We get a review of Sling TV from an early user, Tom reviews Vessel’s private beta and Netflix conquers the world.
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CordKillers: Ep. 55 – People Say Things
Recorded: January 26, 2015
Guests: Luke Bouma, Andrew Zarian
Intro Video
Chris Pratt Bloopers
Primary Target
Dish’s Sling TV Begins Inviting Users To Test Out Its $20/Month Streaming Video Service
-SlingTV invites will start going out Tuesday at midnight to pre-registered users.
- Sent out on a rolling basis as the service scales up and prepares for a general market launch.
Hands-on review of Sling TV
-On Roku, Android and G-Box. Also new details of the upcoming sports package
Jason Kilar’s Vessel Opens An Invite-Only Beta Of Its Subscription Video Service
-Vessel opened up to Private Beta
- First month free then $2.99 a month.
- Web, iOS and Android coming soon.
- Invites to test being sent out. Gradually open to more viewers over time.
- Tom got invited into Vessel last night and played around a bit
Signal Intelligence
Netflix gets boost from strong international growth
How Netflix wants to end Geoblocking
In Netflix China push, domestic tech giants, online habits block path to success
Netflix Beats Forecast for Subscriber Growth in Quarter
Netflix will produce four movies from the brothers behind HBO’s Togetherness
-Netflix earnings
- 2.4 million new int’l subs. 1.9 million US subs.
- Plans to complete global expansion over next two years. AUS and NZ in March
- exploring options for “small service” in China
- Expects to add 1.8 million US and 2.25 milion int’l in Q1
- Said it will get users to stop using VPNs by signing more global deals making VPN unnecessary
Gear Up
Plex Arrives On PS4 And PS3 In The U.S And Canada Today
The First Hobbit Fan-Edit Cuts The Trilogy In Half
Front Lines
Will HBO on the Web Pull the Plug on Pay TV? Survey Says: Yep!
-Research firm Parks Associates surveyed Internet users and asked them if they would sign up for HBO’s Web version of the service in the US. About half of those who said yes who also had pay tv said they will cancel their pay TV subscription once they get HBO becomes over the Web. If that percentage holds that would be about 6.8 million people who say they would cancel pay TV once they can get HBO on the Net. People say a lot of things.
GoPro will deliver live, up-close brutality from the NHL
-This past weekend the partnership of GoPro and Vislink to live stream video bore fruit as GoPro became an official partner of the NHL. Players and mascots strapped GoPros to themselves during the all-star game skills competition and the game itself to stream live. GoPro will also live stream from regular season games later this year, likely from the Refs.
Marriott is reportedly testing a TV service that lets guests log in to personal Netflix, Hulu and Pandora accounts at 8 hotels.
With Vimeo’s Publisher Network, Partners Can Embed Their Own Video Stores And Take A Cut Of Sales
-Vimeo making deals that put curated shows from their on demand store available for rent or purchase through Vimeo Publisher network partners like CBS Interactive and The Atlantic.
David Tennant Joins Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones for Netflix
-David Tennant will play the villain Kilgrave in the Netflix series “Marvel’s AKA Jessica Jones” Which premieres later this year following “Marvell’s Daredevil” Kilgrave is also called the Purple Man.
Under Surveillance
PlayStation’s first scripted TV show, Powers, debuts on March 10th. It’s the one based on a long-running comic series by Brian Michael Bendis
Freddie Wong’s Rocketjump studio, makers of Video Game High School is teaming up with Lionsgate to produce an original show for Hulu. 8 half-hour episodes.
The trailer for Tina Fey’s new Netflix show ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ is out. This is Netflix’s prime time mainstream comedy.
NBC Will Live Stream The Super Bowl For Free
-NBCUniversal has said it will offer an 11-hour free digital video stream of this year’s Super Bowl, including pre-game coverage, the halftime show, and even an episode of “The Blacklist” following the big game. The stream, which will be offered for free, will begin at noon on February 1st and then wrap up at 10 PM ET that evening. Counterprograming will include YouTube’s own half-time show hosted by Epic Meal Time’s Harley Morenstein. And the NFL launched a partnership with Google including a YouTube channel.
Brian: Hacking the System, Quick Draw, The Profit, Vice documentary, Marco Polo ep 7
Tom: The Flash, Venture Bros., Star Wars Rebels, Hacking the System, Marco Polo (Ep. 7), Arrow. Archer, Quick Draw (s1e2), The Americans, The Shield (ep. 408)
Andrew: Shameless, Hacking the System, Bojack Horseman
2014 Winter Movie Draft
draft.diamondclub.tv
Brett: $596,361,413
Brian: $445,112,651
Scott: $442,944,952
Tom: $371,798,900
Justin: $270,293,833
John: $245,165,632
Dispatches from the Front
Hi Tom and Brian,
As a daily watcher of two ESPN shows (Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption), I’d like to chime in with my impression of Sling TV as a cord cutting alternative, given that it’s the first time I’ve been able to consider killing that cord!
