Tesco launch "Clubcard TV" - Free Streaming Service to rival Netflix & Lovefilm

JasonWatkins · 11-02-2013, 17:19

http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/tes...lm-and-now-tv/

Quote:

The service is basically run by Blinkbox, which Tesco bought a controlling 80-per-cent stake in, and has both movies and TV shows up for grabs. Highlights include Batman and Superman films, and British sitcoms like Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps.

And here it is - i've tried to sign up with my Clubcard but it isn't working - it's in beta but you can apparently sign up.

http://www.clubcardtv.com/signup?ReturnUrl=%2f

#edit

Just found out that Gizmodo jumped the gun a bit - the service is only available to Tesco Staff Members at the moment and they plan to fully launch in "Spring 2013"

1andrew1 · 11-02-2013, 17:37

Telegraph article here too http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...customers.html

Last year they removed all the free movies and series from Blinkbox, Blinkbox had used them to drive people to the site. Now the movies are being used as a loyalty tool for Tesco customers with Tesco marketing Blinkbox in its stores.

ovbg · 11-02-2013, 17:55

I find this interesting. How does one acquire a Tesco club card? Is this the same card they always try to pawn on me when I get back to the UK?

I am wondering how it will compare with Crackle, which is not actually too bad for a free service.

www.eyeondemand.com

BigFoot87 · 11-02-2013, 18:12

I'll be checking this out, but I hope they release apps for the games consoles.

By the looks of comments on Gizmodo, its (currently) featuring older releases, but its nice to welcome another streaming service into the mix and as Tesco would say, "every little helps."

BigFoot87 · 11-02-2013, 18:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by ovbg

I find this interesting. How does one acquire a Tesco club card?

Sign up online:
http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/clubcard/register.asp

kingdave · 11-02-2013, 23:01

I'm sure I read that when Blinkbox launched, if you bought a DVD/BluRay either instore or online and used your Clubcard when buying you would automatically get a digital version of said DVD/BluRay added to your Blinkbox "wallet".

Have I imagined this, or is it something the do/used to do?

1andrew1 · 11-02-2013, 23:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingdave

I'm sure I read that when Blinkbox launched, if you bought a DVD/BluRay either instore or online and used your Clubcard when buying you would automatically get a digital version of said DVD/BluRay added to your Blinkbox "wallet".

Have I imagined this, or is it something the do/used to do?

They still do it - it wasn't available when Blinkbox launched in 2006 as Tesco only acquired its 80% stake in Blinkbox in 2011.

http://www.tesco.com/direct/blinkbox/

scruffpot · 11-02-2013, 23:48

is the lip sync slightly out with the video on their site on the advert on the main page?

Seems an interesting venture, however, when you have tonnes of free streaming sites that have links to lots and lots and lots of online video such as 1channel etc, I do wonder how certain companies in the pay to view streaming market will fair in the long run. But I do understand the pay to view do have generally better quality and you don't have to search through different links to find ones that work.

JasonWatkins · 11-02-2013, 23:53

I think "Clubcard TV" [i]could[i] work if they can incorporate it into the existing BlinkBox service somehow. There are plenty of bits of hardware that have the service ready to go - my BluRay player has it - so if they can do that, I suspect more people would be willing to try it over a paid alternative.

weirlandia4eva · 12-02-2013, 00:24

I am a Tesco employee and have tried the service. The selection on there at the moment isn't huge but hopefully will grow as the service expands. The big plus for me was the minimal ads. not too many(think about 3 breaks during a film) and only lasted for about a minute each break.

VisionMan1 · 12-02-2013, 00:30

I've just accessed the service, it's only streamed at 1 - 2Mbps. So full screen viewing is just not an option at the moment. Still, it's a start, and using the small screen player looked OK. So not bad for free.

killdeer · 12-02-2013, 08:19

Well it won't work for me. When I enter my clubcard number it keeps asking me for my Privilege Card Number which I presume means for staff only.

ovbg · 12-02-2013, 08:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by VisionMan1

I've just accessed the service, it's only streamed at 1 - 2Mbps. So full screen viewing is just not an option at the moment. Still, it's a start, and using the small screen player looked OK. So not bad for free.

