1. daikin's Avatar
    I want to watch movies on any one of the three playbooks I have, but noooooo.

    Firstly, where would I get them from? ITunes? if i had wanted an I thingy i would have bought one. Blackberry has no movie store in the UK and it seems that they won't have one in the near future, but there is so much talk and promotion about watching movies on the HD screen. A HD screen is good for movies and that is it; not email, not work applications and not really games either as they move so fast it doesn't need to be HD. Ok so maybe the internet, but not many news items on the BBC or You Tube stuff is HD anyway.

    So how do I get movies on it? Before everyone starts telling me about Handbrake this and Aimersoft that, rip this rip that. No, i have tried these and no one does rip software that will rip a DVD in 3 minutes rather than the full length of the film. I wanted to take some films and TV shows on the plane for my Son to watch, so I started to rip the DRM on some films that I had digital copies of and I flew home before they had finished. Waste of money. Even the TV shows downloaded from BBC Iplayer and altered to the correct format for Playbook took forever for a half hour show and then buffered to the point of useless when played back.

    People keep banging on about how everything is global and connected now, but dropbox does not work on Playbook. NO i do not want Bluebox, i want dropbox and easy interchangable stuff where things will work on all devises. If i get in an Audi, Ford or Jag, i can drive it, the infotainment stuff is easy to work and that is the same as if I got into any car on the planet. But get a tablet and you have to be a nerd to get stuff to work on it. Side loading? wtf? I don't want to waste my time with all that third party app crap.

    Even using playbook for work things, which is how they are promoting themselves, for god sake get a decent native file manager that is easy to use, add folders and store your stuff. I do not want to add a third party "My File Manager" affair. The stuff you download still goes into the one supplied with the Playbook so work on that. User interface that!

    I like Blackberry, had one forever and hate the way email works on other devices and also touchscreens. So i await Blackberry 10 (key devices only) with interest. BUT, i do not care about peek a boo, or UI geeks bleating on about how the screen "blends when you glide your finger over it" I don't care, a tap is all you need. Forget user interface and just make sure the damn things interface with everything else.

    It takes hundreds of companies to make all the parts for these things and apart from the odd lawsuit, they all get along. But software??
    I understand Apple want to tie up all their stuff, so fine, let them keep it and their single button annoying devices. But Blackberry come on, lets see some real UI and get amazon and all the films, music and books they have to offer, fully working and ready to purchase on every Blackberry device in every country and roll it out everywhere at the same time. The US and Canada are not the centre of the Universe for you anymore.

    Also, I hope they do not hang about bringing Blackberry 10 to the Playbook, surely it must be being worked on in conjunction with the phones.
    spatialmongrel likes this.
    12-19-12 07:50 AM
  2. kbz1960's Avatar
    Hi and welcome. Seems an android or apple would fit you better. Good luck.
    dave_h_946 likes this.
    12-19-12 08:03 AM
  3. Cynycl's Avatar
    I just love these first post ranters. I have no problem watching movies/tv on my Playbook. Perhaps you might be better off with a portable DVD player.
    12-19-12 08:24 AM
  4. Chaddface's Avatar
    It's only as hard as you make it.
    I get all my video from dvd's and connvert. I don't know why a video stored on your PB is buffering. Dropbox work fine. I'm not going to read your rant again to extract questions. I you have specific questions, ask them. Good luck
    12-19-12 08:26 AM
  5. mitfry's Avatar
    @kbz1960 That was a useless comment hehe.

    @daikin
    I'm currently able to wirelessly stream any movie from my PC to my PlayBooks using the KalemSoft Mediaplayer. All it requires is to have their software installed and running on your PC while streaming. It's a tiny tool on your pc and very, very easy to configure. After you've set it up you'll be able to browse the folders you have shared from your PC on your PlayBook. The player supports all kinds of video files like MKV and plays audio codecs like AC3 without any problem. It also support subtitles if the're inside for example the MKV file.

    The app costs a couple of bucks in App World but is definitly worth the money. So as long as you're having the movie on your PC and placed inside the folders you've shared with the streaming software on your PC you'll be able to watch those movies on your PlayBook.

    I hope this helps.


    Mitfry
    12-19-12 08:27 AM
  6. RubberChicken76's Avatar
    I watch movies and television a few ways on PlayBook.

