NBC hitches onto download service from Apple rival SanDisk
Determined to play ball in the digital arena without the help of iTunes, NBC Universal announced plans Tuesday to offer its video catalog through a new service from Apple rival SanDisk Corp that lets users download shows for playback on big screen TV sets.
Beginning in January, TV shows from NBC, USA Network, SCI FI Channel, Bravo, as well as vintage library shows from NBC Universal, will be available on Fanfare, a dynamic Web-based service developed by SanDisk and currently in beta testing.
Shows will include the Emmy Award-winning series ?The Office,? the critically acclaimed drama ?Heroes,? and award-winning comedy ?30 Rock.? New episodes will be available on Fanfare the day after they air on the network, the two companies said.
Like Apple's iTunes + Apple TV combo, the Fanfare service will let users download digital copies of the shows to their computers for later playback on their living room TV sets.
While Apple's method calls for its $299 Apple TV set-top-box to serve as a wireless conduit that streams the downloaded iTunes content to television sets, SanDisk is taking a slightly different approach to getting the video content from PCs to the TV -- its $100 4GB and $150 8GB Sansa TakeTV devices.
Essentially portable USB drives, users load the TakeTV devices with video content by plugging them into their PC and dragging and dropping video content onto the drive. The TakeTV drives can then be transfered to a dock that is connected to a television set for big screen playback.
NBC said it plans to collaborate with SanDisk on new consumer content acquisition models that offer Fanfare users "a variety of attractive ways to purchase and view TV shows, including offering discounts for multiple episode purchases and entire seasons, as well as incentives to purchase a bundle of different TV shows at one time."
NBC has cited Apple's unwillingness to experiment with content bundles and more flexible pricing structures as two of the primary reasons the two parties have been unable to see eye-to-eye on contract renewal terms for distribution of NBC content on iTunes. Following a standoff in negotiations that began in August, the two parties officially parted ways last week when Apple began pulling all NBC-produced content from its digital download service.
As part of its pact with NBC, SanDisk said it plans to use its expertise in security to implement a series of measures to protect the NBC Universal content offered via its Fanfare service, including partnering to explore the implementation of watermarking and filtering technology solutions.
The Apple rival is also said to be in the process of adding new episodes from current partners to its Fanfare catalog, and expects to acquire additional distribution rights to other premium content and channels.
Beginning in January, TV shows from NBC, USA Network, SCI FI Channel, Bravo, as well as vintage library shows from NBC Universal, will be available on Fanfare, a dynamic Web-based service developed by SanDisk and currently in beta testing.
Shows will include the Emmy Award-winning series ?The Office,? the critically acclaimed drama ?Heroes,? and award-winning comedy ?30 Rock.? New episodes will be available on Fanfare the day after they air on the network, the two companies said.
Like Apple's iTunes + Apple TV combo, the Fanfare service will let users download digital copies of the shows to their computers for later playback on their living room TV sets.
While Apple's method calls for its $299 Apple TV set-top-box to serve as a wireless conduit that streams the downloaded iTunes content to television sets, SanDisk is taking a slightly different approach to getting the video content from PCs to the TV -- its $100 4GB and $150 8GB Sansa TakeTV devices.
Essentially portable USB drives, users load the TakeTV devices with video content by plugging them into their PC and dragging and dropping video content onto the drive. The TakeTV drives can then be transfered to a dock that is connected to a television set for big screen playback.
NBC said it plans to collaborate with SanDisk on new consumer content acquisition models that offer Fanfare users "a variety of attractive ways to purchase and view TV shows, including offering discounts for multiple episode purchases and entire seasons, as well as incentives to purchase a bundle of different TV shows at one time."
NBC has cited Apple's unwillingness to experiment with content bundles and more flexible pricing structures as two of the primary reasons the two parties have been unable to see eye-to-eye on contract renewal terms for distribution of NBC content on iTunes. Following a standoff in negotiations that began in August, the two parties officially parted ways last week when Apple began pulling all NBC-produced content from its digital download service.
As part of its pact with NBC, SanDisk said it plans to use its expertise in security to implement a series of measures to protect the NBC Universal content offered via its Fanfare service, including partnering to explore the implementation of watermarking and filtering technology solutions.
The Apple rival is also said to be in the process of adding new episodes from current partners to its Fanfare catalog, and expects to acquire additional distribution rights to other premium content and channels.
Comments
And I presume SanDisk will have to pay NBC 1.00 for every device sold....
While Apple's method calls for its $299 Apple TV set-top-box to serve as a wireless conduit that streams the downloaded iTunes content to television sets, SanDisk is taking a slightly different approach to getting the video content from PCs to the TV -- its $100 4GB and $150 8GB Sansa TakeTV devices.
Dear NBC,
Stop with the damn lies. You can also use a $150 iPod nano and a $5 AV cable to play back iTunes content on your TV. Unlike the TakeTV, you can stop in the middle of something, hop in the passenger seat of the car, and keep watching.
