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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Updated: Netflix, Lovefilm, Blinkbox: where can I watch my favourite TV shows?

This feature will be continuously updates with new TV shows as soon as they are announced by Netflix and Lovefilm. Head to page two to read about all the new announcements.

Thanks to huge sprawling story arcs, high production values and more water cooler moments than an Evian convention, it's TV and not movies that have become the biggest draw for booming on-demand video services.

Even Hollywood's biggest blockbusters can't beat the allure of a box-set weekend. But thanks to bewildering licensing deals, it's far from obvious just where those shows you want to catch up with actually reside.

The two titans of subscription TV VOD are Netflix and Amazon-owned Lovefilm Instant. On paper, their proposals look near identical.

Both offer monthly all you can eyeball £5.99 deals, and there's clear crossover in their respective catalogues too. But dig deeper and differences begin to emerge.

Complicating matters is the surging Tesco-owned Blinkbox. Unlike Netflix and Lovefilm Instant, Blinkbox sells shows on a pay as you go basis, both by episode or complete seasons. This list may soon also involve Sky, but we will all have to wait patiently for Sky's Now TV non-contract service to offer television.

It says much about the popularity of the low cost VOD market that Netflix is now aggressively commissioning its own content, remaking House of Cards to great critical acclaim, rebooting Arrested Development and green-lighting shows like Orange is the New Black and Hemlock Grove.

Hemlock Grove

Amazon is trying to follow suit, but doesn't have much to show beyond some rather lackluster pilots. The service's biggest exclusive is new period drama Vikings. It was obviously snapped up to pull in Game of Thrones fans, although it's seriously lacking in the dragons department. Blinkbox competes differently, as it gets access to the same release window as DVD and Blu-ray.

Technically, all three services claim to offer high definition. Indeed Netflix promises Super HD. Using adaptive bit rate technology, picture performance is optimized for the speed of your broadband connection.

However when we compared the trio delivered down a 100Mbps Virgin Media fibre pipe to a 65-inch screen, we found significant differences. Netflix was the clear (literally) winner in terms of image quality. For all intents and purposes it's a match for the HD transmissions seen on network TV.

Lovefilm Instant, however, exhibited less detail and occasional artefacting, plus some motion judder.

Blinkbox HD transpired to be rather good, perhaps just edging ahead of Lovefilm Instant in terms of clarity and stability. SD, though, looks like sludge. The audio quality of both Lovefilm Instant and Blinkbox however was borderline poor. Only Netflix 5.1 impressed us.

Just where you want to watch your streams could dictate what service you opt for. Lovefilm Instant isn't available on iPhone or Android, outside of Amazon's own Kindle Fire slates. Netflix and Blinkbox are more ubiquitous.

So just who has the best TV choice? Check out our guide to Tech Radar's top 10 VOD shows for the full skinny. There's also the added extra of the latest land grabbing from Netflix and Lovefilm Instant - this will be updated with every new announcement in the future…

HD: yes

Available on: Blinkbox

Game of thrones

This breakout fantasy hit based on George RR Martin's epic books is one of HBO's hottest properties, which means it's not available on either Netflix and Lovefilm Instant. Sky has first dibs, but you can watch Series 3 à la carte on Blinkbox. SD episodes are priced at £1.89, with HD streams at £2.49. You can buy streaming access to the entire season at £17.99 and £23.99 for SD and HD respectively. Only buy SD if you're using on a really small screen.

HD: yes

Available on: Netflix, Blinkbox

Breaking Bad

Inexplicably ignored by terrestrial and satellite channels, despite a rabid fan base, Breaking Bad has rapidly become the poster show for streaming VOD. Netflix 's announcement that it would air Final Season episodes a day after their US broadcast attracted Walter White fans to the platform in droves. Alternatively you can catch the Breaking Bad saga piece meal on Blinkbox. But be warned, it's addictive.

HD: Yes

Available on: Netflix, Lovefilm Instant, Blinkbox

Battlestar Galactica

VOD is a frackin' brilliant way to catch up with arguably the best science fiction show of the past decade. You can gorge on a box set of Cylons via both Netflix and Lovefilm Instant, including the Razer two-part special. The ubiquity of the Netflix service makes it much easier to spin up those FTL drives both on mobile devices and connected devices. Curiously, only Lovefilm Instant also offers the underrated prequel series Caprica.

HD: Yes

Available on: Lovefilm Instant, Blinkbox

Walking Dead

AMC's lauded reworking of the (extremely) graphic novel has yet to be fully reanimated On Demand. Lovefilm Instant offers only the first six episodes of Season One, at the time of writing, and it's not on Netflix at all. Blinkbox, however, is slowly serving up Season 3.

HD: yes

Available on: Netflix, Lovefilm Instant

Dexter

Everyone's favourite serial killer gets a decent showing On Demand, although you'll be waiting some time for the final runs. Both only have blood spattered exploits up to season 6.

HD: yes

Available on: Netflix

The Killing

The US reworking of the Danish police drama Forbrydelsen has proved a compelling hit for Netflix. The platform is exclusively delivering third season episodes the day after they screen in the US, and has both previous arcs on tap. Netflix also offers the first two seasons of the original Nordic noir. In a similar vein, only Netflix offers the gritty French police drama Spiral (three seasons).

HD: yes

Available on: Netflix, Blinkbox (seasons 1-3)

Arrested Development

This cult comedy was brought back from cancellation limbo as a Netflix original production, so don't expect to see it on any other platforms. All three original three tightly written seasons, plus the somewhat baggier new season are available for viewing every which way.

HD: Yes

Available on: Netflix, LoveFilm Instant, Blinkbox

Doctor Who

Whovians hoping to travel back in time to relive the Doctor's earliest regenerations will be gravely disappointed, as only the Eccleston onwards time lord is available via Netflix and Lovefilm Instant. Both SVOD services only offer up to season 5, with the appropriate specials, however Blinkbox stretches up to Season 7, inexplicably in SD only.

HD: Yes

Available on: Netflix, Blinkbox, Lovefilm

Sons of Anarchy

The convoluted antics of the outlaw motorcycle gang have revved up a huge following over the years, but there's still to catch up with the clan. Both Netflix and Lovefilm Instant offers the first four season in HD, while pay as you play Blinkbox stretches to five, although only in SD.

HD: yes

Available on: Lovefilm Instant

Star Trek

You might be forgiven for thinking that Paramount's huge Trek canon would translate to gold-pressed latinum in the VOD universe, but most shows appears to be lost in space (no, that's not available either). Only Lovefilm Instant supports the Federation, with the original 4:3 series ready to beam down alongside a compete run of Voyager. So, no Next Gen, DS9 or Enterprise for you dear Trekkers. On the bright side, there's a heck of a lot of Seven Of Nine to go around.


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