GeekSugar

Premium Cable Movie Channel Tests the Waters Online First

GeekSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:05:40 -0800

Soon there will be yet another premium cable channel competing against HBO, Showtime, and your attention. Offering up newly released movies, Epix will launch its service in October with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the top of its playlist. But what Epix is doing differently is something any Internet fiend can get behind: they're launching five months early to online subscribers first.

This means that starting in May, you can check out great new movies from MGM, Paramount, and Lions Gate on your computer from wherever you have an Internet connection.

Unfortunately, there have been no subscription prices released yet, and streaming the content on the web isn't the studios' primary business model, but I'm hoping they keep the goods coming online even after the channel launches in October - I'm sure those of you without cable would agree.

Where to Find Free Video Downloads on iTunes

GeekSugar — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:05:40 -0700

I know, getting constant updates in your RSS reader with the 99-cent movie of the week on iTunes is pretty sweet and such a nice surprise. But what if you could easily check out all the free video downloads from iTunes? Yes you heard correctly - free downloads on iTunes, they do exist! Apple's iTunes Store is finally aggregating all of their free video content in one handy spot, so you can find the goods quicker and easier.

There aren't a ton of videos to choose from - yet - so let's keep our fingers crossed that Apple adds some more to their $0 line-up! To access the videos, go to the iTunes store and click on TV shows. Once you're on the TV page, scroll down to find the "Free On iTunes" content. Keep in mind that the free downloads are currently only available to US residents.

Warner Brothers to Offer Movies Earlier Online

GeekSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Don't get me wrong, I love being able to see a movie I missed in theaters as soon as it becomes available on DVD - don't we all? But in all honesty, it really doesn't bother me if I want to watch it on my cable pay-per-view service and wait a few months after the DVD release. Well according to The New York Times, Warner Brothers will now be offering video-on-demand systems on the same day they are released as DVDs.

Therefore movies will now become available a heck of a lot faster to users of online rental services like Apple TV, Comcast, Amazon and iTunes movie rentals. Warner Bros. is hoping that this new change will decrease the costs of manufacturing and distributing DVDs.

Hulu Movies: First Impression

GeekSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:00:43 -0700

I was all jazzed up this week when Hulu, the free streaming video site went public. Since their movie service hasn't gained as much attention as their hyped-up TV service, I decided to take it for a test drive by connecting my MacBook Pro to my 50-inch HDTV for the full movie-watching experience. The movie selection isn't the greatest, but they plan to add many more titles as time goes on.

After selecting the Kevin Spacey movie K-Pax, I was required to sign-up for an account since the video had "mature content." Sign-up was quick and painless, and the movie started right away. To see what I thought about the sound quality and commercials, read more

Sound quality: Was excellent while listening through an external stereo receiver, and the video quality turned out to be OK. It was probably on par with normal TV, although it looked like there were fewer frames (probably 20) when there was alot of action, as the picture looked choppy.

Commercials: Probably about 8-10 throughout the entire movie, and they were much louder than the actual movie (you can't help but pay attention). Ads are much shortly than normal TV (about 15-25 seconds), and ticker ads would periodically appear at the bottom of the screen. . . but they weren't overly distracting or annoying. Overall, for a free service it was pretty good, although I don't think I'd want to expense out for this service anytime soon unless the picture quality improved.

The Online Video Site Hulu Goes Public Tomorrow

GeekSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:55:24 -0700

Starting tomorrow you'll be able to catch all your favorite shows online with Hulu, which is set to emerge from its private beta status - yay! Hulu already distributes content for NBC and FOX and will be adding more content from Warner Brothers, Lionsgate as well as many other networks. Not only will you get to watch great shows like The Office and House, but Hulu also provides full length movies. The catch? There is no catch, Hulu is free and gets its revenue from short 15 to 30 second ads. Thanks for the heads-up Calamari! Unfortunately this service is only available in the U.S. right now.

Website of the Day: Classic Cinema Online

GeekSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:06:21 -0800

Don't you just love being able to watch movies online and for free thanks to websites like Hulu and Fancast? But what if you love classic old movies from the '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s that are practically impossible to find online - let alone on DVD! Well the Classic Cinema Online website is the place to visit when you want to access hundreds of films across many different categories including drama, musicals, and romantic comedies. If you're grandma is still on the fence about talking the jump into the online world, show her this site and she'll never leave her computer again!

Have an interesting website you want to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group, read more.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click "New Post" under the website of the day tab at the top of the page.
Give your story a "Title."
Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Type "Technology and Gadgets" in the Categories box
Add keyword(s) in the tag field with relevant tags (for example mine for this story was "Website of the Day").
Choose whether you want the post to be private or public.
Click "Create Post" to submit content.

The Ultimate TV Search Engine Opens Its Doors to the Public

GeekSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:57:34 -0800

Here's a word you're going to be hearing a lot of - Clicker! I know I often bombard you with the names of sites that stream TV shows and movies online, but now you can throw all of that knowledge out the window because a new streaming site called Clicker aggregates practically all of the shows across the web into one location.

According to TechCrunch, Clicker also pulls in Amazon Video on Demand and Netflix's Watch Instantly content (which you still have to pay for!). The site already has 400,000 full-length TV episodes (and growing), and its easy to use search feature toolbar is another reason to check it out.

Is File Sharing Illegal If Rights Owner Says It's Okay to Share?

GeekSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:30:47 -0700

I go back and forth on the file sharing debate, unable to find solid footing on just one side of the issue. But when I heard that Michael Moore was releasing his new documentary online as a free download, and was even encouraging watchers to "share it or show it in any way you see fit," I thought "Okay, that works." But unfortunately, after the film showed up on torrent sites, letters of cease-and-desist were delivered to many users, sparking a geographical sharing debate.

Since Michael only owns the North American rights to the film, anyone trying to download the film from across the pond will be subjected to copyright infringement. Michael's reasoning on the file sharing issue is this: "What are 'geographical rights'? I'll say it for the hundredth time: If I buy a book and read it, and then give you the book to read, I have broken no laws. Why is that not true for all media?"

I tend to take Michael's side on this one: he made the movie, why can't he distribute it as he sees fit? Maybe I just don't understand the inner workings of movie making, but hey - that's why I'm behind a computer and not a camera!

Source

Geek Tip: Watch Free Movies With Netflix Online

GeekSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 14:00:57 -0700

If you are a movie junkie and want some quick-fix flicks to watch, here's a little tip you may enjoy. Forewarning: you must be a Netflix subscriber, use Windows and have a fast internet connection to reap the benefits of this helpful hint.

Netflix now offers free online movies for all subscribers. There are over 2,000 movies to choose from and more are added everyday. All movies are streamed to your computer and the amount you can watch on your PC depends on your subscription plan. According to Ars Technica, users with the $5.99 plan will get six hours of online viewing each month, while those with the popular $17.99 plan get 18 hours.

How to Watch Hulu Videos on Your Nintendo Wii

GeekSugar — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:14:15 -0700

Since most of you are fans of the online video streaming site Hulu, you may be interested in knowing that it's possible to watch some of your favorite Hulu TV shows or movies on your television using your Wii. All you need is an Internet connection, a Wii (which just so happened to go on sale today!), a PC computer (sorry Mac-heads) and PlayOn (this video will show you how to download it for free). Overall, a pretty simple way to watch Hulu content on your TV!