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[Jeffahn]

Internet Service to Put Classic TV on Home Computer


By SAUL HANSELL
Published: November 14, 2005

Looking for "The Fugitive?" Didn't get enough "Eight Is Enough?" Would you like to "Welcome Back, Kotter" one more time?

Warner Brothers is preparing a major new Internet service that will let fans watch full episodes from more than 100 old television series. The service, called In2TV, will be free, supported by advertising, and will start early next year. More than 4,800 episodes will be made available online in the first year.

...

There is a catch. To use the technology, viewers will have to agree to participate in a special file-sharing network. This approach helps AOL reduce the cost of distributing-high quality video files by passing portions of the video files from one user's computer to another. AOL says that since it will control the network, it can protect users from the sorts of viruses and spyware that infect other peer-to-peer systems.

Sound familiar?

NYTimes Source

...

 

[MASB]

Sounds good. I just hope that for TV series that haven't seen DVD release, a good showing on this service will push the WB to releasing them on DVD.

 

[Insertia]

Sign me up!

That sounds awesome.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Apple am cry?

 

[Comfort_Eagle]

Hey, sounds good to me.

 

[malek4980]

Sounds great.

 

[G-Fex]

include 60's batman and family matters?

 

[FoneBone]

It's only going to be Warner-owned shows, at least initially. So, Family Matters -- probably, Batman - probably not.

 

[Particle Physicist]

finally. ive been waiting for something like this for ages.

 

[scorcho]

smartest move has to be the p2p infrastructure to defray costs. hopefully other media outlets will take a clue to this setup and follow suit. as is, several asian p2p developers are already streaming live television over the internet with just that setup.

 

[ParkPace]

http://news.designtechnica.com/article8810.html

Partial list, I'm sure....

In2TV launch programming is to include:

Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
Alice
Babylon 5
Beetlejuice
Chico and the Man
Dark Justice
Eight is Enough
F Troop
The F.B.I.
Falcon Crest
Freakazoid
Freddy's Nightmares
The Fugitive
Growing Pains
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Head of the Class
Histeria!
Kung Fu
La Femme Nikita
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Maverick
The New Adventures of Batman
Perfect Strangers
Pinky and the Brain
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Sisters
Spenser: For Hire
V
Welcome Back, Kotter
Wonder Woman

Growing Pains and Perfect Strangers for me.

 

[G-Fex]

new adventures of batman?

that the cartoon?

holy shit head of the class and growing pains!

what's Alice though?

 

[Link]

So this is essentially torrents sponsered by AOL?

 

[sprsk]

welcome back kotter plzzzzzzzzzzzzz

man i wish they had white shadow on there too.

 

[Link]

White Shadow just came out on DVD, just to let you know.

 

[The Faceless Master]

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
La Femme Nikita
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
V

SOLD!

 

[border]

several asian p2p developers are already streaming live television over the internet with just that setup.

Streaming over P2P would be awful, I think.....christ, it barely even works from dedicated streaming servers.

 

[ronito]

throw in the muppets and I'm sold.

 

[border]

Man, it's been forever since I've seen Beetlejuice (the cartoon). Probably not as good as I remember it being, but I guess we'll see...

 

[Link]

throw in the muppets and I'm sold.

Muppets are owned by Disney.

 

[Shinobi]

new adventures of batman?

that the cartoon?

It's probably this cartoon...

Can't say I'm particularly interested. :lol Seems like a pretty sweet deal from WB, but I reckon there's a catch somewhere.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Pinky and the Brain yes!

 

[scorcho]

Streaming over P2P would be awful, I think.....christ, it barely even works from dedicated streaming servers.

surprisingly it doesn't. i've been using these p2p tv services for six months and have rarely experienced hiccups. the technology works.

 

[fennec fox]

OK, now all we need is game shows and i'm set.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

B5? Sweet! Are these just streams, or are they shows you can download and take with you? Could you convert them for play on the iPod with Video or in my case, the Archos AV420? If so, I'm going to be watching the entire B5 series again.

 

[ronito]

Muppets are owned by Disney.

I know but a man can dream can't he?

 

[Matlock]

WB doesn't own the rights to the Batman TV show, iirc--Fox still has that.

 

[Phoenix]

I can answer a few of these questions:

yes it is a torrent like technology, yes to an extent you will be able to move the content amongst computers (no particular method for getting them onto the video iPod), and yes they are gathering rights to any of their major franchises for this network. It will all be free and advertiser supported. Its also coming via AOL as an AOL initiative.

http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=71275

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Thanks for the info Phoenix. As long as you can get the file onto your computer, I'm sure there will be ways to convert it for the iPod or other devices. I have several programs already on my PC that convert to various formats. How does content for the PSP sound?

 

[Penguin]

http://television.aol.com/in2tv

Well for all of those who waited.

Its here.

And its pretty damn sweet.

Lois and Clark.

 

[CurseoftheGods]

Is Paramount doing this??

 

[jamesinclair]

I was wondering why Januayr came and went with nothing...

 

[jamesinclair]

Im watching growing pains and loving the hair.

 

[aoi tsuki]

Requires the Mozilla Active X plugin. i'll pass for now, but it sounds pretty sweet.

 

[emomoonbase]

viewers will have to agree to participate in a special file-sharing network

Oh the irony! There are actually some good things on that list though. I'll watch if it doesn't put lame AOL crap all over my PC.

 

[Darko]

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (never comes on in my area)
Pinky and the Brain ^^

SOLD

EDIT: THIS IS FREE? HOly Shit!

 

[EdLuva]

new adventures of batman?

that the cartoon?

holy shit head of the class and growing pains!

what's Alice though?

Flo: "Mel?"

Mel: "What?"

Flo: "KISS MY GRITS!!"

 

[jamesinclair]

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (never comes on in my area)
Pinky and the Brain ^^

SOLD

EDIT: THIS IS FREE? HOly Shit!

They do force a 30 second commercial on you though!

 

[UltraMarioMan]

Babylon 5
Freakazoid
Pinky and the Brain

*Passes out*

(Anyone know when this starts?)

 

[Coop]

So you can only stream?

 

[jamesinclair]

*Passes out*

(Anyone know when this starts?)

"we will reach mars before I say point".

Its available now.

 

[Archaix]

Is this anything but a sick joke? I installed the Mozilla active x plugin and now my browser crashes every time I go to that page.

 

[jamesinclair]

Is this anything but a sick joke? I installed the Mozilla active x plugin and now my browser crashes every time I go to that page.

Working for me!

Restarted browser?

 

[HyperZone<3]

Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
F Troop
Perfect Strangers
Pinky and the Brain
V

Freaking sweet.

Adventures of Brisco County Jr.

cue Wilco.

 

[RaySpencer]

cant get this to work in Firefox or IE


i wanted to watch pinky and the brain

 

[Illuminati]

This is awesome, nice find.

AHAHAHAH

 

[Darko]

cant get it to work, it played the commercial, but wont play the shows

EDIT: w00t, ok got it working but only when I used "Hi-Q" versions, These must be really high quality cause one episode of superman is 503.11mb

 

[mattx5]

OMFG

KUNG FU!!

Edit: Why no workie? I get the commercial to play in IE but then bunk. In Firefox I don't even get the commercial.

 

[Illuminati]

Use this for easier navigation for all the episodes instead of the wonky activeX browser: Full Episodes List