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CraveTV streaming service

243K views 680 replies 103 participants last post by  Peppermint P 
#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.
 
#2 · (Edited)
EDIT: Here are excerpts from the press release that Bell Media issued at 1:39 ET

Stream On! CraveTV Now Available To Everybody - Bell Media

The moment TV lovers have been craving is here: Canada’s premium TV streaming service CraveTV is now available directly to all Canadians for just $7.99/month.

With one-month trial subscriptions now available, Internet users from coast to coast to coast now have direct access to thousands of hours of premium television entertainment at their fingertips, all on their favourite device. Canadians can sign up for CraveTV at CraveTV.ca or by downloading the CraveTV app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. CraveTV also continues to be available from TELUS, Eastlink, Sasktel, Bell Aliant, Bell TV, and other Canadian television service providers at a lower price.

CraveTV features a simple, easy-to-navigate interface that allows for more watching and less searching. Titles are curated in a minimalist, engaging interface, allowing users to customize their experience by adding their personal cravings. Programming can be searched by title, new addition, or in more than 20 curated collections, all via a simple-to-use menu. CraveTV is available to Canadians on a variety of platforms, including online at CraveTV.ca, via iOS, Apple TV, Android (including Chromecast), Microsoft Windows 8.1, select Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray players, and through television service providers, like Bell.

CraveTV is all about incredible content for TV lovers. Anchored by long-term partnerships with HBO and SHOWTIME, a subscription to CraveTV comes with exclusive access to some of the most definitive television series of all time, delivering the largest collection of premium content in one place. CraveTV’s offering includes more than 11,000 assets, more than 300 series, and nearly 500 specials and documentaries, in addition to more than 20 curated collections, from every major Hollywood studio, including Warner Bros., Disney-ABC, 20th Century Fox Television, SONY, CBS-Studios, NBCUniversal, and more. CraveTV features must-watch HBO titles like THE SOPRANOS, ENTOURAGE, and SEX AND THE CITY, current SHOWTIME hits such as the Golden Globe-winning THE AFFAIR, PENNY DREADFUL, and RAY DONOVAN, exclusive franchise series and genre-defining brands like SOUTH PARK, SEINFELD, and THE FLASH, and exclusives such as MANHATTAN, BOSCH, and DEADBEAT.

The first episode of BILLIONS is streaming now on CraveTV, with new episodes available day-and-date with SHOWTIME in the U.S. As well, today CraveTV announces the exclusive acquisition of Jason Reitman’s acclaimed 10-episode, Golden Globe-nominated dramedy, CASUAL. Upcoming CraveTV exclusives include Season 2 of acclaimed audience favourite BOSCH, and the first CraveTV Original, LETTERKENNY, a six-part comedy that will stream in its entirety on Super Bowl Sunday, February 7. CraveTV also confirmed today the service will soon feature HBO hits THE NEWSROOM, TRUE BLOOD, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, and THE JINX.

CraveTV’s programming highlights include:
•the entire off-air library of HBO’s iconic programming catalogue, including entire series such as THE SOPRANOS, THE WIRE, ENTOURAGE, and SEX AND THE CITY, and coming soon, THE NEWSROOM, TRUE BLOOD, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, THE JINX, and more;
•acclaimed, award-winning HBO Films such as BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, THE NORMAL HEART, TEMPLE GRANDIN, PHIL SPECTOR, and more;
•the SHOWTIME Collection, anchored by full seasons of renowned, award-winning series including BILLIONS, THE AFFAIR, RAY DONOVAN, PENNY DREADFUL, HOMELAND, UNITED STATES OF TARA, WEEDS, NURSE JACKIE, and more;
•an unmatchable comedy slate, headlined byCraveTV exclusives including the entire catalogues of SEINFELD and SOUTH PARK, as well as INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, THE BIG BANG THEORY, THE GOLBERGS, BROAD CITY, CHEERS, FRASIER, and CORNER GAS;
•the Drama Collection, featuring more than 200 titlesfrom Hollywood and the U.K. including PERSON OF INTEREST, BLUE BLOODS, THE FOLLOWING, THE LAST SHIP, THE LIBRARIANS, THE ROYALS, MURDER IN THE FIRST, and UTOPIA;
•the exclusive home of the Monty Python Collection, including all episodes of the iconic MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS;
•CraveTV exclusives including MANHATTAN, BOSCH, DEADBEAT, and the upcoming LETTERKENNY and CASUAL;
•a Superhero Collection headlined by some of the most-watched television programs currently on-air, including MARVEL AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., ARROW, and THE FLASH, and coming this fall, DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW;
•a Sci-Fi & Fantasy Collection led by genre blockbusters ORPHAN BLACK and DOCTOR WHO, TEEN WOLF, GRIMM, and exclusive access to all six series composing the complete STAR TREK TV collection;
•a Documentary Collection featuring more than 180 projects, like THE SIXTIES from Tom Hanks, and other master filmmakers such as Spike Lee, Peter Berg, Liz Garbus, Joe Berlinger, and Michael Mann, as well as other acclaimed, award-winning docs including HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD;
•the most-watched and most-acclaimed original Canadian programming, featuring SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, 19-2, FLASHPOINT, BITTEN, and DEGRASSI;
•an iconic Music Collection – TV programming expressly dedicated to music and its legends – including FOO FIGHTERS: SONIC HIGHWAYS; BEYONCE & JAY Z: ON THE RUN; and CLASSIC ALBUMS;
•and a can’t-miss collection of Reality TV audience favourites including MASTER CHEF CANADA, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, DEADLIEST CATCH, THE REAL L WORD, GIGOLOS, and more.
 
