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Joost Raises $45 Million From CBS, Viacom, Sequoia and Index Ventures

techcrunch.com — Joost raised $45 million in a venture round of financing. Investors include Sequoia Capital, Index Ventures, CBS, Viacom and Chinese billionaire Li Ka-Shing. Roelof Botha from Sequoia and Danny Rimer joined the board of directors.

Who dugg this? Made popular May 10, 2007

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  • minidiez, on 10/12/2007, -3/+34now if the could get just the right companies to give them the right content...
    i would be content
  • daborg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+27Wake me up when I can watch Scrubs on it.
  • SgtBeavis, on 10/12/2007, -4/+22@TJJohn12
    Too bad the program has no content and is so buggy. Mine tends to allow me to watch about 5-6 minutes of content before I get error messages.



    That is why it is called a BETA.
  • carniv0re, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15I keep seeing more and more news about Joost content or funding, but I can't shake the impression that this "success" is all on paper, not in execution. I keep running the program whenever I hear news about it and then subsequently close it a few minutes later. Maybe I'm missing something, but I just don't see anything compelling to keep it running.

    The content isn't there yet, though obviously they are working on that. But the software itself seems clunky. I'm running a P4 2.4, which is not top of the line, but should be adequate and I find the user interface generally unresponsive and just not particularly enjoyable to use. It seems too dependent on full-screen use, which is important, but not in windowed use. I mean, when I'm at a computer, I don't just want to watch TV. Sometimes, I like to be doing other stuff, most notably checking out other sites or my e-mail or IM or whatever.

    I guess I'm asking for a more multi-tasking friendly interface. As it is, they are taking a very TV centric approach, where you just sit and watch and that's IT. I know they have their whole chat and stuff, but why would I use that when I could use something else on my computer?
  • inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16Why in the world would they spend their own money when somebody else is willing to give it to them?
  • marcos89, on 10/12/2007, -8/+23and a proper linux client ;-)
  • HOM1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11http://www.digg.com/tech_news/Invite_yourself_to_Joost

    You don't have to beg.
  • davidshq, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10Looks like Joost is going to dominate for the time being...
  • crugg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Its a great product. They just don't have the most recent shows. I love it still though, because the quality of the picture is better than almost if not every other online tv client.
  • Robotsu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"http://www.digg.com/tech_news/Invite_yourself_to_Joost
    You don't have to beg."

    I have no idea why this is being dugg down, it definitely works. I just got Joost up and running a few minutes ago.
  • unmarked, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8The real problem is that these media companies want to control "which" clips you get to see and how you see them. They want to decide what's funny and worth sharing. They want to be "the decider". Everything will be on their terms, not the consumer. This is the same mentality as RIAA and DRM.

    Companies need to realize that consumers are tired of them dictating terms to them for money that they want from the consumer. RIAA wants you to pay them so they can tell you when and how you can play the music you bought. MPAA is exactly the same way. Cable companies want you to pay them for dozens (hundreds?) of channels you don't watch to get the few you do. Then Cable wants to dictate what times you're allowed to watch content that you're paying for with a hefty subscription fee.
  • izzie2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5You might not have noticed that you can double click and scale it to any size you want.
    Right clicking it in windowed mode brings up the always on top option and in advanced settings you have an option to start the program in windowed mode.
    In 2 weeks we will all get to see the "real"content and I assure you it will be worth the wait.
  • daborg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Um. Isn't that kind of obvious?
  • daleeburg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Been a Joost beta tester for 7 months, if you dont like the program now, you should have seen it 7 months ago.
    Connection times are a little long, but once again, this is a beta, and if you haven't noticed, since they became a more open beta with unlimited invites they have picked up some big names and the program works better.

    ATHF FTW!
  • 1021, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7oh, let me see... I know a little one called.. CABLE. If they become aware of this upcoming threat I am sure they would step up their game as well.
  • thcobbs, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Get DSL :)
  • kindrobot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@1021: At some point you just have to recognize a track record when it's glaringly obvious. (see: cable providers)
  • fowleryo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'd think because their investors want a bit of the profit that'd go to them if they paid for it themselves?

    But then again, it does alleviate some of the risk...
  • Robotsu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Which companies? And this is a pretty big step for most media companies (not that it should be, but relative to their track record), I am sure having big names like Viacom on board are going to help with whatever "better" content you are imagining.
  • macewan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@daborg (#6615089)
    wake me when I can watch it period
  • inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5So you can spam me? No Thanks.
  • specialK16, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Wake me up when they add decent channels. Don't know if it is area related but I have some really ***** programming.
  • damnyooneek, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1joost is a good concept and the program is nicely put together. its still a beta and i'm sure when things start rolling and the word gets out about them it will be a hit. i hope networks like abc, nbc, and cbs that provide streaming of their shows put it on joost.
  • carniv0re, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I didn't know that, but it doesn't really change much. I have run it in windowed mode before, but never changed the size. Even so, when windowed, it's still acting as if it's in full-screen mode. The user interface is still rather sub optimal. I still have to click on on-screen controls that take awhile to appear or just are slow.
  • digg0t, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The only way iptv is going to take off if it is free. People love free, our generation loves free that is why there is so much piracy, even if we could pay 10cents for a song, we would still download it for free. And if they think we are going to click on ads, think again. When was the last time you clicked an ad? as the users of the net get more savvy the less ad dollars they will turn in, unless advertising is more localised and directed at the user.

