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Anyone else doing the NimbleTV beta?

post #1 of 9
1/8/13 at 9:33am
Thread Starter 
http://allthingsd.com/20121221/tv-everywhere-for-real-for-now-nimbletv-starts-a-new-york-trial-run/

I had forgotten that I even signed up for the beta a while back, got my invite today. As long as you don't want to offload your TV recordings for non-internet connected use, could be a real plus to an HTPC setup, depending on what they ultimately offer.

This is particularly important to me:
Quote:
At least as important: Nimble could encourage competition between pay-TV providers, since users aren’t required to sign up for a pay-TV package that’s offered in their neighborhood. It could also upend lots of geographic-specific programming deals: In theory, if I wanted to watch the Minnesota Vikings in my Brooklyn apartment, I could use Nimble to sign up for a Comcast subscription package for Minneapolis residents.

My wife is a diehard Dallas Mavericks fan, but we can't get Fox Sports Southwest in NYC. I'm a huge Texas Longhorn fan, but my only provider (Optimum) doesn't carry the Longhorn network. If we could switch to a package from Texas that has those, its going to be awesome.
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post #2 of 9
1/8/13 at 11:50am
Thread Starter 
Logged in at work (IE) to see how it works. The guide is pretty badly done, but I'm sure that will improve. The search feature on the guide didn't seem to work. The controls are hard to figure out. I only really saw one play button when I clicked on a show and it would ask "Are you sure you want to watch and record this show?" I saw no way to just watch a show.

All that said, the video quality was pretty good. Not full HD, but still pretty good. I didn't want to blast audio while at work though, so can't comment on the audio. I thought the quality was pretty close to what I have seen on WatchESPN while at work, and WatchESPN looks near HD quality when I'm at home. Unfortunately I am traveling for the next 4 days, so I won't be able to check it out on my HTPC quite yet, but I'm going overseas, so it will be interesting to see if it works when I am in Europe.

The whole concept sounds great, but outside of at least the recording, I have to wonder where it will go. My provider already has an app you can use on tablets and anything with an integrated display like an All-in-One or Laptop. I've used it and the quality is pretty much as good as what I get on my HTPC via InfiniTV. I like this nimbleTV idea because it is not restricted to those devices. If nothing else, maybe this will spurn Optimum to allow their App to run on normal PC's.
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post #3 of 9
1/15/13 at 7:52am
Thread Starter 
They released a new version, and the quality seems to have improved. Still not full HD quality yet, but pretty nice. Guide still needs work.
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post #4 of 9
1/15/13 at 10:04am
What exactly is this product?
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post #5 of 9
1/17/13 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 
Basically its your cable TV package, but article via a Web browser, complete with dvr. Their objective is to make it so you can select any provider anywhere as well.
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post #6 of 9
1/24/13 at 5:55pm
I've got a question about this service. I currently subscribe to DirecTV and would like to add this to my device when it is finally released. Do I have to subscribe through their service to DirecTV? In other words, would I have to double subscribe to DirecTV to use this service? One to get it in my home via traditional channels and once to get it through nimble? Or will I be able to simply add this on top of my current subscription?
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post #7 of 9
5/9/13 at 7:03pm
I finally got my email to sign up for this. I got as far as looking at the packages and pricing which are not any better than my traditional cable (worse actually). Then there's also this:
Quote:
Can other members of my household watch nimbleTV from a single user account?

Currently, only one person can watch on one device, from a single nimbleTV account. In the future, we plan to offer family accounts so that other household members can sign in and watch from one primary account.

Curiously, there are some channels available on their $50 package that are not available on their $75 package, like HDNet Movies.

If anyone want's to check it out, go to https://watch.nimbletv.com/invitation/channels
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post #8 of 9
5/9/13 at 7:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vladd View Post

Then there's also this:
Quote:
Can other members of my household watch nimbleTV from a single user account?

Currently, only one person can watch on one device, from a single nimbleTV account. In the future, we plan to offer family accounts so that other household members can sign in and watch from one primary account.

The only strange thing about that is the ambiguity on "one device." This would be similar to a netflix account where you could sign in to "several" devices but only stream to one at a time? Or your subscription only works on "one" device - ever?

The DVR is also somewhat intriguing. If you set 20 hrs of recordings in your first week, then watch / delete them all on Sat/Sun do you get 20 hrs back? If they were running the Sony/Apple/etc method it would obviously be 20 hrs and it only resets monthly smile.gif but they could allow a 20 hour "bank" type DVR where you're space is freed up as soon as you "delete" anything.

I read the FAQs, but it does leave a little to the imagination. I could go either way with the above questions, and I could easily see a business going either way as well

Cool idea if you had to be out of town for an important sports month
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post #9 of 9
5/9/13 at 9:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark_Slayer View Post

The only strange thing about that is the ambiguity on "one device." This would be similar to a netflix account where you could sign in to "several" devices but only stream to one at a time? Or your subscription only works on "one" device - ever?
I'm guessing that it's 1 stream at a time and not really one device but as you said, it's ambiguous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark_Slayer View Post

The DVR is also somewhat intriguing. If you set 20 hrs of recordings in your first week, then watch / delete them all on Sat/Sun do you get 20 hrs back? If they were running the Sony/Apple/etc method it would obviously be 20 hrs and it only resets monthly smile.gif but they could allow a 20 hour "bank" type DVR where you're space is freed up as soon as you "delete" anything.
According to this:
Quote:
Can I reduce the amount of recording hours on my nimbleTV HD-DVR?

Yes, you can reduce to a lower HD-DVR package through your nimbleTV account. However, in order to reduce hours you must have unused recording hours available. If you don’t, then you have to first delete recordings to free up the space. Hours will then be deleted immediately. Please note that there are no pro-rated refunds when downgrading to a lower HD-DVR plan.
Space is freed immediately. I will say that $0.99 for an additional 10 hours is pretty good though.

One thing to note: Their "Save up to $14.99" is a one time only credit on your second month. It's not a recurring monthly savings.
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