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Geek Squad on Netflix UK and online video streaming

Posted on 12 January 2012 by Leon Andrews

Introduction

So CES is now well and truly underway across the Atlantic in Las Vegas and it’s easy to see why most of the industries’ eyes are trained on the world’s biggest electronics expo. However, we’re throwing our attention back over to the UK momentarily to take a look at Netflix, the online video streaming service that’s set to take the UK by storm. Netflix has been operating across the pond for years and have developed their offering to cater for UK tastes before launching outside their home turf. They have some established heavy-weight competition to contend with, including BSkyB and LOVEFiLM amongst others. 

The epic battle to become king of the video streaming providers is about to commence and has caused quite a stir within the Geek Squad Agent community, so we though we would take this opportunity to have a look at what this new world looks like. Let’s see who does the best job getting that content onto our screens.

LOVEFiLM - £5.99/month

Overview

LOVEFiLM have been around since 2002 and a decade operating on the internet is a long time in such a fast paced industry. In that 10 year period, LOVEFiLM has established itself as the UK’s premium online video service and now boasts around 2 million members – quite the achievement. The company has done such a good job establishing itself in the UK and Europe that recently Amazon the online retail giant snapped them up.

LOVEFiLM’s business primarily focuses on posting customers DVDs, Blu-Ray discs and console games to play on their own devices at home. Packages allow you to rent a certain number of titles each month. When you’ve finished with the disc, you simply pop it back in the pre-paid envelope and order your next one. LOVEFiLM have seen the writing on the wall somewhat when it comes to streaming and have worked hard to get their offering up to scratch. The company offers potential clients a £5.99 subscription package to compete directly with Netflix, which allows unlimited streaming to any compatible device.

Supported devices

To see if the service is compatible with your device, check the list below: 

• PC
• Apple Mac
• iPad
• PS3
• Xbox 360
• New Sony, Samsung and Cello TVs (Please check your documentation first)
• Sony Blu-Ray players (please check yours here - http://www.lovefilm.com/on-your-tv/sony-Blu-Ray -players/)
• Digital Media Streaming Set Top Boxes

Netflix – £5.99/month

Overview

So the American streaming giant has finally landed on these shores and has a few tricks up its sleeve. The video service launched in 2007 and has more than 20 million online subscribers in 47 countries. Similar to LOVEFiLM, Netflix originally started sending out DVDs and Videos via the postal service, the business has grown to be the USA’s largest video supplier, sending out over a million discs a day.

The business entered the streaming market four years ago with an unlimited content offering, and has seen unprecedented growth. We love a stat or two here at Geek Squad and our current favourite is that last year Netflix accounted for around 24% of North America’s internet traffic - now that’s a popular service! 

The company’s UK proposition is simple – all the video streaming you want, in the best quality your system is capable of (SD or HD), all for £5.99 per month. Netflix has created a very straightforward pricing structure that enables people to understand exactly what they’re getting and after some brief tests here in our office, we have to say that the interface is incredibly intuitive.

Similar to LOVEFiLM, the service offers account holders the ability to access their account from any number of compatible devices. Interestingly, because of their dominance in America, the company is the only firm that has managed to get the support of all three major consoles manufactures - meaning Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 users can all take advantage of the service immediately.

We have been testing our service on a standard PS3 console with a Samsung LCD TV and the quality is great – Torchwood never looked so good!

Supported Devices

At home: 

• PC
• Apple Mac
• Apple TV
• PS3
• Xbox 360
• Wii

On the move: 

• iPad
• iPhone
• Android Tablets and Mobile
• Windows Phone 7 handsets

Sky Go – Free (Existing Sky subscription required)

Overview

Never one to be left in the shadows looking enviously at the other kids’ shiny new toys, Sky Go offers customers something a little different but extremely compelling.

Launched in 2006, the Sky Go service offers Sky TV customers free access to hundreds of on-demand movies and live television on compatible devices. It is available free to all existing Sky customers and the content you can view is in-line with the television subscription you have at home. Sky is a giant in the domestic and international television market and its 10 million-strong customer base get immediate access to the Sky Go service as soon as they get their username and password through the post after sign-up.

The service combines the unquestionable depth of Sky’s live TV offering with a healthy dose of on-demand content. Customers can choose from a range of movies and TV shows to watch anytime and on a wide range of supported devices. If you don’t have a Sky subscription but like the sound of their dedicated live and on-demand package, have a look at Sky Go packages on their website. The nice thing is there’s no contract with their digital only offering.

Supported Devices 

• PC
• Apple Mac
• Xbox 360
• iPad
• iPhone

Other Options

While there are three major players in the UK market at the moment, there are other young upstarts out there keen to gain market share and take the spotlight off the big-hitters.

blinkbox – £3.49 per rental

Tesco’s acquisition of blinkbox in April last year shows that they’re serious about competing in the online video marketplace. The company specialises in online rentals and allows users to access digital downloads and stream content directly from the site. The company claims to have a catalogue of over 9,000 films and with Tesco onboard we cant help but think that number might rise in the next twelve months. Definitely one to take a look at if you’re looking to rent a movie.

iTunes - prices vary by title

Apple’s desktop software gives users access to HD rentals and purchases directly from their store. While they have been criticized for being expensive in the past, instant compatibility with super popular Apple smartphones, tablets and iPods means hardware integration that a lot of digital rentals lack. Plus, for £99 you can purchase an Apple TV unit, which allows you to rent and stream movies directly to your TV without the need to turn on your PC.

Mubi - £9.99/month or £2.99 per rental

Mubi gives users access to more than just the latest Saturday night comedy or Hollywood blockbuster. The site was launched in February 2008 and focuses on independent and international cinema. Supported by Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation, the service boasts 700,000 members worldwide and seeks to provide users with access to more than just video by integrating social networking aspects into the site to allow discussion with like-minded movie fans.

Cut to the chase, which video streaming service is the best?!

The UK movie streaming industry is still very much in its infancy and while the market has had a real boost with the launch of Netflix, there are still some gaps yet to be filled. As it stands at the moment, Netflix has the edge as it allows you to enjoy full HD content on the widest range of devices, including Android and iOS tablets and smartphones, plus the PS3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. After seeing the quality of a Netflix video streamed via an ordinary console to a standard LCD TV in full 1080p quality, it’s hard to go back and watch the latest blockbuster in slightly grainy quality using the other services discussed here. The future looks bright for this new offering.

It’s important to note however that LOVEFilm gives you access to the widest range of content with their vast library of content that is simply unparalleled in the UK and the option to get the latest Blu-Ray s sent straight to your door.

Whichever service you decide to sample, the good news is that 2012 looks set to be an exciting and defining year for the on-demand content industry and the real winner with all this competition is set to be the consumer as the big players battle to outdo one another.