Canada's Netflix - Shomi
Pretty much everyone is familiar with Netflix, the online TV and movie streaming service. Today Rogers and Shaw launched their version of Netflix called shomi. At this time they are calling this a Beta since it's only available to customers who currently subscribe to Rogers or Shaw. Eventually they will roll it out to everyone in Canada. Bell is reportedly also working on their own version of this service for 2015.
The pricing is as follows:
Netflix - $7.99/month (first month free)
shomi - $8.99/month (first month free)
If you have Rogers it states on their Shomi page that if you already have Rogers Internet or TV shomi is "INCLUDED" if you have Hybrid Fibre 50 internet plan or higher.
Unfortunately if you read further the "fine print" shows that it is only included until March 31st, 2015. If you don't have this service, or higher, then it will be $8.99 per month. Shaw's conditions are pretty much the same.
To watch shomi you will need a compatible device. Right now these devices are limited to your traditional computer (desktop/laptop), NextBox (Rogers), Rovi/HD/Gateway (Shaw), select iOS and Android tablets and smartphones - "with more viewing options coming soon!". Originally Rogers stated it would launch on the Xbox 360, but that seems to be missing from their website now.
To access the service from your non-set top box device you will need to log into their website, choose your provider (Rogers or Shaw) and log in using the same login info you use to access your Rogers/Shaw account. If you haven't set up an online account yet, you'll have to do that now.
So far the content seems to be a lot less than Netflix, but that was to be expected. shomi has been promoting that their service is more about quality than quantity. We'll have to wait and see what they decide is quality and how much they will add.
The one benefit for some people with limited internet bandwidth is that if you do use your set top box to watch shomi then you will not be using any of your bandwidth.
Is this a Netflix killer? No. I think this is just Rogers/Shaw trying to build something that may compliment your current Netflix account. For example: the British show Top Gear is available on shomi with seasons 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 while Netflix has 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.
The question is whether people will want yet another fee added to their growing cable bill. We'll have to wait and see how this develops over the next few months.
Update: November 7, 2014 - It didn't take long to browse the entire list of movies and TV shows, but I know they'll be adding content as they go forward (they already have added a few more titles). So far the service has worked perfectly and it will work on any Rogers digital box, not just the NextBox. The quality on the digital box is much better than what I was used to on the regular Rogers On Demand service. Still, for an additional 9/month I still need to be convinced to go with this on top of or replacing Netflix.
The pricing is as follows:
Netflix - $7.99/month (first month free)
shomi - $8.99/month (first month free)
To watch shomi you will need a compatible device. Right now these devices are limited to your traditional computer (desktop/laptop), NextBox (Rogers), Rovi/HD/Gateway (Shaw), select iOS and Android tablets and smartphones - "with more viewing options coming soon!". Originally Rogers stated it would launch on the Xbox 360, but that seems to be missing from their website now.
To access the service from your non-set top box device you will need to log into their website, choose your provider (Rogers or Shaw) and log in using the same login info you use to access your Rogers/Shaw account. If you haven't set up an online account yet, you'll have to do that now.
So far the content seems to be a lot less than Netflix, but that was to be expected. shomi has been promoting that their service is more about quality than quantity. We'll have to wait and see what they decide is quality and how much they will add.
The one benefit for some people with limited internet bandwidth is that if you do use your set top box to watch shomi then you will not be using any of your bandwidth.
Is this a Netflix killer? No. I think this is just Rogers/Shaw trying to build something that may compliment your current Netflix account. For example: the British show Top Gear is available on shomi with seasons 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 while Netflix has 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.
The question is whether people will want yet another fee added to their growing cable bill. We'll have to wait and see how this develops over the next few months.
Update: November 7, 2014 - It didn't take long to browse the entire list of movies and TV shows, but I know they'll be adding content as they go forward (they already have added a few more titles). So far the service has worked perfectly and it will work on any Rogers digital box, not just the NextBox. The quality on the digital box is much better than what I was used to on the regular Rogers On Demand service. Still, for an additional 9/month I still need to be convinced to go with this on top of or replacing Netflix.