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Comcast video on-demand comes to Boston area TiVo Premieres Monday
Now that Comcast has started delivering its video on-demand to TiVo Premieres, the company has now revealed the second area where access will be turned on is Boston, starting Monday. The news was announced in a tweet from Head of Corporate Communications Steve Wymer, and as Gizmo Lovers notes, was likely held back as Comcast announced its own X1 platform would launch soon in Boston as well. We're now more than a year past the original announcement, hopefully this is just the start of the rollout as it picks up the pace, if the two companies work well together maybe Comcast could be on the list for that six-tuner Pace box at some point. Update: And just like that.. it was not announced. Steve has indicated he was actually RTing someone else, and no date has been confirmed for the rollout of Comcast VOD on Beantown TiVos.
TiVo Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area get Comcast VOD starting today
Just one month shy of a year after we first heard it would happen (not counting the icon flub during the original Premiere announcement) TiVo has announced its DVRs will be able to access Comcast's Xfinity On Demand library. The blog and product page feature several screenshots flashing the Xfinity VOD icon and showing off the TiVo Premiere UI's universal search pulling from Comcast's library alongside other sources like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Plus. Until now, switching to third party DVRs exclusively meant largely foregoing access to Comcast's VOD, but with this customers who dig the TiVo experience can switch without making compromises. Naturally, to make use of this customers will need to be Comcast TV subscribers, although we hear the video will be delivered via QAM just like on cable company owned boxes instead of IP, which might provide higher video quality than the Xbox 360's recently launched app. The update will be made available to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area to start, delivered "today and over the next few weeks" -- no word yet when we'll see this roll out elsewhere.
Eddie Murphy's Tower Heist gets fast-tracked to Comcast VOD, $60 saves a trip to the theater
Perhaps you're not a fan of sticky floors, armrest sharing or simply other people. Well, crowd-averse Comcast subscribers at least will have the chance to watch one Hollywood release from the comfort of their home while it's still in theaters. According to The LA Times, Eddie Murphy's Tower Heist will be out to view on-demand a mere three weeks after its November 4th release. It's not the first time we've seen premium advance video-on-demand, the main difference being, at $60, Comcast's experiment looks to be double the price for half the wait. Now if we could just afford that 155-inch screen...
FearNet HD signs up Verizon FiOS, Time Warner and Comcast
As we'd heard last year, FearNet is expanding beyond just VOD and today it announced agreements with Time Warner, Verizon FiOS and Comcast placing the linear version of the horror channel on each service. Time Warner Cable should see its VOD on May 9th, and linear SD/HD channel on May 11th, while FiOS has it on channel 197 currently and Comcast has picked it up in Philadelphia with VOD currently available everywhere. Expect to see it pop up on your PC or tablet soon too, since the press release indicates it's down for the TV Everywhere swirl. There's also some details about upcoming series and plans for themed events to come, check them all out in the press release after the break.
YouTube ready to start renting video on-demand movies from major studios?
According to entertainment website The Wrap, Google's YouTube has finally locked up all the studio deals to get itself fully into the online movie rental game. The report indicates it could launch as soon as this week with movies from majors including Sony, Warner and Universal, as well as smaller entities like Lionsgate, Kino Lorber and other independents. This doesn't appear to be a challenge to (now bigger than Comcast, but still smaller than HBO) Netflix, with the unnamed studio exec quoted in the article saying how happy they are to see a new entrant renting (and eventually selling) movies that's not using a subscription model. Apple currently leads the online VOD market after jumping in with iTunes back in 2008, so obviously that's a main target but without the important info (pricing, picture quality and content) it's hard to tell how much of a challenger this is. VOD rumors have swirled around YouTube for quite some time and it rolled out $3.99 rentals of indie movies a little over a year ago, here's hoping they go the whole way and offer nothing less than 3D and 4K streaming to start. Update: The store currently shows a slew of Weinstein produced movies (Scary Movie 4, Death Proof) and a few Lionsgate flicks (Made, Reservoir Dogs) available for $2.00 or so but most have been up since 2009 so keep an eye on this page for any new flicks. [Thanks, Rocco G.]
DirecTV's $30 per rental premium video on-demand service launches Thursday
If the actual trip to the movie theater was the only thing preventing you from checking out Adam Sandler, Brooklyn Decker and Jennifer Aniston in Just Go With It, you can still check it out before it arrives on Blu-ray or DVD starting Thursday thanks to DirecTV's new premium video on-demand service. The Hollywood Reporter mentions Sony's flick will be the first one on the service and is already available for preordering on the new Home Premiere service, available only to customers with the satellite company's HD DVRs, which is about 6 million people. As far as DRM, HDMI is required but only a "digital watermarking technology" is mentioned. The next several flicks planned for the service include The Adjustment Bureau (Universal), Cedar Rapids (Fox) and Hallpass (Warner Bros.); they will be available for two weeks at a $29.99 pricetag, in 1080p with 48 hour viewing windows. Movie theater owners don't seem thrilled by the new service, we guess the next question is whether or not you are -- the poll is after the break.
