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Catch-up sites reviewed

Guess who comes out on top between iView, Plus7, FixPlay, SBS and TEN catch up sites?

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The Age today reviews the catch-up sites for the five Free to Air networks.

No surprises for learning that it is pretty fond of ABC’s iView.

“With the launch of iView, the ABC planted the notion of a free catch-up TV service in viewers’ minds. It’s easy to use and navigate and, for ABC lovers, it’s the equivalent of letting a kid loose in a lolly shop,” it notes.

Of Nine’s offering it says, “With the exception of Fixplay, the ninemsn website is as crowded and tightly packed as a Hong Kong high-rise. The choices and recommendations are too broad. Does the person looking for election coverage really want to watch some rubbish about a UFO over Haiti?”

PLUS7 holding off that Rafters episode while awaiting an on air replay is noted.

You can read the analysis here.

10 Responses

  1. I use my PS3 as my primary media port so am crying out for 9, 10 and SBS to do PS3 portals.

    Also iView should fix their interface so I can use my remote control as well as my game controller to navigate the site. (And by me, I do mean you other PS3-heads, too!).

  2. First of all, channel seven please fix the Plus7 PS3 app, it only has like 1 show on it……… compared to the many on the internet version.

    Secondly, FixPlay is Extremely good I find with easy navigation, excellent shows and great quality video, even on my paltry poor internet speed. (I’m with TPG so I have a high quota, but hurry up NBN)

    The rest are meh, probably because the content doesn’t interest me.

  3. iView is the leader and it’s a shame that all the networks can’t adopt a similar model – or better still have all networks offer a single online viewing platform rather than have them all re-invent the wheel in 5 different ways. And why is it only the (usually cash-strapped) ABC that can negotiate non-metering arrangements but the others can’t? Where did that $250m govt handout vanish to??

  8. I can’t believe pq quality was only mentioned once in the whole article seriously it’s the biggest limiting factor in the catchup sites just try watching ten or nine on you 50″ yuck

  9. Plus7 is ok! But the app on the PS3 is horrible.

    Never used fixplay.

    Ten’s catchup works well but I don’t like how they split a program into 4 parts etc and they need a centralised portal for it all.

    Haven’t seen SBS’s for a while (since the pilot episode of Mad Men) it just reminded me of viewing a youtube clip.

    IView is hands down the best; whether you love ABC or not there is denying the brilliance of iview.

  10. I actually like fixplay. The only issue I have is sometimes the video will say it’s unavailable, go back again and it’s there. Ten is ok, the encoding is a bit dodgy and seven is the worst, buffering issues and a pretty lame range.

    ABC is good but I wish they had a better back catalogue.

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