Interesting. I guess perception of video quality is a very personal factor. Of course, compression methods make all the difference, but I would have imagined something between 1000-2000kbps is around standard definition.

For me, that is usually acceptable for free services. I have been testing Crackle recently which streams at 480p (though I don't know their bandwidth to compare to your figures). Although not as good as HD in anyone's books, the quality for a free service is ok.

If I were paying though, I would expect HD without doubt, and keep in mind my TV is only a 40".

(Thanks Bigfoot87 for the link)

JasonWatkins · 12-02-2013, 08:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by killdeer

Well it won't work for me. When I enter my clubcard number it keeps asking me for my Privilege Card Number which I presume means for staff only.

Did you actually read the opening post ?

killdeer · 12-02-2013, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

Did you actually read the opening post ?

Did you actually read that it was edited at a later time?:

JasonWatkins · 12-02-2013, 09:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by killdeer

Did you actually read that it was edited at a later time?:

yes, i edited it about 10 minutes after i posted it. you posted fifteen hours later ..

killdeer · 12-02-2013, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

yes, i edited it about 10 minutes after i posted it. you posted fifteen hours later ..

If only everybody could be so observant as yourself.

noise747 · 13-02-2013, 00:49

I tried blinkbox a while back, i was not that impressed. i doubt very much If I will get a clubcard just to use it.
i only shop in Tescos once in a blue moon.

Deacon1972 · 13-02-2013, 09:48

I briefly saw an advert on TV last night advertising this, can't be that far away from public launch.

neo_wales · 13-02-2013, 11:38

Free? Jolly nice of them

chrisjm · 14-02-2013, 16:34

were deeply sorry that the film black beauty is not the theatrical one advertised but the romanian version which features a cow as the lead role.

1andrew1 · 14-02-2013, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjm

were deeply sorry that the film black beauty is not the theatrical one advertised but the romanian version which features a cow as the lead role.

Me too! What are they going to do with all those redundant horses, it's a nightmare!

TelevisionUser · 19-02-2013, 23:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Telegraph article here too http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...customers.html

Last year they removed all the free movies and series from Blinkbox, Blinkbox had used them to drive people to the site. Now the movies are being used as a loyalty tool for Tesco customers with Tesco marketing Blinkbox in its stores.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFoot87

I'll be checking this out, but I hope they release apps for the games consoles.

By the looks of comments on Gizmodo, its (currently) featuring older releases, but its nice to welcome another streaming service into the mix and as Tesco would say, "every little helps."

I assume this service, like Blinkbox now, will eventually be available on Windows PCs, Macs, laptops and netbooks, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, iPads and Android tablets and certain internet TVs.

Currently, this service is being tested in-house by Tesco employees as I understand things. If Blinkbox's free content is anything to go by, you'll get older films and series, more modern B movies and low budget indie movies. That said, that doesn't mean it's necessarily bad stuff because some of the free Blinkbox films were really quite good.

If the content is as good as Blinkbox's free stuff then it might very well be worth signing up to a Tesco Clubcard to get access to that free content (although I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more risque Blinkbox free stuff didn't find it's way on to Clubcard TV - family values and all that).

alcockell · 19-02-2013, 23:29

Considering that surely the client side would be the same as the old Blinkbox client - just repointed and reskinned..

TelevisionUser · 19-02-2013, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcockell

Considering that surely the client side would be the same as the old Blinkbox client - just repointed and reskinned..

No idea, alcockell, although I strongly suspect that the final version of the Clubcard TV website will contain quite a few links to the paid-for Blinkbox!

Anyway, the beta test site can be seen right here: http://www.clubcardtv.com/signup?ReturnUrl=%2f

11-02-2013, 17:19	#1
JasonWatkins Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 53,670	Tesco launch "Clubcard TV" - Free Streaming Service to rival Netflix & Lovefilm http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/tes...lm-and-now-tv/ Quote: The service is basically run by Blinkbox, which Tesco bought a controlling 80-per-cent stake in, and has both movies and TV shows up for grabs. Highlights include Batman and Superman films, and British sitcoms like Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps. And here it is - i've tried to sign up with my Clubcard but it isn't working - it's in beta but you can apparently sign up. http://www.clubcardtv.com/signup?ReturnUrl=%2f #edit Just found out that Gizmodo jumped the gun a bit - the service is only available to Tesco Staff Members at the moment and they plan to fully launch in "Spring 2013"

11-02-2013, 17:37	#2
1andrew1 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3,981	Telegraph article here too http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...customers.html Last year they removed all the free movies and series from Blinkbox, Blinkbox had used them to drive people to the site. Now the movies are being used as a loyalty tool for Tesco customers with Tesco marketing Blinkbox in its stores.

