Disney+ Streaming Service

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by Batman90

So Europe is getting Star as part of the app but is in the U.S. don’t get it. That makes no since it seems like the United States either gets things late after every other country or we don’t get it at all.

It might be a case of existing content licensing agreements. Or the fact that if Disney builds up Hulu which can handle R rated FOX movies, the purchase price from Comcast goes up. That would be the last thing Disney wants. They already agreed to a minimum $5.6 billion price.

[bluskiff]

Its on now. Very cool at last family guy and futureama.

[LMFAObros]

Ive had a look at Die Hard 2 and it really kills the Blu-Ray even with streaming Compression. Con Air, Office Space, Commando and The Color Of Money among others look like upgraded masters. If any of these hit discs eventually they will flog the current BD's.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

It might be a case of existing content licensing agreements. Or the fact that if Disney builds up Hulu which can handle R rated FOX movies, the purchase price from Comcast goes up. That would be the last thing Disney wants. They already agreed to a minimum $5.6 billion price.

It is simply because Hulu exists in the US. There is no international version of Hulu so Star was created to give international streaming customers access to Disney’s other films.

Hulu offers more than Disney and Comcast libraries though. There are deals for CBS, Discovery, Turner, and independent movie studios to name a few.

Hulu exclusively offers uncensored Adult Swim programming while HBO Max has the broadcast versions. Hulu has exclusive films and TV shows like Palm Springs and The Great.

On top of that, Hulu in the US also has a live TV option that opens up over 60 channels of TV including live CBS.

[Lee A Stewart]

Disney+ launches Star in Australia, Europe, Canada & more countries

https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.ph...&id=1614073886

[Lee A Stewart]

Disney Keeps 80% of Streaming Revenue By Calling It ‘Home Video’

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/dis...ng-1234910834/

[Batman90]

So Disney plus price is increasing May 26th. I paid for a year in November so does that mean I will get charged extra for the price increase?

US: $7.99 per month / $79.99 for a full year
CA: $11.99 per month / $119.99 for a full year
UK: £7.99 per month / £79.90 for a full year
AU: $11.99 per month / $119.99 for a full year

[Batman90]

Originally Posted by bluskiff

Its on now. Very cool at last family guy and futureama.

While in the U.S. no streaming service has all full seasons of family guy.

[tjritter79]

Originally Posted by Batman90

So Disney plus price is increasing May 26th. I paid for a year in November so does that mean I will get charged extra for the price increase?

US: $7.99 per month / $79.99 for a full year
CA: $11.99 per month / $119.99 for a full year
UK: £7.99 per month / £79.90 for a full year
AU: $11.99 per month / $119.99 for a full year

If you paid a year in advance, you will retain the current price till your subscription expires.

[danman227460]

In Canada, I can't get Hulu so I am effectively locked out of everything Hulu has.

Star gives me access to a piece of the pie. I do realize current distribution rights, deals etc will probably never give me everything Hulu has. But just having 10-20% of Hulu is better than 0%.

You also have to remember, Disney doesn't fully control Hulu yet. Comcast has agreed to sell their share but won't become official until 2024.

So who knows what might happen then. Maybe Hulu disappears and Disney Plus absorbs it and calls it Star. Or maybe Disney decides to keep Hulu around and keep Star for their international markets.

Also Canada and other markets never got the 3 year plan offer.

Originally Posted by Batman90

So Europe is getting Star as part of the app but is in the U.S. don’t get it. That makes no since it seems like the United States either gets things late after every other country or we don’t get it at all.

[tjritter79]

Originally Posted by danman227460

You also have to remember, Disney doesn't fully control Hulu yet. Comcast has agreed to sell their share but won't become official until 2024.
So who knows what might happen then. Maybe Hulu disappears and Disney Plus absorbs it and calls it Star. Or maybe Disney decides to keep Hulu around and keep Star for their international markets.....

The actual deal if I recall made between Disz & Comcast for the last 30% of Hulu went like this:

Disney has FULL programming control.
$5.6B was placed in ESCROW in 2019, to be paid no later than 2024 to Comcast. Comcast collects any interest accrued.
When the deadline arrives, a 3rd party will appraise the total value of Hulu. If the 30% is more than what's accrued in escrow, Disney pays the difference.
Comcast MUST honor any investment they've committed to, which means they still maintain the delivery of channels to Hulu Live via Comcasts cable head-ends. So Disney is on the clock so to speak to provide those live channels or eliminate them once 2024 hits.

