Get your German TV fix with shift TV

If you're into German TV but don't want to hop on the next Lufthansa departing the country just to watch it, you can check it out via Shift TV, an IPTV service that lets you download programming from most of Germany's over-the-air stations (one, RTL, was removed after it sued Shift TV). Shift TV works with Windows Media Player, and costs €4.99 ($6.14) per month (a free seven-day trial is also available). Of course, you may be a little disappointed once you get your Deutsch TV—remember, this is the country that made David Hasselhoff a household name and created a reality show featuring racing sperm.

[Via the unwired]

[Richard @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

True, they may love Hasselhoff and sperm racing, but let's not forget their affinity for shiza videos with Cartman's mom...

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I am guessing there are no subtitles, so that makes it far less interesting.

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

There was a Japanese company trying this a year or so ago and the way they got around the copyright issue (they claimed) was that each subscriber got their own hardware server, i.e., they were basically renting a PC-based PVR that just so happened to be in a NOC. The web site had pictures of a room full of PC's. Unfortunately, I forgot the URL and after searching in vain I think they may have died a horrible death.

[heipei @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

i have stopped watching tv a long time ago for good reasons. german tv is flooded with brainless talk/reality-shows, cheap german movie productions which mostly revolve around teenagers and their first time and in between are a few good foreign (american/canadian) movies/shows, which you can watch in the us as well. mtv imports all its shows from the us, adds a few really bad subtitles and does a few german spin-offs and thats it.

the only good shows are stuff like science shows and "tatort" on the public channels (not privately owned). of course, you might be a fan of "schlagerparada" and similar folk/country shows :P

[Hamish @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Does anyone know if a bizarro version of this service exists? I'm moving to Germany and I can't wait 6 months or whatever it is for the Europeans to catch up on episodes of Lost.

[Thomas @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

@Nr.4 - Hamish:
Especially Lost was only few weeks later on german Pay-TV in original language (like Nip/Tuck, Desperate Housewives or Six Feet Under). But that's expensive.

And also: there were never a sperm race on german tv! But maybe you mean that german/dutch production company "endemol" made the concept. But it never aired.

[Fatal Claws @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

You can also watch Deutsche Welle for free @ www.dw-world.de

[Hamish @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Thomas- so is there any way to watch American network TV live in Europe?

[Mattias @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

The swedish network svt offers their programs in HQ streams for FREE!

Here they are: http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=35687

[wes @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

wait a second that racing sperm thing is an invention of jan de mol. he's dutch and not german, he just produces his shows here ;)

[Thomas @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

@Nr.7 - Hamish
Sorry, but that is not possible. I heard few weeks ago, that this is technically not possible, because you can't reach (didn't find a better word) the US-Satelites. With Pay-TV i meant the german "Premiere" and not an American network. The only one network you can see in Germany is CNN. I would also like to see more Networks. Maybe in the future through the net (like shift.tv or onlinetvrecorder).

[Hamish @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Thanks Thomas. I sort of figured out a way-- I'll buy a tivo for someone here in the states, then rig their network so I can download the content over the internet with TivoToGo. Now, if only I can use my powers for good...

[Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I live in Germany right now and I don't watch German tv... its kinda.... crappy... MTV shows the same ringtome commercial three times in a row... thank goodness for torrents. (no offense to the Germans, I love this country)

[Martin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

For those that have access to a TV in the US (a friend'd or your own) and want to watch your US shows (via the internet) abroad, then check out this site: slingmedia.com
cheers

[Taury @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Hamish - Considered the legal gray-area that is Bittorrent? You can get those shows the next day if not the night of their original airing.

[ruth @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

But european TV is soooo much better than anything on TV from the US. Even with a TiVo not watchable.. Repeat, repeat, repeat,repeat,repeat,repeat,repeat,repeat.. to death.

[JC Francois @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

there is also http://www.onlinetvrecorder.de/ that seems to offer the same thing for free. You can schedule your recording online and download the file when done.

I never managed to get it to work though. Let me know if you have some luck.

[Thomas @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

@Nr.16
As i know, european IPs arent allowed to download at this time. There are still questions of legality. But if you ask me, this is still a fake service.

[Jeffrey Niedermayer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

ShiftTV is a fantastic service.

I (and in particular, my 9 year old son) are addicted subscribers to ShiftTV. My son is crazy about it because he can get all of his favorite kid's TV programs when he's away at school (and he can watch them on the computers at school, too).

According to TV1, there are more than 30000 subscribers so far, and even though the service seems to make a few of the TV networks nervous, most of the networks are actually in favor it.

Turns out that the networks achieve more viewership through ShiftTV as the public spends more time internet surfing and less time watching tv, and as in the case of my son, views TV programs (and yes, the commercials, too) that he would otherwise not normally be exposed to because he's not there at the time.

I travel a lot, and use it to receive my favorite programs no matter where I am in the world. And I can watch them whenever I want.. not just when the network broadcasts it.

I'm told by a number of reliable sources (and there are a number of hints in the European press, too) that ShiftTV has some very big things in store for the near future.. but that's all I know at this point.

I hope so... This is really a great service...

Kudos and Good luck to ShiftTV!

JN

[Hamish @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Martin - you rule.

[Jeffrey Niedermayer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

By the way..

30 Minutes of ShiftTV is absolutely free. You don't have to pay anything or even put down a credit card. 30 Minutes isn't much, but at least you can really try it out first.

I can't help but believe that this kind of service must be a paid subscription or generate revenue from somewhere.. If it's just the 'hobby' of some guy with a fat DSL line, it will never be able to operate reliably or support any real volumes of subscribers.

And unlike other 'free' services, at least ShiftTV is reliable. And �5 per month is a pretty small contribution for what the service offers.

-J

[claude @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

ohh, i miss german TV - its not all about hasselhoff...
just think of reporter telling you the real news...
anker man provoke the person they are interviewing...
forget politically correct and such..
and all the old inconnent bavarian movies from the 50/ 60...
subtitles or not ..its a joy to watch them!