Theater owners ready to fight over $30, 60-day window VOD movies
While we're not exactly in a hurry to spend $30 each on 60-day delayed movie rentals, theater owners are quite upset by the whole premium video-on-demand plan apparently being pushed by Warner, Sony, Fox and Universal. The most active objector so far appears to be AMC Theaters, which announced yesterday (press release after the break) it would notify studios that it plans to "adapt its economic model" regarding movies bound for p-VOD. What it wants is likely a bigger slice of the revenue and also a heads up on which movies will be getting the earlier releases. Rival theater chains Regal and Cinemark have already expressed plans to cut promotion and screens for movies headed to p-VOD, but without any official announcement it's still not clear which movies those will be. Of course, cutting down promo and screens cuts into the theater's own revenue, so we'll wait to see who blinks first. (Hint: it won't be us -- we wouldn't pay $30 to watch The Adjustment Bureau on Mars, much less in our own living rooms on DirecTV, Vudu or Comcast.)
New DirecTV Cinema Connection Kit hits FCC with wireless in tow
A new version of DirecTV's Cinema Connection kit has just sneakily hit the FCC filed under its OEM name of Wistron NeWeb Corporation. Unlike the current model which required a direct Ethernet connection to work, this unit can act as wireless receiver to connect your individual DirecTV DVRs or an entire whole-home network. That gives users the freedom to access the company's online CINEMAplus library of 4,000 movies and TV shows at no additional cost for the service (we're sure DirecTV will find someway to ding you at least for the kit though). To get a glimpse for yourself, check out the gallery below featuring internal and external beauty shots of the device included with the filing, along with key pages from the user manual. Otherwise, let's all give DirecTV a nice slow-clap for entering the world of wireless streaming at its own leisurely pace. %Gallery-115419%
Hulu Plus not happening on cable-provided TiVo Premiere DVRs, Scrooge wins again
It's a little hard to know exactly who to blame here, but one thing is for sure: consumers lose. Last week Suddenlink started deploying TiVo Premiere DVRs to its customers minus Netflix, saying that it was the agreements Netflix has with studios that prevents its streaming service from being deployed on a cable company DVR. At the time it was hopeful that Hulu Plus could still work, but now it's confirmed that its customers won't get that either, blaming the same sort of agreements between Hulu and its content providers. Frustrating? Absolutely -- but there is one obvious work-around: buy your own darned TiVo Premiere, get access to Netflix and Hulu Plus, and stop paying your cable provider that monthly rental fee. Mind, you'll have to rock a CableCard, losing the ability to watch video on demand, and the separate TiVo plus Hulu Plus fees might cost a bit more, but consider that a small price to pay for the right to stick a finger in the eye of The Man.
Suddenlink starts rolling out TiVo with cable VOD and some streaming, says lack of Netflix isn't on them
Residents of Lubbock and Midland, Texas have a new option in set-top boxes from Suddenlink, now that the cable company has started rolling out the TiVo Premiere. The difference here is that the TiVo's can access Suddenlink's VOD, as well as stream YouTube and Pandora. As far as the other internet sources typically available on a TiVo, the company confirmed to Multichannel News it is negotiating with Blockbuster, Amazon and Hulu Plus. Netflix is currently not on the list of possibles and Suddenlink says it's not their fault, citing Netflix's agreements with the studios as a reason why its Watch Instantly service cannot coexist on hardware distributed by cable companies.Otherwise the usual suite of TiVo features is in full effect and they're available for the same price as Suddenlink's old boxes making this a pretty good looking upgrade if you can't bear to lose VOD access.
Dish Network gets in the 3D game with a bit of VOD
So far, Dish Network has been content to let others lead the way on 3D content, but tonight it's announced plans to kick off its offerings in the area by putting several movies up on its VOD service. Early adopting 3D TV owners can check out Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, The Last Airbender, A Christmas Carol and Step Up 3D this month, with Despicable Me, Shrek Forever After and Saw: The Final Chapter due for availability in January. All the flicks are available in 1080p -- no word what compression they're using -- but are available for $5.99 - $7.99 each. It's no ESPN 3D or the Sony/Discovery/IMAX channel, but at least Dish subscribers have something to watch on their TVs, no matter how pricey. Check the details and info on a Holiday Sweepstakes offer in the press release after the break.
Comcast Yule Log VOD now available in 3D
We've never known quite what to make of all the Yule Log content that pops up around this time of the year, but after debuting in HD and on video on demand, for 2010 where else could the ol' burning piece of wood go other than into 3D? Comcast users should be able to find it in their VOD under Top Picks/Holiday Films and we wouldn't be surprised if other providers have something similar as well.
DirecTV pumps up 3D offerings with Guy Fieri, new VOD on the way
It's not just 3D Blu-ray movies and videogames (Gran Turismo 5) getting a shot in the arm this week as DirecTV has announced some new content on the way to its subscribers. n3D greets the "first food show in 3D" on December 4th with six specially produced episodes of "Guy Fieri's Big Bite." Additionally, there's more 3D movies on the way to the VOD section, including Step Up 3D, The Last Airbender, Shrek Forever After, Saw VII and a few others throughout December and January. Other than movies there's also a Jessica Simpson Christmas special and Vancouver 2010 documentary up for viewing in 3D to get you through the cold winter months. Check the press releases after the break for all the details, and just in case any 3DTV owners forgot this is seems as good a place as any to mention that there's plenty of college basketball on tap this weekend courtesy of ESPN 3D, which is now available on Time Warner Cable.
