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Tag: Online Streaming Video

  • Popcorn Time Torrent Streaming Site is Dead, For Now

    It was bound to happen. Popcorn Time, the streaming video platform that allowed anyone to stream just about any TV or movie for free on a variety of devices is now gone. The creators of Popcorn Time have shut down the service despite their claims that the streaming was legal.

    Popcorn Time was released last month and slowly began to spread by word-of-mouth. The platform allowed users to search through a vast collection of movie and TV torrents and stream them instead of downloading. None of the torrents were hosted by Popcorn Time, a fact it’s creators cited when arguing for its legality. By early March the site had gained enough popularity for mainstream attention, almost certainly a factor in its shutdown.

    Popcorn Time’s creators had argued that movie and TV piracy are a service problem caused by antiquated methods of determining the value of content. They maintain that Popcorn Time was legal and insist that they checked up on whether this was true four different times.

    When visiting the Popcorn Time website visitors are now greeted with a message from the platform’s creators. The message states that they are “enormously proud” of the project, but that “standing against an old fashioned industry has its own associated costs. Costs that no one should have to pay in any way, shape, or form.”

    From the message:

    Popcorn Time is shutting down today. Not because we ran out of energy, commitment, focus or allies. But because we need to move on with our lives.

    Our experiment has put us at the doors of endless debates about piracy and copyright, legal threats and the shady machinery that makes us feel in danger for doing what we love. And that’s not a battle we want a place in.

    Of course, the open-source community will certainly not let such a popular project die. Already the developers behind the torrent site YTS have announced that they have forked the Popcorn Time software and will continue to develop it.

  • Streaming Video on the Rise as Premium Channels See Subscriptions Fall

    Streaming Video on the Rise as Premium Channels See Subscriptions Fall

    Though cable companies are still dragging their feet, it is now clear that streaming video is the future of television. Subscriptions for streaming video services such as Netflix and Hulu are rising fast and hardware manufacturers are preparing to flood consumer markets with internet-connected video devices in the coming years. The WWE, of all organizations, has just paved the way for sports organizations to take their programming directly to consumers through a streaming subscription service.

    Market research firm NPD Group today released a new report showing that the percentage of U.S. internet households subscribing to premium TV channels such as HBO and Showtime declined to 32% as of August 2013, down 6% from the 38% of households that subscribed back in March 2012. At the same time streaming video subscriptions (what NPD refers to as subscription video-on-demand services) for those same households rose 4% from March 2012 to hit 27% as of last August.

    According to the report, subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services made up a full 71% of all digital-video transactions during 2013. The segment is now the fastest-growing type of digital acquisition according to NPD’s numbers.

    “As SVOD services have gained momentum, it’s clear that some consumers are trimming their premium-TV subscriptions,” said Russ Crupnick, SVP of industry analysis at NPD. “As SVOD increasingly strives to become a channel itself, viewers might consider it to be an adequate substitution for other premium channels, or perhaps they are switching to economize on their time and money spent.”

  • Xbox Video Comes To The Web, Lacks HD Playback

    Xbox Video is Microsoft’s one stop destination for all things movies and TV shows on Xbox 360, Xbox One and Windows 8 PCs. Now the service is expanding, but with one very big caveat.

    Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox Video Web app today ahead of the launch of its Windows Phone app. With the Web app, you’ll be able to watch your purchased Xbox Video content on any browser that supports Microsoft’s Silverlight plug-in.

    That’s all well and good, but what about that “one very big caveat?” Well, the Web app won’t play video in HD. The same goes for the upcoming Windows Phone app. Why is that the case? Microsoft only offers the explanation that HD playback is only available on Xbox 360, Xbox One and the Windows 8.1 app. There’s really no reason that Microsoft can’t offer HD playback on browsers so it really seems like they’re reserving HD playback for their own consumer products and services.

