New year, new services

By: Grant Goetcheus
Twitter: @goetcheusg & @_palmegranate
Email: goetcheusg@Findlay.edu

With the New Year, there has come changes to the University of Findlay. UF has introduced a new streaming service that will replace the cable in the residence halls.
Philo is an internet television service that will be replacing Spectrum in providing the residents of the University with their cable service. In early 2017, Charter Communications bought out Time Warner Cable and replaced it with Spectrum. They then approached Findlay and said that they were going to discontinue the service.
Tim Stuart, directory of network security and operations, explains the news came as a surprise to the University.
“Spectrum came in and said, ‘By the way we are changing our network and getting rid of all these different pieces of legacy technology. So if you don’t do some major upgrades it gonna quick working,’” said Stuart.
Stuart says he then reached out to John Ferrero, director of residence life, to come up with a replacement to Spectrum. Stuart reached out to Matt Mishler, regional manager for Telesystems. Telesytems is a subsidiary of privately-owned Block Communications, Inc.
“University of Findlay was interested in alternate provider and I had worked on quotes in the past so we were a good option. Tim expressed to me that they did not want to use the coaxial cable on campus anymore and wanted a true IPTV service where the Cable TV would be available on the campus data network including through the wireless access points,” Mishler said. “We had been in communication with Philo on other universities and were comfortable with their offering and asked them to participate.”
Philo is an internet streaming service that provides live cable television. It is a replacement cable box and that service even includes a digital DVR that allows 20 hours of recording. The service is only available to residence of The University of Findlay and can be used in the classroom.
“Let’s say for example a political science class wants to watch the State of the Union address. A faculty member would be able to capture that or anything else and play that for the class,” explained Ferrero. “They can then analyze that video or discuss it in the classroom.
Philo is only available through the use of a Roku stick or any laptop, computer, tablet or smart phone. Philo has two apps available and the one that is usable by students is the Philo.edu app and not the generic one. Roku is available online and in the bookstore.
If anybody is having trouble or concerns with Philo whether it’s logging in or connecting the Roku stick they should reach out to the res life staff in their area, ITS or student affairs office” said Ferrero. “We had someone from Philo come and teach my staff all about Philo and how to set it up.”

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