Thursday, February 22, 2007

Cable vs iTunes & Netflix

Trade your cable for Tunes & Netflix

Originally Posted: 2007-01-25 @ 11:30:36 am

I just recently read an article (link above) where a blogger traded his cable (being Comcast) in for iTunes and Netflix. The effect saving him $300 a year. The reason was, the shows he actually watches was on iTunes that being only a couple of shows - available for $2 each and whatever movies he wishes (Netflix subscription). I think this is a great idea for those who are really picky in what they watch and granted it's on the iTunes store available for download. However, I think this only works for certain people, not everyone is apt to this general practice. One reason being is there are many shows that are NOT available on iTunes. Another reason is, that services (like Comcast) have on-demand capabilities that allow certain programming to become available.

Services like iTunes is great because they offer shows may have been the shows your missed the night before. There are even shows that have full downloads available free on their website, ie: ABC.com. There are many shows that are not available on iTunes (example, Mythbusters shown in Discovery) that you would have to download via bittorrent or any other illegal means. The legitamite reason for going to iTunes in the first place to to become legitimate, and second to have availability. However, if there are shows that are not available, you may be tempted to go the illegal route and find the bittorrents of the programming you missed and by-pass the buying all together. Esentially, you end up going free anyway, cancelling out the iTunes / purchasing all together. Bummer for the industry.

Secondly, you have services like Comcast that offer on-demand services. Programming that is free (including movies) that are avaialable. All you need is one of their digital boxes. Myself (for example), I have Comcast with basic cable. I also have their digital box (I believe it's $5/month extra) with basic cable (that being $14 a month). If I am paying $20 a month (rounded up) x 12 = $240 a year. This also gives me the capability of using that for movies that I want to see and especially gives me the children's programming that my 2 kids watch. They love the PBSKids stuff and anything else they can watch. The on-demand programming effectly gives me this type of programming available with their basic service. I also do not have a Netflix account either so I don't even have that bill. I may not know what the Netflix monthly service usually costs, but I know it doesn't match my $240 a year service.

All together, I think the model described in the link only applys to certain people. People with kids like myself don't apply because they tune into different types of programming and in effect negates the need for movies and other downloadable iTunes programming.

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