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mhollisjr
November 10th, 2010, 06:43 AM
I do all of my television watching either on my computer or my iPad. As such having moved to ubuntu, this time completely, I am looking for a project that provides USA television programs for purchase with the ability to either stream without flash (this is ideal). Or, alternatively, to download to both ubuntu and several iOS devices.

Does anyone know of something that might meet these conditions?

Mike

Matthewthegreat
November 10th, 2010, 06:51 AM
There's amazon video on demand but that requires flash. Maybe you could just buy DVD's and rip them to your ipad... Otherwise I don't know of any thing like that.

mhollisjr
November 10th, 2010, 06:56 AM
Yeah I've used amazon video on demand before and I like the service, unfortunately they haven't adopted iOS yet, that's ideally what I'd like to see happen though. Im trying to avoid a physical purchase if I can only because most of the time i watch tv on a whim and it's not really something i set up for.

juancarlospaco
November 10th, 2010, 12:49 PM
I never see a TV show into my Cisco...

gordintoronto
November 10th, 2010, 03:28 PM
Where are you located? Does Hulu work for you?

mhollisjr
November 11th, 2010, 01:02 AM
Where are you located? Does Hulu work for you?

Pennsylvania in the USA, Hulu does work but it doesn't fit my needs, I'm looking for content that I know will still be available months / years after it first becomes available.

LowSky
November 11th, 2010, 01:26 AM
Why do quesitons like this come up all the time?

You purchased a iPad/iPhone. You need a PC with OS/X or Windows to get exactly what you want. You can try to run iTunes on Linux but the results are far (very very far) from pleasing. You can install Windows in a VM so you can use iTunes. Not ideal but will work.

No site is going to sell you TV shows without DRM. Not one exists that is legal. Because of that you're limited to streaming options like Boxee, Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix (works on your iOS devices not Linux). I get the frustration but we can't give you advice that tells you to break the law.

Your only real option is to go out buy a TV tuner card and start recording shows using MythTV. For past seasons buy the DVD's and rip them to a hard drive. Then transcode them to play on your super awesome Apple devices.

If you want instant downloadable content that works on all anything, well it doesn't exist. You have to make compromises (running Windows).

mhollisjr
November 11th, 2010, 02:21 AM
Why do quesitons like this come up all the time?

You purchased a iPad/iPhone. You need a PC with OS/X or Windows to get exactly what you want. You can try to run iTunes on Linux but the results are far (very very far) from pleasing. You can install Windows in a VM so you can use iTunes. Not ideal but will work.

No site is going to sell you TV shows without DRM. Not one exists that is legal. Because of that you're limited to streaming options like Boxee, Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix (works on your iOS devices not Linux). I get the frustration but we can't give you advice that tells you to break the law.

Your only real option is to go out buy a TV tuner card and start recording shows using MythTV. For past seasons buy the DVD's and rip them to a hard drive. Then transcode them to play on your super awesome Apple devices.

If you want instant downloadable content that works on all anything, well it doesn't exist. You have to make compromises (running Windows).

Windows in a VM is something I'll keep in mind but only as a last resort as I'm proud to operate Ubuntu, and I didn't uninstall windows so that I could run it in a VM

I appreciate your feedback, i really do. But I am a bit surprised at the answer, primarily because Linux is an operating system that has time and time again shown the world that it can do what the world says it'll never be able to accomplish.

Also I'm not limiting my request for information to DRM free media. I have a singular task that I am hoping there is a solution for. As long as it's legal and fits my other criteria, those are my only concerns.

I can't tell you for sure why this has come up before, but I would imagine it has something to do with popularity. What I can tell you is why it came up this time, i know DRM media is a touchy subject. I also know that it's likely to be met with some resistance when talked about.

What I don't know is how to centralize streaming television across operating systems. Being that I finally made the full switch to Linux after trying many times over the last 10ish years I was also introducing myself. And that's why i, personally, reposted the question.

That said, I am still hoping someone might know of a service or piece of software.