Also, if I wanted bundles I would get cable or satellite. I want BSG and Heroes. When both were on, that cost me $16 a month. I'd be really surprised if you beat that with your new "service"
...NBC said it(s) plans... includ(e) offering discounts for multiple episode purchases and entire seasons, as well as incentives to purchase a bundle of different TV shows at one time."
NBC has cited Apple's unwillingness to experiment with content bundles and more flexible pricing structures as two of the primary reasons the two parties have been unable to see eye-to-eye on contract renewal terms for distribution of NBC content on iTunes.
I thought NBC's objections had to do with apple's pricing and revenue sharing. All the options NBC is purportedly proposing involve "discounts". Makes you wonder what NBC's objections really were. Or makes these proposals look suspect.
Can anyone explain?
On a different note, the Sansa device looks like a nice, sneaker-net alternative to apple's scheme. If apple offered this solution as a half-price alternative to its apple tv, wouldn't we admire it? (On the other hand, maybe not a lot of diff in the Sansas and attaching our iPods to our TVs?
Can anyone explain the practical differences?)
Can you spell "B-I-T-T-O-R-R-E-N-T"?
I knew that you could.
Dear NBC,
Stop with the damn lies. You can also use a $150 iPod nano and a $5 AV cable to play back iTunes content on your TV. Unlike the TakeTV, you can stop in the middle of something, hop in the passenger seat of the car, and keep watching.
The exact same thing could be said of SanDisk's offerings, if you substitute the words "$150 iPod Nano" with the words "$150 Sansa View" in the above sentences. And yes, the Sansa View is also compatible with SanDisk's Fanfare download service. (And you could have 8 GB of Flash instead of 4 GB for that same $150.)
[edit] To clarify - Engaget reports that SanDisk plans to phase in support for its other portable media player devices once the project comes out of beta.
Anybody else getting pop-under windows when clicking on links on AppleInsider?
...and I'm getting tired of it.
Anybody else getting pop-under windows when clicking on links on AppleInsider?
I turned off pop-up blocking on Camino and Safari and haven't found it. AI did do pop-ups on occasion, I don't know if they stopped or not.
...and I'm getting tired of it.
I'm not seeing them at all in Safari.
When they first parted ways, NBC shortsightedness at the C-level really had me believing it was a fiscally charged issue - especially if you listened to their take on "contract negotiations" for experimental pricing models. But now I don't see anything going on other than corporate arrogance and subsequent scrambling for partnerships that, in the end, will only damage their brand.
I thought NBC's objections had to do with apple's pricing and revenue sharing. All the options NBC is purportedly proposing involve "discounts". Makes you wonder what NBC's objections really were. Or makes these proposals look suspect.
Can anyone explain?
So far it seems more like NBC is trying to screw Apple even if that means screwing themselves in the process. However, if one is to compete with the most affluent legal, online video download service it would stand to reason that discounts be needed in order to create buzz and make these new services more appealing.
On a different note, the Sansa device looks like a nice, sneaker-net alternative to apple's scheme. If apple offered this solution as a half-price alternative to its apple tv, wouldn't we admire it? (On the other hand, maybe not a lot of diff in the Sansas and attaching our iPods to our TVs?
Can anyone explain the practical differences?)
As pointed out above an iPod can do the same this with a video out cable and has a many more features. But I do like the cleverness of the SanDisk device, though I have serious doubts of it catching on.
Anybody else getting pop-under windows when clicking on links on AppleInsider?
Yes always.
American TV networks are chasing the dream of capturing internet eyes, and desperately attempting to downsize and repackage high cost TV programming content (30 & 60 minute shows) for the net, a market of people with admittedly short content attention spans and satisfied with much shorter and smaller shows, and lower quality images.
Meanwhile, millions of American TV viewers are purchasing, thinking about purchasing, or dreaming of purchasing bigger and bigger High-Def sets that they can sit in front of for hours at a time.
His point was that instead of trying to move content that isn't in the right format for the net viewer mindset to the internet, the TV networks would be better served for their future by developing better HD content to satisfy the huge appetites of the couch potatoes with their new home theater screens.
also OH NO!! SanDisk Corp are only interested in this deal to sell playerZ!!!1!! oh NOES!!! themz muss bee dee eVilzz11!1!!
I'm not seeing them at all in Safari.
new Safari/Leopard or older? I'm using Firefox with pop-ups blocked (even get the warnings).
That little device is a kick-ass idea.
Agreed. NBC is coming to the table to play. As much as I love iTunes and Apple, I'm afraid 2008 is going to be the year that viable alternatives come to the market. NBC's Hula might suck but they are determined to limp along until they get it right. Just as Microsoft has done with the Zune.
new Safari/Leopard or older? I'm using Firefox with pop-ups blocked (even get the warnings).
I'm using Safari 3.0.4 in Leopard and I don't see them.
Really annoying. Makes me want to think twice before coming here. I might just stick to reading AppleInsider from Google Reader instead of visiting the site.