#3 · (Edited)
CraveTV was originally launched through TV providers for $4/month to subscribers who had a least a basic TV package. Bell has recently raised their monthly price to $6.

* indicates that CraveTV can be streamed through your TV set top box (STB.) Bell Satellite TV requires a 9241 or 9400 PVR and am internet connection. Except for Bell Satellite, CraveTV shows are loaded onto the providers' Video On Demand (VOD) servers and do not count towards internet usage when watched through the STB.

Current List of TV Providers

Bell TV*
Bell Aliant FibreOP*
Bell FibreOP*
Eastlink*
NorthernTel
SaskTel*
Telus*
Access Communications
Cable Cable
Execulink
Hay Communications
Mitchell Seaforth Cable TV
Nexicom
Northwestel
NRTC
TBaytel
Tuckersmith Communications
Vmedia*
Wightman Telecom*
WTC
 
#5 ·
$7.99 is for anyone who doesn't have a provider on the list.

Why do you think that hurts them? Those other providers are presumably subsidizing the cost in order to offer the discounted subscription, but is $2/month really going to make or break them? Presumably lots of people with Rogers or Shaw still subscribe to Netflix.
 
#6 ·
Bell has said that CraveTV is available to all TV providers. It is Shaw and Rogers choice not to offer the service - they probably never will since they treat it as competition to the shomi service, which they own.

The price to subscribe to CraveTV directly is $7.99 - the reason you don't subscribe through your TV provider (if you have one) doesn't matter.

EDIT: I see TorontoColin also responded. I think CraveTV offers the service at a wholesale price to the TV providers and the providers can sell the service at whatever price they choose, just like linear TV channels.
 
#7 ·
My feeling is that CraveTV is not a great value (relative to Netflix or Shomi) given their limited aged library. Now if they include first run or exclusive series and newer HBO shows then that is a different story.

That said, its only $7.99 plus tax which isn't much of a barrier to those that are interested.
 
#8 ·
Thanks @CSA60 for alerting me to the direct launch before the official press release, which gave me the opportunity to start the thread in the new forum. I hadn't gotten around to it until now because I'm still working on some FAQs for CraveTV and shomi. I've reserved a few posts at the top of the thread for those.

I agree with you that the direct price is a little high, but shomi and Netflix also contain mostly older content.

I just added the press release which lists some of the new and exclusive content.
 
#9 ·
Thanks Dr. Dave,

I apologize for the snarky tone of my original post which has been thankfully edited out by other moderators. I received a warning that such a post is not tolerated on these forums and it won't happen again (at least not on my part). I have been reminded that you and other moderators work very hard to maintain these forums which I really hadn't thought much about at the time. In any case, thank you for all your efforts and also for your direct response to my concerns.
 
#11 ·
In my opinion, easy access to the service on the TV is the most glaring barrier to entry right now. I have a Roku which is one of the bigger family of streaming devices (based on what I've read for the US) and neither CraveTV nor Shomi have channels(apps) for those right now.

