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CraveTV streaming service

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#1 · (Edited)
Please use this thread to discuss the CraveTV video streaming service, which is now available to all Canadians. The previous thread in the TV Providers forum discussing the initial launch through Bell and some other TV providers is now closed to new comments, but is still available for viewing.
Bell Media Launches CraveTV Streaming Service

CraveTV is available through some TV providers or directly from CraveTV. The direct price is higher at $7.99 a month with a 1 month free trial.

Useful Links:
Web site: http://www.cravetv.ca/
FAQ: http://help.cravetv.ca/
EDIT: The FAQ has now been updated.
 
#145 ·
After some testing, the best video quality for cravetv on a pc will be the app for Windows 10, the video is definitively more clear when using the app than a browser (Edge or Chrome). It's using around twice more bandwidth too. I guess it will do the trick until (if?) they release an app for my roku tv.
 
#148 ·
@MrFreeze thanks for the graphs. It looks like your average bandwidth usage is about 2.5 for the browser and somewhere around 6 or 6.5 for the app, which corresponds to my other info. It definitely reinforces the idea that the app is the best way to go for a PC and should be pretty close to Apple TV or a set-top box like Bell or Telus.

It's not surprising that Netflix's content looks a little better. I've read some of their technical blogs and they have a team of researchers doing leading-edge analysis of their entire content library to fine-tune their proprietary compression algorithms to minimize bandwidth usage and provide a good-looking picture with a wide variety of input streams. That makes sense considering that they account for over a third of all internet download traffic in North America.
 
#149 ·
CraveTV Kicks Off the New Year

CraveTV Kicks Off the New Year with Iconic SHOWTIME Series DEXTER, CraveTV Original OUTSIDERS, Heart-Stopping Drama UNDERGROUND, CTV’s New Chilling Drama CARDINAL, Discovery’s FRONTIER, Documentary THE BEATLES: 8 DAYS A WEEK – THE TOURING YEARS, and the Season Finale of THE AFFAIR

All 8 seasons and 96 episodes of SHOWTIME hit series DEXTER begins streaming Sunday, Jan. 1
Slavery-era drama UNDERGROUND begins streaming Friday, Jan. 6
FRONTIER brings to life a thrilling and original depiction of Canada’s ruthless fur trade, streaming Friday, Jan. 20
CARDINAL premieres Tuesday, Jan. 24, 24 hours ahead of the CTV broadcast premiere
Season 1 of the gripping drama series OUTSIDERS launches Friday, Jan. 6 and Season 2 begins streaming Tuesday, Jan. 24
New episodes of THE AFFAIR available, leading up to the Season 3 finale, Sunday, 27 at 10 p.m. ET
Music titles COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK, THE BEATLES: 8 DAYS A WEEK – THE TOURING YEARS, and live concert special THE ROLLING STONES: HAVANA MOON, all begin streaming Friday, Jan. 27

Last Chance programming:
Titles rotating off the service this month include: THE FOLLOWING (January 7) and BATTLESTAR GALATICA (January 8)


CraveTV's January lineup - Addendum
 
#150 ·
A Gritty Appalachian Tale: New CraveTV Original Drama Series, OUTSIDERS, Now Streaming on CraveTV

CraveTV today announced it has exclusively acquired the gripping one-hour crime drama OUTSIDERS in a deal with Sony Pictures Television. The 13-episode first season begins streaming exclusively on CraveTV Friday, Jan. 6 as part of #iCraveFridays, leading into more bloodshed in Season 2, which premieres Tuesday, Jan. 24, with new episodes streaming every Tuesday, day and date with U.S. network WGN.
 
#151 ·
From a Dec. 8 press release:
...Brand-new SHOWTIME series premiering exclusively on CraveTV in 2017 include the greatly anticipated David Lynch drama TWIN PEAKS...
Today, Showtime announced that the Twin Peaks revival will premiere on May 21, 2017. The new season of 18 episodes “is designed to be a one-time, close-ended event,” however there is a slim possibility of more episodes in the future.

The first two of those hours will air back-to-back on Showtime on May 21. Episodes 3 and 4 will be available digitally immediately following the premiere, but after that the show will run in a traditional weekly pattern.

Source

Since the series will be premiering exclusively on CraveTV in Canada, I expect the release dates will be the same as Showtime's.
 
#153 ·
#154 ·
This February on CraveTV: Fresh, New SHOWTIME and HBO Premieres, First-Looks at New Episodes of Acclaimed CTV Drama CARDINAL, and Black History Month and Valentine?s Day Collections Debut

This February on CraveTV: ADDENDUM

Information about CraveTV’s February lineup is outlined below; titles are listed in order of streaming start dates.

