Google to sell off Motorola's set-top box business as Google TV flounders - Page 2

 

Fave you actually used a Google TV?  I have, and I must say I really like it.  I have two logitech revues in my house that I bought for $80 or so a piece.  Granted the initial price point was WAY too high, but at $100 a piece, they're great devices.  Before switching to google TV, I used a HTPC setup, and although I could use it, it seemed that everyone else was at a complete loss. 

 

With the google TV, everyone I know could pick up the "remote", and get the TV working in a few minutes.  That's no small measure for a system involving a TV, 5.1 Receiver, direct TV/cable box, and a internet TV playback device (the google TV).  You hit the TV button, and the TV turns on, AVR, and the receiver turns on and switches to the proper input, and hitting STB will turn on your set top box (as most of them automatically go to sleep).  That means someone can hit a few simple buttons, turning on the TV, getting picture and sound.

 

One of the coolest features of the google TV is that it has an HDMI input port on it.  This means that it fits in seamlessly with your existing cable/sattelite box, a key feature that currently stops Apple TV.  The simple fact is everyone I know can use my remote to watch live TV,all they have to do is hit the TV button.  Now, tell someone with an apple TV (connected to a 5.1 surround sound system, or directly to the TV) how to watch live tV when on the apple TV, or switching to the apple TV when watching live TV.  The result will not be pretty, as it will be clunky by nature.  Google TV takes over my direct tv box, and even allows me to search for things playing on TV right now.  For instance, I'll type NFL and it will list current NFL games.  I don't need to know my channels or anything, I can just search, and use a standard keyboard to do this.

 

Now, I won't claim the google TV is perfect, it's far from it, mine has to be reset way too often, flash is buggy on it (which I need for Amazon VOD) etc. however, if amazon had a better VOD app for it (installable from the google play app store), it would be much better for me.  The app store itself is pretty nice and makes the device quite extensible.  Although the google TV lacks content, it's great for already downloaded content (streaming from a local PC), works well with VOD services, and most importantly it ties in with your local cable/satelite set top box. 

 

Phil

That sounds horrendously complex. With my Harmony Remote, it's much simpler than that.

Want to watch TV? Hit the 'TV' button. TV comes on, TV turns to cable input, cable box come on, receiver comes on and switches to TV input.

DVD? Hit the 'DVD' button. All the right components come on and are set propertly.

Why do you need to hit "a few simple buttons" that takes "a few minutes" to do something that a decent remote can do with one button?

 

Who cares.

 

It's still a bust. Will continue to be a bust in the future.

 

 

that sounds great, but it relies on every device always responding to every remote event.  In reality this is often the case, but not often enough.  This is particularly true with on/off buttons.  Most devices seem to have a single remote code for "power", and what happens when one device doesn't go on properly.  You hit the power button again, and the other devices turn off.  I used a system like that in the past, and people hated it because they couldn't figure out how to power things on.  Once everything was on it was pretty easy.  You hit the source button, and the receiver switched inputs, etc. That normally worked fine, but could also cause problems.  Also, you have a solution in place that involves a $100+ remote control system that the average user is going to be frustrated to all hell to program properly.  With google tv i just type in the name of the tv and receiver, and it will find the codes for me, and make things work.  The logitech revue basically wrapped in the logitech harmony remote into the set top box, which is a very nice feature. And hitting two or three power buttons instead of one is actually simpler when you take into account the relatively common case of one device not recognizing the signal...   It takes about 3 seconds to power all the devices ... which isn't a big deal considering the time it takes for receivers and tvs to fully start up.  When I said a few minutes to use, I meant someone who knew NOTHING about the remote to figure out what they're doing, and either tune the TV, or watch streaming etc.  

 

The device is quite simple in nature, and intuitive.  My point was more about how google has no need to "steal ideas from apple", as their solution works pretty damn well.  Their interface isn't perfect, but it's far better than the five button solution apple has (try searching with that!), which doesn't even attempt to control other devices connected to the TV, or the TV itself.  The interface for local content might be slightly better on apple tv, but i don't really know about that.  The interface to access outside of apple's walled garden is almost non-existent... Sure there's netflix, but what about amazon instant video?  What about existing cable/satelite boxes? There's no interface to use those from within the apple TV.

 

Phil

 

Phil 

STBs are a hardware manufacturing activity beholden to a monopsony - a few huge customers ... the cable providers. That's what this article is about - Google selling a dead-end business that doesn't fit its portfolio. Google TV cable boxes? Apple TV cable boxes? Fuggedaboudit!

