Can we get rid of that expensive cable plan.
[Source: CNET News]
The economy is in the toilet, and I know I’m not the only person in America who is looking for ways to cut costs. Top on my list in 2009 is finding a way to eliminate my $100 a month cable TV bill.
Up until very recently, the idea of cutting off subscription TV would have meant skimping on a whole lot of good quality entertainment. I must admit, I don’t watch a lot of TV. But I watch enough that I would be very sad if I had to give up HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords” or NBC’s “30 Rock.”
But thanks to that wonderful communications network known as the Internet and the fact that big Hollywood studios and TV networks have finally realized that digital distribution is actually a good thing, cable cord cutters, like me, won’t have to sacrifice that much or anything at all, depending on what movies and TV programs we like to watch.
Thanks to services like Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon On Demand, consumers can simply stream or download movies or previous seasons of TV shows directly from the Web anytime they want. And for those viewers looking for current seasons of TV shows, they can turn to Web sites, such as Hulu.com or TV.com, which have aggregated some of the most popular TV shows for on-demand viewing over the Net. (Disclosure: CNET and TV.com are properties of CBS Interactive.)
However, even though it’s nice to be able to watch “The Dark Night” or “The Office” on your PC or laptop, many people would prefer to kick back on their couches and view it on that big flat-screen TV in their living rooms. So how do you get all the cool video content from your PC to the TV?
Well, there are plenty of options available today and more are coming. LG and Samsung already offer Blu-ray players that can stream Netflix movies; both companies are upping the ante in 2009 with Netflix-friendly home theater systems, HDTVs–and more Blu-ray players. Panasonic’s 2009 VieraCast-compatible plasmas will offer support for Amazon Video On Demand. Meanwhile, a new company called ZillionTV is also working with broadband providers, movie studios, TV networks, and advertisers to create an entirely new business model to give consumers yet another easy and cheap way to view on-demand movies and TV shows using their Internet connections.
