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Netflix vs Lovefilm. FIIIIIIIIIIIGHHHHT!!!!

Started by Santa's Boyfriend, January 09, 2012, 11:49:09 AM

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The Roofdog

I'm getting a bit ticked off with the state of Lovefilm's discs: about 1 in 5 seem to skip severely/have unplayable sections. What the fuck are people doing with them? This week I had to forward through 8 minutes of 'Tyrannosaur' and that's a fairly new release.

Neomod

Had this problem all the time with Lovefilm. How long does it take to check a disk!

Harpo Speaks

I had a disc of On The Waterfront last week that was so fucked no player would even recognise it.

That said I've probably had around 7 or 8 that I've had to return because of them skipping, but that's out of over 200 discs rented. Most annoying was Saving Private Ryan, where they replaced my scratched disc with another that was in the same state. At least they get the replacements out fast, before you've even sent the faulty disc back for inspection usually.

Back on topic, still plenty of content online that I'm interested in seeing, I watched Ran the other night for example.

Ignatius_S

Thought I would post the following story here as it's been touched on previously.

QuoteBBC Plans iTunes Competitor With Download Fees For New And Old Shows

The BBC is developing a radical scheme under which UK viewers would pay to download new and old BBC TV shows from a service it hopes will compete with iTunes.

paidContent has learned the BBC executive wants to make all its shows available as download-to-own (DTO) at prices including £1.89 per show, under a scheme called Project Barcelona.

It has been negotiating for rights with independent producers that make some of the shows. They support the aims of the scheme, believing it could represent a new revenue opportunity and a defence against piracy.

But the producers, through their umbrella organisation Pact, have so far declined to give their outright blessing, citing uncertainty over revenue share, exclusivity and the potential for cannibalising DVD sales. They have asked for more detailed assurances.

The project, which has not been announced, could be one of the most radical in the BBC's 85-year history. UK viewers already pay an £145.50 annual license fee under the BBC's Royal Charter.

Currently, new TV and radio shows are available to watch or listen to again via the multi-platform iPlayer service for up to 30 days after transmission. After that period, rights are passed to the commercial outfit BBC Worldwide or back to shows' original producers, who each license them to commercial services including iTunes Store and Blinkbox for paid consumer access.

But the BBC is upset that only seven percent of its archive repertoire is available through third parties in this way. So it wants to make the remaining 93 percent available through an own-brand service. The most notable departure is that even new shows from the public service window, not just old classics, would be available for paid download immediately after transmission. A previous news report had said the scheme would leverage only archive.

The BBC is promising producers a greater share of episode download prices than iTunes Store - an average £0.40 on a £1.89 episode fee compared with £0.28 from iTunes, which takes a 30 percent commission. The corporation would handle operational costs like encoding on producers' behalf. It thinks it can unlock at least £13 million in revenue in the next five years for independent producers.

According to information seen by paidContent, the project is "about making what is effectively seen as non-commercial programming available to the market at a price and ease of use that will encourage consumers to purchase programmes that the commercial market would not make available due to the poor returns and risk involved".

Some indies do not want to give exclusive rights to Barcelona. The BBC has promised producers can also go on licensing their own shows elsewhere - for example, to iTunes.

Even if the BBC wins suppliers' eventual full backing, its executive must still put the scheme forward for the approval of the regulating BBC Trust, which, upon public consultation, would likely hear opposition to any plans to charge a secondary fee for publicly-funded BBC content.

If approved, Barcelona could lay groundwork for a pay-for BBC in a post-analogue, post-linear world. But, so far, it concerns only the download-to-own market - a model that may yet diminish as streaming alternatives, which provide cloud-based access but not ownership, grow in popularity.

After previously capping the BBC license fee, the UK government recently urged the BBC to generate more money for itself.

