The savvy guide to the Internet-TV connection

We have received a communication from the mysterious folks at Free Tube, which somehow provides hundreds of TV channels (not all of them legal - shush) to your computer). Qulaity is spotty - as you might expect, but some of it is mind-blowing.

“Hi, we are a group, for now not really anonymous but more so undisclosed, that are syndicating live streams that are available from broadcasters. We have many independent broadcasters who have already expressed interest in sharing their content with viewers, while other broadcasters have unknowingly made streams available to viewers of one country, not realizing that these very streams could be made accessible elsewhere.

“Basically we’re trying to offer IPTV or synchronous streaming video in similarity to regular television, only we’re offering it for free. We are working with a few publishers and broadcasters, who are readily offering their content in order to reach a greater audience (they can monetize from this, and the end user can benefit from the free service). Our system still has a few small problems in compatability, but we’re actively working with users to try and increase the overall functionality of our site - and we appreciate all coverage and suggestions that users provide us with.”

The site’s FAQ has more information, and it offers a technical section, as well. But that doesn’t interest me. What interests me is that someone is doing this, that people are turning to it, and they are (still) (somehow) getting away with it.

So, what to do? Do we watch? Well, last night I tried to watch a free episode of “Who Wants To Be A Superhero” on SciFi. (Hysterically stupid show, by the way. Stan Lee is a kick.) But the download/stream was pokey at best and it crapped out after three segments.

I flicked on Free Tube and began getting a live stream of the station’s broadcast. I don’t really (want to) know how they do it. But it’s quite amazing (when it works). It leaves images and weird things across my screen - but it’s free, it’s untethered to cable, and it brings in TV from all over the world and in countries where the stations are not available in any form.

Flame me for copyright infringements, or worse. This is worth watching.

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Veoh has been one of our favorite Internet TV networks for a while, even though we have found its “channels” and “subscriptions” service confusing. Its downloads are the fastest that we’ve found; it has a lot of content, and the player is easy to use.

Comes now VeohTV, (Company propaganda follows): “free software that lets you watch and record Internet video from thousands of video sources. Watch full-length episodes from ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, YouTube, MySpace, Google, Yahoo, and thousands of others. Finding something to watch is easy; simply use the TV-style guide, or search via keywords. You can even use a remove (their website’s typo) control.” (End company propaganda)

As we used to say in the newspaper business, “Good if true.”

It’s another end-run around the cable proprietors, and an end-run, as well, around Joost. The Veoh approach is to be a super-remote control, supposedly finding everything there is online and making it available to you. That saves timely and costly deals with TV networks.

I’m waiting for my invitation to be processed. Once I get it, I’ll let you know how it works. If you already have it, share your thoughts.

(Cross-post up to here with JuicedonJoost.com)

The key question for TVMama, of course, is whether we will be able to get Veoh on our TV’s. That would be the final step in the workaround/end-run/runaround from the cable/sat providers, and even Joost.

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