I also just got an email from LOCAST and found the following interesting:
Locast is now in 16 markets across the US, ensuring over 41 million TV Households have access to local broadcast TV via the internet with Locast or over-the-air. Hundreds of thousands of those fans have enjoyed local news, weather and sports on Locast. We’re thrilled to offer Locast in the Seattle market.
From what I've read, If you don't donate minimum 5 bucks it kicks you off after 15 mins. This does not replace OTA.
The service is only offered in areas that already get great OTA signal. So the target market is people who live in faraday cages or are surrounded by radio signal obstructions (such as huge metal high-rise buildings). Usually, with some work, you can get an antenna to work in such environment. So really, target market is just people who can't be bothered to put any effort into figuring it out... people pay to relax all the time. For many people, a small donation is well worth it.
Also, not sure it works with Channels if you are do not donate and remove those interruptions (but not positive).
I agree a small donation is well worth it. Remember the antenna is not free. And also the HDHomerun is not free. Indoor antenna's are pretty cheap but if you can not get a good signal (for whatever reason) you may need an outdoor antenna. Some people do not feel comfortable or want to pay to have a more expensive antenna placed on their roof. Have the option of an antenna is a great option for those that want it.
For me, I believe that free OTA shows that are Ad Supported should also be a free option over the internet. So, the $5 per month donation to Locast is helping that happen. At some point if Locast wins this legal argument then maybe things will change to allow others to provide OTA Channels with your Internet Service. And then maybe other services like YTTV, Philo, Hulu Live would not have to pay so much for Local Channels since they should actually be FREE.
Yea neither are computers plus the internet service provider. Antennas and HD Homerun run you cheaper than a computer. You don't need HD HomeRun if you Have Turner built on TV's which they do come standard now. So I agree Antennas are not free but you only have to pay for it once and your done. I bought mine + signal amplifier for about $120 dollars 5 years ago. That comes around about 2 Dollars a month right now and getting lower the longer I hang on to it. I can recieve around 50 good over the air channels. Thats about $.04 Cents a month per channel. From what I read the Locast Quality is not great. Antenna Signal clear even the SD channels. Also I wont get kicked off if don't donate every month. I also read that you practically have to cancel your cards to stop the monthly due if you subscribe. I read this on the Verge:
Ad support will never happen over the internet. Broadcasters would lose money. Advertisers pay what the surrounding market will allow. If it goes over the internet Advertisers benefit but not the Broadcaster. Thats why you see "in commerical break" on streaming providers.
Some clarification on your post. I think Locast is a good option but not for everyone.
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My point was related to this forum. If you want to use OTA Antenna with Channels your are required to have HDHomerun and Antenna.
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I think when Locast says Credit Card or PayPal the mean Credit Card "with" PayPal. I am paying thru PayPal and there is an option to "Cancel" the recurring payment. I have not actually done this because I do not use PayPal but it appears to be easy to do and not a problem. I actually may use PayPal more often.
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Regarding NEVER happen over the Internet. Well it is happening now with Locast. And that is why I donate to Locast to hopefully see this continue.
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Reqarding quality? Have you tried it? We have OTA Antenna with HDHomeRun and we do not "see" much of a difference. Maybe OTA is better but really not a issue for us. My OTA is current unplugged.
I believe a share of it should go to the broadcaster as well. I cable company have to pay so does locast
Retransmission consent is a provision of the 1992 United States Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act that requires cable operators and other multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) to obtain permission from commercial broadcasters before carrying their programming.
Under the provision, a broadcast station (or its affiliated/parent broadcast network) can ask for monetary payment or other compensation, such as carriage of an additional channel. If the cable operator rejects the broadcaster's proposal, the station can prohibit the cable operator from retransmitting its signal.[1]
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates this area of business and public policy pursuant to 47 U.S.C. Part II.[2]
Locast Seattle support is available in DVR v2019.10.30.1837
I believe the courts will resolve this. It does not matter if you feel that Locast should share a portion of the "donations" from the customers or not. I think the point is that the companies that are suing do not want Locast to distribute the content no matter if they pay or not. OTA Broadcast started as FREE before CABLE and have been FREE ever since. It was originally designed to be covered by advertising or they would not have been able to do in the first place. Then CABLE came along and they started to charge for redistribution since the CABLE Companies were making money off of the redistribution.
So you don't need an Hdhomerun for tv everywhere and Locast?
Right. You do not need the HDHomerun for LOCAST. Even though LOCAST is not considered TVE per Channels it really works pretty much the same as a TVE Source.
Locast
46 channels
DVR: X-LOCAST
Hulu Live
116 channels
DVR: X-TVE
That’s why I’m rooting against locast.
I agree with you, Well whats going to happen is the Must Carry law will go away and no cable company or streaming provider will carry them. Beside who really watches the local programming anyway. People only watch the network programs. So are couple of hours really worth paying out the billions anyway.
Does the Must Cary law equal must include in packages? I know Dish has locals optional.
Must carry law basically means if you carry one you have to carry all. Providers don't have to carry any. But if they carry any channel they must carry all, That broadcaster can ask for compensation to re transmit its signal. but since all broadcasters pay the national networks for their content they ask for compensation for re transmission from providers. Broadcaster can deny cable providers from their service, which is why I wonder if Locast has asked its area broadcasters if they can carry them.
I doubt it. Locast has radio antennas set up and receive the OTA signal in the geographical area they service just like everyone else who gets OTA in that area. Then they transcode it to a low bitrate and send out signal over the internet. They get away with it so far because they are only retransmitting in geographical areas that already have access to great OTA with an antenna. So, they aren't really providing anything extra except the service of transcoding. And saving people in good OTA areas from the effort of hooking up an antenna.
Not sure what point you are trying to make. But not sure "areas that already have access to great OTA with an Antenna" is what is required. My guess is that where they are located to pick up the OTA Signal is close enough to the transmission that they can get great OTA with an antenna. I am about 35 miles from the mountain where the transmitters are located. Some of my channels are good but some are not. And it is not always consistent.
From their web site:
https://www.locast.org/about
I also think the main reason they say they can do this legally is because of the DONATION part of the deal.
What I mean is that they are in a city with broadcast towers. They receive the radio signal, transcode, and retransmit to the same city. That is why they can do it. If they were retransmitting to anyone on the internet, I think they would have a harder time arguing that they can do it legally.