NBC to Offer Free TV Downloads on 'NBC Direct'

[Jorge]

Plans to eventually transform the service into a model similar to iTunes by the middle of 2008.

NBC has announced plans for embarking on a bold new intuitive in which it finally acknowledges that people are increasingly moving away from traditional television viewing patterns.

More and more people want to consume television programming on their own terms -- at a place and time of their own choosing. As a result, NBC has decided to begin allowing people to download TV episodes using a new service it plans to call "NBC Direct."

It will allow users to download a TV

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[deetc]

If they try to charge 5 bucks an episode, I'd put money on it failing.

First off, if they can't offer super fast downloads at HD quality (kinda like torrents do, you can grab an HD episode in 10 minutes or less if you got the right tracker and a fast enough connection), they can forget it.

Second, when are the shows going to be available? Immediately? An hour after the show? A Day after the show? If it hits torrents faster then it hits their website, then that's another huge minus against them.

Third, are there going to be commercials? One of the reasons I'd rather watch TV on my computer is there's no commercials.

Basically, if their service doesn't provide the same or better
-quality
-download speed
-availability
as torrents do, then it will never take off. Who's going to pay for a service that's worse then something that's free?