Epix HD 720p movie streaming service eyes-on

After making sure there was a domain name locked down for Epix, the new premium movie network formed by Studio 3 Networks (Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM) it was all about taking advantage of an early peek at the 720p Flash powered site to see what a new generation of home movie distribution has to offer. The tech end (opening up to invited users this week for beta testing) is powered by Akamai's variable bitrate streaming streaming technology, delivering up to 3mbps HD video with stereo audio all the way down (6 different levels) to 500kbps encodes. Where it surpasses current online offerings from the competition is the ability, thanks to the aforementioned studio backers, to provide many of the recent movies you want to see. Our impressions of the service and a few more pictures of the interface are after the break.
We talked with Epix about the new service and confirmed that all programming with high definition sources available will appear that way online, although at this early time there's not a specific tag to set apart any flicks that are or aren't while browsing the queues. As for the 720p resolution and stereo only sound? We're assured that the technology is capable of more, however even with its connections, there's a task of dealing with its partners to allow for high quality audio and video. Simply giving customers their movies when & where they want to view them isn't all Epix has to offer, with plans to tie into social networking sites, plus the option for shared viewing and chat online, plus community ratings and reviews.

Watching the movies in any browser window is a snap, with the version of Flash installed on nearly any computer just one or two clicks gets you up and watching. The picture quality is as high as we've ever seen from Flash, comparing well with other sources like Hulu or Netflix's Silverlight-powered offering, although there's still quite a bit of tearing visible, especially during high action scenes of movies like Cloverfield and Iron Man. The variable bitrate technology is a bit of a mixed bag, with no indication via bars or anything else to tell what quality is coming through, only a suddenly softer, fuzzier image indicated when bandwidth was (rarely in our tests) dropping. On the other hand, over a 8mbps cable internet connection we didn't experience any buffering, and over a EV-DO mobile hookup though the picture quality suffered significantly, after a short pause to buffer at the beginning the connection stayed steady throughout. As for alternate delivery possibilities, like Windows Media Center, boxee, straight to video game consoles or others? We asked but there wasn't much to tell, though they certainly seem aware of the potential to reach viewers in many different ways we'll have to wait and see if it happens.

The main question left is when will you have a shot at Epix, either as a typical linear movie channel, video on demand or through the website? Until distribution partners are announced who knows, although they did mention the possibility that once agreements are official, the website could become available to subscribers before the channel is actually added to the lineup in a particular area. The idea is to provide a premium channel movie experience (read: uncensored, early release flicks) aimed at the basic cable/satellite channel lineup so although this hopefully won't require an additional subscription fee, those flying without a video service subscription hoping to pick up website access individually will have to do without. Epix isn't completely the open all you can eat video service we've been dreaming of yet, but with its combination of content and distribution it could become the closest attempt we'll see for a while.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 8th 2009 4:06PM]

I tire of flash for video.

Netflix was right to use silverlight.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 8th 2009 5:53PM]

So, your "HD" netflix experience does not include out-of-sync audio? Hmmm... Happens both on my computer and my BDP-3600 with a 20mbps connection.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 8th 2009 6:16PM]

Never had that :(

[UnnDunn Posted Jun 9th 2009 7:27AM]

The sooner Flash Video shuffles off its mortal coil and dies, the better the Web will be.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 8th 2009 8:27PM]

Another proof of growing support by studios for digital downloads and streaming . The pace of growth and new services is even more then I expected.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 9th 2009 7:55AM]

Flash works for me. Silverlight isn't cross platform (yet), though one hopes that Moonlight 2.0 will come out soon and it truly will be a cross platform version of Silverlight, not some Wine/Mono like tool that doesn't really run anything important.

Meanwhile modern Flash is based upon modern codecs like H.264, and in all honesty, it looks better than DVD when compared to the same resolution. As an example, I put together a HTPC recently, and we're using Hulu.com fullscreen to watch movies and TV on the TV. Even on the default resolution (360, IIRC), the picture quality is miles ahead of a 4:3 letterboxed DVD, and only just below a proper 16:9 DVD.

I wonder if some of the Flash hatred here is because of YouTube, which isn't exactly an optimal Flash experience (low resolutions, content usually converted from poor sources poorly, and YouTube only sometimes uses H.264, preferring instead to use the regular "Flash Video" codec?)

My main concern about Epix is apparently it'll only be made available to people who subscribe to cable Internet from cable companies that are owned by the same people who own the studios, which seems dumb to me.

[PapaGoose Posted Jun 12th 2009 9:46AM]

My main concern about Epix, as with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Kindle and the Sony E-book store, is that nobody outside the USA can get it :( I'd be happy with any *one* of these...