    While it’s certainly a bummer that Xbox Video doesn’t have HD playback on the Web, the app will be your best friend if you’ve bought into Microsoft’s collection of services, like Xbox Video and Xbox Music. All the movies that you’ve bought on your Xbox 360 are now available to watch on the Web at no extra charge. That’s certainly a good thing. It’s just a shame that Microsoft had to be a scrooge and keep HD playback exclusively on Xbox and Windows 8 devices.

    You can check out the Xbox Video Web site here.

    [h/t: The Verge]
    [Image: Xbox Video]

  • Walmart Introduces DVD Digital Conversion Service

    Walmart has done it again, they are introducing another innovative service that is well within consumers budgets. This time they are using their VUDU streaming video service to allow customers to transfer their old DVD and Blu-ray movie collection into rights to an online streaming version for a very low cost. Just $2 for regular DVD’s and $5 for Blu-ray. I say, awesome!

    Years ago I discussed with a friend how purchasing a CD like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon should guarantee future rights to that recording in whatever format is made available. Reason being, he had already worn out or damaged several recorded versions of the album and was constantly paying for addition copies. Shouldn’t he have been afforded some kind of download rights?

    I loved this concept and the idea has remained with me eve since. I am pleased to see that notion being expressed in Walmart’s newest service. Who doesn’t want to shed the bulk of their old DVD collection and replace it with 24/7 access to high-quality online streaming versions. It’s a no-brainer. You can even upgrade to HD versions.

    John Aden, executive vice president for general merchandising at Walmart U.S. comments on the new DVD to digital service:

    “Walmart is helping America get access to their DVD library,”

    “Walmart Entertainment’s new disc-to-digital service will allow our customers to reconnect with the movies they already own on a variety of new devices, while preserving the investments they’ve made in disc purchases over the years. We believe this revolutionary in-store service will unlock new value for already-owned DVDs, and will encourage consumers to continue building physical and digital movie libraries in the future.”

    As i’ve already mentioned I would love to see similar programs offered for CD’s, if anybody knows about some that already exist I would love to hear from you. This service is a first step to bringing many consumer’s highly-chrished DVD collections into the modern streaming digital format to enjoy in a more convenient way.

    To bring consumers this opportunity Walmart has partnered with several Movie studios including Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Paramount Studios, and Warner Home Video. Lets hear a little from these studios about the partnership:

    Dennis Maguire, president of Worldwide Home Media Distribution and Paramount Pictures comments:

    “Consumers today want new and flexible ways to enjoy movies and Walmart’s disc-to-digital program will be another important avenue to introduce Paramount movies on this new platform to a broader, more comprehensive audience,”

    “The unmatched reach of Walmart – which serves over 140 million consumers every week – means we can quickly grow awareness for this unique technology throughout every region across the country.”

    Ron Sanders, president of Warner Home Video also adds his commentary on the partnership:

    “Consumers want value and convenience and Walmart’s disc-to-digital service will deliver both while helping consumers realize the benefits of digital ownership,”

    “Between the heavy foot traffic in-store and the aggressive educational campaign Walmart is planning, this partnership is the perfect opportunity for us to reach a mainstream audience much sooner than by more traditional means, while making the process as quick and easy for consumers as possible.”

    I reported earlier this month that Neil Young is attempting to introduce a new platform which would present a truly lossless musical version of studio recordings. I would love to see Walmart offer a similar service on his platform is it ever comes to light. Sound quality is still an issue relevant to many music fans and offering deals like this on upgraded formats would really springboard a sound quality resurgence form a consumer perspective.

    Simon Swart, executive vice president and general manager in North America of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment comments on the timing of the service:

    “With Walmart’s new disc-to-digital service, there has never been a better time to own movies,”

    “There are more than 100 million households in the US that have an existing DVD or Blu-ray library. It is now possible to digitize those movies conveniently and enjoy the benefits that ownership gives at home or any place you go.”

    Thanks Walmart, this is a great idea and a useful service. I don’t think anybody can deny the superstore’s consistent commitment to anticipating and delivering on consumer’s needs.