Channel 4's new video on demand service 4oD is now live - you can download the application here and start browsing the archive for free: www.channel4.com/4od
There are shows from the last 20 years of Channel 4, plus a 30 day catch up service for programmes you've recently missed.
But if you'd like to pay 99p to rent a programme that you can only watch on one computer over 2 days, and only when online, can only view from a TV by connecting via the computer, is VHS quality, and can't burn to a DVD, then go for it.
Alternatively set your PVR/VHS/DVD recorder to record the broadcast version for free, keep it forever and transfer and re-encode to any device.
Yes, folks. Welcome to the future where the content providers / broadcasters tell YOU where to watch, what to watch, when to watch it, how much you'll be paying for it, and you'll ruddy well like it.
Stick to TV. The broadcasters haven't yet been beaten around the heads with clue-sticks enough yet.
Well i think a lot of you are missing the point about the whole service and that usability, quality and price are the most important and not the DRM systems.
I use the 4OD system for what it was intended for - watching an interesting back catalogue of films, documentaries and comedys on my laptop at home. The most important feature for me is that I can watch it "on demand" as, lets face it, at any given moment there crap all on the TV. And since its on my laptop i can watch it in the kitchen, living room or in bed.
Now I just download a film in less than 20m, which is perfect quality to watch on my 17" laptop in my living room with friends. Experience is similar to watching on a standard TV.
Now i paid £1.99 which is way cheaper than renting from a shop or buying the DVD, I can watch it anytime within a month (no late fees) and if i fall asleep i can rewind it and watch it again anytime in the next two days (better than TV plus no advert breaks every 10 minutes).
I ABSOLUTELY do not care if this thing is locked down with DRM because once i watch it frankly i don't want to watch it again. If its that bloody amazing I'll buy the DVD. Its like complaining the video rental shop uses dracanion DRM by making you physically return the film after you watch it!!!
More importantly i couldn't care less if its Microsoft DRM or something else - frankly Apples Itunes DRM is more draconian than anything else (why i use eMusic) so its not just the evil empire even warm cuddly companies like Apple are utilising these systems.
I think 4OD is a very well designed (from usability perspective) service, with attractive price points compared to other "rental" services and serious more convenient than watching TV, even with a PVR (which I have and which doesn't come preloaded with a catalogue of shows and films like the 4OD services has).
So think less like a tech-focused DRM hating Microsoft revolutionary and start thinking more like a standard consumer.
£2 to rent a digital film for 2 days? thats poor. things like LOVEFILM and other dvd rentals offer unlimited films for as little as £7 a month.
The interface is good, the search facilites are easy and clear, the catalogue of content is very impressive... however, the DRM is not good, the relatively low quality of video is not good, the auto start is not good, the Kontiki programs are not good, the KService.exe being open no matter if 4OD is open or not is not good. etc etc etc.
the bads easily out weigh the goods.
Im not just saying this because i dont like channel 4, channel 4 is one of my favourite stations, however this 4OD venture has far from impressed me.
I'll be keeping 4OD for another 2 days, just to see what happens to my files when they expire, then 4OD will be uninstalled.
i like it. as an instant gratification person i like things being on demand. but after ive watched all the ugly bettys ive missed i probably wont use it again. too expensive.
i cant seem to create new discussion so ill ask here.
as i dont see any reason why i should fork out more money to watch a repeat of my fav show, i was hoping somebody could tell me when jamies chef eps will repeat on sky? i ask becuase my family have been trying to record the eps for me but they mess up each time so we bought a new recorder. please email me if you know cheers
The Veiwers Enquiries might be the best road to go down to find out ya answers (Matthew 26)
I dont think I'l bother getting 4od after what u all say bout it, For one thing, Im a tight bitch. And I defo dont agree to having to pay for it. How much ius the TVLicence these days? Sorry? 3!36 per year! Oh. That should b well enough to stop them charging again to see the same old stuff again, shouldnt it|? Well youd think so.... but obviously not!!
S'OK dont get mad.... I object strongly to having to pay for ruddy car parking everywhere I go, too, particularly as I pay RoadTax, Insurance, petrol, MOT, tyres and oil, Oh Im just so damned fed up of it. The 'topknobs' seem to think we all have bottomless pockets filled with coinage just ready to lay out in frot of them...Bar stewards = = here's my drift... CATCH IT! Well Done! Have a nice day!
well good to know us apple users who are being discriminated against aren't missing to much!
♥•·.·´*`·.·•♥•·.·´*`·.·♥•·.·´*`·.·•♥Kenner Blythe, Newt & Co...... ♥•·.·´*`·.·• ♥•·.·´*`·.·•♥•·.·´*`·.·• ♥ "Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes"
Yes, why not get 4od then when they introduce an upload and everyines systems start to fail you realise you have a program that will not remove from you pc. You can also guarantee that 4od dont even care about its customers as they never reply to any emails or error reports! How great they are!
Is this likely to ever be available for MACs? I'm all over the place with uni work, so don't necessarily get to watch shows on the day they're shown...
- I don't hate you, I just like you in a negative way -
channel 4 don' get any money from the licence fee, that all goes to the bbc. The only thing the licence fee payed for on the channel 4 side of things was their digital switchover.
4OD is great... when you can get it to work... for weeks now theyve had a corrupt .exe file as the main download to get it on your PC and ive tried it on two different PC's and re-formatted mine and tried again, still nothing, i wanna know if everyone else is having such bad problems with it at the moment, as i did have it before and it managed to block me out of my own account!
The only true knowlege, is knowing, you know nothing...
Are you getting any error messages when installing 4oD? Our Help page http://help.channel4.com will contain everything you need to know. If you have installed and your account is Blocked, you need to contact Customer support to have this unlocked and your password reset Contact Us
Originally posted by loopyloonytoons: The Veiwers Enquiries might be the best road to go down to find out ya answers (Matthew 26)
I dont think I'l bother getting 4od after what u all say bout it, For one thing, Im a tight bitch. And I defo dont agree to having to pay for it. How much ius the TVLicence these days? Sorry? 3!36 per year! Oh. That should b well enough to stop them charging again to see the same old stuff again, shouldnt it|? Well youd think so.... but obviously not!!
S'OK dont get mad.... I object strongly to having to pay for ruddy car parking everywhere I go, too, particularly as I pay RoadTax, Insurance, petrol, MOT, tyres and oil, Oh Im just so damned fed up of it. The 'topknobs' seem to think we all have bottomless pockets filled with coinage just ready to lay out in frot of them...Bar stewards = = here's my drift... CATCH IT! Well Done! Have a nice day!
TV license is for BBC programming and not channel 4. Hence Channel 4 having advertising.
