[mythtv-users] Willing to pay for better listings?? - US

[Harry Orenstein]

>From: peloy at chapus.net (Eloy A. Paris)
>Reply-To: Discussion about mythtv <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
>To: Discussion about mythtv <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
>Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Willing to pay for better listings?? - US
>Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2004 14:49:43 -0500
>
>"Jarod C. Wilson" <jcw at wilsonet.com> writes:
>
> > I'd have to say probably not. Just as long as I get the program schedule 
>with
> > program name and show title, I really don't care a huge amount about the
> > little plot summary. Thus far, zapt2it is sufficient for my needs.
> >
> > However, like Doug, it *might* be of real interest to me is if there 
>were
> > full-out HDTV schedules with all the subchannel info (for the Seattle 
>area).
> > I'm about to start dusting off my pcHDTV card and work on integrating it 
>with
> > my collection of ivtv cards...
>
>I sent a private mail to Jeremy along the same lines as yours. I told
>him I am not willing to pay anything since I am very happy with the
>current status quo. He replied back saying something like "yes, but what
>if zap2it starts to charge?".
>
>This definitely is a possibility, in my opinion. I mean, just consider
>the costs that the zap2it must have. I guess just in bandwidth they must
>have a pretty significant cost. I don't know anything about their
>business model but if it is not sound I can see easily how they could
>start charging for the service at some point.
>
>So, I guess the question is: what could we do if zap2it goes away? Are
>there equivalent services? How much would we be willing to pay if there
>aren't any free alternatives? If everything else fails, I personally
>would at least consider paying for the service, provided that the Myth
>box stays in our family room (I'm close to finally convincing my wife,
>but it is not finally over :-) ), and that the price is reasonable (that
>is a lot less than TiVo's so I can recoup my investment in the Myth
>box.)
>
>Cheers,
>
>Eloy.-
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>mythtv-users at mythtv.org
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I hope nobody minds if I jump in.  Personally, I'm with Jarod on
this.  I don't mind the slow updates with the current status quo.
I would be willing to pay a token amount if an XML formatted
download were tailored to Myth.

My view of ziap2it charging is pretty straightforward: I already
pay money to them indirectly.  My cable provider uses zap2it
for their guide channel, so I assume that a portion of my
monthly bill goes to them in order to pay for the service.
Really, the cable provider is the source of this data ultimately
since they decide which stations are on which channels.  The
data the zap2it provides is reprocessed data from the stations
combined with channel lineups from the various cable
providers (and satellite, etc.).

In my heart of hearts I feel that my cable provider really
OWES me this data.  I pay them $60 per month for the
programming and, as far as I can tell, my cable system is
probably the most expensive in the country ($60 gets basic
plus a "family" package and NO premium channels such as HBO,
SHO, etc.).  If I want to take advantage of the programming
in a legal way as I see fit I see no reason not to expect that
the cable provider might provide me with the tools I need
to accomplish that.

That's just my $0.02.


-- Harry O.

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