Do you watch TV in real-time?

Do you watch TV in real-time?

  • Yes, all the time

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sometimes

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Only for stuff like the news

    Votes: 4 50.0%
  • No, I have a DVR but watch real-time

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No, I don't have a DVR

    Votes: 3 37.5%

  • Total voters
    8

Kevin

Code Monkey
Staff member
At one time when our chat room was added back, one of the ideas I thought would be cool at the time was live chatting about TV shows as they air.

But lately I've realized... I can't even remember the last time that, except for the news, that I've actually watched a TV show in real-time as it aired for the first time instead of watching it back later on the DVR! :o_O: Even for shows (or movies on 'pay' premium channels) that I watch the same day I will watch them from the recording rather than as they are broadcast.

Back when VCRs were common this practice was called "time-shifting" and used to mess up ratings for shows because there was no way of counting people who watched the show on tape. These days that is less of a concern because DVR playback statistics are actually saved by your cable provider. Those DVR viewings within three days of the broadcast day of the show are tracked in the ratings, anything past three days generally isn't tracked.

So now I'm curious, is time-shifting now the norm for most people or am I part of the group where time-shifting TV watching is more common because of my viewing habits (I don't have a regular schedule at the house and every day can be totally different).

Do you watch TV in real-time (take the poll!)?
 
Last edited:
I don't have cable, satellite or an antenna. I tend to watch TV shows in blocks of 5-8 episodes at once, back to back.
But don't fret.
I have skyped and broadcasted shows with a select few and had chat ability in real time. Done the same with movies. The most I have ever had was three of us - all family but one in Japan, one in Missouri and me in PA.
Plus I have a live stream account to broadcast movies & shows to a few forum communities. Password protected but once you gain the password there is a live chat window to chat by typing. Relly good for weekend & holiday marathons. Most members in marathon chat was 35.
I also belong to The Collective, A Star Trek themed live stream with about 60 sources to choose from - All the Star Treks, Dr Who, Babylon 5, TBBT, Buck Rogers and two streams of lve broadcast TV channels and one stream of movies.
While most are not live episodes all have a chat box included
Here is a screenshot but the website is guarded and for invite only so I can't share the link.

Collective.jpg


Here is the link to the Livestream Procaster site
http://www.livestream.com/userguide/index.php?title=Procaster

There are many other casting sites that allow you to broadcast your screen. Some allow you to broadcast just the media others broadcast all activity. Some come with chatboxes and some do not.

FILMON TV LIVE TV MOVIES AND SOCIAL TELEVISION
Stream Live International TV Channels Online | Sling
DISH Anywhere

Three that I use often but the Dish Anywhere is a remnant from my old satellite account - My log-in still works but some channels are locked out.

I'd like to add a question to your questions and ask if anyone can see a time when TV, Satellite and Cable will be phased out in favor of online media - Including radio? That a time will come where shows, movies and music will be discussed live online while it airs? Commercials will be programmed and targeted by input signals from your phone, tablet or watch...or by the conversations you have in chat?
 
Oh, Just thought of this.

If You embed a youtube video to CoolSciFi and enable multiple window mode in your browser.
You can open two windows side by side
One with the Video and one with Cool SciFi's Chat
https://coolscifi.com/chat/

You get everyone on the chat and link them to the video
Once everyone has the video loaded in another window and both windows are side by side you do a countdown and everyone press play at the same time.
Then click on the chat to give it focus and chat while watching.

MovieChat.png


Kevin, If you want to try it I'm game. Just let me know when you want to give it a go.
 
A few years later and... I watch even less live TV than ever before. I think in the last few months the only thing I've watched live is the political stuff on CNN, everything else has been either recorded on the DVR, on-demand, or Netflix.
 
Only for the news. I love my DVR, it was a great invention for us lifelong evening shift-workers.
Pausing live tv is also a dream come true, for us lifelong multiple dog owners. :smug:
 
Only for the news. I love my DVR, it was a great invention for us lifelong evening shift-workers.
Pausing live tv is also a dream come true, for us lifelong multiple dog owners. :smug:
Dog owners and for anybody who is married. "Yes, dear, I'll take care of that. {hits pause}". :whistle:
 
I tend to stream rugby matches and use the tellie for Netflix etc :smiley:
Stream to your PC/mobile or to the TV? Are you able to use something like a Chromecast to send the stream to the TV?

I've tried watching a few streaming things on my laptop and even with it's amazing display (compared to my prior laptops) I find myself preferring to watch the bigger TV screen.
 
I tend to stream to the PC, mobile ain't big enough screen for mine.

Thinking of taking up STAN's one month free trial to see what might be lurking on that service, know for example Wolf Creek (second season signed off on) is streaming on it.
 
I have my system hooked up to my TV with an hdmi cord - works great for games and movies.
(plus if you like eBooks the print can be huge!)
 
(plus if you like eBooks the print can be huge!)
Oooh, that's the first time I've heard of somebody doing that! It's actually a pretty good idea for anybody who is comfortable with tech and could benefit from a large screen to read. (y)
 
I dont watch tv at all anymore because i hate commercials... BUT!!!!!

Something i've grown to love doing with my internet friends is we link on a voice channel like discord or teamspeak, we find something we are interested in watching, and do a count down 3..2..1..Go.

And we watch together.

My real life friends and family tell me to get out more, because they feel i dont see people enough, but i get all my social activity out at work with my work friends and come home to watching movies and vids with friends a thousand miles away via the internet.. aside from not seeing their face in real time (and i'm sure we could set up webcams, we just dont bother) life is swell..

I def dont watch tv in real time, but i get down with friends in real time together for shared first time watching experiences.
 
Back
Top