Google preps YouTube movie service 'for UK'

Google is reportedly planning to launch an unlimited movie subscription service in the UK. The company is still searching for ways to make money out of its online video-sharing website YouTube, which – despite various content deals with big name record companies – remains something of a pet project at Mountain View. According …

[Anonymous Coward]

Good luck to them

Someone needs to get subscription movie streaming working well in the UK. LOVEFiLM's offering certainly isn't up to the job.

[ttuk]

care to elaborate

I've had half a mind to sign up, (on demand is useful, in the post is not I have no idea what movie I'll feel like watching in a few days time) but worried about performance..

What's wrong, just buffering etc??

I have a 20mbps O2 connection although my actual speeds are more like 12 or 13 mbps usually.

Iplayer, ITV player and so on usually work ok, although can stutter sometimes at peak evening time and if I have bittorrent or whatever hogging my connection

[lpopman]

titular informative

The streaming on LoveFilm.com isn't too bad, no buffering or stutters here and I'm on Sky at 4mbs (Yeah, my local loop is pretty crappy here). The only niggle I have is that the movies are encoded at a bitrate of 800k.

[SminkyBazzA]

BlinkBox

BlinkBox has worked very well for me over the past few months. It's not a subscription service, but they do streaming and download, rental and purchase (though not all combinations for all movies).

[Anonymous Coward]

Bitrate is a bit too low

It looks yucky. Especially on a proper TV.

[M Gale]

But will I be able to pay for it?

What with having a Maestro card.

Other than that, good show. El Goog certainly have the bandwidth available.

[Captain Scarlet]

Hurray pixelated movieage

Can't stand streaming, since I'm stuck on 2.5mb

[Vladimir Plouzhnikov]

I could never understand

How people buy big 1080p flat screens and then seem to be prepared to pay to watch pixelated, macroblocked, colour-banded, low-contrast, re-fpsed pictures on it.

OK, I can understand an occasional machinima/indie/hobbie/curiosity clip but paid-for VOD from teh internets?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll help you understand

They don't care and just enjoy the film and don't spend 2hours analysing the pixel size or farting about with the remote trying to get "the colour balance correct". Movie spoiling wankers.

[Vladimir Plouzhnikov]

Oh, a film lover

Wanna buy my VHS collection? I can scratch the tapes for you, for better enjoyment...

[Tony Barnes]

Could be good

Routinely watch 1080p files on Youtube, quality is usually great, and no buffering issues at all on a 20meg line. Would be good to get films, so long as cheap, otherwise will continue getting by other methods...

[Anonymous Coward]

title etc

"Google is understood to have set aside $100m for deals with Hollywood studios and other content providers to get such a service off the ground."

And how much will they be paying the ISPs of this fine nation to increase our bandwidth and "fair usage" allowances so that we can take advantage of this fantastical offer?

[David 164]

I have not yet retrieve a complaint.

zero, I have yet to retrieve a single complaint about my usage on Virgin broadband network, which regularly goes over 50GB a month if not way more.

[Anonymous Coward]

Google prepping YouTube movie service for UK, says report

who cares just torrent it

[Wild Bill]

Happy not to torrent

So long as the price is right. I like to support content providers who make content I like. However at the moment I torrent, then buy on dvd (once the price has come down to a reasonable level) if I really like it.

The problem with the current VOD systems is that they charge more than a physical copy, and that price never drops. It's barmy. Do they want me to buy their content or steal it? If they didn't take the piss then I wouldn't either.

[Bill Cumming]

Currently Using Amazon Prime Video Streaming...

It works fine under Linux (flash player)

If Google does not stick the videos in annoying restricted DRM's (i.e. Require a specific player in mac and Win only) I'll be tempted to join.

But with the Free Streaming I've got with Amazon at the moment it's gotta have a bigger (or better) selection for me to be tempted to switch...

Mines the one with the US Amazon Prime account code in the pocket...

[ad47uk]

Google getting my bank details, no way

There is no way on this earth that I am going to give Google my bank details for any of their product.