Bad news for cable companies

Maybe cable/satellite companies won't let a la carte happen. Providers have a lot of consumers, like me for one, by the balls due to live sports.

But it's a good idea and it would work. Record companies took years to come around to the iTunes model, as did movie/TV companies with streaming video, but that's the way of the world now.

 

So this is just an online only thing? Can it be viewed on an actual TV?

 

Not sure, but I assume you could get a RoKu box or at the very least run it through an auxiliary cable onto your TV.

 

Yeah, I guess. I see this appealing to people who haven't spent significant money on TVs. Who sits at a computer and watches live games? People who are used to watching everything on a 50-inch TV probably won't enjoy watching on a 17-inch laptop. I think I read that there's an extra fee for viewing on multiple TVs.

This could be great for single people in their early 20s, though.

 

There are multiple ways to watch online content on your 60-inch flatscreen. Roku or Amazon boxes. Apple TV, Chromecast or even just plugging your laptop into your TV with a monitor cable.

 

Is all that going to be available with the Dish package?

 

I don't know, but if that's the direction Dish decides to push people I'd be surprised if it doesn't create apps for different devices. Some newer TVs you can beam stuff too from your computer, most made in the past 10 years you can at least plug your laptop into and use it as a monitor. So if you were going to watch on your laptop you can watch on your TV. Ipad would be a different story I guess.

 

The plan is to let subscribers access the Dish package on streaming devices as well as computers.

Re: those devices. I tried one of those Chrome sticks this past weekend and was none too impressed. That you have to have your smartphone handy to beam the content to it was something I wasn't aware of. My advice is to spend the little bit extra and get yourself a Roku or an Apple TV.

 

I recently bought a Chromecast. When I stream from my iPhone, it works great. But it's REALLY slow and choppy when I stream from my laptop or iPad. And I didn't realize it doesn't work with Amazon Prime content, so now I have to get one of those Amazon Fire stick things. Yippee!!

 

Among those devices, the Roku seems to be a pretty good value considering it isn't too pricey and has channels for most major streaming services.

 

I'm amazed at how often people think they'll reduce their costs if cable companies begin offering a la carte services. Make no mistake, if they ever do offer a la carte service, the cable companies are NOT going to make less revenue. Consumers will simply end up paying more for less.

 

I just got a Chromecast for Christmas. Streaming YouTube videos works great. Not sure what else I can do with it yet, though.