Talk:Aereo

Additional cities

NPR announced yesterday that Aereo was expanding into 22 more cities this year (2013). They did not provide a listing of those cities. However, if that has been reported, such a list would be useful in the article.--214.28.226.231 (talk) 13:49, 22 February 2013 (UTC)

Boston is now live, with invitations going to people who pre-registered. I edited the main page to reflect that fact. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.218.243.215 (talk) 11:52, 27 May 2013 (UTC)

Lawsuit by CBS: Advertising revenue at root of issue?

Does Aereo cut the commercials out? Or in a 30 minute or 60 minute broadcast, are the commercials still shown, as they are inserted by CBS? Marc S., Dania Fl 206.192.35.125 (talk) 18:03, 1 May 2013 (UTC)

No, Aereo does not remove commercials. For recorded programs there is a 30 second skip feature, like many DVRs, which viewers may use to skip over commercials. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.218.243.215 (talk) 11:50, 27 May 2013 (UTC)

What is the technology that allows such small antennas?

The physics that allows such small antennas is probably known and described somewhere. Since I don't know what it is called, I have been unable to find a reference to it, in spite of much searching. This Wikipedia article would be an ideal place to provide such a reference. DrHow (talk) 03:16, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

I'm not sure this source answers the question, but apparently, the antenna technology itself is a source of controversy. Aereo argues that each tiny antenna functions fully independently. Others suggest their arrangement in an array boosts the signal, which is then split. The latter is not exempt from retrans fees. The author concludes by asking--if each antenna is independent, could a single one replace the rabbit ears? Barte (talk) 15:53, 11 January 2014 (UTC)

Interesting. The author is wondering the same thing I was; and, given that he had access to better sources, the fact that no clear scientific explanation has been laid out there tends to transform my curiosity to skepticism. Given that the Supreme Court has agreed (Jan., 2014) to hear the case, I guess we will find out in due course; but I would hope that their time is not being wasted on what turns out to be a pseudo-science scam. I am hoping that they can go so far as to decide that anything broadcast for free reception off the air can be freely redistributed by any means. (It has always struck me that any compensation for redistribution should be the other way around - e.g., that broadcasters should be compensating the cable companies for increasing the reach of their commercials.)

On a technical note, Aereo's in-court response about the orientation of the test antenna does not make sense because TV signals nowadays are transmitted with circular polarization. DrHow (talk) 20:59, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

I would think that Aereo would have to show that they can create a separate signal path, including a dedicated antenna AND TUNER for each paying customer. It would have to be more than just having an antenna for each customer. And would Aereo have to open their hardware up for inspection or audit to the FCC to prove they are not "broadcasting" commercial TV signals, but instead are "narrow-casting" each and every one of them? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.94.23.230 (talk) 00:02, 24 April 2014 (UTC)

Confusing

What does this service offer other than what anyone can get by buying a TV antenna? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.172.198.185 (talk) 15:12, 23 April 2014 (UTC)

The service is probably aimed at people who want to watch live TV on their cell phone or tablet, which for some reason in the year 2014 do not have built-in tuners to allow direct TV reception without using your data plan. Anyone who wants to watch TV on a real (stationary) TV and is too stupid to be able to figure out how to connect an antenna to the TV is also someone who might pay for this. The only other possible advantage to this Aereo service (and I'm not sure if they allow this) is for you to be able to watch live TV being broadcast from an antenna that is too far away from where you are. So for example I don't know if someone in New York can use Aereo to watch (stream) a Los Angeles TV channel. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.94.23.230 (talk) 23:55, 23 April 2014 (UTC)

Streaming TV over the internet is stupid concept - just put tuners in the devices!

Can someone explain why, if watching live tv on a cell phone or tablet was "a thing", and if competition in the cell phone and tablet industry was real, then why don't these devices have built-in ATSC tuners?

A cell phone or tablet with built-in TV tuner would allow (get this) "free" tv - by receiving something called "signals" that are broadcast over the air by big metal poles that stick out of the ground. While this concept of receiving these free TV signals is largely unknown to most people under the age of 35, it still needs to be explained why various industry segments (notably cell phone makers) have chosen not to give this ability to their products, even though they are well within the technical capabilities of the products. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.94.23.230 (talk) 23:49, 23 April 2014 (UTC)

Receiving TV signals off the air with a portable device is not all that reliable, which explains why the devices that can do this have never become all that popular (even though they are relatively inexpensive). On the other hand, connecting to the Internet can be done reliably with a portable device (with either mobile phone technology or Wi-Fi). Furthermore, distance from the TV transmitter is no limit at all. Aereo is also providing DVR service. DrHow (talk) 01:00, 22 June 2014 (UTC)

What if I "rented" - instead of installed residential TV antennas? What would the court say?

So let's say I'm in the business of installing residential TV antennas. Instead of selling an antenna (and installation) for $500, what if I install the antenna's and then charge the home owner $5 a month to "rent" it. I get $5 a month indefinately, and the home owner gets to watch what-ever TV channel he wants. The home owner cancels the service - and I come around and take down the antenna. How is this any different (conceptually, from a content-rights point of view) than what Aereo is doing? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.94.23.230 (talk) 00:07, 24 April 2014 (UTC)

Aereo is also renting the functional equivalent of a DVR. Furthermore, the user can gain access to the TV streams with any device that can access the Internet wherever the user might go with that device and gain such access. (There would clearly be no reason for prohibiting the rental of antennae installed at homes for local reception; but I am sure you realized that while ignoring the important differences.) DrHow (talk) 00:52, 22 June 2014 (UTC)

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