Uh-o, somebody just blew the whistle. You know how you were spending your lunch hour (or however many minutes you can get away with while eating your tuna fish sandwich) in your office cubicle catching up on that episode of Ugly Betty or Grey's Anatomy you missed? Well, you're not alone. Nielsen Online has measured Internet traffic and just released data that indicates that peak viewing time is weekdays between noon and 2:00 p.m. Moreover, the number of people watching TV episodes online during these lunchtime hours is 50% higher than the average of all other times.You can just see managers and bosses around the country peering over shoulders now to nip this pleasant pastime right in the bud, can't you? Why? Well, the company for which you work is paying the cost for that high-speed Internet connection. As this article points out, "Online videos take a lot of data. ABC's Web site warns visitors not to watch high-definition episodes of Lost unless they have an Internet connection rate of at least 2 Mbps. As a frame of reference, we're currently connected at around 9 Mbps, which means we're wasting just under a quarter of our total bandwidth streaming that Lost episode."
So, if doing the New York Times' crossword puzzle, playing solitaire, or checking out the latest on YouTube has already been outlawed in your office, be prepared to add TV viewing to the verboten list. It's just a matter of time (and money)!
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
The TV Squad Podcast: The Prisoner, '80s TV, soap news and more
Let's talk about spoilers ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-17-2008 @ 5:39PM
dan said...
hehe
Reply
2-17-2008 @ 6:05PM
Nathan said...
I just move the episodes to my personal laptop and watch them while I work, the beauty of multi-tasking.
Reply
2-17-2008 @ 9:26PM
Galley said...
I was forced to watch a few TV shows at work, back when "Vanished" was cancelled and Fox's web player wouldn't work on a Mac. Of course, I watched them on my day off.
Reply
2-19-2008 @ 8:11AM
Bret said...
The answer to this is a Slingbox and a Motorola Q. Once your off the corporate network there is not much they can complain about.
2-18-2008 @ 10:49AM
Malik said...
Bret,
I have the motorola Q and I don't know how you can watch anything. Please help me...
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 11:55AM
Bob Mc said...
I don't watch TV online, but I do watch TV and podcasts on my iPod touch while in front of the computer. That's kinda the same, isn't it?
Reply
2-19-2008 @ 8:17AM
Bret said...
http://us.slingmedia.com/ - best way to watch your home tv on the road.
You can also watch Youtube and other sites if you do some Motorola Q research.
Reply