Aereo brings Internet TV to NY

An Internet TV start-up, backed by media veteran Barry Diller, could tempt more television viewers to cut the cable cord, but it might be in for a fight from media companies, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Aereo unveiled plans on Wednesday to offer New York City residents the ability to stream broadcast-TV signals over Web-enabled devices for $12 a month from 14 March.

According to Tech Radar, the service will also give users the opportunity to record 40 hours of shows from the TV guide with their own personal remote DVR that again does not require a set-top box or a cable subscription.

The service is primarily aimed at the casual TV viewer who has no desire to pay over-the-odds for cable channels like HBO and ESPN and is happy with the network offerings.

However, many believe that a bunch of tiny devices posted in Brooklyn will not stop content providers from using some legal means to stop the company, International Business Times writes.

Whereas satellite and cable TV operators pay broadcasters about $1 a month per subscriber, Aereo has no intention of paying a dime.

The service's odds of passing without legal headaches remain slim, according to Tony Wible, an analyst for Janney Montgomery Scott. Its actual necessity in the market is dubious as well.