Over the last year I’ve been playing an increasing number of videos on either the TiVo or the Xbox 360. I’ve really enjoyed having a lot more control over what I watch and how I watch it, but there still remains one huge omission on both of these platforms. Where the f*ck is my video playlist?!>.> Just how hard can it be to make it possible for me to create a list of videos to play in the same way I can make a list of songs to listen to?
At this point I can only guess that the big media companies don’t want the home viewer to, in effect, become their own program directors. I’d love to be able to plan out the whole evening’s programming mix of tv shows, music videos, and movies. But I guess the media companies fear that I’ll be skipping commercials and totally ignoring their latest reality show or doctor-lawyer drama. Well, I’m generally too lazy to bother with the former (besides, one still needs bathroom breaks), and I’ve been doing the latter for years.
YouTube already has video playlists and my iPod does too. But I can’t watch either of those on my TV with the equipment I have now. My best guess is that TiVo and Xbox won’t be seeing video playlist unless Apple TV, which has the features I want, becomes popular. With a lower price, and now a standalone device, Apple TV might just fit the bill. Thing is, I’m not in the mood to buy anything else right now. *grumble*