Joost

[metatron]

Joostâ„¢ is a new way to watch TV, free of the schedules and restrictions that come with traditional television. Combining the best of TV with the best of the internet, Joostâ„¢ gives you more control and freedom than ever before - control over what you watch, and freedom to watch it whenever you like. We're providing a platform for the best television content on the planet - a platform that will bring you the biggest and best shows from the TV studios, as well as the specialist programs created by professionals and enthusiasts. It's all overlaid with a raft of nifty features that help you find the shows you love, watch and chat with friends, and even create your own TV channels.

www.joost.com

It’s from the guys behind Skype. It looks like an interesting idea and depending on the content, I think it will work out well for them.

[moonlit]

Yeah, I've heard about it a few times, I've applied for a beta invite thing but I dunno how likely it is I'll receive one... still, looks a very interesting project and it'll be good to see if it can do well.

[cooper]

Call me a cynic, but I don't see online television watching happening just yet. The occasional show, sure, but replacing the 'function' of a tv?

Also, I don't know how you guys watch TV, but when I'm with friends and the TV goes on, it's because we want to see a movie. And in that case I go SEE a MOVIE. At that point there's not much that is more annoying than having someone decide that this is a good time to have a little chat. So I don't see how the chatting with friends thing works in unisyn with this.

The combo is what makes this concept different, as the separate items have been done before, and been done quite decently.

So maybe I should take a look at the website and see what it is that makes you folks interested in this, so I can base my opinion on experience rather than suppositions and assumptions. But given what's been said about it so far, I don't see me getting into this supposed next big thing.

[SomeoneE1se]

Call me a cynic, but I don't see online television watching happening just yet. The occasional show, sure, but replacing the 'function' of a tv?

Also, I don't know how you guys watch TV, but when I'm with friends and the TV goes on, it's because we want to see a movie. And in that case I go SEE a MOVIE. At that point there's not much that is more annoying than having someone decide that this is a good time to have a little chat. So I don't see how the chatting with friends thing works in unisyn with this.

The combo is what makes this concept different, as the separate items have been done before, and been done quite decently.

So maybe I should take a look at the website and see what it is that makes you folks interested in this, so I can base my opinion on experience rather than suppositions and assumptions. But given what's been said about it so far, I don't see me getting into this supposed next big thing.

The way I see it is TV as we know it now is broken, the reason 'IPTV' is so popular is because it's all 'on demand'. Taking something that's broken and shipping it a different way won't fix it.

...

and on another totally unrelated note, when's the next ep. of hak5 coming out?!

[Darren Kitchen]

They did well with morpheus and skype, lets see if they can get the bases loaded. I'm signed up. If anyone's got some spare invites drop me a PM.

[jool]

Call me a cynic, but I don't see online television watching happening just yet. The occasional show, sure, but replacing the 'function' of a tv?

Also, I don't know how you guys watch TV, but when I'm with friends and the TV goes on, it's because we want to see a movie. And in that case I go SEE a MOVIE. At that point there's not much that is more annoying than having someone decide that this is a good time to have a little chat. So I don't see how the chatting with friends thing works in unisyn with this.

The combo is what makes this concept different, as the separate items have been done before, and been done quite decently.

So maybe I should take a look at the website and see what it is that makes you folks interested in this, so I can base my opinion on experience rather than suppositions and assumptions. But given what's been said about it so far, I don't see me getting into this supposed next big thing.

Cynic! :)

Personally I do see it happening right now, well at least if content creators would go along with ideas like this. Until then, Yarrr shiver me timbers! For me the computer has already replaced the traditional TV receiver, I still have a TV for news and other live things but for the most part it is just used as a larger monitor when needed.

I would say that what's interesting about this is that it is (from what I heard since I haven't gotten into the beta, invite anyone?) random access TV and not just regular linear TV over IP as most other IPTV things here are. As a TV addict I really like being able to have everything basically on demand and not just movies.

[moonlit]

What I'd like is a sort of hybrid IPTV/TV scenario, where I could say I want tech-related programming, maybe something else, something else, something else... line up a bunch of different types of programming and then be able to channel hop...

