Channel 4 selling TV for 99p

Author: Wil Harris
Published: 16th November 2006
Comments (13) Stumble
Channel 4 selling TV for 99p

Kate can be yours for 99p. Mmm.

Channel 4 will be selling episodes of its TV programmes online for 99p a time. Shows that have been transmitted recently will be available for download almost as soon as they air.

This means that shows, such as Hollyoaks and 8 Out Of 10 Cats, will be available for catch-up, should viewers not catch them on linear analogue or digital TV.

However, whilst viewers will be able to pay 99p for the show, it will only last for two days after it has been watched for the first time - meaning that the DRM will cripple the file thereafter. Hopes of building up a permanent digital archive of your favourite shows, then, are false.

C4 is also offering some of its archived 'home-grown' programming, including the sublime Father Ted and Peep Show.

The channel has already been offering some US TV imports, such as Lost and Desperate Housewives, for download following UK transmission.

The service will almost certainly be restricted to UK viewers using geo-IP targeting. Speaking to Channel 4 executives earlier this week, bit-tech was told that the broadcaster was not exactly enthusiastic about worldwide, uniform availability of programming.

Will you be looking out classic C4 shows for download? Or does the two day restriction make the service almost meaningless? Let us know your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote DougEdey 16th November 2006, 11:20
48 hours to crack DRM? Someone will do it ;)

Maybe its just as simple as setting up a pseudo clock for the DRM to read :P

Don't think it'd be worth it over DVD box sets though.
Quote mclean007 16th November 2006, 11:30
Doesn't interest me at all. I'm not paying 99p for a download of 1 episode of a TV show that persists only 48 hours. For that kind of money, I expect the download to be permanent, burn-able to DVD, and capable of being transferred to video iPods etc. Think about it - that's £23.76 for a 24 episode series (probably in cruddy quality). The DVD box set could be had for much less. Admittedly you'll get the episode now rather than later, but the only use for this that I can see is to catch up on the odd episode in a series that you have missed. Pretty niche, and I doubt they'll get much business.
Quote Krikkit 16th November 2006, 11:34
You might not get a 24-episode set for <£23.76, but it's worth so much more to be able to keep it forever.
It has a point for addicts to series', but let's face it, 48 hours is a little harsh.
Quote quack 16th November 2006, 11:52
8 out of 10 cats, not 9.
Quote phat-ant 16th November 2006, 11:57
good idea but pricing is too steep.
any idea on what codec / specs of the files would be.
Quote fev 16th November 2006, 11:59
or i could press "On Demand" on my NTL remote and watch it over and over for 3 weeks and not pay a penny?

Hmmmm
Quote mikeuk2004 16th November 2006, 12:26
Ok so explain to my why I pay for a TV licence??? 99p and cant keep it. Advertising isnt enough for CHannel 4 so charging for programs now.

Not that theres anything worth watching on Channel 4 but it should be free downloads if there is a expiry date on it. If you pay you should be able to keep it.

Sod that, ill leave it upto a HD recorder and stream it to my pc for storage on a DVD.

Thankyou to the ability to program your video/DVD/HD recorder to record programs at set times :)
Quote mclean007 16th November 2006, 12:31
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeuk2004
Ok so explain to my why I pay for a TV licence??? 99p and cant keep it. Advertising isnt enough for CHannel 4 so charging for programs now.

Not that theres anything worth watching on Channel 4 but it should be free downloads if there is a expiry date on it. If you pay you should be able to keep it.

Sod that, ill leave it upto a HD recorder and stream it to my pc for storage on a DVD.

Thankyou to the ability to program your video/DVD/HD recorder to record programs at set times :)
TV Licence fee goes to BBC, not C4. C4 doesn't get a penny from it. And I'd imagine the downloads will be ad-free. No way in the world can a channel get away with putting ads in a pay-per-view, surely?

Personally I think this is a mistake. I think they'd be better off doing unskippable ads and a fee-free download, but we'll see.
Quote aggies11 16th November 2006, 12:47
Paying for TV is ludicrus.

It's already a "free" Medium (well, your not charged by how much you watch, at least in North America :/ ).

So if I am getting TV from the net, I expect it to be
- free
- add supported
- permanent (ie. doesn't expire).

Paying for TV should be reserved for DVD box sets that come chock full of extras and commentary to justify the cost.

Aggies
Quote Bindibadgi 16th November 2006, 13:11
If there was an option to watch it like TV, free on the net including ads I would. I only want to watch the latest Scrapheap challenge once and I sure as hell wouldnt pay for it.
Quote Blademrk 16th November 2006, 13:14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Krikkit
You might not get a 24-episode set for <£23.76, but it's worth so much more to be able to keep it forever.
It has a point for addicts to series', but let's face it, 48 hours is a little harsh.

I'm sure there are boxsets of tv series (approx 24 episodes) for <£20. iirc x-files boxsets are only around £20 per series atm in my local Tescos.

the DRM on the downloads service is too crippling imo.
Quote Buzzons 16th November 2006, 13:25
scrubs :: http://play.com/Search.aspx?searchtype=allproducts&searchstring=scrubs&page=search&pa=search&go.x=0&go.y=0

only season 4 is 23 quid, the rest are a lot cheeper, and thats WITH delivery and VAT

http://play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/1079900/Peep_Show_Series_1_3_Box_Set/Product.html

seasons 1 -3 in one box, 18 quid -- how is 23 quid for 2day lasting going to make them money!!
Quote DXR_13KE 16th November 2006, 22:09
DRM... no way. DRM is killing modern media and entertainment.
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