Friday, Feb. 1
THE MAKING OF MANDELA – Documentary Premiere (Discovery, Documentaries, Historic TV, Black History Month)

Friday, Feb. 3
9 p.m. ET, day-and-date with SHOWTIME – TRUMPED: INSIDE THE GREATEST POLITICAL UPSET OF ALL TIME – Documentary Premiere (Showtime, Documentaries)
UNDERSTANDING FEMALE SEXUAL DESIRE: THE BRAIN-BODY CONNECTION – Documentary Premiere (Discovery, Documentaries)

Friday, Feb. 10
9 p.m. ET, day-and-date with SHOWTIME – NICK CANNON: STAND UP, DON’T SHOOT (The Showtime Collection, Comedies, Stand-Up Comedy)
MASTERS OF SEX – Season 4 (The Showtime Collection, Dramas, Historic TV)
HOMEGROWN: THE COUNTER-TERROR DILEMMA – Documentary Premiere (The HBO Collection, Documentaries, Crime & Mystery)
NAKED AND AFRAID – Seasons 1-2 (Discovery, Reality TV)

Wednesday, Feb. 15
10 p.m. ET, day-and-date with SHOWTIME – 60 MINUTES SPORTS – Season 5, Episode 2 (The Showtime Collection, Documentaries, Sports)

Friday, Feb. 17
VINYL – Season 1 Premiere (The HBO Collection, Historic TV, Dramas)
MASTERCHEF CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN 2017 (Reality TV)
MY CAT FROM HELL – Season 4 (Animal Planet, Reality TV)
ALASKA: THE LAST FRONTIER – Season 3 (Discovery, Reality TV)

Sunday, Feb. 19
10 PM ET, day-and-date with SHOWTIME – BILLIONS – Season 2 Premiere – “Risk Management” (The Showtime Collection, Dramas, Crime & Mistery)
New episodes added weekly.

Friday, Feb. 24
HOWIE MANDEL ALL-STAR COMEDY GALA (Comedies, Stand-Up Comedy)
8:30 p.m. ET, day-and-date with SHOWTIME – PRISON FIGHTERS: 5 ROUNDS TO FREEDOM – Documentary Premiere (The Showtime Collection, Sports)
BECOMING MIKE NICHOLS – Documentary Premiere (The HBO Collection, Documentaries)
CHILDRENS HOSPITAL – Season 6 Premiere (Sitcoms, Comedies, For Letterkenny Fans)
TOGETHERNESS – Seasons 1-2 (The HBO Collection, Dramas, Comedies)

Every Tuesday, CraveTV subscribers get an exclusive chance to catch new a new episode of the must-watch new dramatic thriller CARDINAL before their regular broadcast time of Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.
New episodes of CraveTV Original OUTSIDERS, all month long.
 
#159 ·
This March on CraveTV


  • CraveTV’s third Canadian original series, the satiric WHAT WOULD SAL DO? begins streaming on Friday, March 24
  • A St. Patrick’s day LETTERKENNY Special “St. Perfect’s Day,” drops Friday, March 17
  • Critically acclaimed HBO period crime drama BOARDWALK EMPIRE joins the robust HBO Collection when all five seasons stream Friday, March 31
  • HBO documentaries, EVERYTHING IS COPY, A GIRL IN THE RIVER, and ORPHANS OF EBOLA; and filmed play LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL join the service this month
  • SHOWTIME documentary AMERICAN JIHAD streams Saturday, March 11 at 9 p.m. ET, day and date with SHOWTIME in the U.S.
  • Coinciding with International Women’s Day, The Leading Women Collection celebrating leading women in TV series, films, documentaries, and stand-up specials, launches Wednesday, March 1
  • Inspired by MTV reality hit phenomenon, JERSEY SHORE, and just in time for March Break, the first five seasons of GEORDIE SHORE land on CraveTV Friday, March 10
  • From Discovery, new seasons of DEADLIEST CATCH, BERING SEA GOLD, GOLD RUSH, and PIT BULLS AND PAROLEES begin streaming Friday, March 3
Last Chance programming:
  • Titles rotating off the service this month include: HACKING DEMOCRACY (March 4), TEEN MOM OG (March 10), THE LATE LATE SHOW CARPOOL KARAOKE PRIMETIME SPECIAL (March 26), and ARMY WIVES (March 31)

**Please click here for March’s full schedule**
 
#160 ·
I have recently have gotten Crave TV on a two month free promotion from Bell Satellite TV. I have watched a couple of shows. What I can't seem to figure out is how to I pause, stop, rewind etc. the show I am watching? I have downloaded the app from The Google Play Store onto my TV.
 