So for instance, if I chose tech, I might have say Cranky Geeks, dl.tv, Hak5, GeekBrief and a few others lined up in a 24 hour loop, until a new release, then the show would be replaced by the new episode, padding out the gaps with shorts, perhaps skits from Hak5, episodes of GeekBrief (since they're short) and stuff like that, Then I'd like to be able to flick over to another channel and have a different kind of programming, perhaps gaming related or something... (I dislike gaming shows but you get the idea).

The downsides to this are that there's a distinct lack of shows in other areas, plus there's the fact that shows vary in length, so padding would be an issue if there were to be any kind of schedule...

I think the equivilant to radio channels would be a heck of a lot easier, since there's a whole lot more decent audio shows out there, they're often longer and are released more often.

[kickarse]

If they can integrate the ability to use a remote... I'm all for it!

[cooper]

And in apposite this. From the BLUE corner. Wearing black with gold trunks. Weighing in at 400 pounds in hardware costs, but zero in maintenance. The CHALLENGER. MYYYYYYYYYYTH TEEEE VEEEEEE!

*Ding*!

Seriously guys. Get a regular computer, a TV card, MythTV and some storage. Automate the recording of your fav shows, and watch them on your TV, at your leasure, without commercials whenever you feel like it. Want the latest Hak.5 release? Download it (which you'd have to do anyways) and watch that.

What makes this joost thing better?

Oh, and PS. "Joost" (pronounced: Yohwst) is a fairly common guys name around these parts.

[metatron]

I stream a few TV shows for friends, so they can watch them the moment they air (with a slight delay) on US TV as they don’t want to wait around for them to appear on Pirates Bay or whatever, and they don’t want to spend the time downloading them.

I have to say if they can get a mix of good TV channels that have shows like 24, Heroes and My Name Is Earl along with offering channels that show “enthusiast†shows , I know a lot of people outside of the US that would love it.

Sky TV in the UK is like £50 a month if you want all the channels and you get all the show months after they have been shown in the US. Even if they charge for the premium content, I very much doubt it will cost as much as Sky, and as long as you get the shows the same time as they air on TV it should work.

My cable bill isn’t that high and I get HD, so I will probably not be willing to pay for content, but it is an attractive idea.

[VaKo]

This is where I think HD fits in nicely... Its to big to download currently. Why not broadcast on TV like normal, then let people download them legally from bit torrent. Then, sell HD content, which will be far better than the downloadable content. Everyone is happy, you can download it legally, but if you want HD you pay for it.

[SomeoneE1se]

This is where I think HD fits in nicely... Its to big to download currently. Why not broadcast on TV like normal, then let people download them legally from bit torrent. Then, sell HD content, which will be far better than the downloadable content. Everyone is happy, you can download it legally, but if you want HD you pay for it.

This is a great idea. I would never use cable right now because I don't have a HDTV... YET but if everything/almost everything was in HD I would totaly do this... if I had HDTV.

[VaKo]

Nah, doesn't matter if you have HD or not. You keep TV as it is now, but legalize i420 torrent downloads/streaming. A HD-DVD rip is 20GB, so even hardened torrent warriors would balk at that and storage would become a problem rapidly. So for the next few years its pretty much safe territory for the TV companies. If there smart, they could even use i420 as a advertising vehicle for HD media.

People want VOD, its been shown time over, (which is why there are more live events now, its the only way they can be sure the adverts will be seen and cash given). Criminalizing it will fail as people rightly don't feel they should pay a penny to watch a 1/2hr show. For instance, I love the Daily Show. I would never pay to see it though. Same goes for things like the Simpson's or Myth Busters. This is why the iTunes video store is a joke. TV is free or a blanket fee, only prize fights & porn are pay-per-view. So the TV companies need to find a way of using downloads to shift there HD content, I believe free downloads/streaming will be the way forward, not some DRM laced, cocktail of doom.

[Darren Kitchen]

Just got my account. Checked it out today. Seems pretty innovative. Will do a full review on the next live show.

[mubix]

Just got my account. Checked it out today. Seems pretty innovative. Will do a full review on the next live show.

Drop me an invite if you can.

[kickarse]

^^ Yeah me too please...

[Rvddps]

hey, if you have an invite, please shoot one over to me.

[moonlit]

hey, if you have an invite, please shoot one over to me.

