NBC to offer one-week free downloads

updated 05:00 pm EDT, Wed September 19, 2007

NBC one-week downloads


NBC.com today unveiled a new service called NBC Direct that brings the network's primetime and late-night TV shows to users' desktops for a full week after the shows air. "With the creation of this new service, we are acknowledging that now, more than ever, viewers want to be in control of how, when and where they [watch] their favorite entertainment," said Vivi Zigler, vice president of NBC Digital Entertainment. "Not only does this feature give them more control, but it also gives them a higher quality video experience." A beta version of the new service will begin serving up shows to Windows users in October by providing full episodes which will expire one week after they are broadcast. A Mac version is planned at an unspecified later date. Content slated for availability during NBC's launch of the new service includes "30 Rock," "Bionic Woman," "Friday Night Lights," "Heroes," "Life," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "The Office," and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," according to ComingSoon.net.


by MacNN Staff

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  1. csony

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2007

    0

    Bad email addy @ NBC//Uni

    I tried sending an email to NBC/Universal commenting on their poor choice of leaving the Mac community waiting, only to get a Delivery Status Notification (Failure) bad name or address error. Note - I did click on the address right on their website so either they don;t know their own address or this is a sure fire way of avoiding negative comments. I hope all they do is waste their money on this poorly thought out and sure to fail blunder.

  1. koolkid1976

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2003

    0

    re: bad email

    Oh, that's just the auto response for when the their mail system filters the word "Mac." They figure you emailing to gripe about something. Send the email again this time using "Alternative platform" instead of such words as Mac's or Linux.

  1. BDLatimer

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2005

    0

    "How, where, and when"

    So, when NBC states "viewers want to be in control of how, when and where they [watch] their favorite entertainment", they mean they recognize these aspects, as long as it is: • On their computers only (no TVs) • Only Windows computers (no Macs) • Not on any portable devices (no iPods) • Only for a week after originally airing (tough luck if you go on vacation)

    I'll certainly admit that FREE downloads for this time period are very good - but NBC: Please don't confuse your artificial limitations with being "good" for the consumer.

  1. jarod

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2005

    0

    NBC can go

    F*CK THEMSELVES. PIRATES OF THE WORLD UNITE AND TAKE DOWN THOSE POS!

  1. gambit23

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2004

    0

    NBC:

    I agree, f*** NBC. Thanks to Netflix and Handbrake, though, I have all of Heroes. :)

    The other option was iTunes, but seeing how they responded to that, I refuse to buy ANY of their series. (I bought all of Season 2 and 3 of the Office, plus many of their other shows, though that was before NBC decided to announce how clueless they are.)

    By the way, NBC, it really IS that easy to get your programs, and while I'd much rather have bought them from iTunes due to convenience, free is good, too.

  1. Flying Meat

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2007

    0

    irresponsible

    gambit23, I understand your disdain for NBC/Universal, but you are breaking the law. Sadly, if you are unwilling to overlook their "transgressions" and utilize their new service, then your only legal options are watch it with a friend who does utilize the service, watch it when it airs and record it at that time, or do without.

    Copying rentals is largely illegal.

  1. ClevelandAdv

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2004

    0

    EyeTV

    I just use EyeTV to record the shows when they air then transform them into DVD, iPod Quicktime files to do with as I please. This not only works well, but is totally legal.

    After pulling from iTunes and the Mac platform, I would not give them a nickel.

  1. gambit23

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2004

    0

    Flying meat:

    Thanks for the update.

  1. ronphlf

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Sep 2007

    0

    HA HA HA HA HA

    Looks like the super-brains at NBC are at work.

    Who watches NBC anyway? I concur about Netflix....rip away anything that I desire.

    These studio executives are totally out of touch with reality.

    But then, in a way, iTunes store is too limited. It should be like the ebay of the entertainment world. For instance, I manage a dozen indie bands, yet getting tunes on iTunes is virtually impossible.

    Likewise, I have been involved in several indie video productions that aren't going to be produced onto traditional media.

    iTunes needs to evolve: for both the indies as well as the general entertainment industry. Otherwise, people will eventually desert it.

  1. gambit23

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2004

    0

    Hmm...

    Sounds like Apple needs a content creation division.

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