The BBC later told paidContent: "In addition to BBC iPlayer, the BBC already makes some of its content available on a download-to-own (DTO) basis.
"Any proposal to extend this facility would require not just the support of the industry but formal approval by the BBC executive and the BBC Trust."
Quote from: Santa's Boyfriend on January 17, 2012, 11:06:00 PM
BBC World wide makes the vast majority of its money overseas, at least that was the impression I got, so I don't think that's a big deal - also a DVD or Blu-Ray copy is higher quality than streaming is capable of, at least at the moment, so there is still a collectors impulse there....

Sorry, SB - thought I had already responded.

It's reported that BBC Worldwide is the fifth biggest DVD distributor in the UK, so it's not small change (he says without knowing what percentage of the market they own). Even if it was, the Beeb would need to look what the impact was first.

Although you're right about the collector's impulse, some of the BBC stuff is pretty pricey and people are becomingly less tied to physical media.

Quote from: Santa's Boyfriend on January 17, 2012, 11:06:00 PM...But as a public service broadcaster I think it'd be hard for people to swallow the idea of the BBC charging for streaming archived content.  I appreciate the need to cover costs, but it'll still be a hard sell.  (I'd imagine independent programmes, or at least stuff that wasn't commissioned by the BBC, wouldn't end up on it.)
That's a great point and that's likely to be a problem – people think public means free.

If it's part of the TV license, what about people who don't access the service? There have been enough complaints about the iPlayer and BBC websites as it is.

If it does become part of the TV license, then anyone who has a computer (or tablet or smartphone) could end up having to buy one whether they access BBC content of not. I suspect some people would actually welcome some kind of pay per view model – for example, it's been touted before that people pay extra for services like BBC 4 – rather than paying a flat 'telly tax.

If the BBC did give access to the archive for 'free', you would have all manner of companies complaining. Watching BBC stuff on Netflix or Lovefilm for free? Big deal when you can view it for free.

An awful lot of stuff is made by independent production companies, so if you exclude their work then you would be losing a lot of stuff.  The BBC said it needs to work with external partners and it's thought that it needs to get them 'on board'.

Also, what about repeat fees? If you acted or wrote something where you could expect repeat fees from broadcast television but there was nothing in the contract about Internet streaming or repeats, would you be happy the BBC was exploiting your work. The writers' strike in the US was caused by a number of factors, but one was that writers weren't getting compensated for DVD sales (IIRC it's because content delivery had changed, but contracts hadn't). With issues like these, it's going to be more of an issue with older content and working out the deal for new content – not impossible by any means, but it needs to be thrashed out.

Jackson K Pollock

Quote from: Santa's Boyfriend on February 24, 2012, 11:05:20 PM
It seems that the appearance of Netflix has resulted in Lovefilm getting far, far better.  It's still a bit lacking in TV, but it's at least started it, and has a seperate section (I've been watching Red Dwarf series 2, it's been really good to re-watch them.  I Wish they'd hurry up and put the other series on there though).  But I've realised it's changed my viewing habits - I'm much more likely to try out a film I'm unsure of than I am with its postal service as I can just switch to something else if I'm not getting on with it, and although there's plenty of shit on it (John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars - I lasted about 20 mins) I've ended up seeing some real gems.  On there right now are two films I'd really recommend to CaBers, Tucker and Dale Vs Evil, and Interstate 60.  Both comedies I was really unsure of, but absolutely loved both of them.

Interstate 60 is written and directed by the writer of Back to the Future, and comes across as a labour of love movie inspired by Gulliver's Travels and various other mythological stories.  Tucker and Dale vs Evil is essentially Deliverance in reverse, where the yokels are lovable innocents mistaken for psychopaths by a bunch of students.  Both were a joy to watch, I'd recommend them very highly.

How are people getting on with Netflix?

Thanks for the recommend-o's, as I never have a clue what to watch on Lovefilm. True story: I spent two hours the other day reading through their list of 7,000 on-demand films. I finally settled on watching a DVD I own and had already seen multiple times.

The BTTF trilogy is my all-time favourite (3) film(s), so I was very much looking forward to Interstate 60. I thought "this is going to be the film for me!" when there was a
Spoiler alert
pre-opening credits Michael J. Fox cameo
[close]
, but sadly it didn't really do much for me. I didn't find any of the characters especially likeable, and the plot was too meandering and, if anything, dull for my liking.

