VOD : The threat of streaming services

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by RamJet

just picked up this thread

read somewhere a week or 3 back that the total number of contracts for cable TV & Satelite TV in the States are falling atm

reason given : growth of online streaming 'TV' services and the fact that consumers are preferring to get their entertainment from the Internet

- at least you don't get 10 min ad breaks every 30m mins

Yeah people are calling them cable cutters , abandoning subscription satellite and cable TV.

[Chad]

Looks like Netflix are getting very serious about their UK launch:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...ng?INTCMP=SRCH

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Chad

Looks like Netflix are getting very serious about their UK launch:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...ng?INTCMP=SRCH

Being discussed here

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/23...-a-page-2.html

[muppetman11]

Seeing all the news stories over the last few weeks about new streaming services ie Netflix , Lovefilm , Blinkbox etc do people feel this could be a threat to pay TV providers ?

Sony possibly looking to join the trend
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/connect/ne...ectid=10767075

[ntl.wotcha]

Much prefer postal Blueray rental myself. Significantly cheaper than most VOD/streaming services and much more reliable/responsive if you want to pause, rewind etc...

[zantarous]

I think ITV and Netflix is going to be in for a rude awakening when they realise no one is going to want to pay to watch ITVs back catalogue.

Until every inch of this country is fibred up and ISPs have greatly improved their bandwidth streaming will still be a limited niche. Only VM seem in a good position to make streaming a seamless experience with one interface, no bandwidth limit and payment via your monthly bill.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by zantarous

I think ITV and Netflix is going to be in for a rude awakening when they realise no one is going to want to pay to watch ITVs back catalogue.

Until every inch of this country is fibred up and ISPs have greatly improved their bandwidth streaming will still be a limited niche. Only VM seem in a good position to make streaming a seamless experience with one interface, no bandwidth limit and payment via your monthly bill.

If netflix launches in the UK with the same or similar pricing to the US, I'm going to be very interested, though, not for the ITV shows.

---------- Post added at 12:17 ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 ----------

Originally Posted by ntl.wotcha

Much prefer postal Blueray rental myself. Significantly cheaper than most VOD/streaming services and much more reliable/responsive if you want to pause, rewind etc...

If Lovefilm could stream HD movies, I wouldn't bother with the Blueray discs. The sooner it happens the better for me.

Lovefilm have reduced their prices recently; 2 discs at home is now 9.99. I wonder if it is a result of the forthcoming netflix launch?

[Chad]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Seeing all the news stories over the last few weeks about new streaming services ie Netflix , Lovefilm , Blinkbox etc do people feel this could be a threat to pay TV providers ?

Do you mean a threat in terms of losing customers, or a threat to the content deals pay TV providers currently have?

In terms of losing customers, pay TV providers will be watching developments closely. If Lovefilm and Netflix start an aggressive price war, SKY would seriously need to consider the price structure of their own movie offerings.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...al?INTCMP=SRCH

"The deal does not affect BSkyB's rights to show movies on its services, with Warner Bros saying that it has carved out a new "second pay-TV window" for the first time that will see LoveFilm get titles exclusively for its subscription streaming service."

As Netflix and Lovefilm go to war you can bet the other movie studios will also find a "second pay-TV window" to exploit which doesn't effect their current deal with SKY.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Chad

Do you mean a threat in terms of losing customers, or a threat to the content deals pay TV providers currently have?

In terms of losing customers, pay TV providers will be watching developments closely. If Lovefilm and Netflix start an aggressive price war, SKY would seriously need to consider the price structure of their own movie offerings.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...al?INTCMP=SRCH

"The deal does not affect BSkyB's rights to show movies on its services, with Warner Bros saying that it has carved out a new "second pay-TV window" for the first time that will see LoveFilm get titles exclusively for its subscription streaming service."

As Netflix and Lovefilm go to war you can bet the other movie studios will also find a "second pay-TV window" to exploit which doesn't effect their current deal with SKY.

I agree , I hope it does force them to lower the price of movies , don't forget Sky already stream content via Sky Go to their own customers , I can see Sky Movies on BT Vision once BT finish upgrading their network to support this , they are also involved with Youview so I suppose a Sky Movies premium app isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by Chad

.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...al?INTCMP=SRCH

.

Link not working for me Chad.

[andy_m]

Realistically, you view is only going to appeal to Virgin customers on the m package, who pay little, if anything for their TV, but will need to keep a decent internet connection to take advantage of streaming services. Bear in mind that catch up TV is already available on some freeview boxes by plugging it in to your router. You view has had problems, and won't do much more than existing products already can. In addition, those likely to pay for on demand programming are probably already doing so and with Tivo, Virgin are uniquely placed as a platform to offer access to many streaming services AND a linear channel line up which compares well with Sky, who are increasingly looking like a one trick pony.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by andy_m

Realistically, you view is only going to appeal to Virgin customers on the m package, who pay little, if anything for their TV, but will need to keep a decent internet connection to take advantage of streaming services. Bear in mind that catch up TV is already available on some freeview boxes by plugging it in to your router. You view has had problems, and won't do much more than existing products already can. In addition, those likely to pay for on demand programming are probably already doing so and with Tivo, Virgin are uniquely placed as a platform to offer access to many streaming services AND a linear channel line up which compares well with Sky, who are increasingly looking like a one trick pony.

Disagree with the one trick pony assumption , Sky Go is a streaming service with many channels available on laptop/pc plus OD content it has all Sky Movies/Sports channels with Sky News on phone/tablet with downloadable content to mobile devices to come , look at trends in the US and you will see more and more people are consuming content away from the home on mobile devices , sure VM have a player but they aren't really in the same league yet are they. I agree with you that VM are in an decent position with their offering.

[andy_m]

When you consider Sky's channel line up, I actually think Sky go is a bit limited, but I do agree that it's the one area where Virgin don't currently compare well.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by andy_m

When you consider Sky's channel line up, I actually think Sky go is a bit limited, but I do agree that it's the one area where Virgin don't currently compare well.

Virgin Media with TIVO is strengthening its one advantage that all cable companies have over satellite and that's OD , the ability to go back 7 days is a great feature and the ability to locate OD shows with TIVO is also an excellent feature. The channel range on Sky Go through portable devices is limited at the moment but expect that to change sometime after the Android version arrives.

http://www.sky.com/mysky/latestnews/...ear/index.html

[HDFootyMan]

And now Roku is coming:
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/homecinema/r...e-uk-50006131/