Woo, way to make a first post there...

[wetelectric]

Have to say, I hate T.V. I hate watching a program then having it interrupted by adverts.

I hate the way the sound for the adverts increase. "buy me, buy me, lie,buy me!!"

I hate tabloid news, seeing Britany Spears on the news makes me what to make love to a cheese grater.

I hate seeing the same talentless, whores (read celebrate) debasing themselves on whatever 'reality' variety program. I mean there was one where one of these whore gave a pig a reach around!

aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<ahem>

sorry about that..

So yes, a wire+dual-screen+bit torrent= entertainment. I'll give this Joost thing a go though.

[unasoto]

I've been watching TV on my computer for years its called ATI radion 7500 all in wonder :) what I'd like to see are episodes that I missed like scifis battlestar galatica that I missed because I had to wrok. why don't the networks just put them on the net and let us DL/stream them leave the add's in and charge the advortiser for my DL of it or take the commercials out and charge me for them. either way they still make $$ and those CS at riaa can BLOW ME.

[Paralys]

Well, here's what I see. I think, if they do this right it'll sell wonderfully. However, I don't see myself touching it any time soon. I rarely watch t.v. Even though I'm not living on my own yet, I could probably afford to get another sattalite box put in my room and pay a small payment for it every month, but I don't see a reason to. I think the idea is good for those who watch TV (especially if you have a video out on your video card that can run to composite or SVideo like I do. But, if I feel like watching a movie, I'll probably either go to a theater with my gf or watch it on my computer with a video out to my TV. As for tv shows... I can't think of one thats airing right now that I would pay a dollar a month to watch, much less however much this will cost.

[hpr]

They did well with morpheus and skype, lets see if they can get the bases loaded. I'm signed up. If anyone's got some spare invites drop me a PM.

it was Kazaa not morpheus, see wiki here btw could you drop me an invite at Spamme46785@gmail.com

[unasoto]

Didn't know skype did kazaa I have'nt used kazaa in a while I switched to shareaza :)

[digip]

I stopped watching TV a long time ago. I couldnt tell you most of the stuf fon there, aside from a few core favs, like MythBusters, Avatar, Ghost Hunters, and Heros, all of which I always seem to miss and end up having to..well, not going there, but anyway.

Seriously, TV has not much to offer that I havent found online, and much more diversity has been online because there is NO restriction to content or opinions when people post stuff. TV is regulated and doesnt allow rich content to really show whats going on in the world. Try TruthTV if you get a chance. It may be mostly politics but it has a lot of techy shows and things you will never find on tv. RantTV, Hak5, etc...

Yes, these do require us to do a little more, like searching online and downloading files, etc, but what if that was all in one place, and seemless, like Joost says it is trying to do. While the YouTubes and similar are cool and all, they only deliver the content that people want on a short term basis. A quick 5 minute video here and there, but what if there were full length shows, like the tech IPTV shows, but things like the discovery and history channel. Movie channels, not just US, but worldwide, foreign films, forgein news, current events, activist television (and I don't mean terrorist tv) indy media, etc.

Point is, I pay $100 a mnth for cable I never watch, and I don't even have a box or on demand. No digital cable, and it still cost that much. I have just the basic plus and internet package, and it's bleeding me dry. The only reason I keep it is because my daugter won't be able to get TLC, NICk and Disney for her shows. An I admit, I watch the occasional Sponge Bob episode. But for less than 5 channels that we watch, is it worth it? The cable industry is turning into the phone industry and everyone is starting to get disgusted with both. FCC was not meant to block content, they were only created to control frequency traffic overlaps and regulate radio stations for not interfering with government communications. It wasn't meant to kill of Howard Stern, or half the content never aired on TV.

I welcome Joost, in any form from any company that can deliver an alternative. Where is there an alternative, with Cable, Standard TV, HDTV, and Satelite all aring the same shows, just you pay someone else to see them.

ok. I ranted enough....time to change the channel..

[jool]

Yay, just got me a beta account. Really impressed by the speed of it given the image quality (good but not fantastic), I've recently used satellite receivers that changed the channel slower than this does. Nothing really worth watching on it yet though.

Before you ask, I haven't got any invites yet and when/if I get any there are already a few in line for them.