rjdriver 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (12) comment rss

  • On the post: The Harry Potter Films Are Now Exclusive To Comcast, And The Streaming Sector Remains Oblivious To Piracy's Looming Resurgence

    rjdriver ( profile ), 13 Aug, 2020 @ 04:31am

    Re: Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

    If you want Peacock, grab yourself a Fire Stick. It's not officially available for it, but it does work. Search You Tube on how to load it on a Fire Stick and you're all set. I used to be a die hard Roku fan until I learned how much more "flexible" the Android OS is. And for some reason I get way fewer ad breaks with Pandora on Roku than with the Fire Stick, so that's now the only thing I use it for.

  • On the post: AT&T Finds Yet Another Way To Nickel-And-Dime Its Broadband, TV Customers

    rjdriver ( profile ), 12 Dec, 2018 @ 03:05am

    Cox was very different

    When I called to cancel TV in 2009, the cutomer service rep said "Yes sir I'll take care of that for you." The silence after that was uncanny. No offering of two free months, no special bundle pricing for the next 2 years, no effort to retain me at all. I was expecting a long drawn out fight and got complete and quick cooperation.

    Now Verizon was another matter. Many years ago it took three months to stop the billing when I called to cancel the extra phone line I had been using for a business fax. The line went dead in 3 seconds, but the billing....ugh.

  • On the post: The DOJ's New Net Neutrality Lawsuit Is A Giant Middle Finger To State Rights, Consumers, Competition & The Democratic Process

    rjdriver ( profile ), 03 Oct, 2018 @ 01:07am

    Re: I suspect they're hoping for a Federalist-ized SCOTUS

    The California case may end up in the SC. Kavanaugh has made it very clear that he doesn't believe in the principal of Net Neutrality, so even if you are willing to write off his other affairs as youthful indiscretions, this is a very important reason to strongly object to his appointment.

    If you are represented by Republicans in Congress, there are only a couples of days left to make that clear to them.

  • On the post: Not Just In The US: TPP Meeting More Resistance In Australia And Japan, Too

    rjdriver ( profile ), 29 Jul, 2016 @ 05:46am

    Re: Re: Re: fast track?

    I would guess that those willing to vote Yes on FTA, have already made up their minds to support TPP and are therefore not worried about debating or altering different aspects of it before voting again to pass it.

    The vote for FTA was close, so it is not too late to change your reps minds and kill this thing. Let them know how you feel.

  • On the post: Not Just In The US: TPP Meeting More Resistance In Australia And Japan, Too

    rjdriver ( profile ), 28 Jul, 2016 @ 02:31pm

    fast track?

    Good to see at least one country has the sense to oppose this unconstitutional, new world order favoring diatribe, masquerading as a trade bill.

    Fair trade between nations is a worthy goal, but this mess is going to give corporations in one country unprecedented power and leverage over laws in other countries and even states within these countries.

    For example, should a company based on Malaysia have the right to sue the state of Oregon because it passed a regulation ( say a food safety or labeling requirement) that affected the profit margins of the Malaysian company's products?

    That's what TPP grants! A complete uprooting of each signing country's sovereignty. A travesty that must be stopped.

    I wonder if the fast track authority the US Congress gave to Obama for this bill will transfer to the next president, or if that has to be voted again?

  • On the post: TV Networks File Legal Claims Saying Skipping Commercials Is Copyright Infringement

    rjdriver ( profile ), 24 Apr, 2015 @ 11:38am

    Double Dipping

    When the TV networks started double dipping - meaning, when they started charging us by the channel with the advent of cable, in addition to still including commercials (and more per hour than ever) - they post the right to complain about us not watching them, or taking whatever steps necessary to skip them.

  • On the post: TV Networks File Legal Claims Saying Skipping Commercials Is Copyright Infringement

    rjdriver ( profile ), 07 Jul, 2014 @ 09:33am

    Re: And yet it never occurs to them to ask...

    >>>...why viewers are so very eager to skip commercials.