11-02-2013, 17:55	#3
ovbg Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 1,348	I find this interesting. How does one acquire a Tesco club card? Is this the same card they always try to pawn on me when I get back to the UK? I am wondering how it will compare with Crackle, which is not actually too bad for a free service. www.eyeondemand.com

11-02-2013, 18:12	#4
BigFoot87 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7,257	I'll be checking this out, but I hope they release apps for the games consoles. By the looks of comments on Gizmodo, its (currently) featuring older releases, but its nice to welcome another streaming service into the mix and as Tesco would say, "every little helps."

11-02-2013, 18:13	#5
BigFoot87 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7,257	Quote: Originally Posted by ovbg I find this interesting. How does one acquire a Tesco club card? Sign up online: http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/clubcard/register.asp

11-02-2013, 23:01	#6
kingdave Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,314	I'm sure I read that when Blinkbox launched, if you bought a DVD/BluRay either instore or online and used your Clubcard when buying you would automatically get a digital version of said DVD/BluRay added to your Blinkbox "wallet". Have I imagined this, or is it something the do/used to do?

11-02-2013, 23:27	#7
1andrew1 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3,981	Quote: Originally Posted by kingdave I'm sure I read that when Blinkbox launched, if you bought a DVD/BluRay either instore or online and used your Clubcard when buying you would automatically get a digital version of said DVD/BluRay added to your Blinkbox "wallet". Have I imagined this, or is it something the do/used to do? They still do it - it wasn't available when Blinkbox launched in 2006 as Tesco only acquired its 80% stake in Blinkbox in 2011. http://www.tesco.com/direct/blinkbox/

11-02-2013, 23:48	#8
scruffpot Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,342	is the lip sync slightly out with the video on their site on the advert on the main page? Seems an interesting venture, however, when you have tonnes of free streaming sites that have links to lots and lots and lots of online video such as 1channel etc, I do wonder how certain companies in the pay to view streaming market will fair in the long run. But I do understand the pay to view do have generally better quality and you don't have to search through different links to find ones that work.

11-02-2013, 23:53	#9
JasonWatkins Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 53,670	I think "Clubcard TV" [i]could[i] work if they can incorporate it into the existing BlinkBox service somehow. There are plenty of bits of hardware that have the service ready to go - my BluRay player has it - so if they can do that, I suspect more people would be willing to try it over a paid alternative.

12-02-2013, 00:24	#10
weirlandia4eva Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,153	I am a Tesco employee and have tried the service. The selection on there at the moment isn't huge but hopefully will grow as the service expands. The big plus for me was the minimal ads. not too many(think about 3 breaks during a film) and only lasted for about a minute each break.

12-02-2013, 00:30	#11
VisionMan1 Inactive Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 2,107	I've just accessed the service, it's only streamed at 1 - 2Mbps. So full screen viewing is just not an option at the moment. Still, it's a start, and using the small screen player looked OK. So not bad for free.

12-02-2013, 08:19	#12
killdeer Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: West Lancs. Posts: 90	Well it won't work for me. When I enter my clubcard number it keeps asking me for my Privilege Card Number which I presume means for staff only.

12-02-2013, 08:30	#13
ovbg Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 1,348	Quote: Originally Posted by VisionMan1 I've just accessed the service, it's only streamed at 1 - 2Mbps. So full screen viewing is just not an option at the moment. Still, it's a start, and using the small screen player looked OK. So not bad for free. Interesting. I guess perception of video quality is a very personal factor. Of course, compression methods make all the difference, but I would have imagined something between 1000-2000kbps is around standard definition. For me, that is usually acceptable for free services. I have been testing Crackle recently which streams at 480p (though I don't know their bandwidth to compare to your figures). Although not as good as HD in anyone's books, the quality for a free service is ok. If I were paying though, I would expect HD without doubt, and keep in mind my TV is only a 40". (Thanks Bigfoot87 for the link)

12-02-2013, 08:31	#14
JasonWatkins Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 53,670	Quote: Originally Posted by killdeer Well it won't work for me. When I enter my clubcard number it keeps asking me for my Privilege Card Number which I presume means for staff only. Did you actually read the opening post ?