However, I've just watched Tucker & Dale and absolutely loved it! I never watch trailers or read spoilers, and even try and avoid reading the synopsis of a film if I can possibly help it. I like to go into a movie knowing as little as possible about it if I can. But this was a laugh riot, with some pretty gruesome slasher horror thrown into the mix. I really liked the role-reversal nature of the film, loved the three leads, enjoyed the gore and didn't even mind
Spoiler alert
the soppy ending
[close]
.

I would never have come across this movie otherwise, so many thanks for the recommendation.

Jackson K Pollock

'Scuse the double-post, but I've just remembered something I wanted to add...

I got a 3-month subscription to Lovefilm for Christmas from my sister, and while I'm very grateful, it's not a particularly appropriate gift for me as I generally can't stand watching films at home, and have the concentration span of a gnat. But I figured what the heck, it'll be a good chance to catch up on a bunch of movies I've always wanted to see but would never bother actually buying.

I finally got around to activating my subscription in early-February, and was asked to enter my credit card details. I was pretty wary about this, as it was a paid-for gift, and it was really none of their business. For all they know I might not even have a credit card. But I figured it was a deposit of sorts, in case I damaged any of the discs or did a runner or something. I think in the Q&A it even said something about how I wouldn't be charged, it was just "to prove I was over 18", which seemed pretty mental to me, but there was no option to skip it.

Anyway, the long & short of this post is, I was reading the fine print the other day, and one of the clauses states that unless I cancel my membership before the gift subscription ends, I will automatically become a paying member.

Surely that's just not on, is it? I don't even know how much a subscription costs, and certainly have no interest in continuing it after the 3 months is up, yet they already have my card details so there's not much I can do about it. Obviously, I'll be 100% sure to cancel before the time is up, but doesn't that strike anyone else as particularly money-grabbing and disingenuous?

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: Jackson K Pollock on March 24, 2012, 11:50:51 PM
Surely that's just not on, is it? I don't even know how much a subscription costs, and certainly have no interest in continuing it after the 3 months is up, yet they already have my card details so there's not much I can do about it. Obviously, I'll be 100% sure to cancel before the time is up, but doesn't that strike anyone else as particularly money-grabbing and disingenuous?
I agree, which is why I try and avoid these "free three month" offers when they pop up. I bet there are thousands of people paying for this shit who completely forgot about it after the first month.

Ginyard

They sent me two plastic gift cards for friends saying 'from John' (me). Its a terrible gift idea. I really want to post them in the CEO's throat.

Santa's Boyfriend

Quote from: Jackson K Pollock on March 24, 2012, 11:38:56 PM
Thanks for the recommend-o's, as I never have a clue what to watch on Lovefilm. True story: I spent two hours the other day reading through their list of 7,000 on-demand films. I finally settled on watching a DVD I own and had already seen multiple times.

FML

Quote from: Jackson K Pollock on March 24, 2012, 11:38:56 PMThe BTTF trilogy is my all-time favourite (3) film(s), so I was very much looking forward to Interstate 60. I thought "this is going to be the film for me!" when there was a
Spoiler alert
pre-opening credits Michael J. Fox cameo
[close]
, but sadly it didn't really do much for me. I didn't find any of the characters especially likeable, and the plot was too meandering and, if anything, dull for my liking.

Ah, sorry to hear that.  I think it was the fact that it was such an odd road movie made up of short stories rather than a coherent plot that I found so interesting, as that's an incredibly hard model to make work, and in my mind at least, it succeeded in its intent.  It's certainly not without its flaws, but I found all the vignettes delightfully quirky, innovative and with something significant to say - exactly like Jonathan Swift.  (I think Gulliver's Travels was originally penned as a satire, wasn't it?)  Maybe I bigged it up too much, and maybe you were expecting something close to Back to the Future?  I'd say maybe give it another go in a year or two.

