[AnthonyMouse]

The problem is that Hollywood doesn't understand "commoditize your complement."

Having more than one streaming service isn't a big problem, assuming they're priced reasonably. Going from one service with everything for $15 to ten services with a tenth of everything for $15 each isn't really that, but that's not the root of it.

Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything through. If you actually subscribe to three different services, you want to turn on your TV and see everything available to you.

The companies in the best position to do this are the likes of Google, Apple, Sony, Microsoft. Hollywood isn't too stupid to realize the dangers of that, but they're missing the obvious solution to it.

Publish a standard streaming API, so that anybody can make a streaming client, the same as anybody could make a VCR. Then the dominant consumer of the API won't be a big monopolistic corporation that will then be able to use its power against the movie producers, it will be a zillion different companies selling dirt cheap HDMI dongles with WiFi who each individually has no power at all. They'll all end up running whatever open source software somebody publishes to consolidate all the different services into one interface, which Hollywood could then improve themselves the same as any other open source project. It competitively atomizes a third party middle man that they don't want.

But it's basically the opposite of DRM. Security through clarity -- make everything open so nobody powerful can insert themselves between you and the viewer. Because big tech companies are more of a threat to them than The Pirate Bay. And they have to realize that before they're willing to do it.

[novok]

> Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything through. If you actually subscribe to three different services, you want to turn on your TV and see everything available to you.

Google's & Apple's TV interfaces do that now. Search for a show, it tells you which streaming apps have it, including a CTA to maybe buy / subscribe one you don't have. There is a recommended show stream on the front page for google that is service agnostic too.

Yes you still have to download and login to an app, but people are used to downloading and logging into an app for their phones already and it's only a 15 minute procedure every 5 years you buy a TV, if that.

[andy_ppp]

I mean once Google or Apple own the customer why even need to login, you can just use your Google or Apple account. They promise not to take 15% :-/

[egeozcan]

Instead, they are fighting against windmills - adding more layers of DRM, incompatible clients, weird limitations...

99% (thin air statistics irrelevant) of the people won't save a copy of your stream and share it unless there's a dedicated GUI for it. The remaining, well, pirates gonna pirate.

As you said in more detail, they are fighting totally the wrong battle. It feels like an even dumber version of the war on drugs.

[Panino]

> Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything through.

I mostly agree with this. I know you're talking about a single streaming service, but just to expand your point, for me, my single interface is Roku. From it I can access Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Hulu, and a ton of others - all with the same remote on the same TV. One of my favorite permaculture Youtubers even has his own Roku app/channel. I've been looking into creating my own Roku app and the process doesn't seem overly burdensome. You need video content, an HLS or MPEG-DASH streaming webserver (I'll use nginx and HLS), some json, and maybe something minor I can't remember now.

But I like your idea of a standard streaming API. If it actually happened the resulting ecosystem would be awesome.

[DylanDmitri]

This is what Roku is attempting -- to control the point of contact (physical TV in living room) and commoditize streaming services. They've been able to squeeze some concessions out of streaming companies in exchange for customer access.

[jhgb]

> Going from one service with everything (*) for $15

(*) Regional restrictions may apply