    1. I do use Handbrake to convert video files I have. I have a big movie collection and I have a PVR recording box on my computer, so content is always coming in. I reformat with Handbrake (quite quick) and I pop them on my PlayBook

    2. I use the video store. Not available for you yet, but hopefully soon. Works well enough for me.

    3. I go to the online websites for network television and watch. They all work well and have both movies and tv shows

    4. I go to video streaming sites like youtube and crackle and they work well too.

    So, I have a rental/purchase option. I have legal free content options
    12-19-12 08:31 AM
  7. daikin's Avatar
    Thanks Mitfry
    I will give it a go.
    12-19-12 08:33 AM
  8. kbz1960's Avatar
    @kbz1960 That was a useless comment hehe.

    @daikin
    I'm currently able to wirelessly stream any movie from my PC to my PlayBooks using the KalemSoft Mediaplayer. All it requires is to have their software installed and running on your PC while streaming. It's a tiny tool on your pc and very, very easy to configure. After you've set it up you'll be able to browse the folders you have shared from your PC on your PlayBook. The player supports all kinds of video files like MKV and plays audio codecs like AC3 without any problem. It also support subtitles if the're inside for example the MKV file.

    The app costs a couple of bucks in App World but is definitly worth the money. So as long as you're having the movie on your PC and placed inside the folders you've shared with the streaming software on your PC you'll be able to watch those movies on your PlayBook.

    I hope this helps.


    Mitfry
    Could be. I just figured if it's too hard they may need something easier for them.
    12-19-12 08:34 AM
  9. daikin's Avatar
    I have read the comments but, some things we do not have for the UK or Playbook. BBC I Player download for instance does not work on the Playbook. I just want better access to content that shows the Playbook in it's best light.
    I do not like Andriod or Apple, used both. The Playbook is by far the best tablet in my opinion. I do not use apps to any great extent and find some of them hysterical. I use it for email, work, and web; movies if and when possible.
    12-19-12 08:50 AM
  10. daikin's Avatar
    It is not a case of being too hard, they are all childs play to use. What i refuse to do is waste too much time. I am certainly not being rude to anyone, but reading what some of you do to get stuff onto a machine is way too much time than i want to spend on a computer.
    For me they are work not play and work well they should.

    Perhaps I should give up with tech for 10 years and come back to it when they have worked out the basics. If I buy a telephone from Panasonic, it will work with BT, Virgin and any other phone company in the UK. It does not make me add software to interface with the callers earpiece.
    12-19-12 08:59 AM
  11. kbz1960's Avatar
    It is not a case of being too hard, they are all childs play to use. What i refuse to do is waste too much time. I am certainly not being rude to anyone, but reading what some of you do to get stuff onto a machine is way too much time than i want to spend on a computer.
    For me they are work not play and work well they should.

    Perhaps I should give up with tech for 10 years and come back to it when they have worked out the basics. If I buy a telephone from Panasonic, it will work with BT, Virgin and any other phone company in the UK. It does not make me add software to interface with the callers earpiece.
    You have no time for anything but work? So I imagine these movies are all work related?
    12-19-12 09:04 AM
  12. Chaddface's Avatar
    I guess its a difference of opinion. I don't consider hitting a few buttons and coming back in a half hour a lot work to convert a video. That like when someone complains about doing laundry. Unless your taking your clothes to the river and beating them on rocks its not much work. The washer is doing the work.
    12-19-12 09:16 AM
  13. zorecati's Avatar
    I'm going to agree daiken. I'm not sure if what some of you do to get video content on to your playbooks is even legal let alone the time required to do it. I have simply switched to devices that allow me to use amazon prime thru an app, being it a blueray player or smarttv with the amazon video app built in. They've seriously taken all the effort out of it. I may actually get an Kindle Fire just for this. My play book as been pushed into the garage to be used for tunes when I'm working on my bike.
    12-19-12 09:21 AM
  14. FF22's Avatar
    I guess its a difference of opinion. I don't consider hitting a few buttons and coming back in a half hour a lot work to convert a video. That like when someone complains about doing laundry. Unless your taking your clothes to the river and beating them on rocks its not much work. The washer is doing the work.
    I might have to disagree - any cleaning is WORK. Down to the basement, pour basket into washer. Figure out how much soap (I don't use bleach as I never got proportions down!), push the darn correct buttons. Hike back upstairs. Schlepp back down and sort line dry versus dryer dry. Press the right buttons again. Sort and fold (ha!). WORK!!!!! Then do it all over again in a MONTH (maybe I'm kidding!)

