CATV got it's start by redistributing FOTA signals. (After all, the CA in CATV stands for "Community Antenna.")
This article from the NYT says that: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/technology/aereo-distributes-local-tv-channels-via-the-internet.html?pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1390386960-W/HaK08hYO23JMVCw3zDOg"Repackaging television transmissions without permission or payment would ordinarily be a blatantly illegal endeavor. But Aereo says it assigns each subscriber two antennas, allowing live viewing and recording at the same time, and lets a customer watch only the programming that those antennas pick up. It claims this is not so different from a person's buying an antenna and a DVR at RadioShack and hooking them up to a TV at home."
But the article goes on to explain that their pilot program in in NYC and that they have a direct view to the Empire State building. So almost all of the OTAs in the market are co-located and UHF. Do they receive any NJ stations? Any VHF stations?
I agree that the performance of just one little toothpick sized antennas is bogus. As Bert said, prove that a single antenna has the performance necessary to serve a single viewer. Prove that a single antenna is receiving all the stations in markets they serve like Detroit where the OTAs are not co-located. Heck, if those little antennas were so effective, they could make more money selling them than they could make with a subscription fee.
Looking at their website, you need a Roku box to watch on your home TV, and they offer many select "cable" channels such as HSN and BloombergTV in addition to the OTAs, so they've blurred the line between themselves and any other program distributor. In my mind, there is zero difference between how Aereo works and how Verizon FIOS works.
Oh, and make sure to add the monthly internet subscription costs to the Aereo monthly charges when comparing Aereo to a cable company's "lifeline" basic tier service.
Should be an interesting SCOTUS opinion.----- Original Message ----- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 10:49 PM Subject: [opendtv] Aereo handwringing
There isn't a whole lot that makes any sense in this Aereo story.First, the idea that Aereo really uses only the one "tiny" antenna for each subscriber has to be bogus. Why doesn't a judge ask for a really simple test. Bring one of those tiny antennas to court and see how well it works. Even mounted high up and outdoors. Those tiny antennas, all clustered together, are acting as an array, is my bet.But that's almost beside the point. People subscribing to Aereo are only getting FOTA channels. Who gets any retrans fees for delivering content to those who exclusively watch FOTA channels? Or is the real issue here that the networks don't want to make FOTA reception any easier? How greedy! How about a class action suit against the networks and/or cablecos, from people who have had their apartment TV antenna distribution systems usurped by the local cable monopoly?One of the articles says the fuss isn't really about Aereo, a drop in the bucket, but about cable and DBS companies doing likewise. Well then, networks, instead of predicting this doom, why don't you guys beat anyone else at this game? It's completely in your power to cut out non-essential middlemen, and stream over the Internet yourselves. The more middlemen you can do without, the more revenue gets back to you.And also, seriously doubt that anyone who loves sports really cares whether Monday Night Football is transmitted FOTA anyway. That has to be a complete who cares. Football addicts get ESPN, and those satisfied with FOTA would just as soon have something other than football aired during prime time.A tempest in a teapot. Egad. Does greed ever make people incoherent. Bert
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