#161 ·
Crime Drama SNATCH Becomes the Latest CraveTV Original, Beginning April 7

CraveTV confirmed today that it has exclusively acquired its latest CraveTV Original, SNATCH, from Sony Pictures Television. Loosely based on the popular movie of the same name, the 10-episode, one-hour drama begins streaming exclusively on CraveTV on Friday, April 7 as part of #iCraveFridays. (Snatch is available on Crackle in the U.S.)
 
#162 ·
This April: CraveTV's Next Original Series, SNATCH, Debuts; Plus New Limited Series from SHOWTIME, GUERRILLA; Critically Acclaimed Drama BOSCH Returns; and the April Fools Collection


  • CraveTV Original crime drama series, SNATCH, starring Harry Potter’s Rupert Grint, begins streaming Friday, April 7
  • Provocative SHOWTIME documentary series, DARK NET, returns for a second season, Sunday, April 6 at 10 p.m. ET
  • From Oscar Winner John Ridley and starring Idris Elba, new, six-part limited SHOWTIME event series GUERRILLA debuts Sunday, April 16 at 9 p.m. ET day and date with SHOWTIME in the U.S.
  • New feature-length documentary from SHOWTIME, BURN MOTHERF*CKER BURN, takes an in-depth and provocative look at troubled relations between the LAPD and the African-American community, Friday, April 21 at 9 p.m. ET
  • Critically acclaimed CraveTV Original drama BOSCH, based on author Michael Connelly’s internationally best-selling Harry Bosch book series, returns for Season 3, Saturday, April 22
  • All five seasons of SHOWTIME comedy HOUSE OF LIES, starring Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, begin streaming Friday, April 21
  • SHOWTIME comedy series EPISODES, drops Seasons 1-4, Friday, April 21, with Season 5 coming soon
  • In honour of the 30th anniversary of the series premiere of MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, all 11 seasons of the sitcom join the service, Wednesday, April 5
  • The seventh and final season of WORKAHOLICS drops Friday, April 14
  • The Oscar-nominated HBO documentary JIM: THE JAMES FOLEY STORY takes an in-depth look at the life and work of American journalist and war correspondent James Foley, debuts Friday, April 7
  • All four seasons of action-packed series, BANSHEE, drop Friday, April 7
  • The “Hot Docs Collection” launches Thursday, April 6, with stellar documentaries featured at the film festival including O.J. MADE IN AMERICA, HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD, KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK, and more

Last Chance programming:
  • Titles rotating off the service this month include: Season 2 of CANADA’S WORST HANDYMAN (April 15).

See also: CraveTV April Highlights ADDENDUM
 
#164 ·
Critically acclaimed CraveTV Original drama BOSCH, based on author Michael Connelly’s internationally best-selling Harry Bosch book series, returns for Season 3, Saturday, April 22
Guess Crave must've gotten a multi year deal from Amazon for Canada rights, even though Amazon Prime Video is in Canada now. To bad, it's 4k on Amazon Prime Video in the states. Wonder if Crave will ever start offering 4k?
 
#165 ·
Here are my thoughts on 4K on CraveTV:

First the bad news. Most deals for licensing a TV series seem to run the length of the series, so you probably won't see Bosch on Amazon Canada as long as the series is in production (assuming Bell Media has exclusive rights.) The Canadian streaming rights may revert back to Amazon a year after production ends. I wasn't sure if Amazon did a year-by-year licence to Bell Media in contemplation of expanding to Canada, but I guess that wasn't the case. Finally, there is no way to know if Bell Media's licence includes the 4K rights for Bosch.

Secondly, most of the U.S. 4K content is produced by the streaming companies, so it won't be licensed to CraveTV. The U.S. broadcasters seem to be far behind Canada. That means a lack of U.S. 4K content for now to justify building out a 4K platform.

Now the good news. Bell Media is committed to producing Canadian content in 4K, including their announcement that all new scripted series will be shot in 4K. They also shoot a lot of other content in 4K for Gusto and Discovery Canada and the last 2 years of the Junos. The scripted series will eventually end up on CraveTV.

Bell has developed streaming for their Fibe TV service, so hopefully that knowledge and experience will be transferrable to CraveTV when the time comes.
 
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