  • On the post: Spam Filtering? Patented! 36 Companies Sued

    rjdriver ( profile ), 23 Jul, 2010 @ 04:03am

    hardware spam blocker? Yes!

    It was that damn pull tab that always broke off before the lid even started to rise! That was my spam blocker.

  • On the post: Redbox Caves To Warner Bros., Will Delay New Movie Releases From Kiosks

    rjdriver ( profile ), 17 Feb, 2010 @ 06:41pm

    nuts!

    So let me get this straight. Redbox and Netflix have to wait 28 days to rent a WB movie, but you can pick it up at Blockbuster or Hollywood Video the day it's released for $4.00, copy it and let it loose on the net?

    This is going to curtial piracy and increase sales of the DVD?

  • On the post: Dear Comcast: The Idea When You Bundle Is That People Are Supposed To Get A Discount

    rjdriver ( profile ), 28 Jun, 2009 @ 04:41am

    Cox is the same way. They long ago gave up dicounts for getting multiple services. The bundles are just come ons - temporary teases for switching services.

    I remember the good old days when they actually gave you $10.00 of your Internet service if you had Cable TV. This deal lasted for many years, unitl it just kind of faded away amidst the price increases and differert plans offered.

    Last summer I cancelled cable TV when I saw what I could get over the air for free with my old roof top antenna. I get their latest come on in the mail every week. And they even called once offering to match whatever I was getting from my "other" service". She didn't know quite what to say when I said, "Really, you can match free?"

  • On the post: Is Hulu 'The Greatest Destruction of Media Value In Our Lifetime'?

    rjdriver ( profile ), 20 May, 2009 @ 04:31am

    Free the TV

    You don't really think the networks are going to "give away" their cable only channel shows on Hulu forever, do you?

    Remember the days before cable? The days when advertising alone paid for TV, so it was essentially free? They have had us all paying to watch commercials for the past 25 years, in addition to getting paid by the advertisers. They are not about to give up that double ended cash cow without a fight.

    This is just a prelude to the day when, after they get you hooked on Internet TV, they suddenly make it a subscriber driven site. Or as an alternative to that, make a deal with the Cable FIOS and Satellite companies to start charging us by the MB or GB for Internet. "Afterall", they will say, "high quality TV video uses a LOT of bandwidth. We have to manage those costs or we'll bog down the whole system."

    The ironic thing is, that at the same time the Networks are headed in that direction, we have just made a dramatic change in the way TV signals are broadcast. When the switch to digital is complete next month, more than half of those currently getting their TV through cable or FIOS will no longer need those rebroadcasting services to get a crystal clear picture. A roof top antenna, or even just rabbit ears, will be all that's required for many.

    It may seem a bit ludditish (is that a word?) to suggest going back to that old method of receiving TV, but when more people realize that with digital, they can get a perfect picture over the air for free, with none of the snow, ghosting, and interference that antenna TV used to be plagued by, they will start to seriously analyze their viewing habits, and if they conclude there is nothing they consider "must see" on the cable only channels, they'll decide there are much better things they could be doing with the $50-$100/month they are paying now for TV.

    And when that starts happening in large enough numbers, the Networks will panic. They will no longer be able to demand the same advertising dollars for the cable only channels as viewers start cancelling cable and FIOS. They might even lower their charge to the rebroadcasters hoping to lure people back.

    If that doesn't work, they will have to follow the money to where it's at - over the air. That's when you will start to see some of the cable only channels begin appearing on the 5 additional digital sub channels that are now available to each local network affiliate. Better to have at least half the cash cow, than none at all.

    NATIONAL CANCEL CABLE (FIOS and Satellite) DAY IS JUNE 30 2010.

  • On the post: Does Betting On The CD Still Make Sense?

    rjdriver ( profile ), 20 Jan, 2007 @ 04:36am

    CDs will be around for a long time

    It's amazing how many people are not even aware that what they buy through iTunes and other music download sevices is NOT CD quaility music.

    There is a certain convenience to music downloads from your home, and the flexibility to buy only one song instead of an entire album is nice.. But at a buck or more per tune, it's no real deal over CD pricing if you shop carefully enough.