12-02-2013, 09:10	#15
killdeer Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: West Lancs. Posts: 90	Quote: Originally Posted by JasonWatkins Did you actually read the opening post ? Did you actually read that it was edited at a later time?:

12-02-2013, 09:34	#16
JasonWatkins Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 53,670	Quote: Originally Posted by killdeer Did you actually read that it was edited at a later time?: yes, i edited it about 10 minutes after i posted it. you posted fifteen hours later ..

12-02-2013, 09:58	#17
killdeer Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: West Lancs. Posts: 90	Quote: Originally Posted by JasonWatkins yes, i edited it about 10 minutes after i posted it. you posted fifteen hours later .. If only everybody could be so observant as yourself.

13-02-2013, 00:49	#18
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	I tried blinkbox a while back, i was not that impressed. i doubt very much If I will get a clubcard just to use it. i only shop in Tescos once in a blue moon.

13-02-2013, 09:48	#19
Deacon1972 Guest Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 8,103	I briefly saw an advert on TV last night advertising this, can't be that far away from public launch.

13-02-2013, 11:38	#20
neo_wales Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria Posts: 8,298	Free? Jolly nice of them

14-02-2013, 16:34	#21
chrisjm Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Outer london Posts: 1,189	were deeply sorry that the film black beauty is not the theatrical one advertised but the romanian version which features a cow as the lead role.

DS Forums

Tesco launch "Clubcard TV" - Free Streaming Service to rival Netflix & Lovefilm

14-02-2013, 16:52	#22
1andrew1 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3,981	Quote: Originally Posted by chrisjm were deeply sorry that the film black beauty is not the theatrical one advertised but the romanian version which features a cow as the lead role. Me too! What are they going to do with all those redundant horses, it's a nightmare!

19-02-2013, 23:25	#23
TelevisionUser Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Storbritannia Posts: 28,930	Quote: Originally Posted by 1andrew1 Telegraph article here too http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...customers.html Last year they removed all the free movies and series from Blinkbox, Blinkbox had used them to drive people to the site. Now the movies are being used as a loyalty tool for Tesco customers with Tesco marketing Blinkbox in its stores. Quote: Originally Posted by BigFoot87 I'll be checking this out, but I hope they release apps for the games consoles. By the looks of comments on Gizmodo, its (currently) featuring older releases, but its nice to welcome another streaming service into the mix and as Tesco would say, "every little helps." I assume this service, like Blinkbox now, will eventually be available on Windows PCs, Macs, laptops and netbooks, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, iPads and Android tablets and certain internet TVs. Currently, this service is being tested in-house by Tesco employees as I understand things. If Blinkbox's free content is anything to go by, you'll get older films and series, more modern B movies and low budget indie movies. That said, that doesn't mean it's necessarily bad stuff because some of the free Blinkbox films were really quite good. If the content is as good as Blinkbox's free stuff then it might very well be worth signing up to a Tesco Clubcard to get access to that free content (although I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more risque Blinkbox free stuff didn't find it's way on to Clubcard TV - family values and all that).

19-02-2013, 23:29	#24
alcockell Forum Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Reading, UK Posts: 23,357	Considering that surely the client side would be the same as the old Blinkbox client - just repointed and reskinned..

19-02-2013, 23:51	#25
TelevisionUser Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Storbritannia Posts: 28,930	Quote: Originally Posted by alcockell Considering that surely the client side would be the same as the old Blinkbox client - just repointed and reskinned.. No idea, alcockell, although I strongly suspect that the final version of the Clubcard TV website will contain quite a few links to the paid-for Blinkbox! Anyway, the beta test site can be seen right here: http://www.clubcardtv.com/signup?ReturnUrl=%2f