Blockbuster on 612 stinks! Is it coming to WDTV?

[FogNoggin]

After a lot of consideration, I signed up for Blockbuster Movie Pass. Even though there isn't a Blockbuster store within 50 miles of my home, I thought $10 for DVD's and games by mail, plus streaming, was a great deal. The Movie Pass functionality just arrived on my 612 this past week, so I dumped Netflix and got started.

I then found that the Movie Pass interface on the 612 is all but useless. Unless you're searching for a specific movie, don't even bother. It's just too painful. Those who have a 612 can take a look and see what I mean.

So I turned to my WDTV Live Plus, which has the Blockbuster logo in the pool of installed apps. I had always used this box for streaming Netflix and it worked like a dream. It was easy to browse, control my queue, and it was fast even when playing HD movies. No such luck for Blockbuster on the WDTV, it's only for Blockbuster ON DEMAND, a pay-per-view service.

Does anyone know if Movie Pass software is coming to the WDTV? Otherwise it's just discs by mail for me and Blockbuster.

 

[teneightyp]

I agree it not very good.

 

[goldmantx]

Thanks for the heads up as I was considering adding BBMP to my 612. That might push me over the edge to upgrade to the 722K...

 

[Tampa8]

Thanks for the heads up as I was considering adding BBMP to my 612. That might push me over the edge to upgrade to the 722K...

So do you know it is different on the 722?

 

[yaz96]

I think it is just a poor GUI on ALL Dish boxes isn't it?

Only 5 movies to scroll through at a time. Poor sorting. Just bad all around.

 

[rajmarie]

Thanks for the heads up as I was considering adding BBMP to my 612. That might push me over the edge to upgrade to the 722K...

The on demand interface on all dish box is worthless. Unless you want tv2 function or sling.....save urself $7 & stick with 612

 

[garys]

The interface with the 612 (with the latest software update) is the same as the one on the 722.

 

[navychop]

Yep, lousy on all boxes. Except it's great on the ViP922 (there is no BBMP at all on the ViP922)!

I believe they're working on this, and after their new data center comes on line (late this month?) I'll bet correcting this will be HIGH priority. Why do I think that? Because until usability is improved, they aren't going to be making much money on it. Who would keep, or sign up for, such a marginal system?

 

[Tampa8]

I think given some time (soon lol) there will be an improvement. They rolled all this out quite fast, especially for Dish.

 

[FogNoggin]

Since starting this thread a few hours ago, I've taken some time to browse the available streaming HD content in Movie Pass. Aside from the horrid interface, the selection ain't so great, either. Even if the interface improves greatly, I don't see myself using it very often. The movies are dated and a great many of them are titles you've NEVER heard of.

Truth be told, the streaming side of Netflix leaves a lot to be desired as well, but at least their interface, on all devices, was fantastic. I think Dish has a lot of nerve rolling this out so quickly and so half-assed. I feel like I'm paying for the beta release of crap.

Having just signed up today, I can only hope the disc-by-mail portion of Movie Pass is worth a hoot because it's all I'll bother to use.

 

[larryf]

sh. you should not bad mouth Dish. someone will tell you if you are not happy to go somewhere else.

 

[stardust3]

So glad I didn't give up my free platinum credits for this.

 

[FogNoggin]

sh. you should not bad mouth Dish. someone will tell you if you are not happy to go somewhere else.

Whoa, hang on, I LOVE Dish Network, I even love my 612, but this Movie Pass stuff is a blemish on their otherwise stellar service. (In fact, I saw a DirectTV van in my neighbor's driveway today for an installation and wanted to run over and stop the madness.) Dish is awesome, but buying Blockbuster is like letting a drunken cousin live in your basement. It's risky. I hope it works out and that they/we don't regret it.

 

[Tampa8]

FogNoggin, most here do not think Dish is without fault. Your streaming criticism is shared by many, I'd say most who post. For the most part, when someone does say why don't you just go somewhere else, that's often code for we don't believe the poster's complaint, or there are other factors that the poster is ignoring.

All that said, I would give some more time to see how it all shakes out. For me, even now, I have already rented two Blu-ray movies for free, and of course get all the channels in the package, some of which we watch alot. I think the streaming will be a great addition when it is better. Although I used the mail for renting, there is a store within reasonable distance and will use that too. All in all, this to me is a winning addition to Dish, but certainly needs help for the streaming end of it.

 

[GaryPen]

Thanks for the heads up as I was considering adding BBMP to my 612. That might push me over the edge to upgrade to the 722K...

It's crap on the 722k as well.

 

[goldmantx]

It's not the only reason I am upgrading, I just consider it a bonus. I am one of the lucky ones who still has a Blockbuster 2 miles down the road from me, so I am dropping Netflix as we were only casual users anyways. The additional movie channels, disc by mail and streaming seem like it should be worth it (I know that's debatable but again, I have a blockbuster down the street). Time will tell and I can always cancel after a month or 2.

 

[Pepper]

I was already paying for and watching the Platinum channels, so the addition of disc-by-mail is a bonus. My internet is too slow to really take advantage of streaming, crappy interface or not. Unfortunately the two closest Blockbuster stores to me were eliminated.

 

[woolf]

The streaming interface was such a terrible user experience on my VIP622 (and via the website and smartphone options as well) that I cancelled BBMP after about 15 days of use and went back to Netflix. The only reason I left Netflix was their decision to split the company into two and force me to maintain two lists. Now they they have abandoned that bad idea I really prefer the Netflix model and software over the Dish options (for discs and streaming).

And let's be honest, what Dish is offering via their receivers is NOT streaming at all. It is downloading (and waiting). Those are two very different things.

Maybe if I wanted the additional "premium HD" channels (that do not seem to offer many programs in HD) then it would be worth it as the discs would then be a bonus. But I didn't. So it was not a good deal to me.

 

[dangue]

And let's be honest, what Dish is offering via their receivers is NOT streaming at all. It is downloading (and waiting). Those are two very different things.

It's streaming here at my house. Based on reports on this board, it seems like it is streaming whenever the Internet connection to the receiver is fast enough for streaming, but it's wait to download if the speeds don't support streaming.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[GaryPen]

It's streaming here at my house. Based on reports on this board, it seems like it is streaming whenever the Internet connection to the receiver is fast enough for streaming, but it's wait to download if the speeds don't support streaming.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

I get 50-100Mbps bandwidth, and it has downloaded, as opposed to streamed, the three titles I have chosen from the "streaming" menu, so far. Plus, the UI is crap.

But, the Platinum channels and disc-by-mail is worth the $10. And, because I get it free for 12 months, I've upgraded to two-disc plan for $5. Considering my Netflix 2-disc plan cost $15, it's a no-brainer.