Is Film On Dead?

Joddle · 09/09/13 - 01:40

Out in the fringes was dismayed to noght to find FilmOn seeminly dead!! - saw some posts via google of rights issues etc so perhaps its gone forever. Not good for those on the fringes who have probems in getting Sat tv!!!

billbullock · 09/09/13 - 16:38

Filmon is working on Windows 7 in the Algarve as usual today.

ovbg · 09/09/13 - 16:40

No, it's working great. I believe their servers went down at one stage recently, but that sort of thing happens I guess.

Joddle · 09/09/13 - 21:34

Yes back for me too - phew... must be getting twitchy in my old age:)

ovbg · 09/09/13 - 21:41

If FilmOn go down, you can always try Zattoo. Pretty much the same but with some advantages & disadvantages.

Cons (Let's start from the bad stuff first)
* You will probably need a Smart DNS to work with this, which is very cheap (and gives you access to the BBC iPlayer, 4oD, ITV etc) but not free (approx €3.60 per month)
* Slightly less UK channels (no Dave for instance, but it has all the main ones)

Pros:
* Video quality is actually a bit better for the free service, especially on iOS (iPhone, iPad). Can't speak for Android though, as I have not tested it.
* Video quality under the sub is amazing on iOS (near HD for BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV 1, and near SD for the rest)
* Sub is a lot cheaper than FilmOn, and it also gives you access to every programme for the last 7 days, plus you can record 250 shows.

There is a full review over at Eye on-Demand, and really, if you have an iPad or iPhone, get an Apple TV as AirPlay support is the best out there - plus the video quality is much better than on other platforms.

I find the video quality on BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV 1 via iPad and AirPlay to my may TV, so good, I almost think I have a proper satellite and an HD receiver.

gother · 10/09/13 - 17:36

Also if you like usa tv you can use ustv you'll only get 5 channels unless you subscribe but you get the whole package free for 30 days anyway when you sign up. Subscribing is very expensive though.

gother · 10/09/13 - 17:37

ovbg wrote: »

If FilmOn go down, you can always try Zattoo. Pretty much the same but with some advantages & disadvantages.

Cons (Let's start from the bad stuff first)
* You will probably need a Smart DNS to work with this, which is very cheap (and gives you access to the BBC iPlayer, 4oD, ITV etc) but not free (approx €3.60 per month)
* Slightly less UK channels (no Dave for instance, but it has all the main ones)

Pros:
* Video quality is actually a bit better for the free service, especially on iOS (iPhone, iPad). Can't speak for Android though, as I have not tested it.
* Video quality under the sub is amazing on iOS (near HD for BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV 1, and near SD for the rest)
* Sub is a lot cheaper than FilmOn, and it also gives you access to every programme for the last 7 days, plus you can record 250 shows.

There is a full review over at Eye on-Demand, and really, if you have an iPad or iPhone, get an Apple TV as AirPlay support is the best out there - plus the video quality is much better than on other platforms.

I find the video quality on BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV 1 via iPad and AirPlay to my may TV, so good, I almost think I have a proper satellite and an HD receiver.

Just to second this Zattoo is very good it even records programmes for you too.

Joddle · 19/09/13 - 18:49

FilmOn down again - this seem to be a more regular occurance these days - is it anything to do with the rights issues in the states?

ovbg · 19/09/13 - 18:57

More likely to be a server issue. It seems last night that had freezing issues which could have been a server problem. It is possible they are doing maintenance.

It seems unlikely that there would be rights issues in the US having any effect on UK live streams, unless of course the UK falls under US jurisdiction.

Secondly, FilmOn abide by the law, which means the channels shown are legally shown. They have been told to stop streaming certain channels in certain states by the courts, and they have complied immediately on those specific channels. If CBS for instance managed to get a court in New York to stop that channel from streaming there, they would stop streaming CBS in New York, but they wouldn't stop streaming ABC (Australia) and TVE (Spain) since they have contracts with those channels to stream.

Oh, by the way, you could try Zattoo. It's won't be free for you in Spain, as you will also need a Smart DNS service. But if you have that already, or were willing to pay a bit, they stream all the main UK channels as well, and under a sub and on iOS the video quality is near HD for BBC 1, 2 and ITV 1, and close to SD for the others - much better than FilmOn video quality, cheaper, and (just to boot) an incredible PVR as well, offering 250 recorded shows into the cloud, and every programme on every channel for the last 7 days as catch-up.

Airplay's perfectly as well, and you can forget you don't have a satellite service.

Hey there!

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Is Film On Dead?

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