NBC Direct – One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

One of the few things that keeps me downloading TV shows from “illegal” P2P sites is that the networks, while offering up great content via streaming, have been quite stingy when it comes to downloading shows for viewing on portable devices.

NBC is trying to move in that direction with the introduction of NBC:Direct.

Windows only: Sure, almost all the offerings on NBC Direct can be watched at streaming site Hulu. But if you’re an HD fiend and want offline access, NBC Direct’s player might be worth checking out.

NBC Direct is definitely powered by DRM and ad-powered software, so if you’re not cool with that, well, you probably know a few other places to look (like, er, Hulu). But if you dig the idea of subscribing to, and downloading higher-quality videos of your favorite NBC shows, it’s not a bad way of getting them guilt-free. (via)

There are still ad breaks, which is fine, but the continued presence of restrictive DRM, being Windows-only and far from “one-step” means that it is unlikely to stem the tide of pirates.

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1. NBC Direct offering HD Downloads of Shows | Gadget Wisdom — March 1, 2009 @ 10:38 am

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