Entertainment desk
< November 29	<< Oct \| November \| Dec >>	December 1 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Entertainment Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

November 30[edit]

Watching TV online[edit]

Hi. I'm a fan of Fox's The X Factor, but I'm not generally a fan of television. In particular, I don't own one, and I'm not about to buy one. I'd be happy to watch the show live, so I could vote for my favorites, but Fox seems bent on preventing it from appearing online until several hours after voting has closed. What is the economic reason for this?

I'd be happy to sit through their commercials, and I'd be happy to watch it on their own official website, but they seem unwilling to let me see the show unless I obtain an actual television. Are they in bed with the TV provider people; is that why? It's kind of frustrating.

I'm sure it's just about following the money, but I'd like to understand the details. Thanks in advance for any insight. -GTBacchus^(talk) 15:49, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

There could be various reasons, either financial, contractual or technical. Fox may get more money for TV adverts than online adverts. Online showings may detract from repeat viewings or from overseas sales. The makers may want to boast about the ratings they get (e.g. to advertisers). Fox may not have the network infrastructure to stream hours of live programming over the internet to all the people who would want to watch it on TV. Since companies like Fox still prefer to make TV programs rather than broadcast all their content online, it suggests the big money is still in television. --Colapeninsula (talk) 16:22, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

They may have some sort of stipulation in their contract with cable companies and such that says that they can't simulcast their shows online and on the television. The cable companies might fear losing revenue if people knew they could just get all their shows online. Dismas|^(talk) 16:27, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Also, the cable companies do not want to move television traffic, which they can easily handle, to internet traffic, which may require more infrastructure. -- kainaw ™ 16:30, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Is it also shown live on the west coast, or is it tape-delayed? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:17, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know, Bugs, but since live voting is only open for two hours after the show ends, I have to think the left coast sees it simultaneously with the rest of us. -GTBacchus^(talk) 06:48, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

No, it is aired on tape-delay on the West Coast. The voting rules can be found on http://www.thexfactorusa.com/faq From what I read there, it seems that if you are voting by phone, they apparently use some sort of caller ID to get your area code, so they can determine if the time zone you are in is within the two-hour window. For online voting, they don't seem to be using any type of IP address location system, so the voting period using that method is between the end of the East Coast broadcast and two hours after the Hawaii broadcast! Zzyzx11 (talk) 07:41, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, that explains why it takes so long to appear online. They hold it off until after Hawaii voting has closed. Makes more sense now. -GTBacchus^(talk) 18:54, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

You can get a piece of hardware for your computer that allows you to watch over-the-air television, but that won't help you watch cable-only programs. Helene O'Troy - Et In Arcadia Ego Sum (talk) 19:47, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

This I might look into. Thank you, Helen. -GTBacchus^(talk) 06:49, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'm a bit curious as to why you don't want a TV. The usual reasons are not wanting to watch ads or what passes for TV these days, but you seem fine with that. Is it because you'd need to pay steep cable or satellite fees to get it in your area, since you don't get broadcast TV well ? Or is it just the initial cost of the TV ? If so, you can probably find a cheap used CRT TV, since they are all being replaced by flat screen models now, but make sure it can handle digital TV. As Helene mentioned above, a TV tuner card for your PC allows you to show broadcast TV on your monitor, in a window. StuRat (talk) 22:55, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

For some people (like me) CRT televisions are unacceptable - the high pitched whine they produce aggravates my tinnitus. And I can't afford an LCD TV right now. So it could be a combination of can't afford an LCD TV and can't tolerate the CRT whine. ~Alison C. (Crazytales) 03:17, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Some CRTs make that sound, but I didn't think they all do. And, as long as you don't need a flat screen the size of a ping-pong table, you can get them fairly cheap. Here's a 22 inch 1080 for $150: [1] and here's a 15 inch 720 for $75: [2]. StuRat (talk) 06:19, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

StuRat, I just dislike televisions very much. If I owned one, there's a decent chance I'd shoot it with a gun. That sounds fun, but it'd be a huge mess to clean up. It's certainly not about cost: if the hardware and the viewing were free, I still wouldn't want it. I find it offensive on every aesthetic level, and have felt that way since I was about 10 - I'm 34 now. I just think of TVs as blights on this world, and choose to live without one.

I do dislike the ads, and most of the shows, but I enjoy televised singing competitions enough that I'd be willing to put up with ads to see them in real-time with the rest of the country. They only keep voting open for 2 hours after the show, and I can't see it online until after that. There's no other kind of programming I care to watch live. -GTBacchus^(talk) 06:48, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

LOL, you do know that TVs come with an off button, right ? Just turn it off when soap operas are on and only watch the shows you want, like singing competitions. StuRat (talk) 18:41, 3 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I would still shoot it with a gun. You want to clean it up? Call me crazy; I won't disagree. I find a TV that's switched off to be offensive on every aesthetic level. -GTBacchus^(talk) 00:42, 5 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

But these days a TV is virtually the same thing as a computer monitor, and you don't seem to object to that. Were you shocked by a TV as a child ? :-) StuRat (talk) 18:33, 6 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Every single CRT telly I have had the misfortune to be around makes that noise from hell - doesn't matter the size or brand or age. ~Alison C. (Crazytales) 18:35, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Why not go round a friend's house to watch the X factor? You can take your cell phone with you or rush home straight after to vote. 15:21, 1 December 2011 (UTC)

Yes, this is a possible solution. I'd have to figure out who I know around here that's down to watch X Factor, but these things are more fun when they're shared. Then I could argue with a non-Internet person about who did the best, and how well we think Simon is running the show. -GTBacchus^(talk) 18:54, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Need help identifying an actor please[edit]

Hi, I've just seen a clip from Assault on Precinct 13 (the 1976 version). It's where the gang member shoots the ice-cream van driver. I'd like to know who the actor is who plays the gang member - his (young) face seems familiar somehow. Perhaps from a modern TV show/some sort of wisecrackin detective?

I've taken a screenshot but don't know how to upload it.

Thanks in advance. 92.28.253.62 (talk) 23:49, 30 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Would cast listing be of any assistance? Unfortunately, I haven't seen that movie, so I can't check for you. 24.247.162.139 (talk) 03:36, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Just watched the clip..and about all I can say is that the actor looks similar to Ian Tracey...but since he'd only have been 12 at the time, that's not likely to be a useful response for you. Going to go try to look for more info. --Onorem ♠Dil 04:13, 1 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It's Frank Doubleday. He was also Romero in Escape From New York. The character he plays in Precinct 13 is 'White Warlord'.68.32.251.73 (talk) 15:37, 3 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

thanks!! That's the right actor... but I'm still left with the 'he looks like someone famous' question in my head. In this image http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/File:AP13-SuppressedC96a.jpg it's the centre parting which is ringing a small bell in the back of my brain somewhere. I expect it will come to me sometime (most likely when I've forgotten why I needed to know it in the first place.) Thanks Wikipedia. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.101.3.189 (talk) 15:59, 3 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]