January 26, 2007
Internet TV: Let There Be Joost
Joost, formerly known as TVP (The Venice Project) is the new P2P (peer-to-peer) Internet TV client from the boys who founded Skype and Kazaa. I got on the private beta test list before the name change and for TOS/ NDA reasons, I haven't written much about software.
Fact is, I didn't really test the old TVP version that I installed during the weeks before Christmas 2006. My cable-based connection in Dec was horribly slow, and my wireless router seems to make slow connections worse (yeah, it's password -protected and uses WPA encryption). So long story short, I tried TVP for a few minutes here and there and never actually saw any video and could only comment on the interface. Well, not really, according to the NDA, I guess.
But now that Joost is into public beta, I figure that I can carefully write a bit about it. Well, it appears that the new version uses a lot smaller executable file size. If I'm not mistaken, TVP was 250 Mb (though I can't remember, and I've wiped the download). Joost is tiny in comparison.
My Internet connection issues must be over as well, as right now, I'm watching the making of the Red Hot Chili Peppers hilarious tribute video Dani California. With the exception of a bit of starting and stopping, I swear I'm watching TV and not Internet TV (aka IPTV). But the stopping and starting is more than likely completely due to my RAM usage being maxed out than any problems with Joost. It also helps that I have a dual processor, I think.
I'm incredibly impressed with the video quality, the simple clean interface, and the variety of content already, including some documentaries and "critical shorts". As a TV junkie since my childhood (anyone remember the TV show Herman's Head? That speaks to me.) Though there's no way I'll be watching the "channel" of the world's stupidest celebrity, Paris Hilton.
Speaking of content, Nettwerk Records, one of my all time fave labels (aside from 4AD) has a channel as well. Nettwerk has always been very forward thinking. Back when the Internet just went public, I found that big labels were very reluctant to even set up a website. I sent Nettwerk an email suggesting they create one, and they responded that they already. Stupid me. I checked it out, and I have to say I'm not surprised they're in the channel list for Joost. Though I am surprised that the David Bowie, who a few years back incorporated himself and sold futures (and even had an ISP for a while), isn't part of this. He and David Byrne are both forward thinkers that I expected here, along with, say, Laurie Anderson.
Now I could write at great length about how groundbreaking I think Joost is, but I have to stop somewhere. Let's wrap up, bad with the good:
- There's no VoIP, though there is Gmail and Jabber text chat.
- The ads are already here and can't be fast-forwarded through. But
I assume they pay for the content. T-Mobile and Garnier are some of the
ones I saw.
- When I shut down my Firefox browser, Joost seemed to grab a huge slice of the newly available RAM. Though when my browser was restarted, it when back to using only between 8-33% of RAM.
- There are loads of plugins, but most don't interest me. (Being
able to text chat with others about a channel or video is a cool,
web2.0 idea, but I don't have time for it.) I watch content minimize
while I research or write articles, so I have to limit my "interaction"
time.
My external TV tuner card might get less use now, but Joost isn't going to replace my regular viewing of the CSI and Law & Order franchises, not to mention some of the newer comedies, Supernatural, Smallville, and a variety of forensic shows. Will Joost have such content in the future? Who knows? But with my cable company increasing my Internet access costs and removing good channels from the basic package, I'm likely to lean towards watching more Joost. If not, I need to buy a quad core computer and multiple monitors to satisfy my video jones to watch both at the same time.
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