Download NBC Shows for Free

Oh, so that’s what they’re doing! When NBC pulled out of Apple’s iTunes, the world scoffed and started betting on how long before they would come crawling back. Well, don’t hold your breath…NBC has just made a startling announcement: they will be launching a new service called NBC Direct. On this ad-supported service, you will be able to download full-length episodes of NBC shows for the low, low price of…FREE. The service will launch in beta this October, just in time for the fall TV season. Downloaded shows will be available for a week and then they will time-bomb. (Why? Why with the time-bombing? Argh!) Another downer is that you will have to use their proprietary player in order to watch the shows. However, on the plus side, subscription plans will be available, which will offer automatic downloads of the shows you’ve signed up for. At some undefined point which we’ll just call "later on", NBC promises that you’ll be able to move your downloaded videos off your PC and onto your portable devices, like, say…your iPod. NBC is also hinting that they may make high def shows available via a peer-to-peer network. This "NBC Direct" website is not the same as the recently parked Hulu.com. Rather, Hulu will offer full-length episodes you can stream, but not download. The shows that will be made available on the new NBC Direct service will include Heroes, The Office, Life, Bionic Woman, 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.