    Sorry for blabbing on, but joost is just another net company trying to make their money through advertising.
  • inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i will have to check this out, whats sad if joost gets a few people like viacom, and then some other service gets a few, it will all be broke up, over different subscription client services. That wont be good
  • ace87, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Worked for me, thanks!
  • theparaiba, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5"Chinese billionaire Li Ka-Shing"

    I couldn't think of a more appropriate surname.
  • xpankrat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It might become a hit but only until ISPs that carry their own TV services start throttling Joost connections.

    Cable ISPs are an obvious example. But also traditional telcos are not far behind .. if not already here, which is a case with Canadian' Telus and its Telus TV service. With their ADSL links being barely enough for their own TV service, I seriously doubt they would think long about killing Joost traffic. Joost is an interesting project, but it appears to completely disregard the economics of the last mile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_mile).
  • Codename, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I got a couple invites to Joost if anyone wants them, hit me up on AIM, but yeah none-the-less Joost is a good program, atleast they have Punk'd on there.
  • Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You're over looking the obvious 1021. Anyone who WANTS to look at "TV" on their computer is already tech savvy.
    TV is not an interactive experience, anyway and Joost will loose customers every time the video stream has a hiccup.

    Joost is not offering set top boxes to play this video on regular TV sets. So your "integrated experience" is going to end up more like having a broken set of rabbit ears than cable TV.

    Joost's would only have a chance if it offered content that no one else did. That would require them to pay for network quality content the way the networks do. That's a $22 Million investment for every season.

    Not gunna happen.
  • Genma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1all this means (besides content) is commercials/ads and subscriptions. that and providing them with your bandwidth. details from here

    http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.02/trouble.html

    say at least 500 kbps up/down at 4 to 1, which is a pretty big chunk for most and complete saturation for everyone else. which is also all supposed to be totally encrypted, doesn't look too awsome yet. might be worth watching if they can really stream dvd quality at that compression but what are the odds of them pulling that off smoothly. plus you know people are going to find ways to get out of uploading, the bane of bt which really is free.
  • decipherd, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1no its not, the programming is terrible. (apart from rex the runt + ministry of sound with the sound turned off)
  • addicted68098, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have been a beta tester for awhile and all I can say is that joost is a black hole of AID's awareness and Male Porn
  • xswag, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Adultswim is a nice channel to have. Lets see Ghost in the Shell reruns!!
  • championchap, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@Leafsin07 (#6614745)

    Don't rant about a product you have yet to use.
    Windows User: OMG LUNIX SUXORZ!!

    You get the idea.
  • isosceles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I agree with direct and targeted advertising, but not that all content should or could be free.
    Plenty of people pay for cable and broadband Internet access which is simply paying for access to content. Plenty of people will pay for songs if appropriately priced. That's been proven to an extent. Remove DRM and more people will pay for downloads rather than buying cds.
  • buellerdiggs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1rupert is fox / 20th century
  • LeoXIV, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Am I going to watch media controlled by Viacom? No thanks Rupert.

    Skype was a different story.
  • boomshakalaka, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i was going to dig you down because you were glad that Punk'd was there but no mention of the Transformers or GI Joe.
  • oceanviewdreams, on 10/11/2007, -0/+045m is a lot of money to make improvements and fix bugs. There's an article posted at http://metue.com/05-11-2007/joost-iptv-financing/ thatseems to go be more in depth than many of the initial hits on the deal., including this TC story,
  • 1021, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2"They've already been beaten by a competitor. BITORRENT!!!"

    No they haven't, have you compared BT traffic to Cable TV traffic, it's not even close. Although it may be a popular choice amongst tech-savvy circles, it hasn't proliferated anywhere past that. What people can work with is an integrated experience, which Joost offers. With this experience, "seeders", which rarely breach the thousands for even the biggest of torrents will not have to mind the details and therefore it opens it all up for people who don't give a damn about what's happening on the backend and just want to watch a show (or 90% of people who watch TV).
  • 1021, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3"Sons a bitches everyone of them cable company rat bastrads."

    On the contrary, I have Cox cable and they offer me around a real line speed of 18 mbps down AND not really filter any of the downed traffic. There are always bastards and non-bastards in any business field.
  • daleeburg, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1WTF?!?! So what you are trying to say is to acquire such a great service as Joost i have to give back to the community?!?!

    wow your a dumbass.

    if you read the How Joost works on there site, they tell you that plain out. Plus, do you really use all of your bandwidth all of the time?
  • JSolo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Roelof from Sequoia was the man who backed YouTube. Beste van geluk met Joost, Roelof.
  • JSolo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Roelof was the VC from Sequioa behind YouTube. How much richer does he need to get? ;-) Beste van geluk met Joost, Roelof.
  • daleeburg, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3In Soviet Russia, TV watch you!

    sorry had to do it, now you can digg it down.
  • rmetzger, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1apparently nobody wants my free invites; you try and do something nice and ...
  • f00xx0riz3r, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1KA-SHING!
  • Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3They've already been beaten by a competitor. BITORRENT!!!

    I get every TV show I want from there. I get to watch it where I have no net connection, or on mobile devices, and I can burn it to a DVD for archiving.

    Last week it took me >10 Minutes to get the latest Dr. Who. Not my typical performance... but even under worst case scenario I get my show in a day.

    Not if the networks weren't but munches... they would ENDORSE this, provide their own torrents, and just stick the commercials in them.

    Their sponsors would would have much more acurate number of who is watching what show, and even with FF would have better exposure.
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