update on rabbit 4 computer/TV

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Ed Fenwick

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Ok, somebody asked for an update to see how I liked the Rabbit dongle. Not so much, it did what it said but not very well. The icons for the shows were too small if I am sitting across the room from the TV. What I wanted was the local TV stations, in case there is a tsunami or something that I should know about. I can go to their website I guess.



Next question, no matter what I stream from the computer, the resolution is not HD. The computer is set for the highest resolution, is there another way to increase the picture quality? It is a laptop, so I don't think that I can add a video card.

Thanks Ed
 
Ed,

I believe I was the one to ask you to post a review of the Rabbit dongle after you had time to play with it for a while.



So, How big is your TV screen and how far away are you sitting? Bigger screen might make a difference?



Yes, I also noticed that many of the Free TV software or devices tend to be low resolution images. USTVNOW shows live TV programs from the major networks, like ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS etc, but only in low resolution unless you upgrade to a paid subscription which costs $99 a month. For that you also get about 150 channels...but then Cable and Satellite TV can sell you 150+ channels even cheaper than that



What networks/channels do you get with the Rabitt TV? Does it only work on your PC, or can you plug it into any TV, DVD or streaming video playerwith a USB port and watch it on your TV?



...Rich



 
Aloha Rich, the screen is 42 inch, I am about 8-10 feet away. I think that it will only work on a PC. the TV won't have any keyboard or mouse to select shows. It connected to CBS for a Honolulu station. Maybe others.

Ed
 
Thanks for the update Ed,



For a measly $10 and $6.99 shipping, I just may go ahead and get one and see if it would be a viable backup when my DirecTV goes out because of rain storms...especially during a good football game...:angry: It's happened a couple of times, but fortunately the outage only lasted about 10 minutes..:grin:



...Rich
 
RichardL asked:
What networks/channels do you get with the Rabitt TV? Does it only work on your PC, or can you plug it into any TV, DVD or streaming video playerwith a USB port and watch it on your TV?



Rabbit TV and its services don't actually stream anything to you. It is a USB-enabled, glorified TV-Guide to video content on the internet already available by other providers (Hulu, abc.com, etc).



From the other thread I said that...



Rabbit TV is a usb enabled subscription service that links to a website that indexes free video content on the web, categorizing it by TV Shows, movies, etc. It and its service do not provide the streaming of the programs, but instead, the service acts like a web-based TV guide of free movies and shows on the Internet. If you find TV shows that you want to watch through it, say like Greys Anatomy, then it launches the ABC.com site and its player.



So, Rabbit TV doesn't give you access to anything you don't already have if you know where to look. It can't work without a computer as it is the computer and the already existing video sites that provide the playback.



TJR
 
TJR,

Thanks, I was really interested in a backup way to watch certain programs and sporting events if my Satellite reception happened to go out because of a rain storm. I was also interested in the "Local Channels" they talk about at the Rabbit TV website:



WHAT IS RABBIT TV?

Rabbit TV is a USB system that organizes a huge amount of high-quality content into a simple, easy-to-use interface that connects you with the entertainment you want in the fastest way possible. Rabbit TV links to over 25,000 full episodes from most popular networks, like ABC, NBC, Fox, History, MTV, Discovery, and many more. Rabbit TV also links to thousands of FREE Movies from around the world, along with Live Sports Streams from every major sport, as well as Live & On-Demand News Broadcasts. Rabbit TV even has a selection of Live Scheduled TV Channels, as well as thousands of radio station programs.



WHAT TV ENTERTAINMENT DOES RABBIT TV PROVIDE?

In total, there are currently somewhere around 5000 channels available through the TV section of Rabbit TV, including over 25,000 full episodes from popular and classic TV series available on-demand 24/7. Rabbit TV is constantly adding new channels, episodes and other video content, so these numbers grow on a daily basis. These include the following and so much more:

Current and Classic TV Shows

Original Web Series

Worldwide TV Channels and Video Sites

Local US TV Channels and Video Sites

Sports Video Sites

News Stations and Video Sites

Tech Video Libraries

Children's Programming



I does not clearly say that these are live broadcasts of Local Channels or exactly what they are referring to when they say "Local Channels"?



...Rich
 
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RichardL, if you can find local channels on the internet then RabbitTV will likely find them and catalog them too. I am sure there are local channels out there for free on the internet. USTVNow or whatever it is has some. The question is whether what is out there will be "local to you"
 
TJR,

I have USTVNOW and they do not have local channels...unless you live in the Philly, NYC area. All of the ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX channels they have are from in and around those cities.



That's why I asked Ed what channels he was getting, rather than just what networks he was getting. Ed lives in Hawaii, so I wanted to know if he gets local Hawaiian broadcasts or just channels from the NYC area?



All of these TV on PC services always tell you the major networks, but Rabbit TV specifically mentions "Local TV Channels" which I would take as being local to me, or at least broadcasts from Texas stations?



I am also aware that most local stations do not broadcast over the Internet, especially the smaller towns...The only few exceptions seem to be some of the stations in they NYC and LA areas, So I was wondering if Rabbit TV has some arrangement with other local stations to permit them to broadcast their programming?



...Rich
 
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Again, RabbitTV doesn't provide the access to the online video.



RabbitTV is like the "Maps to the Stars Homes" you can buy on the street in LA. The maps if bought don't give you anything you don't already have access to if you know where to look. If you know where Bruce Willis' house is, you can drive by it. If you don't, a map might be worth buying if you just want to drive by the stars homes. Either way, the map doesn't give you anything you don't already have.



I am fairly confident that Rabbit TV has no arrangements with anyone. Just as the guy that made the map to the stars homes has no arrangements with the stars.



Again, RabbitTV broadcasts NOTHING.



TJR
 
TJR,

I can only assume that you do not have a Rabbit TV dongle, and that's why I was hoping that Ed would reply and clarify exactly what Local Channels he was getting in Hawaii?



I also realize that Rabbit TV does not broadcast anything, but only serves as a TV Guide type look-up with Internet links to direct you to the actual broadcasting website...much like USTVNOW, but USTVNOW does not claim to give you access to Local broadcast stations/channels. Rabbit TV claims they have over 5000 world wide channels available including local channels, but does not clarify what constitutes "Local Channels"?



We have several local channels in Waco, TX that broadcast their news programs live, and in replay mode over the internet. ie: the 6:00am news program can be viewed live, and can be replayed all day until the 6:00pm news is broadcast which is broadcast over the internet live.



This feature is only available through a special special link to a "SyncBak" website. That is why I mentioned that Rabbit TV might have a similar arrangement with some local stations or special internet links?



I suspect that Rabbit TV may only be providing links to some Regional network broadcasts from a few affiliated stations in that Region, like ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc, broadcasts from NYC, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, and LA, etc. and what they are calling Local Stations is really a Regionally Local station, an not necessarily a station in your city or even your state.



...Rich

 
RichardL,



I suspect that RabbitTV's claim to providing "Local channels" is marketing speak. Given what I know about them, their product, and their business model, they are like the Google of online video. They provide a service of finding, cataloging and creating an interactive guide for online video. Given that that is what they do, then some of that video will be for live "local channels".... local to you? Maybe. Local to someone...most definitely. ;-)

 
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