And what if I want to watch movies legally?

What am I talking about?

At present, many people on the Internet are violently criticizing the "anti-piracy law". Critics demand its cancellation, sign petitions, and in general - are dissatisfied. On the other hand, it seems rather naive to demand that the pirates be allowed to carry out their activities without hindrance: believing that someone is obligated to give us a movie for free and to listen to music is a little presumptuous.

And I decided to check what it is: enjoy watching legal content. The study is not comprehensive, conducted at leisure, may contain inaccuracies. The author could not understand the details of a service, etc. I apologize in advance to the companies that provide the resources described in the note in case it is written wrong. But keep in mind: I don’t have the goal of slandering anyone, and if I didn’t understand something and didn’t like something, it means you don’t inform the consumer well enough. I do not set goals to arrange sacred war for and against piracy, the law - this is only a superficial study of the legal alternative in its current state.

The list of resources reviewed is as follows: Google Play, iTunes, PlayBook, Play (Yota + Samsung)

Amediateka

Modern TV shows or, as they are called in Russian, series from the leaders of the genre have long won deserved love all over the world. The best examples of these works are not inferior to most full-length films, and due to the format of the series they even have a number of advantages. HBO and Showtime do a lot of great TV shows, and their products were the first victims of anti-piracy law on trackers on the initiative of the copyright owner: Amedia. Well, let's see what they offer us ...
')
We go to the site Amediathek and look. Amedia has relationships with companies such as HBO, Showtime, FOX, WB, Sony pictures, CBS, starz. Indeed, there are many popular TV shows with current series. Unfortunately, some seasons of some projects are still missing. But it is rather an exception. Subscription price for all series - 239 rubles per month. If you buy for a longer period, it will be slightly cheaper.

God knows how much money, buy a subscription for a month. You can watch in the browser, while putting some plug-in player. The site states that “Currently, content is being broadcast in SD format. We use the technology of adaptive signal, which allows you to change the quality of the content depending on the speed of the Internet provided by your provider.
In order to obtain a better image, we recommend using wired connection technologies. “
Do not lie, the quality really "spoils" with poor communication. Only here there is a feeling that communication problems arise on the side of the Amediateka. When the channel dies completely, the video disappears and only the sound remains. I checked it repeatedly: in such situations, there were no problems with the speed of my home Internet when working with other resources. An important nuance: when using the Amediateka, the video is not “downloaded in advance”, everything works strictly online. And if the speed is not enough - nothing will help you watch your favorite TV series. And it was - often. The reduction of quality to an obscene level is generally the most common phenomenon. A couple of times, the amateur player suddenly stopped working. After several days of correspondence with technical support, I was advised to delete a certain file in a certain daddy in% appdata, and this helped. Generally, in those. Support has been addressed several times. Mostly - complained about the speed. A standard answer in a day or two: “report if the problem persists” . The problem is complex, not going to disappear.

An unpleasant surprise was the day of the subscription renewal. Just released a new series of the popular TV show among me, so I think - "I will extend, what really is there." I extended it, the day counter was updated, but I refused to show the Amadeiatka film for some unknown reason. From those. support the next day came the standard answer. By the way, this problem has disappeared. But the fact itself is confusing.

Recently released the latest series Breaking Bad. Well, I think - I will look: come on, Amediatek, show. Terrible quality due to poor communication is already familiar. The surprise was the lack of translation. Without subtitles it is hard for me to watch, and the “Russian language” is written. How so? Unclear.

Weigh the pros and cons:

PRO: Many good TV shows up to date.

CONS: Channel requirements - no preloading, only online.
The lack of capacity and / or service capacity is often not comfortable or impossible to watch, even if you have smart internet. No hd. No original audio tracks, subtitles - only translation. Maybe with full-length films the situation is different - but there is no desire to check yet. This is for some money, and knowing the problems with viewing, the desire to buy a whole long film does not arise. The video player, which is put to work with the service, is unstable. Of course, about any quality settings, etc. no speech. No client for Android - only for iOS.

iTunes

The most famous and popular place where you can buy videos, books, music and other digital content without tangible packaging is iTunes. It’s customary to view this service in conjunction with an iPhone or iPad. Well, in a pinch, with Mac. However, nothing prevents you from using iTunes on your PC, if your goal is to buy and watch movies, listen to music, and do it legally with a special sense of self-worth. British scientists felt that while enjoying the movie increases by 11.134%. However, Russian scientists have calculated that if a movie is bad, disappointment increases by 359%.

The first thing that upsets is no TV show. Absolutely not. Films are more than enough. You can rent, you can buy. Both are available in both SD and HD. In my opinion, the rental service is the most interesting: it is significantly cheaper to purchase, and most of the films are enough to watch once. You just have to take into account that iTunes limits the time for watching a movie: 48 hours from the moment you start watching. All the conditions are available, iTunes specifically warns about this before you start the movie - everything is simple and clear. Whether the purchased, rental material is downloaded to the device (including PC), and after that (or even in the process) you can watch it. This means that it doesn’t matter what kind of internet you have, whether the server is loaded - the content will be quietly uploaded to the local device, and you can enjoy watching without brakes and quality problems.

