Majority of US adults have smart TVs but is anyone using them? PBS Kids streaming stick wins over Brian and a free movie and TV streaming service. With special guest Ewen Rankin.

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CordKillers: Ep. 170 – Big Budget or a Bit Crap
Recorded: May 15 2017
Guest: Ewen Rankin

Intro Video

• Glow trailer

Primary Target

• Majority of U.S. adults own a streaming-enabled TV, according to IAB study
  – The Interactive Advertising Bureau and MARU Matchbox released results of an online survey indicating 56% of US adults own a streaming-enabled television
  – 54% of TV watching time is spent on non-linear TV. 20% of that goes to digital.
  – 50% said they would rather watch commercials than pay for ad-free subscriptions. 44% said commercials in digital are less intrusive than on regular TV

How to Watch

• PBS made the cutest TV streaming stick probably ever
  – PBS Kids is releasing an HDMI Streaming stick shaped like a race car for $50 at Wal-Mart, starting May 24.
  – Includes a remote
  – Features Several games and 100 hours of programming stored locally (available offline)
  – Can connect through WiFi access to PBS Kids streaming channel
• Tubi TV
  – Tubi TV has raised $20 million for its free ad-supported streaming service
  – Tubi has 200 partners including LionsGate, MGM, Paramount Pictures, Starz and others,
  – 50,000 titles
  – Selection is not all available at the same time. Rotated to feel fresh
  – Partners across anime, international films and TV (e.g. Korean, Chinese and British TV),
  – Tubi is available on Android, iOS, Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Xbox and SmartTV
• Bell targets cord-cutters with new ‘Alt TV’ service
  – In Ontario and Quebec, Bell is launching Alt TV to Bell internet customers, starting at $15/mo (requires unlimited internet, 25Mbps down plan). Does not include DVR or live broadcast pausing. The service is all app-based and available on mobile devices and AppleTV. Fine print indicates a smaller selection of live/VOD content on wireless connections outside home wifi. http://www.bell.ca/alttv . One of/THE first wide-spread TV-via-app devices in Canada? Pretty cheap, but requires a specific internet plan and has app-based watching on their FibeTV set top service.

What to Watch

• Seth MacFarlane’s upcoming TV series looks like a parody of classic space adventure shows
  – Fox announced its fall 2017 lineup will include an X-Men spinoff called The Gifted, a comedic X-Files like show called Ghosted and a Seth MacFarlane series parodying Star Trek, called The Orville.
• Orange is the New Black has a trailer for season 5 out for the season coming June 9.
• American Gods renewed for Season 2
• NBC uncanceled Timeless, thanks to pressure from fans
  – Saturday NBC reversed its decision to cancel the show Timeless. Outcry from fans was cited as the reason. A 10-episode season will air in 2018. It will reportedly be more family friendly.
• The Syfy channel is rebooting with a new focus on science fiction fandom
  – SyFy will change its logo June 19th for it’s 25th anniversary and add two new shows. Krypton, a Superman prequel and HAPPY! about an ex-con turned hit man who meets a blue-winged talking horse. It’s also working on adaptations of Brave New World, Hyperion, and Stranger, Strange Land and George R. R. Martin’s Scifi novella Nightflyers. SyFy says it is hoping to become a home “for fans to come in and celebrate the genre that they love.”
• Monday, Twitch started a 17-day marathon of all 886 episode of Mr. Rogers
• Twitter signed a multi-year deal with the NFL to live stream pre-game coverage and a 30-minute daily show.
• GRRM Sets the Record Straight About HBO’s Five(!) Potential Game of Thrones Spin-Offs
  – And George R. R. Martin revealed that the 5 pilot scripts (yes 5 not 4) being developed in the Song of Ice and Fire universe will not be based on any of his existing stories like Dunk and Egg. He also says the shows should be perceived as prequels and “successor shows” rather than spinoffs.

What We’re Watching

• Brian: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (twice), Better Call Saul, Fargo 304, Justified 605, only half of this week’s American Gods.
• Tom: American Gods 103, Better Call Saul 305, Fargo 304, Leftovers 305, Justified 605, Master of None (Season 2)
• Ewen: Genius (National Geographic), Billions, About to get Jamestown, House of Cards (imminent), Battle for Sevastapol (Very Good)
• On the Lookout: Chewing Gum

