French telco takes on US rival Netflix... with whose dongle?

There were never going to be any prizes for guessing that the first user for Chromecast rival “Cast”, introduced by SoftAtHome in March, is likely to be Orange France Telecom. SoftAtHome's dongle was put together around the integration requirements for Orange’s IPTV service, integrating set top chips and software. So when we …

[ratfox]

I vaguely remember a time where there was basically one way to watch a movie, or perhaps two until Betamax died and VHS reigned supreme. Now, it seems like there are a dozen different options with attached trade-offs and lock-ins.

Why did we end up in this situation? Or maybe I am wrong in regretting the good old times? Were we getting fleeced by the monopoly offer?

[ukgnome]

We still are getting fleeced, just by a multitude of ways.

[Joe Harrison]

Broadcom 7225

Really?

[Peter Gordon]

Re: Broadcom 7225

I think they mean 7325:

http://www.broadcom.com/press/release.php?id=s407925

although that was 5 years ago, so I imagine they'd be using a newer chip now (?).

[Dr_N]

No VO

The problem with all these services is that they only show dubbed versions of foreign films.

(In France) The same with XBox videos and Google Play Movies.

Sadly iTunes is the only service that offers original language soundtracks (Oh, and French broadcast TV for some shows/films.)

[Anonymous Coward]

And here comes the SueBall

Chromecast / Orangecast....

Can't see the latter one lasting.

[Neoc]

Meh

I have a home-theatre PC. The HTPC software I use has a plug-in so I can watch Netflix through it (without having to shut down the software and call up Netflix's website) and it also interfaces with my networked free-to-air TV tuner.

I wouldn't bother with this unless I could integrate it into the HTPC, but these companies seem to go out of their way to make sure you can't see their broadcast except through their hardware (I'm looking at you Foxtel and IInet), even though you've paid for the service. :(

[HKmk23]

One word - bandwidth.

I actually live in France. Lovely country, but as a France Telecom customer (now Orange) until they improve our internet connection to more than the 2meg over copper) we have now, all this is irrelevant.

No doubt the Elysee Palace has fibre but when I asked our local FT tech guy when we might expect fibre he said "he did not have a clue, it was not even in the plan for at least the next two years......"

I have also a seperate Tooway (up/down) satellite connection that gives me 10meg down and 5meg up but with a 10GB monthly limit it will not go far with movies......