It is interesting to compare prices on iTunes and Google play. They are not always the same. For example, the movie “Illusion of deception” in rent in HD at Apple is given for 69 rubles, and Google asks 99. Buy the same movie from Apple turned out to be more expensive than Google: 199 vs. 129. I did not conduct extensive research on prices, but already it is clear that it is most advantageous to have a choice of a store

FOR: Content is downloaded to the device - there are no problems with speed. You can watch in HD without special devices (including rental - unlike Google Play). Good selection of movies.

AGAINST: There are no TV shows. It is not clear with the original tracks and subtitles: either not, or not everywhere.

Google play

I treat Google with interest and respect. I use their search engine, smartphones (only Nexus, only hardcore!), Even made a couple of apps for Google Play. As soon as the “films” section was opened for Russia, I became interested and immediately bought one. But not everything is so rosy: you can watch HD video only on your Android device! I, of course, have it. But I want to watch on TV - his screen is much larger, and the sound is louder. And here the lack of Apple from their iTunes, which should be put on the computer, becomes an advantage. And Google allows you to watch videos from your store not on a computer only through a browser, only in SD, only stereo. Moreover, the quality leaves much to be desired. Google is not Amediatek, allows the player to download the video slightly ahead, and does not seem to slow down at all - but you will not get a beautiful picture and good sound. Looked in this format "Star Trek" last, frankly: not worth it. By the way, about the cost: quite similar to iTunes, nothing special. But how to deal with HD on TV ...

But we do not give up so quickly! Through eBay and a hundred dollars (including shipping), I got hold of a ChromeCast device. Just in order to watch HD movie (not for nothing that I bought it!) On the TV screen. First of all, when I tried to install an application for setting up ChromeCast on my phone, Google told me that it was not for my country. That's it for you. Fortunately, Apple did not fail, the necessary application was installed on the iPad from the App Store, ChromeCast was set up, and I finally watched an HD movie with Google Play. It goes well, does not slow down at all, there are no complaints. One moment confuses me: the sound was stereo. Poked the buttons on the remote from the receiver - became a five-channel. But whether it was the original sound, or the receiver somehow shared it myself - I find it difficult to answer.

The Android whistle into the TV can be a completely normal option.

FOR: Convenient, it seems to be not slow, the choice of films is decent, the prices are like at all. The purchased film can be downloaded to the device. And even with the help of a trick to find it there (safely hidden, strangely named), rewrite it to a computer, and watch the VLC player.

VS: You need an Android device, otherwise only SD, only a browser: not an option for a beautiful movie.
No serials. No (or not everywhere there!) Original audio tracks, subtitles.

PLAY

On my not very new Samsung “home theater,” I discovered the Play application, with symbols that clearly echoes Google Play. It turned out this is a service of Yota in close cooperation with Samsung. Well, or vice versa. Registered immediately, do not take money for registration. Quite simply, in my personal account, all my devices were picked up - an iPad, an Android phone, and this very home theater. Everything is clear, convenient. There are free movies. But alas - there are problems with speed. On the computer, you can put a special application and download the movie, but something I did not ask - it fell, it did not swing, and I quit.
But in general, I liked the concept itself: it is very convenient to manage everything with the help of the house. cinema, without the participation of third-party devices ... However, a strange thing happened: in the movie I bought, the video went, but the sound did not. When sending sound via HDMI to the TV along with the image, the sound appeared. But it was not possible to make it sound from the speakers connected to the player. I turned to technical support. It turned out that with two models of players such nonsense, with mine and with another one. What is characteristic - other applications, the same Youtube - work without complaints. Alas.
I am glad that there is a TV show. It upsets that not always current seasons, and not all. Prices and repertoire are about the same as on Google Play (+ TV shows!), But not always there are HD versions of films.

FOR: Various devices are easily and simply connected, it works with Samsung Smart TV - nothing is needed except a TV or a player. There are not only films, but also serials. There is free content. Prices are about the same as on Google Play and iTunes.

AGAINST: general feeling of unfinishedness. Problems with sound on some devices, problems with plug-ins for PC. Recoil rate, as in the case of Amedia, is lame. Serials are not up to date. Again, no original soundtracks or subtitles.

We summarize

Absolutely all the considered resources do not allow to get any available film without translation, with subtitles. This is important to many.

The industry monster services, Google Play and iTunes, are about equally good, but only if you can send videos from your Android device to where you want to watch it. In turn, iTunes requires the same, but there is a version of a computer (connected to a TV set, or with a nice big monitor).

PLAY is potentially the most convenient of services, but with the appropriate Samsung equipment, and increased speed and stability. The smaller selection of HD movies is embarrassing. I sincerely wish good luck to this undertaking, and potentially - I will use it. When they make it work fine with my home theater ...

However, despite the fact that such an important plus, as the presence of many good TV shows, cannot be recommended for use: disappointment, grief, stress, despondency. You expect that you will get really good service for money, but in fact, the pirates have better and faster, better and more convenient. So it will not work, gentlemen! It's a pity.

In general, it is legal to watch a full-length film in good quality, for very reasonable money at a convenient time for you - you can. To pay or not to pay is up to you, but not so many decent films come out to splurge on that.
But from the TV show - a discrepancy, alas. Let's see what will happen next…