AOL launched their In2TV service today, featuring an eclectic mix of 30 Warner Bros. TV shows from the past half-century. Some good, some bad, some on DVD, some not — and all available for high-quality streaming in their entirety with “minimal commercial interruption.” 1 to 2 minutes, for now. Though if it’s successful, that will no doubt sneak up a bit: the whole point, of course, is another revenue stream.
We haven’t yet had a chance for a test-drive of the service through the Medialoper Review Labs — the pilot ep of Welcome Back Kotter, prior to Travolta becoming a superstar, will be just the ticket — but here are a couple of random initial impressions:
- The home page is clean and well-organized: less clutter than iTunes, and easier to find stuff than Google video or YouTube.
- Don’t come here looking for full seasons. Looks like they’ve launched with about 10 eps of each show.
- They’ve also launched with features and interactive games.
- There is more than one way to find an individual show: they’ve categorized them, have a search feature, broken out clips; and have a “show all feature” that actually lists more than a few at a time.
- One of the best ideas: “Pilot Theatre,” which is exactly what you would think.
All in all, a nice auspicious start for IN2TV: one can only hope that they add more shows, and more episodes for each show.
Oh man, now I’ll never get any work done. I’ll be watching F Troop and Kung Fu all day long (not to mention that great adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s V).
Not so fast! Turns out you need Windows XP and WiMP 10 – it’s the DRM thing you know.
Translation – forget about using this service if you have a Mac. iPods are out of the question.
Final Grade: F
Next.
I assume that’s the same F that iTunes gets?
Actually no. iTunes works with Mac and Windows. Microsoft has every opportunity to port their DRM system to the Apple OS. They’ve chosen not to.
Yeah, but iTunes only works with iTunes, the ipod and quicktime. You can port the audio to mp3z by using that ridiculous rip and then burn method, but I’m not even sure if there is a video equivalent to playing their videos on other players.
Let’s also remember that iTunes is not just available over the Web, but rather it is a program that you have to install (and reinstall and reinstall, since they send down updates like, every day.)
So, from the user experience standpoint, it’s limited.
And I would assume that is where an “F” for In2TV would come from: the user experience standpoint, which is why I asked about iTunes, which is still quite limited, portability-wise. (And the fact that everbody has an iPod is, of course, exactly the same as “everybody has Windows.” )
But if this is a Microsoft issue, I’m confused as to why AOL In2TV gets an “F” for things that are out of their control: better not to launch at all and wait for MS to get their DRM shit together?
OK, let me be more specific. iTunes gets a C. Part of that grade is an A for user experience (the fact that it’s a standalone application actually HELPS the user experience – it took me quite a while to come to terms with that fact). iTunes gets a C for portability (plays on multiple operating systems, but not multiple hand helds) and a C for DRM (it’s one of the few DRM schemes that builds burning to CD’s into the base price – the fact that Apple dictates the DRM terms to the content providers is an F from a content creator standpoint, and a B from a consumer standpoint).
So anyway you look at it, the iTunes platform give users more control and more access than the Windows DRM scheme.
What should AOL have done? I don’t know. MLB seems to have figured this out. MLB TV works on Macs. I can’t believe that Bud Selig knows something AOL doesn’t.
First off, Google gets an F- because theirs if by far the dumbest setup of all.
Secondly, iTunes gets a B-, maybe. The problem, but also the benefit of iTunes, is the ubiquity of iPods. Why would it even be an issue? It’s not the same comparing it to Microsoft as they aren’t hardware. the MS DRM is FUBAR by my reckoning.
Therefore, the DRM for iTunes, while not ideal, is like democracy: It’s the worst, except for all others. My only complaint with iTunes video is the inability to back it up.
I think that what Bud Selig knows is to offer Real Player as well as Windows Media.