CraveTV now available to everyone for $7.99/month (1 month free)

[gottabekd]

https://www.cravetv.ca/subscribe/

Good to have some competition. Could be interesting as Netflix, Shomi, CraveTV battle it out for viewers. One thing holding me back is that Shomi and CraveTV don't yet support Roku.

[Coach]

It's nice to have competition, but at this point, to me it feels like the competition for MP3 players. Sure, there are options other than iPods, and many of them are likely better, but iPod is synonymous with MP3 player now. You don;t want a new "music player" you want a new iPod.

Same goes for Netflix. they hit the market first, and now it's all people know. Sample sentence:

"Did you catch that new show on CraveTV?"

"What's CraveTV?"

"It's like Netflix, but not."

[OutOfTheCube]

Are they on any useful gaming platforms? I wanted to check out Shomi back when they went national but the only console they were on was Xbox 360. It's not 2008 anymore folks.

[gottabekd]

The best I could figure out from their terrible web site is that CraveTV is available on Chromecast, Apple TV, Android, iOS, web browsers, some Samsung smart devices, and some satellite set top boxes.

Shomi is on most of those, plus Xbox 360 and PS3. Though Shomi promises support for Xbox One and PS4 this month.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

The best I could figure out from their terrible web site is that CraveTV is available on Chromecast, Apple TV, Android, iOS, web browsers, some Samsung smart devices, and some satellite set top boxes.

Shomi is on most of those, plus Xbox 360 and PS3. Though Shomi promises support for Xbox One and PS4 this month.

Shomi was horrendous for Chomecast, just laggy and buggy as crap.

[corporatejay]

They have the HBO back catalogue. Will subscribe for sure!

[CliffFletcher]

If you're only going to get one subscription service, Netflix is it. But there's enough quality content on Shomi for me to justify a second subscription. CraveTV looks like it has less content than Shomi, but it does have the complete HBO library. So I guess the question is how much is it worth to you to watch every episode of the Sopranos, the Wire, Rome, etc.

[Hockey Fan #751]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

If you're only going to get one subscription service, Netflix is it. But there's enough quality content on Shomi for me to justify a second subscription. CraveTV looks like it has less content than Shomi, but it does have the complete HBO library. So I guess the question is how much is it worth to you to watch every episode of the Sopranos, the Wire, Rome, etc.

Does Shomi or Netflix have Seinfeld? That would be enticing too.

[Coach]

I think US Netlix had Seinfeld. I remember seeing it there at one point, but not sure what country I was using then.

[Yamer]

I've had CraveTV on my Telus Optik package for about a year or so. It works quite well through the set top box, but the navigation is horrendous. It also doesn't track what you have or haven't watched, so if you're into a series you have to remember the season and episode you're on.

Streaming is abysmal, either through a browser or app, even on a decent home network.

That said, I do like their library selection. They have everything Monty Python, Star Trek, and HBO. Powered through Flying Circus and Rome, working my way through Six Feet Under and The Wire.

At $4 in my cable package it is worth it. Given the platform and services available right now it is not worth $8 as a stand-alone product, IMO.

[MrCallahan]

The whole Seinfeld series is on Hulu, which works if you use Unblockus

[Chump]

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

Does Shomi or Netflix have Seinfeld? That would be enticing too.

Crave has Seinfeld.

[Red Ice Player]

I just signed up for my free month, then started watching using the CraveTV app on my Smart TV. Compared to Netflix, the sound is garbage. No Dolby Digital on anything I've found, just very mediocre stereo, even on all the HBO stuff. It looks like a third rate service for Canadians, and I'm pretty sure I'll be cancelling once my month is up.

[btimbit]

Couldn't even start my free trial, tries to tell me I'm missing a field when entering my credit card, even though nothing is marked missing and everything is filled out completely. With both my mastercard and my visa debit.

[gottabekd]

Originally Posted by Red Ice Player

I just signed up for my free month, then started watching using the CraveTV app on my Smart TV. Compared to Netflix, the sound is garbage. No Dolby Digital on anything I've found, just very mediocre stereo, even on all the HBO stuff. It looks like a third rate service for Canadians, and I'm pretty sure I'll be cancelling once my month is up.

Interesting, thanks for sharing. Based on what I've seen, I'd be wary of any integrated "smart" device apps. Roku or Apple TV 100‰. Has anyone tried CraveTV on an Apple TV? I may have to bite the bullet and try it myself (though Apple TV is currently in US mode... Ahem). Though there isn't a ton of stuff on CraveTV, definitely some food content that can't be found on Netflix.

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

Interesting, thanks for sharing. Based on what I've seen, I'd be wary of any integrated "smart" device apps. Roku or Apple TV 100‰. Has anyone tried CraveTV on an Apple TV? I may have to bite the bullet and try it myself (though Apple TV is currently in US mode... Ahem). Though there isn't a ton of stuff on CraveTV, definitely some food content that can't be found on Netflix.

I'm using it on Appletv right now and through sasktel, seems very much the same as Netflix through appletv, only annoyances is they don't mark episodes as played, and while it does automatically go to next episode if you press back it goes all the way back to episode 1 every time. Add to that it doesn't save or remember if I watch something on the sasktel box, it's almost like 2 separate subscriptions.

[Machiavelli]

Sounds like garbage