I guess I'm what one would call an idea man. Don't get me wrong, I love the action every now and again but just... well I usually find my wall in acquiring the necessary resources. Whether it be the funds or something as simple as bodies (people willing to take part), there always seem to be some hold up or another. Given the circumstances I've decided to dispense with the hording of many of these thoughts and put them out into the ether. You see, it was never about being known for them but merely giving them life. Whether they're my babies or someone else's, I just can't wait for the next innovations to break.
With that said, I present 'DVR 2.0.' Simple idea. It came about when I noticed on my cable bill that I was being charged a renter's fee for my DVR (and modem for that matter). Was it a big deal? Not really, though it shortly became one when I found the inherent issues of competitive television afoot. I don't watch a lot of t.v. Why would I? I have the internet. But, then when I do watch the "boob tube" I'd at least like to enjoy what I'm watching. And even if I'm not enjoying it, I'm somewhat of a completionist so I'll see it through regardless. Now all that's fine and dandy until this "season" when I found myself bogged down by favorites all airing on essentially two nights with the rest of the week left pretty bare.
As I've stated, I have a DVR (East Coast so "Tivo" doesn't get thrown around as casually). But there was the issue. Only two programs can be recorded at a time. And while two programs are being recorded if one were to want to watch something it'd have to be one of those two or something else that had been recorded previously. But, like I mentioned earlier, everything this season seems to find home on TWO of the SEVEN nights of the week. So what am I looking at exactly?
It's not my cable provider's fault. And the broadcasting companies strive on competition. So should I shake a fist at capitalism like so many others for the woes of American society? Meh. There lies the path that brought me to DVR 2.0. Two simple technologies that seemingly run parallel to the path of technology anyway. A system I'd call something like "Cloud" Procurement.
Simply put. Instead of having to record media to a HDD why not have a set-top box set a market for the scheduled program and then upon a consumer's desire to view said program they can just do so via the content streamed to screens. Pretty much it's just taking a page out of Netflix's playbook. I'd much rather pay a fee for that type of optionality monthly over a damn renter's fee when I don't even have access to the content I want limited to two different programs if they come on at the same time on the same day. And it'd just be much more enjoyable then dealing with the "genius" introduction of seven or eight day delays for content from the day it's aired that can be found on streaming sites like Hulu or the broadcasters direct sites. And then there's no question in why I'm even bothering paying for cable AND internet access in the first place (long story).
So there it is. What I think would make for a nice evolution of cable provider tech practices that have started to fall behind a bit. Just an idea anyway.
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Listening to: Name & Number by Harvard Blue