NBC Direct Launches With Free Downloads

thefickler writes "It's here, and it's no joke. NBC has launched NBC Direct where most shows can be watched online and some shows are available for full episode downloads. This comes after NBC decided to pull out of iTunes." For now it's Windows only, XP or Vista, IE 6 or 7.

Obligatory

[OverlordQ]

Link to the site itself [nbc.com] since TFS doesn't include one.

Re:Not worth reporting.

[binarybum]

works fine in seamonkey - can't imagine it wouldn't work in firefox as well.

 

It works in Firefox

[MSRedfox]

I just watched part of 'Life' in Firefox without any problems. So the the claim for IE only is false.

Works fine on a Mac

[Killer Eye]

Not sure where the Windows/etc. requirements came from, but I'm viewing it perfectly right now on my Mac.

Using Leopard (10.5) and OmniWeb (based on the Safari engine), in case that's significant.

Re:Windows DRM means not free.

[TheVelvetFlamebait]

You can construct your own personal DRM-free future! All you have to do is ignore it! Don't buy/watch/download/give/take DRMed media! You'll have a reasonably faithful simulation of your DRM-free future without the hassle or rudeness of forcing it upon on everyone else!

Re:Streaming vs. Downloads... at the cost of DRM

[blackest_k]

Finally, someone understands that the times when we've got time to watch old TV episodes, we're not likely to have internet access! I've often found myself traveling (train/plane) and it's been a perfect time to watch, but have been thwarted because of streaming-only services.

For me I can put films and Tv in divX or Xvid on my HTC universal (pda/phone 640x480) andlisten using bluetooth without the hazzle of headphones with cables in full resolution. Or take the sd card and slip it into a card reader or usb adapter and watch on a PC or a dvd/divX player that supports the card.

My Pda/phone has more than enough battery life to use it for several hours like this.

Off course I am limited to legal recordings made with my Mythtv box, which is set to automatically transcode to xvid.

I could transcode to make my recordings compatible with the PSP, however I would have to setup a lower resolution and psp batteries hold fairly low charges and memory sticks are expensive. The Slimline PSP features a TV-Out so might be an attractive option for others.

Streaming is a possibility since the htc universal is supported by the slingbox but Streaming video is not allowed on my Dataplan. Hotspots might work if I want to sit in starbucks and stream from my lan or youtube.
however since the slingbox software doesn't allow recording I couldn't use that to transfer an episode to my pda whilst on the move.

Actually there is an interesting idea would it be possible to down load a file with an intermittent wifi connection. using open wifi sources like la fonera.

Podcasts are a possibility, http://www.podcastingnews.com/topics/Podcast_Software.html [podcastingnews.com] , there is software available for most platforms including pda and psp.

Bittorrent also possible but so far only found a paid for client (about $20) http://www.adisasta.com/wmTorrent.html [adisasta.com]
I don't know if it will cope with an intermittent connection thou.

For Psp there is http://www.pspvideo9.com/pspcasting.html [pspvideo9.com] an interesting possibility.

and emule for pda possibly http://www-info3.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/staff/mopi/mopiphant.shtml [uni-wuerzburg.de]

Unfortunately the NBC service is completely useless to mobile users starting with the DRM but as you can see there are a number of alternatives, from the fully legal to the legally dubious. Some of which I'd not considered before this post. Is anyone familiar with a linux based server which supports partial downloads and resumes from varied IP addresses and a mobile client to connect to it? perhaps a private bit torrent.

 

Works fine under Linux.

[MMC Monster]

Watching the first episode of Heroes via Firefox (it's using flash).

Clueless.

[mattr]

Great I thought, and then had the wind taken out of my sails. They refuse to display the clip if you are out of the region they define. Despite that it would be used I think by people on vacation who don't want to miss their favorite show. Sum of my experience:

1. Watch TV! Yay!
2. But it's NBC! They have a lot of programs and they all suck! Honestly I wanted to watch Stargate Atlantis or some kind of scifi-y thing. Nope. They got ten cop shows though. Fine I pick the updated Bionic Woman I haven't seen before.
3. Figure out their convoluted interface, okay. Very spiffy but what I really want is to quickly find out what the show is about then watch it, y'know? Looks like they must spend a lot of money to add shows to this system.
4. They don't have the first episode of the series! Arrrgh! No matter of clicking little arrows will show it!
5. Pick a chapter. Wuh? This isn't a DVD!! Will I have to click each chapter as they finish? (Cringe!)
6. Okay here we go, I clicked the first chapter of the first clip I could find. ARRRRRGHH!! I'm in Japan and instead of a video, the video pane shows a message saying they refuse to show the video!! AAAAAACK!
7. Goodbye NBC.

Re:Not worth reporting.

[colfer]

"PC (requires Microsoft Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player 10)."
You have to download an exe installer even in IE7. Are you sure you're talking about the video download service, not streaming? It's NBC Direct Beta, about 1/2 way down this page: http://www.nbc.com/Video/ [nbc.com]

Re:Works fine on a Mac

[DietFluffy]

You can stream on Mac, but you need Windows to download.