All that bandwidth is used to source content from a variety of sources such as the iTunes store, Hulu (with the help of a VPN), Joost, YouTube and BitTorrent. TiVo has a movie download service and the PlayStation 3 is getting one soon.
Pay TV - sport is still the drawcard
If you've got access to all these online content sources, along with free-to-air television, you're not likely to have much need for pay TV - except perhaps for live sport. That why I think Foxtel's move to offer HD versions of Fox Sport 1, 2, 3 and ESPN is probably the most important aspect of last week's Foxtel Next Generation launch. There might be a lot of talk about Ten's high-def free-to-air sports channel One HD, but the truth is that the content is pretty disappointing.
It's either repeats (such as the Chicago Bulls in the 1997 NBA playoffs) or boring sports such as netball and poker. I kid you not, they're showing poker in high definition on One HD.
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| Foxtel Download: plenty of video, but only for channels you're subscribed to |
What Foxtel Download promises
Foxtel Download would open up a whole new world of content for Foxtel subscribers if it wasn't for one big catch. You can only download content from the channels you subscribe to. As such, if you can't find anything worth watching on pay TV then you probably won't find much on Foxtel Download either.
It's worth noting that Foxtel now intends to give an iQ personal video recorder to every subscriber on a value package. If you set the iQ to record your favourite shows each week, you should never be short of something to watch.
What if I've already got Foxtel?
In short, if you're already a Foxtel customer paying $70+ per month, you've probably already got more channels than you know what to do with and don't need Foxtel Download. If you're not a Foxtel customer and you're already spending $50+ on broadband each month in order to download entertainment, the promise of Foxtel Download is unlikely to entice you to spend another $70+ on pay TV.
If you don't already have Foxtel or broadband
If you don't have Foxtel or broadband, the promise of Foxtel Download is unlikely to entice you to spend another $70+ on pay TV plus $50+ for a high download limit (remembering Foxtel Download isn't unmetered, even for Bigpond customers).
Foxtel Download might be a nice idea, but I don't think it would influence many people's decision as to whether or not they want to pay for Foxtel each month.
Also in this series, Picking the Perfect Home Entertainment Box:
Part 6: Is interference destroying your digital lounge room?
Part 5: Do you need a Freeview sticker?
Part 4: What's the best way to record your favourite shows?
Part 3: Networking your TV, PVR, console, set top box
Part 2: Creating a P2P season pass
Part 1: Internet video on the PS3
Buying a TV? Also see our series How to Pick a Great Flat Screen TV, And Not Get Sucked In By Marketing Hype