The only thing we love more than analysts and surveys is content providers bickering over each other's ridiculous PR claims and none are as fun as when Comcast is involved. Avid readers are all too familiar with Comcast's strategy to give up on the linear channel race and instead focus on
VOD "options" no matter how
silly it makes them look to those in the know. What really makes this particular situation interesting is that Comcast doesn't appreciate it when another provider, like Verizon FiOS,
gets in on the action when it recently claimed it offered 3 times as many VOD offerings a month as the nation's largest provider. Comcast claims this is just not true and there are actually at least 17,000 VOD titles available in most markets. If that is news to you, then you aren't the only one as Verizon blasts back with "I'm surprised that Comcast wouldn't talk about these numbers in their PR and advertising. We make sure to let our customers know when we're adding more to their service." Too true, Verizon, too true. Honestly we couldn't care less about VOD because we're in the
small group of CableCARD users, but there's no way we could turn away from a train wreck like this.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Wryker @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:12PM
I agree with the 'who cares' for VOD when I have boku channels to watch and record on my HDTiVo and can't access the VOD anyways. I want more HD channels and less compression - to THAT before VOD stuff.
chumley @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:21PM
Back to grammar school for you sir.
"Virizon", "nations", "we could care less", "train wreak"
Jeff @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:37PM
I too have cablecard tuners, and I too don't need or want cable VOD.
I already have VOD, it's called "The internet", and Netflix.
I also have VD, but that is beside the point ;-)
TrueEddie @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:57PM
bazinga!
hamerhead_12 @ Oct 23rd 2009 3:55PM
Its craptastic.
Brunz @ Oct 23rd 2009 5:31PM
Comcast can STFU!
If FiOS was in my area Comcast would be gone.
Michael @ Oct 23rd 2009 11:59PM
Yeah sadly FiOS is only available in just one town in Connecticut and in that town... Stamford (where I do not live) they only have FiOS internet so FiOS TV is not available anywhere in the state of Connecticut. Someone please prove me wrong and say I have outdated information
ajoan0077 @ Oct 25th 2009 10:04AM
FIOS tv still seems to be a tri-state thing (i.e. Northern New Jersey, most of New York, and towns near Philli in PA.
....as far as i know.
nick @ Oct 23rd 2009 5:52PM
Same here, cable card/Comcast customer. Couldn't even tell you what Comcast has available on VOD demand. Has never really been on my radar.
djmattyb @ Oct 23rd 2009 8:16PM
"Comcast claims this is just not true and there are actually at least 17,000 VOD titles available in most markets"
Of those "thousands" of titles are stupid things like cars for sale or video dating vids or other local crap that no on watches.
Now, if they had 17,000 HD tv SHOWS or MOVIES that would be different. I wish someone had the time to go and do a pie chart of all the on demand stuff that each provider offers and compare HD to SD. And compare stuff you have to pay for with stuff that's free. Also some stuff on demand is only available if you subscribe to premium channels so technically, it costs extra to watch.
Mjayhunt @ Oct 23rd 2009 8:45PM
All fios has is stupid clips like how to fold a towel though!
riverside_guy @ Oct 24th 2009 12:02PM
I have Crime Warner and since day one, VOD runs about 50% of the time actually working. About a month ago, I gave it s shot... watched a movie. Couldn't get through all of it, but it took a good week of trying before I was able to actually watch the second half.
Not to mention the pickings are really VERY slim. Not to mention 30% of what I scroll through is 3 minutes and under.
Dan @ Oct 24th 2009 6:17PM
I don't care about VOD, a true VOD library I use is called YouTube.
su2lly @ Oct 26th 2009 1:13PM
VOD is a last resort. We have hours of stuff on the DVR that we need to get to. Compost is such a joke that I got up on the roof and cut their line to my house. Haven't had them for over 10 years and have no plans on going back to them. If they were the only game in town I would rely on DSL, Over The Air TV, Hulu and YouTube.
Al-Anon @ Oct 26th 2009 12:39PM
VOD is an asset (no pun intended), and it's actually Verizon who has the little tinker titles. They also rotate or carousel their content more often which allows them to make the more titles per "MONTH" claim. Comcast has way more watchable content.
For those who claim Boku, Hulu, blah-blah-blah has their VOD - two questions - a) does it display on your large Hi-def TV? (if not, sorry for you). b) can you get premium content/movies from those sites (I already know the answer, and am therefore sorry for you).
Don't discount VOD, folks. It will only become more important going forward, and Verizon is currently lagging behind Comcast.
As for linear vs. VOD talk -- personally, I don't watch 100 HD channels, let alone 100 channels in general. I think it's wise to stray away from the whole 100 HD's and go for more content available when you want to watch it. If you go to a Comcast market with 40 - 50 HD's, I think you'll find that you have all of your major channels / network providers covered, and it's quite sufficient.
Let the trolling rebuttals ensue...
su2lly @ Oct 26th 2009 1:35PM
Thanks for the post Comcast employee. It's funny how you mention watching Youtube and Hulu on a HD TV. I just watched the U2 concert that Youtube streamed live last night from the Rose Bowl on a 46 inch Sharp LCD TV. I just used an HDMI cable from a notebook to the TV. While I'm guessing it wasn't in true HD I was pretty blown away by the picture quality for a live event over the internet. It showed me the direction content is heading and I'm sure the audio and video quality will only get better. Audio and video quality is something that hasn’t changed on Comcast in the past 6 years. The reason I know this is because my neighbor keeps getting better home theater equipment but gets the same results when he hooks it up to his Comcast box. Well, you keep enjoying those Sex In The City On Demand reruns and let us know how much your cable bill goes up next month. P.S. Nice attempt at keeping the comments to a minimum with the preemptive Troll shot.