Time Warner launches Primetime HD On Demand tomorrow
Beyond launching its Look Back network DVR service in several new markets, Time Warner is giving its traditional video on-demand setup a boost with a few hundred hours of new content. The same deal that's brought live streaming ESPN to PCs means 300 hours of content from the sports network, ABC and Disney, while a new Primetime HD On Demand slot launching November 10 will pull together shows from ABC, NBC and CBS. While we doubt that will be enough to get Josh's DVR working, at least it's all at no extra cost, check the press release after the break for all the channels included.
EPIX HD adds online streaming, sign up via Charter.net
Say hello to a new wrinkle in EPIX HD's online/VOD/linear channel offering, now that its online library is accessible for Charter subscribers through the Charter.net website. Subscribers can sign up for the channel and stream content online in HD, all on one page with their existing Charter login. Not sure about trying it out yet? It appears all Charter60 internet subscribers have free access to the online streams through December 31, so why not click over and check a flick (or two) out.
RCN picks up seven of Viacom's HD channels
RCN's hardly the first to go for Viacom's 7-pack of HD channels, but we're sure fans of Ultimate Warrior, The Hills, The Daily Show, iCarly and other programs will be glad to have them. Comedy Central, CMT, MTV, Nickelodeon, Spike, VH1 and BET go live today, with HD video on-demand offerings hitting servers July 1. RCN's claiming 100 HD VOD viewing choices, just a few thousand or so behind Comcast at this point, but we figure an upgrade is an upgrade, and at least on RCN you can watch them on a TiVo Premiere, so there's that right?
Movies could be available as a VOD rental before DVD, Blu-ray -- for $20 to $30 each
The MPAA has often stated its desire to offer movies through video on-demand ahead of their release on DVD or Blu-ray -- provided the analog hole was closed -- and now that it has been, the Wall Street Journal reports Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros. are considering a pitch from Time Warner Cable to do just that. The price for cutting the usual four month wait for home viewing to just 30 days? As much as $20 to $30 for a rental. Sony's already tried experimenting with a higher price point on early delivery of Hancock and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs to BRAVIA HDTV owners, but at least they threw in a free Blu-ray copy with the former. So far the studios have only agreed that their current release strategy needs some sort of change, but unless they add some sweeteners we don't see this one shifting us from our current rental/purchase habits.
Best Buy's internet movie store launches this month under the CinemaNow brand
That Best Buy is ready to launch its entry into the online video on-demand game is not at all a surprise, but we weren't expecting to see such a familiar name. The retail giant purchased the CinemaNow brand away from Sonic Solutions (explaining the latter's sudden switch to RoxioNow) and will start selling movies sans-disk to web connected devices later this month, starting with LG Blu-ray players (where buyers won't see the Best Buy logo at all) and home theater in a box systems, followed by Samsung's internet connected home theater equipment and of course the house Insignia brand. As planned, it will have "first run" movies for sale as soon as they arrive on DVD, with rentals for $2.99 - $3.99 per movie and purchases at $9.99 to $19.99, including HD titles and some available in 1080p. Apparently the name game is how Best Buy plans to sneak boxes with its store embedded through other retailers, we'll see how Wal-mart / VUDU, Amazon and the rest respond to the challenge.
ESPN 3D will be on Comcast in time for the 2010 World Cup
Count distributor number two (after DirecTV) and the first cable affiliate for ESPN 3D, now officially coming to Comcast when it launches June 11. That follows up on the Masters 3D event broadcast last month and will give 3DTV owning subscribers with digital cable their first linear channel and VOD package (albeit part time, at least for the first year) starting with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Not into soccer action? The Winter & Summer X-Games are on deck as well as the 2011 BCS National Championship game next January, and whenever someone catches a football star behaving badly in a bathroom on their new 3D cameraphone, you'll know where to go for the highlights.
Comcast's HD VOD selections continue to approach infinity, or at least 3,000
It's time for your yearly Comcast Project Infinity video on-demand update: It's ramping up to 11,000 different movies available, with 3,000 in HD (up from 1,000 back in October '08) and that infrastructure upgrade we'd heard about should mean even more on the way. CEO Brian Roberts just announced at the Cable Show that the service is up to 350 million orders per month, and if it were a linear channel, VOD would be Comcast's second most-watched offering. The online Fancast XFINITY TV offering is no slouch either, with 1,500 movies from cable and 5,500 movies on the site for rent or purchase. The first areas to see the expanded offerings will be Washington D.C. and Philadelphia before rolling out elsewhere. Of course that's all great, but we're going to slot a redesigned 16x9 UI and multiroom capabilities slightly above more VOD possibilities on the interest scale for now.
