CABLE SUPPORTS NETWORKS, DISH COMMERCIAL HOPPER = HIGHER CABLE/SATELLITE BILLS

[Casey]

At the rate things are going, consumers will never stand up to the cable/satellite companies. The reason being, what other option do they have? If they leave, they will be left with OTA TV, if they can get decent reception, or internet based services. Internet based services are getting more restricted by the day due to the rise of cap/overage and usage-based billing by nearly all major ISPs and many small ones. Cox, At&t, Comcast, CenturyLink, Mediacom, Charter, Suddenlink, and CableOne are just a few of the companies capping usage, threatening online video services. None of these services have a valid excuse for capping either as the internet is one of the few unlimited resources we have.

I have not actually seen a hopper yet, but I know people who have them and they love them. I think Dish might be able to win this one. They have created a solid product that I honestly do not see is infringing as the networks claim.

 

[w9wi]

I have not actually seen a hopper yet, but I know people who have them and they love them. I think Dish might be able to win this one. They have created a solid product that I honestly do not see is infringing as the networks claim.

(what's wrong with OTA? -- a growing number of viewers are perfectly happy with it..)

Thing is, broadcast networks are not charities. They exist to sell airtime, hopefully enough airtime at a high enough price to be profitable.

I think one or more of three things will happen:

1. Broadcasters will develop means to defeat Hopper -- to cause Hopper users to miss part of the program, or to ensure they see the commercials they think they're skipping.
2. Broadcasters will demand the advertising revenue lost to Hopper be replaced, in higher retransmission consent fees. As the article suggests, Hopper users will end up replacing the lost revenue, through higher cable/satellite bills.
3. Broadcasters will be unable to replace the lost revenue. The quality of programming offered will decline as the money to pay for it dries up. At some point it becomes pointless to continue in the broadcasting business -- your Hopper will no longer have any programming available to record.

You're not going to get programming for free. Either you're going to pay directly with your monthly cable/satellite bill, or you're going to pay with your time, by watching commercials.

 

[Casey]

I have not actually seen a hopper yet, but I know people who have them and they love them. I think Dish might be able to win this one. They have created a solid product that I honestly do not see is infringing as the networks claim.

(what's wrong with OTA? -- a growing number of viewers are perfectly happy with it..)

Thing is, broadcast networks are not charities. They exist to sell airtime, hopefully enough airtime at a high enough price to be profitable.

I think one or more of three things will happen:

1. Broadcasters will develop means to defeat Hopper -- to cause Hopper users to miss part of the program, or to ensure they see the commercials they think they're skipping.
2. Broadcasters will demand the advertising revenue lost to Hopper be replaced, in higher retransmission consent fees. As the article suggests, Hopper users will end up replacing the lost revenue, through higher cable/satellite bills.
3. Broadcasters will be unable to replace the lost revenue. The quality of programming offered will decline as the money to pay for it dries up. At some point it becomes pointless to continue in the broadcasting business -- your Hopper will no longer have any programming available to record.

You're not going to get programming for free. Either you're going to pay directly with your monthly cable/satellite bill, or you're going to pay with your time, by watching commercials.

I didn't say there was anything wrong with OTA. In fact that is all I have at the moment. But many people are not satisfied with OTA, which is why cable and satellite have as many subscriber as they do.

I don't think possibility 3 is very realistic. Programming quality is already awful and why HBO continues to thrive.

Keep in mind the hopper is offered only on one service and very few people on the service currently have the hopper.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Keep in mind the hopper is offered only on one service and very few people on the service currently have the hopper.

But simultaneously, Dish is pushing hard for clients to sign up for the Hopper.

 

[DJKraze]

Dish is not the first (and I doubt will be the last) to have a commercial skip function, I used to own a Sylvania (funai) DVR/DVD/VCR combo unit (died about 4 years ago ) and it had a "CM Skip" button on it that with each pressing, 30 seconds (up to 3 mins) it would scroll fast. It didn't automatically know where the commercials were, but it was a handy feature if I didn't feel like sitting through them. I also remember the ReplayTV from Sonic Blue that someone I knew used to have, this thing DID have a working "Hopper" function, in fact, I think it was automatic and by default and functioned on ANY channel, though I don't remember if it worked on pre-recorded show, I am sure it worked on paused recordings of live tv (in order to catch up to live again?)