Streaming Service Specials
Prime members at Amazon Canada that watch Prime Video will probably notice that heavily discounted subscriptions are now being offered to them.
I just subscribed to Britbox for $2.75 a month for two month, which will go up to $10.99 a month when these two months are over. And this two month 75% discount offer is also available for Crave, Stack TV, AMC, TSN, RDS, Starz, Crushyroll, Super Channel, MGM+, Telethon+, AcornTV, AllBLK, Stingray, The Great Courses Signature Collection, BBC, PBS Masterpiece, PBS Documentaries, Family TV, Teletoon+, Shudder, BBC Earth, Love Nature, OutTV and Smithsonian Channel.
A three month offer is available for Paramount+ at $5.49/month and $19.99/month afterwards and all of these offers expire on December 2nd, 2024.
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A Note For Roku Users
Due to a global root certificate expiring, select streaming channels may stop working 3:48 AM PT on 5/30/20. We've released a software update for current-generation players. We apologize for the inconvenience.https://t.co/yTCVgowk4p
— Roku (@Roku) May 30, 2020
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Disney+ – My First Impression
As I have previously stated on this blog, Disney+ features 500 films and over 7500 television programs from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, National Geographic and other companies Disney distributes, many of which will be made available on the service in the future.
The initial releases are quite satisfactory and include several of the Disney films I had seen in my elementary school theatre in the ’80s, like The Cat From Outer Space, Unidentified Flying Oddball and The Apple Dumpling Gang and Herbie The Love Bug films. But the classic Donald Duck and Goofy cartoons I had wanted to see were not online yet. And the $6.99 monthly subscription fee mentioned online was incorrect.
The monthly fee in Canada is actually $8.99, with an option to prepay for a year at $89.99, which reduces the monthly fee down to $7.50. And although I think the later is great for families, I’m personally going to wait for more content to be added before committing to this service.
Parents that like to keep their kids entertained whilst travelling will love the streaming or download and go options. And the service is also great for parents that have young kids, that can’t handle and load films into their DVD and Blu-ray players. But I already own quite a few of the films featured on this service on DVD, Blu-ray and digital so there is no real incentive for me to subscribe yet.
The Mandalorian’s first season is comprised of eight episodes, that I can easily binge watch prior to the release of the second season, which is already being filmed. And I could always purchase the latest Spider-Man film during the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday events, pretty much completing my Marvel Cinematic Universe collection (minus a few mediocre films in the series).
In regards to The Simpsons, I can also view the first 19 seasons in the original 4 by 3 aspect ratio on Apple TV/iTunes, Google Play and in reruns on television, so I am not missing much there either.
The addition of the aforementioned Donald Duck and Goofy cartoons to Disney+ will probably lure me back, as will the expansion of the 20th Century Fox Pictures, Fox Broadcasting Company and Touchtone Pictures catalogues to the service. But I suspect this will not happen until next summer, hopefully after they correct their playback and security issues.
Apparently some users had encountered technical issues and several thousand accounts have been hacked resulting in their details being posted online. But it was smooth sailing on my end via my Roku Premiere+, other than an issue with the playback language.
For some reason, it decided to play Star Wars – Episode IV in French, when all the other films played back in English. And although I managed to change the audio to English, I couldn’t figure out how to change the opening crawl.
I’m sure this minor glitch will be repaired by the time I decide to go back. And overall I’d say the Canadian version is an acceptable service for most.
★★★★☆
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Android Box Lawsuit
Canadian electronics and computer retail chains Best Buy Canada, Canada Computers, London Drugs and Staples Canada are being sued by Edmonton, Alberta based Allarco Entertainment 2008 Inc, the people behind Super Channel, alleging these companies sold android boxes that could be used to view their content and violate copyright laws with a software program Kodi.
Kodi is an open source home entertainment software package that enables users to play media on their computers and android devices, that can also be used to download and stream content off the internet.
Unfortunately, the Statement of Claim in Court Number T-1486-19 does not specify if sales of the more mainstream media streaming devices (like Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku) are allegedly implicated, these devices also being compatible with the aforementioned software. But it should be noted that today’s press release on this action appears to only mention “Pirate Devices with Kodi software” and that only some of the 150 employee sales pitches that were filmed by the plaintiffs over 19 months appear to include referrals to services that could assist customers with the installation of the software.
The companies in question have denied the allegations and I suspect they are now promoting sales of the more mainstream devices with Apple TV+, a television and video streaming service that will be officially released on November 1st, 2019, with a monthly subscription fee of $5.99 (or free for a year for Canadians who buy the latest model of the Apple TV media box, iPad or iPhone).
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More Competition For Cable
Not only is Apple expanding their live television offerings to Canadian Apple TV users in the Fall but Corus Entertainment has just announced that they will provide live broadcasts to Amazon Prime Video subscribers in Canada:
“Available soon to Prime members in Canada, STACKTV includes some of the best entertainment, drama, lifestyle and kids television channels, delivering audiences the latest episodes of hit series live and on-demand.
STACKTV will include: Global, Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada, W Network, HISTORY®, Adult Swim, Slice, Showcase, National Geographic, Teletoon, Treehouse and YTV.”
Unfortunately sports and news fans will need to wait for more channels to be added to this service. But Greg Hart, vice president of Amazon Prime Video, said he’s hopeful that voids in the offering will be filled over time, in an interview with The Canadian Press.
This additional service will be available for a monthly fee of $12.99 (plus taxes) via the Prime Video app on smart TVs, on Roku devices, iOS and Android mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV and the Amazon Fire TV Stick. And Nickelodeon subscription video on-demand service will cost an extra $5.99 per month.
Prime Video is currently $7.99 plus tax or free to Amazon Prime members. And that streaming service currently offers film and television programs on demand, their catalogue expanding slowly to offer content that is currently only accessible by American users.
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Netflix Canada Price Hike? Really?
Netflix has decided to raise their monthly subscription plan prices by three dollars, days before the departure of Disney, Pixar and Marvel films from their service.
Yes, I am as baffled as you are in regards to this timing. But apparently they think they have enough material to keep their current customers, which in my case is quite the risk.
I already have my favourite Disney, Pixar and Marvel films on blu-ray thanks to the Amazon and the Disney Movie Club. And Prime Video has just recently expanded their catalogue, although it needs to expand further to be compatible with Netflix, especially when it comes to concerts and music documentaries.
My previous relationship with Netflix was on and off due to their lack of material and they’re basically keeping me on with the odd film, stand up comedy program, concert and the American remake of The Office. And unfortunately for them I own quite a few films from their catalog on DVD and blu-ray already.
It would be nice to be able to just store these away and use the service to view them but they’re still not up to par with the American service and they don’t appear to be interested in foreign language films from Europe.
For example, where are the great French performances by Louis De Funes, Gerard Depardieu and Pierre Richard? Where’s the Gaumont film catalogue?
Netflix Canada need more films like “The Train To Busan”, on top of the mainstream classic Hollywood productions. And I suspect that if no major improvements are made that I will be leaving the service again, especially if they subject me to yet another $3 hike within two years.
It should also be noted that DC Universe is also starting its own streaming service in Canada shortly, which will likely cause additional material to disappear from Netflix Canada’s catalog. But I guess all we can do is wait and see what will happen in 2019.
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