Time Warner's TV Everywhere to pipe internet TV to Comcast subscribers

Just as we heard back in February, Time Warner and Comcast have joined hands in order to regain control on some of the content that is slipping right out from under 'em. In the olden days, the only portal for catching content was the 'tube; today, a vast array of television shows are available gratis on the web, and that's downright frightening for pay-TV operators. Today, both firms are detailing TV Everywhere in the most general way possible, only telling us that paying Comcast subscribers will soon have access to "premium long-form content" via a web portal. TNT and TBS are the only networks specifically named thus far, but considering that both of those already offer their best programming online to everyone, we're not terribly impressed.

The agreement also includes a trial with around 5,000 Comcast users, which will be used to heavily test a newfangled authentication technology that will be necessary to allow paying Comcast users to access the material from any internet-connected PC. NewTeeVee has also assembled a clean, easy-to-digest FAQ that explains what exactly all this is. To be frank, it seems like a solution in search of a problem from the consumer viewpoint. After all, with portals like Hulu and individual network websites already providing in-demand content online, why is there even a need for some "special portal" for Comcast users? We've heard that paying subs will have access to even more material, possibly movies or other premium shows. But we won't front: we certainly don't want TV Everywhere to convert some of the content that's already free into pay-only content in order to accomplish the aforesaid "even more" goal. At any rate, the public at large probably won't hear more about this until the trial sessions end at an undisclosed time, but you can bet we'll be keeping a cautious eye on any developments.

Read - TV Everywhere press release
Read - NewTeeVee FAQ

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 24th 2009 12:44PM]

When I hear the catchphrase "TV Everywhere", I get the notion that I should have slingbox-like functionality with my DVR.

IE) Remotely schedule recordings, modify series recordings, remote delete, watch recorded content and live TV from the DVR on a PC over the internet or LAN.

In addition to, on demand services.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 24th 2009 2:09PM]

Wouldn't that be nice

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 24th 2009 6:28PM]

Um, sure, I'll be glad to stay in your walled garden. If you give me better stuff than the competition. For as free as theirs is to me. Make me pay more than what you extort from me already and I will balk.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 24th 2009 9:36PM]

Agreed

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 27th 2009 3:26PM]

Ever watch some of that "free" streaming content? Hulu looks terrible.

The only good one I've seen is the feeds from the networks themselves, and those don't last long online.