Ask yourself - why on God's Green Earth would cable providers want a box hooked up to your TV so that you can watch content that they're not charging you for?!

STBs today are nothing more than hardware made to the encryption and registration specs of the cable firms (better referred to as "content distribution controllers") that buy them, who then turn around and rent them to you at ridiculously inflated monthly rates.

The license has value. It doesn't mean they have any intent to use it themselves. Google Tv has been a total failure. Updates aren't going to help it any. It needs to be redone from scratch.

Most of that is about music, and isn't much of a benefit for Tv use. As far as cnet goes, well, let's just say its just more rumors. Google has less of a chance to do deals than Apple does. Apple is willing to pay, and because of its business model, Google isn't.

This has nothing to do with Google Tv. And you will also note that all of these appear to be the "free" cable channels, other than the one from the MBL. Where is HBO? Where is Showtime? Where is ESPN? Where are all of the other pay channels? There're not there. This is a very lame service.

I don't know all that much about AppleTV so what general content does Apple offer that GoogleTV does not? Also don't know where you're getting the information that Google has less of a chance to negotiate content deals. I've seen several recent articles noting significant resistance to Apple's contract offers to media providers, perhaps way too low?

Google it guy, also look into http://www.apple.com/appletv/ .  For a kid that wastes so much time on the inner webs all day, you'd think you'd know how to do this. 

You have Apple TV then? Do you see any significant difference in what content Google TV offers compared to AppleTV? It looks to me like pretty much the same general content and same general streaming options from either Google Play or iTunes as the case may be.

 

Thanks for the link punkndrublic

Edited by Gatorguy - 12/12/12 at 1:50pm

The mistake you're making is assuming that aTV is in direct competition with Google Tv. It isn't. Google is trying to do more than Apple and that's causing a lot of problems. ATv has about every cable channel, plus Netflix, Hulu, and other stuff such as music. It streams all of it from your computer, iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Or you can stream it from iCloud, live stream from the channels, or whatever. Yes, it's mostly paid content, but that's the way it works. Google was doing it's usual thing. They were telling people to get their content for free over the Internet, and so content owners were detecting the Google Tv, and locking it out. Then, quickly—no content.

The deals Google has made are not for Google Tv, they are for Google's equivelant of a cable service for their fiber.

No, it's quite different.

How so Mel? The available content appears to be pretty similar, an indication of licensing agreements made with the same media companies. Perhaps you're thinking of old AI articles that used to claim Google wasn't willing to license content?

Edited by Gatorguy - 12/13/12 at 3:24am

I already pointed out how, and where it isn't the same. Where is all the premium content for Google Tv? How about for their cable network? That's just for a start. You're not responding to this.

The way it works is different as well. aTv is vastly simpler to use. A major complaint about Google Tv is that it's very difficult to understand.

Mel, to make it simple GooglePlay content is available on GoogleTV, which pretty much matches the available premium content available via AppleTV as far as I can tell. If there's major content differences that you know of just tell me what they are. I'm not seeing them but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. 

So you're telling me that all the premium channels are available? If true, that really new, because it hasn't be.

Yes sir.

 

HBO, Showtime, Cinemax etc. are available to stream via GooglePlay. In addition if you're curious what movie studios have licensed with Google for movie rentals, streamable to GoogleTV, there's an article here:

http://screencrush.com/paramount-google-play/

 

Does it really look so different from AppleTV's content? If so please point it out.

Edited by Gatorguy - 12/14/12 at 9:38am

Thats just distribution deals, like netflix.  Apple has iTunes to rent movies as well.  What are you trying to get at, whats up with this ruse? 

I figured you could follow along, but I guess you missed the reason for the posts. So here it is again.

 

Originally Posted by melgross 
Most of that is about music, and isn't much of a benefit for Tv use. As far as cnet goes, well, let's just say its just more rumors. Google has less of a chance to do deals than Apple does. Apple is willing to pay, and because of its business model, Google isn't.

We're talking about Google Tv, not Google Play, or their cable network.

Sigh. . . 

Mel, just point out the content differences. Geesh, there might be some significant ones but you're sure going out of your way to avoid just listing them.

Not yet noted by AI, Google has sold off the set-top business to Arris for $2.1 Billion in cash and $300M in stock, effectively totaling about $2.5B overall. That also allows Google a significant ownership stake in the company, perhaps useful at some point. At least Google thinks it might be. 

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57560148-93/google-sells-motorola-home-set-top-biz-to-arris-for-$2.3b/

Edited by Gatorguy - 12/21/12 at 6:11am