Front Lines

• Netflix adds HDR video to Android (if you have an LG G6)
  – Netflix launched HDR Video support for Android. The LG G6 is the only phone it works on so far. Only the LG G6 has support for Dolby Vision HDR, though Netflix told the Verge that wasn’t the reason since Netflix also supports HDR10. Samsung has HDR in the Galaxy S8 but uses something called Mobile HDR Premium.
• Netflix is no longer available for your rooted Android phone
  – Netflix has implemented Google’s Widevine DRM scheme which means the Netflix app from the Google Play store no longer will work on rooted Android phones. Android Police has verified that Netflix still runs properly if you manage to sideload the APK.
• YouTube TV added AMC, BBC America, IFC, WE and Sundance to its lineup. Telemundo and Universo have also been added.
• CBS deal makes it easier to get local TV via streaming
  – CBS has struck a deal with its affiliate board that will make it easier to strike deals for live streams of local stations on streaming services in the US. This follows similar arrangements by ABC and NBC with their affiliates. CBS is also offering a bundle of CBS All Access and CBS-owned Showtime for $15. The package would cost $17 purchased separately. A version of the bundle with no ads costs $19, again saving you two bucks off buying them separately.
• Apple Will Announce Amazon Prime Video Coming To Apple TV At WWDC
  – John Paczkowski at Buzzfeed reports that sources say the availability of the Amazon video app on Apple TV. The report will be announced at WWDC on June 5th, Amazon will reportedly resume selling Apple TVs as well.
• Hulu named Joel Stillerman to the newly-created role of Chief Content Officer. Stillerman has been head of original programming at AMC and Sundance since 2008.

Dispatches from the Front

Hey Tom! My parents have been thinking about become cord killers recently to save some money. I wanted to check with you to get your advice on what you recommend them to do. The biggest thing is they love watching live sports, so I was thinking of setting them up with a slingt v account, netflix, (they have amazon prime already) and possibly hulu. I don’t know much about hulu, but figured between sling tv, netflix and prime, they would be pretty happy. Also, what device would you recommend as well for them to use? (Roku, chrome cast, apple tv, etc.) Or maybe even just buying a new smart tv. Anyway, thanks for any help you can give me. Love your shows!

– Tyler

 

 

Hey Brian and Tom,

I’m a long-time listener of Cordkillers, from back in the Frame Rate days… and I thought you might be interested in this new cord-cutting website/FAQ/tutorial-thing put together by Plex. It brands Plex as “a cord cutter’s best friend,” and their Introduction even contains the phrase “watch what you want, when you want.”

Thanks,

– Marc

• https://cordcutter.plex.tv/
   

 

 

Greetings Bryce, Brian, and Tom,

My wife and I are moving at the beginning of June and we’re going to cancel DirecTV to become cordcutters. I really dislike talking on the phone, especially with pushy customer service representatives. I know that the reps are going to try to convince me that I don’t have to cancel just because I’m moving, or I can sign up for DirecTV Now which I do not want. Do you or anyone in the audience have suggestions for ripping the DirecTV Band-Aid off as quickly and as painlessly as possible?

Thanks!
– anotherJmartin

 

 

 

Howdy,

I was obsessed with the box office as long as I can remember. So when you guys started the Movie Draft, I started a draft with some family and friends, and so I made a little chart to forecast and track the possible outcomes.

For each movie, you can enter a low gross (if it under performs), an expected gross, or an high gross (if it over performs). The spreadsheet will then give you a range that each player’s total should be within.

As movies premier and soar or bomb, you can update the values each week. Once they end their theatric run, the values become set across the Low, Expected, and High grosses.

I filled in the spreadsheet for the DiamondClub Movie Draft and entered in my own expected grosses. Of course, the numbers for movies that haven’t come out yet or finished earning movie are just my opinion, so feel free to make a copy and put in your own values!

In the last column, labeled “custom”, you can mix and match low, expected, and high grosses, so you can answer questions like “if everything goes as expected but Pirates under performs, what will the total be?”

Hope someone besides me finds this fun or useful!

bit.ly/moviedraftforecaster

–Andy

 

 

 

Brian,
Perfect answer on the show! Sorry for mixing up your comments. I too have read tons of expanded universe (but none of the new books!). I grew up watching the OT and saw Ep1 my senior year in high school. In fact, a friend and I performed a lightsaber duel to “Duel of the Fates” during our senior band concert. I was in full Darth Maul costume and makeup. Nerdiest moment of my life.

So, yes, no matter how bad the movies are, we will always love the story and universe. And the Legends will never be forgotten.

But, I should have clarified I was talking specifically about the movies. In a longer version of the email, I made a comparison to my relationship with horror movies. Im not a horror movie fan. Therefore, if I don’t like a horror movie that got positive reviews from viewers and critics, I don’t blame the movie. I blame the fact that I’m not a fan of horror movies.

So, I was just curious if you think that might be (or might one day be) similar to your relationship with non-OT Star Wars movies. Just something to think about, that’s all.

(Not expecting y’all to revisit this on the show, just wanted to clarify!)

–Andy

 

Links

2017 Summer Movie Draft
patreon.com/cordkillers