TCM and Criterion to Offer Streaming Service, FilmStruck

It's not even in Canada and we are right next door! It's not like they have to send it to tomorrow as in going to Australia

 

I like my Hulu, might sign up for this if there's worthwhile stuff on it. I'd rather just get the DVD or Blu-ray to be honest though. People like me who still buy physical media are becoming a rare breed.

 

The good news is that as a result prices for used CDs, cd box sets, dvds and Blu-rays are lower than ever.

 

I'm not talking about full reviews, just star ratings like Netflix has, so it can start to learn what I like and dislike.

 

I've been really enjoying this channel, and I recommend it to any film buff, or uff-wannabe!

The Charles Chaplin collection is amazing, but I did not buy the Keystone collection due to it only being available on DVDs, and not blu-ray, and is very expensive.

Now, I'm finally able to sift through those 36 films that led to so much cinematic history at a fraction of the cost!

Next, John Ford in the 30's!, Yippee!

(One niggle - If only the iPad app worked properly!)

 

I wish they would get the Roku app going. Has there been anymore about when that may be?

 

This is what I'm waiting for on as well.

 

Well , they just got Chromecast support in the last couple of weeks, so I would imagine Roku won't be far behind (their website had both listed as early 2017)

Now that they have support for Chromecast, I signed up. I haven't watched much yet, just spent some time building up a watch list. I like all the supplements they have, too. I knew that was going to be a part of it, but I didn't expect as much as each movie seems to have.

 

Me too

 

Me three, although we do have an old Sony streamer laying around, and I'm waiting for deliver on a new disc player that may/may not have it. Last time I checked, my wife's Samsung so-called "Smart TV" did not have it.

 

That's up to the developer of the app, though, not Samsung. I did ask them about Samsung Smart TV a few months back as I have one myself and they said it was in the works, hopefully for sometime this year.

 

I have TCM on my cable, but they're showing precious few Criterion titles.

EDIT: I think I'm beginning to experience withdrawal symptoms.

 

I think the Criterion deal is merely for streaming and that any titles you are seeing on TCM on cable are merely ones that TCM had rights to in the first place. Filmstruck has PLENTY of Criterion titles (though not nearly all of them).

 

I wish TCM would get a Roku channel. It's ridiculous that they've had the Watch TCM app available for iOS and Android for several years, but no Roku channel. Unlike other premium cable channels, TCM's programming isn't available on demand except through the Watch TCM app/website, and I'm not going to screw around with my laptop and an HDMI cable every time I want to watch on-demand TCM content on my TV.

 

Spectrum (formerly Time-Warner Cable) had TCM on demand, but the selection is VERY meager, usually less than a couple dozen titles, and they're always in SD.

They had a better selection and a liberal sprinkling of HD some years back; maybe they relegated their OD to "step-child" status when they brought out Watch TCM.

 

I have Comcast/Xfinity, and I don't think they've ever had TCM on demand.

The limited selection available on Spectrum probably mirrors what's available on Watch TCM, which is generally limited to films that have aired on TCM within the past week (everything on there has an "available until" notation with the roll-off date). Even that's not 100% guaranteed, as I recall at least a couple of times I kept waiting for films that had just aired on TCM to appear on Watch TCM afterward, but they never showed up.

 

I own about 30 criterions, bought and sold another 20, and used Netflix discs and TCM on the DVr to watch a bunch more. I signed up for the free trial this weekend.

Frustrations
1. It's not an app on my Samsung smart tv
2. It works on new Apple tvs, but not the version I have.
3. I have an old iPad, we have an adapter that can go to hdmi. But streaming from the iPad app is not supported to push to the tv
4. So the best I can do is airplay to the Apple TV to my tv. No great control over the screen settings since between the computer to the Apple TV, color stuff looks bleh. And doing air play is definitely a bit digitally blocky in dark stuff. AND if I airplay from my laptop, I have to cover the laptop so it doesn't distract me from the tv

So I was able to watch and enjoy Elevator to the Gallows, but not sure I'll keep it past the two weeks for now. It really should be easier to get it on my tv at least with the smart tv.

Also - of course the first movie I could think of I wanted to check out, ride the pink horse, wasn't available!

 

Update - I figured out how to airplay it from the app on my iPhone in a little better quality. I'll try it out more this week to see if that'll be worth keeping it

 

Those using Filmstruck, is the Criterion library basically the same as it was when Criterion titles were available on Hulu? Or does it have additional content?

 

I can't find an inventory of Criterion titles in the app or online and I don't know what Hulu had. One can pull all the titles in the app but it doesn't have a count or a list of titles. You just scroll down the page to view title and cover photo/link.

The app has Filmstruck titles and Criterion and search capability. It notifies of new titles added and new programming themes on the opening page.

 

I didn't use Hulu but many criterions have the extras, commentary, trailer etc. I checked a few against the blu rays I have, like ace in the hole. Filmstruck has thenjnterview with Billy wilder, interview with Kirk Douglas, after word with spike lee, hr doc on the film, etc. and I just watched elevator to the gallows, an older DVD only criterion, and filmstruck had the a bunch of extras, two trailers, two pieces in miles davis' soundtrack...

 

Aside for extra extras, Filmstruck seems to have more of the recent films that already have existing releases online, such as Mulholland Dr., than Hulu did.

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

Man, just save yourself some trouble and buy the current Apple TV. It's not that expensive.

 

They're $150! For that, I'll just buy 7 more criterion blu Rays.

The phone app sent to tv via airplay seems to be doing much better than my other attempts. I watched Otis Redding at Monterrey and one of the Scorcese on film things tonight with no issues

 

Joined and am really digging it. The Apple TV app is quite nice (although at first a little counterintuitive) and in 30 minutes I had 40 items on my watch list!