disappear in the rain. I guess I can give comcast that; the picture doesn't go out when its cloudy outside.

 
Originally posted by: Insomniator

I don't understand your defense of Comcast. I agree with you on this particular topic, but do you have Comcast? They have sucked for years and years. High prices with unreliable service and terrible support, at least in my area. They charge extra for HD channels AND for the hd box, while their neighbor Cablevision does not.

Do you know why these companies suck? Not because of mob mentality, but because there is no competition in most areas and thus they can do whatever the hell they want. Like charge you 100 bucks a month for bad internet, a phone you'll never use and SD television.

I had Dish and Direct TV for a while and the price was lower and the channels were better, but of course the internet (DSL) blew and the picture would disappear in the rain. I guess I can give comcast that; the picture doesn't go out when its cloudy outside.

Because they are leading the way as far as innovation and services are concerned. They really are the leader in the industry. And a 100 bucks for internet, phone and television is pretty good deal.
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: frostedflakes
That's actually a pleasant surprise. At least it confirms that Comcast isn't trying to use bandwidth caps to hamper steaming video competitors.

Exactly. If anything people should be happy about this.

If they didn't count against the cap then people would bitch that it's penalizing other online video.

I think people just like to bitch. Mob mentality.

I don't understand why this is preferable. I figured the whole point of hampering streaming video competitors(like throttling netflix) would be so that their own video streaming service would be a better alternative. Now it just seems they're hampering their competitors without even providing a more attractive alternative. it's lose/lose..
 
Originally posted by: Insomniator
I don't understand your defense of Comcast. I agree with you on this particular topic, but do you have Comcast? They have sucked for years and years. High prices with unreliable service and terrible support, at least in my area. They charge extra for HD channels AND for the hd box, while their neighbor Cablevision does not.

Do you know why these companies suck? Not because of mob mentality, but because there is no competition in most areas and thus they can do whatever the hell they want. Like charge you 100 bucks a month for bad internet, a phone you'll never use and SD television.

I had Dish and Direct TV for a while and the price was lower and the channels were better, but of course the internet (DSL) blew and the picture would disappear in the rain. I guess I can give comcast that; the picture doesn't go out when its cloudy outside.

We're defending Comcast on this particular issue because it's not an issue which merits complaints.

The service has other faults, but this is not a negative move from the company. Just because they have other shortcomings as a service provider does not mean you can bash anything the company does without reason.

And again, people, this is entirely unrelated to Comcast internet. You do not need to be a Comcast internet subscriber to access this content. It is solely a part of Comcast cable services.

So if you wish to have a different internet provider (one without a 250GB cap) - then you can use it without an issue.

And also of note - this is not video streaming to TV - it is to PC only.
 
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