Quote from: Jackson K Pollock on March 24, 2012, 11:38:56 PMHowever, I've just watched Tucker & Dale and absolutely loved it! I never watch trailers or read spoilers, and even try and avoid reading the synopsis of a film if I can possibly help it. I like to go into a movie knowing as little as possible about it if I can. But this was a laugh riot, with some pretty gruesome slasher horror thrown into the mix. I really liked the role-reversal nature of the film, loved the three leads, enjoyed the gore and didn't even mind
Spoiler alert
the soppy ending
[close]
.

I would never have come across this movie otherwise, so many thanks for the recommendation.

It's a pleasure, I'm really glad someone took me up on my recommendations!  :-)  Yeah, I think the film hits a really unique nail on a very difficult-to-hit head, if you'll excuse the confused metaphor.  It's quirky, charming, very funny and really heartwarming.  It's not easy to do all that with what is still, essentially, a horror movie.

Anyone want to recommend films on the service we may not have seen or heard of?  I saw El Mariachi is on there at the moment, Antonio Banderas' first film.  I've not seen it yet but I've heard good things about it.  I'd also point out that they have all of ITV's Sherlock Holmes series on there too.

Jerzy Bondov

European Vacation and Vegas Vacation are on there if that floats your boat. Looking back at my history, apparently I watched Blood on Satan's Claw. I think it was good, I can't remember really. Anyway there's a nice triple-bill for you.

SavageHedgehog

Quote from: Santa's Boyfriend on March 25, 2012, 06:25:42 PM
I saw El Mariachi is on there at the moment, Antonio Banderas' first film.  I've not seen it yet but I've heard good things about it.

Not accurate things though; Antonio's not in it! It is good though.

Santa's Boyfriend

Oops!  I meant Robert Rodriguez.  I got confused with its sort-of sequel Desperado, which I have seen and is a hell of a lot of fun.

Beagle 2

Well I've had enough of these so I went to cancel both my accounts just now. Netflix was a piece of piss to get rid of but Lovefilm made me call up and argue with a bloke in Mumbai. I deflected all of his questions about switching the type of account and everything and eventually he offered me three months free! So I took it, may as well. I'm gonna cancel after that though, I just don't use it. If you want some free months though, give yer man a call and threaten to leave.

wasp_f15ting

I am loving the US netflix.

For those who have an XBOX 360 and an active UK subscription, i'd reccomend you try it out. There is a massive library of criterion films in HD on there too which is quite handy as I can previeew them on here before comitting to buy. The best bit thus far has been all of the sci-fi episodes on there.

I have also been introduced to Archer, of which a lot of them are on there. The US netflix is pretty epic and its so easy to get. Not sure if its allowed the whole DNS thing, but haven't had any interruption of service thus far.

The whole thing between lovefilm and netflix made me think.. I'd be willing tp pay £20 a month I think if I could get access to ALL films not just some here and there.. but ALL films including new releases.

Santa's Boyfriend

I'm not sure any company could afford the storage capacity to hold every film ever made ever.  Every film available on DVD would be a stretch enough!  I agree in principle though.

What surprises me is they don't make every film over two years old free, and every film under that chargeable by a diminishing rate.  The newer it is, the more it costs.

The Roofdog

Quote from: Santa's Boyfriend on March 26, 2012, 07:00:45 PM
What surprises me is they don't make every film over two years old free, and every film under that chargeable by a diminishing rate.  The newer it is, the more it costs.

Well that would be ideal for me as if there's something recent I want to see I'll probably have seen it at the cinema: my lovefilm list is almost exclusively old stuff. I think there a lot of people who use it to delve into the back catalogues of certain directors/actors/genres etc which is why I don't think it'd be a great business model. I'd pay through the nose to see some of the stuff on my 'Reserve' list that has never been released on DVD (Wilder's 'Ace In The Hole', 'A Brighter Summer Day', 'Raise the Red Lantern', loads of Cassavetes stuff). What mildly pisses me off is when lovefilm tells me stuff is unavailable in the UK/has never been released when I can SEE IT IN SHOPS. Godard's Alphaville "is currently unavailable in the UK", is it lovefilm, IS IT?

