Comments on: DirecTV: Apple TV won’t “obsolete our technology”

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:24:46 +0000

It did for me. Just cancelled directv for my apple tv with hulu plus and netflix. Feels good.

By: George Wedding

George Wedding — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 19:42:32 +0000

DirecTV and Comcast are vulnerable.

We already dumped Comcast HDTV service for DirecTV about three years ago back due to Comcast’s unjustified high rates, poor DVR, inferior programming guide, over-compressed bit rates, poor standard definition TV quality and the reduction of 1080i TV resolutions a couple of years ago).

Now, we no longer rent DirecTV OnDemand movies either, because Apple’s rentals are $1 less while the quality for 1080p programming is terrific. For the past three seasons, we also have subscribed to Major League Baseball through AppleTV, because this allows me to watch games on either the iPad, iPhone, Mac or 57-inch HDTV (with AppleTV). If I subscribe through DirecTV, I can only watch on a dedicated channel on the 57-inch HDTV.

Speaking of AppleTV, it already has a nice little interface that steps you through programing your universal remote to control Cupertino’s device. I just used this interface to program two Pioneer AV Receiver Remotes to control two AppleTV’s in the house. Also, AppleTV’s Guide fonts and typography are more readable and the title cover graphics are larger and better.

Don’t get me wrong: DirecTV has done a fine job of delivering a reliable DVR, a good Guide interface, iPad compatibility and even PC- and Mac-compatible home networking.

But DirecTV also downsamples 1920x1080i channels to 1440x1080i and the programs are noticeably less sharp than 720p channels (which are not downsampled). DirecTV SD (480i channels are over-compressed too, sometimes dramatically and many simply are so fuzzy that they’re unwatchable. Also, you do pay an arm-and-a-leg for DirecTV services, and an extra penalty in the form of a higher Internet price for not bundling Comcast’s Internet and HDTV services.

So, we do not necessarily feel any loyalty to DirecTV or Comcast.

By: Connie

Connie — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 19:02:53 +0000

And it’s most certainly NOT about the B-3 bomber!

By: DaveyJJ

DaveyJJ — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 18:45:32 +0000

Here are two words of advice for Michael White: Ed Colligan.

Maybe give Ed a call sometime, Mike, and ask him how pronouncements about Apple hardware work out, then get back to us.

By: joeYYY

joeYYY — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 18:42:28 +0000

You can get some live sports content on the Apple TV that you should purchase a subscription for. This includes MLB, NBA, and NHL. The subscription is usually for the whole season, but it is bound to the stadard (and archaic) blackout rules for your home team.
In addition, with an iPad you can steam through AirPlay more live sports content such as MLS.
Unfortunately, we still don’t have NFL as the league is still bound to multi year agreements with the TV networks.

Still, in no way does it even come close to match the live sports content you can get through DirectTV, but it’s getting there.

By: Jake

Jake — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 18:30:09 +0000

Sounds a lot like those guys with various phone manufacturers talking about how the, at the time unannounced, iPhone was going to be no threat at all to their current smart phones.

By: joemoney

joemoney — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 17:30:56 +0000

Is obsoleting a word anyway?

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:11:29 +0000

Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (2001):
ob·so·lete … v. -let-ed, -let-ing

Merriam-Webster.com:
2 ob·so·lete verb \ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt, ˈäb-sə-ˌ\ transitive verb

Dictionary.com:
ob·so·lete [ob-suh-leet, ob-suh-leet] adjective, verb, ob·so·let·ed, ob·so·let·ing.

By: hybrid

hybrid — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:04:11 +0000

famous last words

By: Uncle Bernie

Uncle Bernie — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:44:45 +0000

It’s 2.7 million and one, as I am getting my second one for my second tv.