I’ve tried my hardest to get excited about Sling TV, but I just can’t do it! The main problem is that if I want to watch my ESPN shows, I have no choice but to watch them live and with commercials. Sling TV has no DVR functions, and only certain channels even let you pause live TV (and ESPN isn’t included). When I saw that Sling TV would also grant access to the WatchESPN app, I briefly hoped that I’d be able to watch my shows after the fact. Not so! Apparently ESPN doesn’t put ATN or PTI on WatchESPN.
If I went over the air and signed up for Sling TV, I’d be going from $55/month for my current TV service to $20, but adding a ton of complexity, removing all convenience, and I couldn’t watch my shows (having a 5 month old in the house makes it impossible to guarantee time in front of the TV every day at exactly 5pm). I’d also have to cobble together a bunch of sources for the other cable channels I couldn’t get from Sling like Comedy Central, adding even more complexity.
Matt
Sterling, VA
Brian,
I was laughing after the last episode of Cord Killers because my Draft grades for your league were just about spot on – give or take a few million between you and Scott. https://magic.piktochart.com/output/3398775-winter-movie-draft-report-card 
. Also, thanks to you guys I got sucked into “The Man in the High Castle” and am mad that I have to wait for episode (rest of season)
Side question? Where can I find the rules that you guys are going by? Mainly, How long does a movie stay in the theaters before you stop counting it’s revenue?
Thanks Guys, love the show!
Mulango
p.s – you totally got my name right by the way! lol – Congrats
Hi Brian and Tom,
A couple of things have changed for me in a period of 72 hours. I’ve been a cord killer for over 14 months. Brian asked all fans of CordKillers to re-subscribe to cable to watch “Hacking the System” on NatGeo. This Friday m ISP Charter called me and offered cable for an additional $26.00 a month with my 30mbps internet. I said yes and agreed to have it installed February 5.
But then this last Saturday, I talked to my neighbors who are also with Charter and are paying for all the channels offered in their triple bundle for $200.00 a month. While they declined to cord shave on my advice,they gave me their email and password to use their subscription to view HBO and Showtime and basically every cable channel available on Roku as I have a Roku 3.
My question as I was able with their login information watch “Hacking the System”, do I still re-subscribe to cable and view the same channels with my login info? Or do I enjoy the content with my neighbors login info that they willingly gave me as a gift and cancel the install? I realize not everyone has a nice neighbor who gives out their login info, but I’m really thinking of canceling my install and use their login info for authentication.
I’d appreciate a reply from either of you on or off the show.
David from Fond Du Lac,WI asking
I have to disagree with your assessment of Marco Polo. I’ve been getting caught up (thru ep5) to watch along with you and I’m really enjoying it. The political intrigue is great. Kublai Khan and his family are fascinating and well-acted. The cinematography is beautiful. All-in-all I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to finishing the series.
One question: who’s the white guy?
Thanks for a great show! Keep it up!
Bob.
Hi Guys
As one of the many great bosses you have I think you should take a look at the DOKO .
Think Brian could find a few uses 
Keep up the great work.
Gregg
Hi guys,
Just wanted to know if you guys have ever discussed two separate podcast streams for cordkillers.
One for the show and another one for Spoilerin’ Time. The reason is, I use the podcast app Stitcher and it automatically loads the latest version of the podcast. So sometimes I haven’t heard the episode and Spoiler’ Time is already in its place. So then I have to dig into the options to look for the actual episode (all while driving my car *danger* *danger!*). Also for me I only listen to Spoilerin’ Time if I’ve watched what you guys are about to Spoiler (example Game of Thones, Breaking Bad, ETC). I don’t’ listen to the “slow season” of Spoilers (Amazon Pilots, The Shield, etc). It would be nice if I can subscribe to two separate podcasts.
Let me know what you guys think and remember this is the boss talking
Keep up the great work as always.
Mike
The place I work in Alabama took an informal poll today on how our employees watch most of their TV. 46.3% said Live. 34.6 said DVR and 19.1 said online service like Netflix or Hulu. There 5190 responses. Not sure what it means, if anything, but found it interesting.
Stephen
Links
patreon.com/cordkillers
Dog House Systems Cordkiller box