Ignatius_S

Quote from: The Roofdog on March 27, 2012, 12:44:02 PM.... What mildly pisses me off is when lovefilm tells me stuff is unavailable in the UK/has never been released when I can SEE IT IN SHOPS. Godard's Alphaville "is currently unavailable in the UK", is it lovefilm, IS IT?

It's usually because Lovefilm doesn't have a deal with the distribution company – Blockbuster still has quite a few exclusives, although that's usually with newer films. Also, some distributors don't bother with the rental market.

Famous Mortimer

I keep meaning to sign up for Mubi.com, as they have all sorts of nice obscure arthouse stuff, but the European version of the site appears to be crap. Search for a director, say, Mark Rappaport, and all his films pop up. "Brilliant", you may think, until you actually go to one and it's "click here if you'd like to see this film", which presumably adds a vote to a database somewhere, which every now and again gets looked at. There's way too little to warrant the cost of subscribing, especially when most of the films on there are also available via less legal means for free.

Don, Aman

How do I get fucking US Netflix on my laptop? Cheers doe for alerting me to LoveFilm, didn't even know they cunts did streaming. Might opt for that.

wasp_f15ting

So.. they blocked the US DNS for US Netflix, as such I am cancelling my subscription.. can't be bothered faffing around. I was just getting into buck rogers too damn fuckers.

Santa's Boyfriend

It's a shame that they can't have a universal version of these things, but I suppose if they did they'd be circumventing the BBFC and so on.  I don't understand why the UK would have such a poorer service though.

Love Film have got series 2 and 3 of Red Dwarf on their PS3 service at the moment, but claim they've got all of it on their website version.  Why on earth would that be?  It can't be to do with rights or anything, surely?  I can only assume they're streaming in a different form, but even so.  Could it be to do with server space and bandwidth?

phantom_power

Quote from: wasp_f15ting on April 09, 2012, 05:26:00 AM
So.. they blocked the US DNS for US Netflix, as such I am cancelling my subscription.. can't be bothered faffing around. I was just getting into buck rogers too damn fuckers.


I think what may have happened is that by using that DNS you were getting a free trial to some VPN or other. That has now run out so you can't use it any more. Google that DNS and see what provider you were using and you might be able to subscribe for few quid a month.

I am using a VPN to access US Netflix on my iPad and the selection is amazing. I am only paying 69p a month for the VPN, which also allows me to access Hulu and probably other services usually restricted to the US

buntyman

I've just realised Lovefilm Instant have all the Larry Sanders episodes. I'm going to enjoy watching through them all as I've only seen the best of dvd set.

Harpo Speaks

Fantastic, thanks for the heads up. Never even seen a full episode so looking forward to seeing it.

Jerzy Bondov

That's brilliant news, had no idea. I was working my way through them on YouTube when they (quite rightly) got taken down, and I didn't want to buy the R2 box set because it doesn't have any of the good extras from the R1 set, which is expensive. Problem solved.

Muggins

Heads up- For some peculiar reason UK Netflix has Portlandia on it.  Both series as well.  Anyone else found any comedy gems?

Arch Stanton

Looking round the telly section on Lovefilm on the PS3 and i found just about every Adult Swim show including Tim and Eric Awesome show and the Venture Bros.

Paaaaul

Quote from: Arch Stanton on May 18, 2012, 01:30:55 PM
Looking round the telly section on Lovefilm on the PS3 and i found just about every Adult Swim show including Tim and Eric Awesome show and the Venture Bros.
I can't see any of that stuff on the xbox, nor Larry Sanders :-(

Harpo Speaks

Quote from: Paaaaul on May 18, 2012, 08:37:12 PM
I can't see any of that stuff on the xbox, nor Larry Sanders :-(

Only seems to be available from the main website at the moment, not on the dashboard.

phantom_power

Lovefilm's streaming on the iPad app is a pile of shit. The sound keeps cutting out every ten seconds. I am considering binning it as I can get most of the lovefilm catalogue on US Netflix