Okay, let us jump in the time machine children. We are going back ALL the way to 1998 (hard to believe it has been 11 years, huh?). It was around this time when I, personally, saw my first video from the new-fangled internet on an imac computer (wow i laughed at all the "features" of the imac- Plays audio CDs!). The video was a downloaded clip of a music video for the song Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) by The Offspring. I remember it took FOREVER to download and when we saw the fuzzy picture of the music video playing on the computer we went nuts- how innovative. Jump back in the time machine.
We have arrived back to 2009. I have missed my favorite sitcom of all time- "The Office" for some reason or another. Back in 1998 this would have been a problem. If I hadn't set the VCR (remember those things) timer to record, I would have been screwed, wait for a rerun I guess. But no, a couple weeks ago I missed the new episode of "The Office." It is dissappointing not seeing it right when it airs, but, has become a regular occurrence because of my busy schedule. Nowadays, all I have to do is wake up the next morning (it takes a night to get it on the website, i guess), go on to my computer, go to http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/video/, click on the new episode, sit back and enjoy.
WHAT A BRILLIANT INVENTION! It takes maybe 15 seconds (with a decent internet connection) to load and there are only like 5 commercials in the WHOLE 22-MINUTE EPISODE! This has revolutionized the way I watch sitcoms. There have been weeks where I have went without turning on my TV at all. I simply switch from nbc.com and southparkstudios.com and that gives me enough television entertainment without the hassle of long commercial breaks.
However, with all of these television shows almost immediately streaming on the internet, how will the shows get the viewers they once had? Also, what's the point of buying cable if your favorite shows are easily accessed to the internet? It will only be a matter of time until we find out. I'm sure it will be a SHAMWOW of a problem for the cable companies and advertisers.
(If you think I'm crazy for saying shamwow look at my previous post on catchphrases, thanks.)
First of all, thanks for getting that "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" song stuck in my head.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of The Office as well, and although I like to watch it the first time it airs, this doesn't always happen, because I usually have something going on. I use NBC.com to catch up on my episodes,too. (Especially when the Office's air time is pushed back because of some girl's basketball game, as it was last week.)
I think there are catchphrases today, too (Why so serious? comes to mind). But the older people sometimes aren't clued in on them or don't want to say them. I mean, can you imagine your grandpa going "That's what she said?" Awkward turtle.
Being able to watch your favorite shows on your computer is a great thing, I agree. I have especially found this to be true with regards to the recent problems DirectV and KXJB are having. Since I am a DirectV subscriber, I am unable to get channel 4 because they can’t come up with a monetary value as to what each station believes they are worth! I am a huge fan of The Young and The Restless and have found myself going online and watching episode through cbs.com. It’s a great way to catch up on what I’ve been missing, although it’s not much!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great stroll through memory lane. I remember being amazed by some of the technology out there, only for it to be replaced by even better technology nowadays.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to watch a TV show online, but that's probably because I don't have "my show." There's not one show on TV that I watch regularly. There used to be, though, and that was when the VCR came in handy. I think that one of the reasons people still buy cable and satellite is because it's more comfy to sit on a couch and watch TV, then to have a laptop in your lap watching it.
Want to know something sad? My dad STILL can't properly program a VCR. However, my brothers took 3 hours one afternoon to teach him how to run our DVR and surround sound system so he can do that. Now days, I can't even really remember going through the hassel of using a vcr. Times have changed so much; and they're only going to keep improving.
ReplyDeleteYa, my dad cant work a dvd player or flip the input to input 2 so he can watch the dvd. This was a good blog that takes you back to the good old days, brought back alot of memories man. Good job.
ReplyDeleteoh yeah , the good old days. But you what we still have VCR in our house. Though we dont use them any more, but i dad loves to take care of that as its kind of nostalgic for him.
ReplyDeleteGod job !!
i liked your blog