Should TV Stations Sell Roku Channel Subscriptions Directly?

In yet another article in the news, this one on USA Today we read how more and more houses are starting to turn off their Cable and Satellite services in favor of streaming media from the web onto their television sets.  Combining web based media with a local TV tuner means they can handle local content + a ton of online movies and shows to watch and subscribers can ditch the often $60+ per month bill of having a cable or satellite service.

Cable is hurting, as are the stations on cable so the only thing I am waiting for is the ability for TV stations to allow you to purchase a Roku channel for that station so you can watch live web broadcasts from that station in exchange for a low monthly fee.

I would pay say $1 per month for USA, TNT, Discovery each for streaming live television to my Roku for those channels.  This is the only thing preventing me from shutting of my own satellite service and using Roku full time in my main house.  I am even using Roku XDS as the only media hub in a separate home in CA.

[easyazon-image-link asin=”B004CZ9U96″ alt=”Veebeam HD | Wireless PC to TV link | 1080p” src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31a2x2skpRL._SL160_.jpg” align=”left” width=”160″ height=”160″]Netflix really needs to work on building up it’s catalog and find a way to make deals with studio’s that will increase value to subscribers.  The recent string of hits with Stars rejecting renewal and many studio’s unwilling to work with them only serves to weaken the service and in 2012 there will be far less offerings if something isn’t negotiated.

I would pay $10 – $15 per month for 10-15 hand selected channels that I watch, I almost NEVER watch more than 15 separate channels a month (besides the core NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS…etc) and yet I have over 250+ on my Dish Network bill.

Roku still has dozens of channels and the Nowhere TV gives plenty of live news streams so provided you are okay with watching International CNN instead of local US CNN for example.

Another option too is to open up all of the web, screw the “Channel” idea that Roku has.  I have tested and used the Veebeam HD device which allows you to let a computer or laptop stream anything the browser see’s directly to your TV wirelessly.  It works flawlessly and this combined with any website you can visit gives you the option of watching anything online streamed to your TV.

The one problem is you need to have a custom remote or you are tethered to your laptop to do searching while you find what you want to watch.  Combine it with Google TV extension for Chrome however and it greatly saves time.

-Justin Germino

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