Streaming TV alternatives

HAULN-SS · 12-05-2011, 12:54 PM

Anyone here using Streaming TV? I use netflix, and it seems to work OK, but I dont think the service is as good for some other providers. My Internet is just barely able to keep up wtih netflix being in 720p, which is fine, and if it occasionally has to, it will re-buffer temporarily at a lower resolution, but it still keeps going.

It seems like some of the other providers out there dont have their service set up the same way. For example, Vudu will stream for a second, and if it has to re-buffer, completely drops the stream until it downloads more content in the full resolution. Well, this sucks.

Are there any services out there that let you pre-buffer larger amounts of content so the streaming isnt interrupted, or download the entire content for viewing ahead of time? I dont mind if i have to wait on the initial download, as long as the content plays smoother. It seems like Zune from xbox is the only thing that will let me buy a movie or something and it stores the content on the HDD if I want to view it later.

Evan · 12-05-2011, 06:00 PM

yes. bittorrent.

CaptainHenreh · 12-05-2011, 06:32 PM

Evan Wrote:yes. bittorrent.

If you want an invite to TVTorrents, I will send you one.

HAULN-SS · 12-05-2011, 06:51 PM

Ehh..I would totally love to do that, however I can't get into the bootleg stuff. There are some really nice streaming sites out there these days..just none of the ones that are legit =\

CaptainHenreh · 12-05-2011, 08:23 PM

Well, TVTorrents is a private tracker, tv shows only, and I've yet to hear of someone being gone after for television shows. I very seriously doubt that would last 10 minutes in court.

JPolen01 · 12-05-2011, 08:57 PM

CaptainHenreh Wrote:If you want an invite to TVTorrents, I will send you one.

Can I please has an invite?

HAULN-SS · 12-06-2011, 01:24 AM

Think I figured out how to at least get the TV and my PC connected. Apparently there are all these shitty DLNA servers out there. This got me thinking about the stuff that came with my new TV, and sure enough, Nero Homemedia came with it. This seems to work pretty good - thought it seems like some files get "Invalid file" when you try to play it back on the TV for some reason. Thought it was a format thing, but it even happens on something that it says it a good format.

Now I just gotta find legit services that will let me download content instead of streaming it

CaptainHenreh · 12-06-2011, 08:24 AM

HAULN-SS Wrote:Now I just gotta find legit services that will let me download content instead of streaming it

I hate to be a pessimist, but you're not going to find a single "legit" service that will let you download content instead of streaming it. In fact, I do not believe you're going to find such an animal in multiple services. There is simply not a market for such a thing.

If you want high-bandwidth streaming of multiple networks directly to your television, however, there are multiple providers for that.

HAULN-SS · 12-06-2011, 09:23 AM

Yeah, I didnt expect to find a single place. It's just kind of weird that theres this mix-match of all kinds of shit that sort of does this, but no one does the whole package. Vudu and Zune for example, will let you download to watch later, but for Vudu at least, if you download it on an actual PC instead of one of their other devices, it is only in SD. Well that's stupid..why would they change the rules for PCs?

The problem I have with their streaming is that my internet isnt fast enough to stream full 1080 without buffering like a MFer. It's more the bandwidth limitation on my end than the providers. I don't have any other options though..at least not yet. They have been running fiber around some places nearby lately, but who knows when it will make it actually to my house

WRXtranceformed · 12-06-2011, 09:49 AM

You do get DirecTV service out there in WVA right? Why not just subscribe to that?

Or are you just trying to take the free route? If that's the case I don't see why you wouldn't just go the illegit route, everyone else does.

Evan · 12-06-2011, 10:55 AM

consumers want click and watch. copyright holders dont want you to have a file sitting on your pc that you can crack.

streaming solves both problems, so dont expect download and play to ever really be available.
(it was a few years ago actually, but has gone way of dodo for above reasons)

the exception might be itunes/appletv ?

HAULN-SS · 12-06-2011, 11:27 AM

Had kinda forgot about apple tv. Might look into that.

I had DirecTV and cancelled it after they pissed me off. Not to mention it was costing like 100$ a month for me to watch maybe 10 hours of TV a month. I might re-subscribe sometime in the future, because magically now that I cancelled they have found that oh, they can really give me HD for free, full house DVR, and about half the subscription cost they were charging me before. In the mean time, it's nice paying a grand total of 15$ for netflix and hulu. Those two stream decently for TV shows and such, and definitely watchable, but full HD movies is what I'm mostly after which is why I kept referencing vudu, et al.

HAULN-SS · 12-06-2011, 11:29 AM

There are also some gray-area tools out there that will capture a stream and save it to a file, which does seem to work ok. Might go that route. I'm not too worried about getting caught, but just dont want to ever have to check "yes" on the box asking if I've pirated stuff due to work related issues.

**JustinG** · 12-06-2011, 11:36 AM

I know Amazon will let you DL the full movie in HD if you purchase it. But I think the rental has to be streaming. May want to check into that though?

WRXtranceformed · 12-06-2011, 11:37 AM

You can cancel DirecTV? I thought once you get locked into a few year contract they nail you with a big cancellation fee.

HAULN-SS · 12-06-2011, 12:30 PM

I had them for like 4 years. The contract was up a long time ago. What pissed me off is that every swinging dick that signs up for a new service got free HD and DVRs and all this bullshit, and I called them asking to upgrade my set top boxes, which were just plain ole basic models, and they wouldnt do it, so i said feck yah, and cancelled on the spot right there. Kind of ridiculous how they dont do shit to reward loyal customers.

Apoc · 12-06-2011, 12:54 PM

Every time DirecTV offers something I want free to new subscribers, I call them and say I want it to. When they tell me it's only for new accounts, I tell them to look at my first date of service and ask if they want to lose a customer that's provided revenue in the 5 figure range. Generally speaking, I get it. I'm bad ass like that.

Evan · 12-06-2011, 02:40 PM

JustinG Wrote:I know Amazon will let you DL the full movie in HD if you purchase it. But I think the rental has to be streaming. May want to check into that though?

i think this used to be the case, but i bought a movie a couple months ago on amazon and could only stream it.

WRXtranceformed · 12-06-2011, 04:11 PM

Apoc Wrote:Every time DirecTV offers something I want free to new subscribers, I call them and say I want it to. When they tell me it's only for new accounts, I tell them to look at my first date of service and ask if they want to lose a customer that's provided revenue in the 5 figure range. Generally speaking, I get it. I'm bad ass like that.

I tried that to no avail with the NFL sunday ticket. Mayhaps my revenue is not in the 5 figures yet

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