    Back to dvd stuff - well, a lot of this can be blamed on the movie studios - they want to make it very difficult to use your media as you need it. So the various methods and everyone has a favorite.
    Lendo likes this.
    12-19-12 10:31 AM
  15. daikin's Avatar
    Can anyone tell me? Is the Kindle Fire the only machine with full access to the Amazon library and does the downloaded content work without any other third party software?

    Surely, if they allowed all hardware manufacturers to use their library, it would generate more revenue than the sales of the Kindle Fire. Just think of the money saved on advertising alone. Some films on itunes are �15 each; obviously not all of this goes to Amazon, but the real P&L figures for hardware sales compared to downloads would make interesting reading.
    12-19-12 11:33 AM
  16. kboya's Avatar
    I have a number of issues with the pb, but video playback is not one. yes, I use handbrake to convert from dvd files to mp4, and yes, it takes time. but, I press a few buttons and walk away. Then my daughter can watch her favourite films on one of the many long car journeys we have to take together and withou any need for wifi connection. We've never had any playback issues sure, just downloading a movie would be easier... oh, wait now, I'd have to press a few buttons and walk away. m
    12-19-12 05:07 PM
  17. bay1902's Avatar
    Its so easy to do this, god knows why a rant by the op. I'm not gonna mention the conversion as others have - but to play just drag & drop the vid file most work through the PB player, however just grab Kalemsoft Media Player & away you go - nearly any video file will play - mp4, xvid, mkv, etc., etc. Easy
    12-19-12 11:37 PM
  18. daikin's Avatar
    No Lovefilm, No Netflix, No Silverlight?
    Will Blackberry 10 have these I wonder?
    12-20-12 06:01 AM
  19. wafa510's Avatar
    I just go to Amazon.com on the Playbook browser and go into their Amazon Instant Movie section and rent or buy a movie and it is ready to watch.
    12-20-12 06:05 AM
  20. Celandine's Avatar
    Files and Folders (available in the PB App World) will allow you to stream anything from your dropbox as long as you have a wifi connection. For times w/o one, I believe you can download it to your PB to watch.

    Also, an alternative, is to purchase a portable wifi device for storing all your movies/music/books/docs and which can be used at any time as you're in control of the wifi. I have the 64g Kingston Wi-drive which I bought from Amazon. Works flawlessly with the PB.
    12-20-12 06:17 AM
  21. spatialmongrel's Avatar
    are you telling the op that he can just buy content from itunes, amazon or google play, drag it onto the playbook or connect to the folder and it will just work? news to me.

    your suggestion about kalemsoft also implies sitting inside the house or with a wifi connection back to a home server pc. mention home server pc and you've just lost 95% of the consumer market that doesnt want to deal with that.

    that doesnt work very well for car and airplane trips either.

    the fact is, getting media content music/video onto the playbook is painful, for a media consumption device. bb10 needs to fix that.
    12-20-12 08:04 AM
  22. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Hi and welcome. Seems an android or apple would fit you better. Good luck.
    Good advise!

    Of course that doesn't help sales of BB devices...

    OP I feel your pain, while the PlayBook is a great device it doesn't have the ecosystem that can support it. Might be why it hasn't been embraced by consumers, while device that have ecosystem have been.

    RIM is suppose to be adding content to App World - not sure how much, how it will be priced, or if it will be available in all regions... let hope that they get it right!
    12-20-12 08:17 AM
  23. kbz1960's Avatar
    Good advise!

    Of course that doesn't help sales of BB devices...

    OP I feel your pain, while the PlayBook is a great device it doesn't have the ecosystem that can support it. Might be why it hasn't been embraced by consumers, while device that have ecosystem have been.

    RIM is suppose to be adding content to App World - not sure how much, how it will be priced, or if it will be available in all regions... let hope that they get it right!
    It esp for someone who is all about work and doesn't have time to do a conversion or even a simple copy and paste. What does the OP need movies for? Said their self they have no time for that. So how do they have time to watch movies?

    Just sayin
    12-20-12 08:32 AM
  24. blaze_125's Avatar
    ..., but dropbox does not work on Playbook. NO i do not want Bluebox, i want dropbox and easy interchangable stuff where things will work on all devises.
    Dropbox does work on the Playbook. I use it on my Playbook, and I just installed it on my gf's playbook and it works on there too.
    Yes, you have to side load it. But it does work.
    12-20-12 11:56 AM
  25. jamesbondOO7's Avatar
    Personally, I have given up on the idea of watching videos or TV on any tablet (in my case iPad and PB). It is just not possible unless you can devote a good chunk of your life to it.
    12-20-12 12:36 PM
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