Even for at least some of the devices that do stream to the TV, the CraveTV user interface is so bad that it's more problem than it's worth. For example, I recently became a subscriber to CraveTv via my Movie Central subscription on Bell Satellite TV and receive it through my 9241 receivers. In spite of my general criticisms of CraveTV content it does have a few things that I wouldn't mind watching. For example, I went to check out The Wire the other day and there appears to be 60 episodes. As far as I can tell there is no easy way to access where you left off, so to watch that series you have to remember the episode you are on and navigate through 60 episodes to watched the next one. The interface is so cumbersome and sluggish that I just can't be bothered right now. I'll wait until they improve on it. It's tolerable for movies and single episode shows.

Another barrier (at least for my wife and I) is regular TV (PVR'd) and Netflix. Between those two, we just don't have the time to get into another TV program. Maybe in the summer.
 
#12 ·
The price to Shaw and Rogers customers is $1.99 more for CraveTV. However, many Rogers customers get Shomi free with their internet package. In my opinion, the marketing and pricing for these packages in a pile of horse hockey. Neither are worth $7.99/mo. Canadians continue to get poor value for their streaming dollar due to program rights manipulations by Canadian broadcasters.
 
#17 ·
I can't even sign up

Guys, I can't even sign up for an account. The password never gets accepted. I followed the rules that they mention but it is never accepted! I've tried so many kinds of passwords. Just doesn't work. Has anyone really signed up successfully yet without having a tv provider?
 
#20 ·
Signed up yesterday. Like the catalog for $8/month. What I had really been waiting to see was the stream quality. I run Netflix though a variety of devices to my 65 in Bravia and get a spectacular solid high quality stream. Crave so far is very poor in comparison. E.g. I tried to watch the Billions preview last night and at best (when it wasn't buffering) I was getting a soft 480p image. Actually the ads for Billions on my Shaw cable feed were much higher quality than the actual program on Crave. We'll see if it gets better, but if it doesn't, I'm gone.
 
#24 ·
Crave so far is very poor in comparison. E.g. I tried to watch the Billions preview last night and at best (when it wasn't buffering) I was getting a soft 480p image.
This is what's keeping me from subscribing. I'd love to rewatch the Sopranos and the Wire, and I'd happily pay the $8 for at least a couple of months to do so, but not if the streaming is bad. I don't need it to be blu-ray quality, but at least roughly the same as a cable TV image, to my untrained eye. Bad interfaces and especially bad quality streams will keep me far away. There are just too many other options and it's not essential content for me.

We'll see if it gets better, but having used many of their websites/apps over the years, I don't have much faith it'll ever be outstanding. I don't think many of the Canadian media companies (or, to be fair, many of the old guard media companies in the US too) really get how important subtleties like interface design are to uptake of their products.
 
#23 ·
I managed to login, after a few trials, trying different passwords. Something is definitely wrong with their system.

Also, when I tried to subscribe, I realized that their subscription page is not secure, so I decided not to go for it yet. They'd better fix these things, if they want to attract more customers.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Crave TV on a Minix Neo 8H

Just signed up for Crave TV. I have a Playstation 3, WDLive, Minix Neo 8H Android box and a Rogers 8300HD PVR. The only device compatible currently is the Minix Neo 8H. I downloaded the app from Google Play and did the install and signup. Tried Smallville Season 1 Episode 1. Picture was full 16X9 but was soft and exhibited a stutter constantly. Like it would freeze for an instant once per second. Anyone else using an android TV box and getting similar results? The Faq states the quality is based on my internet speed and display device. I have 250 down/10 up internet and the Minix is 4K enabled. So why stretched SD with a stutter?
 
#28 ·
CraveTV doesn't support Android TV boxes directly. Here are a couple of excerpts from their FAQ that apply:
Which devices does CraveTV support?
<snip>
Android tablets and smartphones running version 4.0+
How much bandwidth will I use while streaming video on CraveTV?
This will depend on the device you are accessing CraveTV with. If on a mobile device, then it can range from 0.2GB to 0.9 GB per hour. However, on many connected devices (AppleTV, Chromecast, etc.), the range of HD streaming rates are between 0.9GB to 2.4 GB per hour.
My guess is that your Android box is being treated like a mobile device and not getting an HD stream. Do you still get a stutter if you stream CraveTV on your PC?
 
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