So while nothing is preventing Disney from improving/adding to Hulu, it's doubtful they would do anything substantial to add to its value knowing Comcast would reap 30% of that for doing nothing.

Disney DOES have the option to pay this early, and were well on the way to doing so...until the pandemic. With the adverse affect to theaters and their theme parks, I don't think Disney is going to push this issue as long as the virus continues to control these kinds of activity.

[LMFAObros]

After watching a bit of star. I feel despite the encoding being a cut above the rest imo it still struggles with grainy content like shows like 24.

[lgans316]

Originally Posted by LMFAObros

After watching a bit of star. I feel despite the encoding being a cut above the rest imo it still struggles with grainy content like shows like 24.

D+ HD bit rates are usually between 8 - 14 Mbps.

Signs (M. Night Shyamalan) was suffering from macroblocking due to bit starving.

This is why I seldom watch HD movies/dramas on streaming platforms.

Thankfully not many issues seen with 4K contents on iTunes/MA/D+.

[gaastra]

Added today---

Added today:

US/Global:
WandaVision – Episode 8
Myth: A Frozen Tale
Secrets of Sulphur Springs – Episodes 1–5
Car Sos
Disney Channel Games 2008
Disneyland Paris Illuminations Firework Show
Pair of Kings
Disney Roll it Back
American Dragon: Jake Long
Mickey Go Local
Okavango: River of Dreams
Shanghai Disney Resort Grand Opening Gala
Ice Age: Collision Course (UK)
Flicka 2 (UK)
Flicka: Country Pride (UK)

Star:
Helstrom – Episode 3
Solar Opposites – Episode 3
Love, Victor – Episode 3
Big Sky – Episode 3

[brooks101189]

Dog With a Blog has apparently been added today as well, at least in the US.

[EVERYONE LIES]

I think Star is just temporary. I think Hulu is in it’s finally days. It will all be morphed into Disney+ at some point. It may be a year from now, it may be 5 years from now but there is no reason to think it won’t be.

[mysticwaterfall]

As long as they keep everything on Hulu and most importantly the next day no commercial shows I'd be fine with that. Even though Hulu has nearly 36M subs, so I see it being around for a while. They certainly aren't going to keep D+ at the same price and sacrifice all the extra money from Hulu.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by EVERYONE LIES

I think Star is just temporary. I think Hulu is in it’s finally days. It will all be morphed into Disney+ at some point. It may be a year from now, it may be 5 years from now but there is no reason to think it won’t be.

Hulu offers:

Next day streams of television programming from broadcast networks
including FX, FXX, and Freeform. Comcast does not even offer next day streams
of their popular shows on Peacock.

More television content than movies including CBS, Discovery, news, and sports.

Movies from independent and major studios including Warner Brothers and Columbia Pictures.

A live TV option with cloud DVR.

None of these will be possible on Disney Star. Star is just the international choice for Disney to have an outlet for movies & TV programs in the Disney & Fox catalogs that would not be suitable for all audiences.

[tjritter79]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Hulu offers:

Next day streams of television programming from broadcast networks
including FX, FXX, and Freeform. Comcast does not even offer next day streams
of their popular shows on Peacock.

More television content than movies including CBS, Discovery, news, and sports.

Movies from independent and major studios including Warner Brothers and Columbia Pictures.

A live TV option with cloud DVR.

None of these will be possible on Disney Star. Star is just the international choice for Disney to have an outlet for movies & TV programs in the Disney & Fox catalogs that would not be suitable for all audiences.

I think Disney has Hulu primed to last as long as they want....the Hulu "live" service is a different story altogether.

I see the eventuality that vMVPD's go away completely. Lack of carriage rights and adding these "live" channels to existing D2C services will become the norm, as will exclusivity of these feeds. The ONLY necessity I see for linear delivered channels right now is live news and sports, everything else can easily be available on-demand. Both customers and the industry will tire of carriage disputes and constant price increases that mirror cable and be driven to the D2C services. Philo could survive as it is already a D2C model, but the components of that company are already making strides to go their separate ways.

[gaastra]

Dr dolittle 1 and 2 removed in north america due to hbo max contract. They are heading to hbo max!