Starz looks to expand to PCs, video players

Service will allow people to download movies from the Net and watch them on PCs, portable video players and TV sets.
The New York Times

The story "Starz looks to expand to PCs, video players" published January 2, 2006 at 7:45 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from The New York Times expires after 7 days.

[grantlairdjr]

vongo.com down?

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.Vongo.com" target="_newWindow">http://www.Vongo.com</a> down??

[lcepuran]

Video Quality

I was disapointed in the video quality of demo on the Vongo web site. Probably OK for a laptop in a plane, but I'm interested in this for my living room. I'd gladly pay for service like this if the video quality were comparable to DVD. I'm waiting to ditch Netflix, but no one seems interested in providing a high quality video download service.

[open-mind]

Agree Completely.

Almost every PC owner with broadband is a potential high-def pay-per-title video customer just waiting to be sold.

Next week, I hope Apple announces higher quality (better than 320x240) downloads, even if no iPods support that yet.

[zipdiito]

Video quality

I believed to have a DVD quality download service would be a way to go but I think it would be a huge in size, spaces and downloading time. I think Vongo and Starz is in the right direction, but they should looking at a way to support ipod as well, maybe Apple should work with Starz on their problems with the DRM issue. I'm currently using NetFlix and MovieLink but getting tired of their BS and ready to give Vongo a try.

[imric1]

Idiots.

Even their website specifies 'PC only' - meaning 'Latest Windows Based PC Only'. It's completely specific to Windows, using specific browsers - and if you don't have the browser they want, it insults you to try and force you to 'upgrade'.

It's a pity, really. They lost a customer before they even tried.

So much for Starz!

[rcrusoe]

Starz off to a bad start

Based on the sample I saw on their website Starz will be offering
low quality downloads. Add that to their Windows only technology
which will not play on the newest iPods (aka the most popular and
successful player in the world) and you have a lose lose situation.

I wonder how many $ millions (billions) are going to be wasted by
companies hitching their wagons to Microsoft's descending star?

[open-mind]

Now I see why they call it "Starz".

That's what they will be seeing after iTMS knocks them out.

;-)

[Wizard Prang]

Paying for it twice?

I wonder if existing Starz! subscribers will be able to download those shows free... I doubt it.

It disturbs me that the media corporations are looking to download technology as a way to make more money by selling the same content again and again.

I can already download content from my TiVo and play it back on PC or PDA, quite legally - without paying them one extra cent... and that is how it should be.

[paulsecic]

Pay

I'm not falling for this. Media companies are greedy.

[heystoopid]

Hmmm, Questions?

Hmm, the Vongo site is also not only browser specific, but also IP address sensitive as well, in that it automatically rejects non North American IP addresses!

Further, after the SONY BMG deliberate cyber terrorism trojan rootkit fiasco from '05 , that by being allowed to show SONY Columbia movies, what sneaky hidden evil rootkit DRM , does this software not covered in the EULA hide?

Oh well, since a fair majority of the newer SONY movies are fairly lame box office dogs,or poor remakes of older classic movies, looks like vongo is a good place to avoid for the poor library choices on offer!

[Earl Benser]

So far, Vongo is guaranteed loser.

1. It is PC only, which could be ignored if one of my PC's can
capture movies for my Mac's.

2. Despite saying that Firefox, and other browsers are
acceptable, is actually is IE only, which is the hallmark of a
technically incompetent web site. (or the mark of a business
opportunity that MS is influencing from behind the curtains).

So a nice idea in the board room becomes a less-thatn-
awesome concept on the web. Maybe Starz can get things
straightened out, but I don't how much control Starz has over
the technical aspects. MS may have them locked into the IE
bowser usage. There may be plenty of potential customers who
still use IE, tho there are none among my friends and
acquaintances.

Starz does say that Vongo is coming for the Mac, and that
should mean no IE requirement, since there is no IE for the Mac.
We'll see, In the meantime, Bittorrent anyone???

[Earl Benser]

Update....

... I just finished reading all the rest of the info supplied by Vongo
and as of now, I suddenly have no interest in the 'service' they
offer. O well, it sounded good for a while.....

[just_wally]

Not even MSIE compatible

It was a surprise to see a Vongo.com advert on the tube, then head over there only to be told I suffered "OS failure." It didn't catch on that I wasn't evne a Mac user. From there, I couldn't even access a "What is Vongo?" link. Very, very odd.

I normally use Mozilla [Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050920].

I tried Firefox [Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20051207 Firefox/1.0.7 (Debian package 1.x.1.0.7-8)].

I use Flash 7 for Linux, and it doesn't like that.

So, I used my copy of MSIE 6.0.2800.1106 running under WINE, and still got the "OS failure," but this time it hinted something (not clear) about Windows 98.

Ok, so what is Vongo, again?

[oneguyinfl]

I personally think this is an awesome Idea, and am looking forward to it.

IMO I think this is a great Idea. I can run a spare rca off my vid card to the tv, and another audio line to my home reciever. But the way to go is to go ahead and get that xbox 360 with built in mc extender and play movies wirelessly. I hate giving all my money to one guy, but damn he gets it right(just usually its a bit buggy). pros..I can instantly dl movies instead of waiting a couple days to recieve them. I dont have to jump online to switch selections as I instantly get the movies from vongo. Also, I can save them and format them into my psp. Its cheaper than the competitors(netflix, etc.) with no limitations.
Cons Maybe? I was pleased once I maximized ms media player with the demo on their website, but will the reg videos also be as good of quality and stream as fast? How much will the PPVs cost? and what kind of selection will there be?

[oneguyinfl]

UPDATE..

OK Ive spoken with customer support and even tho they are in partnership with both microsoft, and sony. Their product will not be playable either on a psp or via a extender or xbox 360. They say it only plays over portable media players using v2.0 of Microsoft PMC. Sucks, but I still think its a great idea. I also asked if it will have digital quality sound, and I got a general c&#38;p response of different video options to wire it to your tv?? *** was that? O well when I hear back about IF it has digital audio(movies just arent the same when their not in dolby 5.1) I will try it, and hopefully give a review.

[twallclimber]

Closed Captions or Subtitles ?

because i am hearing impaired, does it offer any movie with closed captions or subtitles ?

[208774626618253979477959487856]

Message has been deleted.

[WarEagleOne]

Vongo Customer Service Not Customer Friendly

Thought that Vongo was a great idea and would be alot better than Netflix. Downloaded the software after seeing their ad on TV, went to register, got all the way to step 7 of an 8 step process and could not procede any further because it told me my credit card info was not valid, but I find it strange that pending authurization charges appeared on my card statment! For my card not to be "valid" they sure tried hard to get money from my account, 43 times they tried! Which caused my bank's computers to put a hold on my card, thank goodness, because it appeared that Vongo was attempting to clean out my account. I have tried to make contact with Vongo 5 times, 3 of which I had NO response and the 2 times I did hear from them was no good either. Was on the phone with them for over an hour and was told repeatly that there had to be a problem with my card, that their system was working properly, hence the 43 attempted charges and the second contact I was told to login to my account make any necessary changes there, which if I could have created an account in the first place I would not have had these problems! STAY AWAY FROM VONGO!!!!!!!

[wogly]

thanks for the heads up

thanks for your coment i was about to try vongo but ill wate for better reviews wouldnt like it if a web site tried to get me the way they tried to get you

[ajhksc]

question

does anyone know how to call them the #? they charged em four time for one month,

[ajhksc]

question

does anyone know how to call them the #? they charged em four time for one month,