LoveFilm App Overhauled - Now Includes HD

[#1]

We’re delighted to launch a brand new streaming app for the PlayStation®3, which includes the Watchlist, better search and a tuned-up recommendations engine.

Since the PS3™ was one of the first devices to run LOVEFiLM Instant, it’s fair to say that a freshen-up was due. And, happily, this is more than just a facelift. The app’s functionality has been rebuilt, so it’s an under-(inter)-face lift too.

I could bang on about SmoothStreaming technology, adaptive bitrates and the like (although I’d need to understand it properly first), but the short version is this: it looks better, it plays better, it (hopefully) makes your PS3 streaming experience better all round.

Improving search and recommendations should make for smarter browsing and help you to more swiftly locate films & TV series. And the new interface means that general movement throughout the catalogue is more glide-y; another plus for your browsing experience.

A new homepage display keeps track of what you’re currently watching and where you got to, so it’s much easier to resume from that same spot. On any LOVEFiLM device or app.

And this new PS3 app still monitors your broadband speed at any given moment, so you’ll always get the best possible quality picture – which is HD (High Definition), when the bandwidth supplied by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is fast enough.

(Sorry for all the parentheses).

Enjoy the new app – we’ve been working on it for a while, so we’re very pleased it’s finally in your hands…

Darren Bignell, Senior Communications Manager

http://blog.lovefilm.com/uncategorized/new-instant-streaming-app-on-the-playstation-3.html

[#2]

It's all thanks to ME! ha ha ha..:Evil:

Seriously though.. i cancelled my Lovefilm sub about two months ago. I received a call a few days after asking why i cancelled, i told the girl it was because of the lack of HD on the PS3 app, also that the UI sucked! She said they were working on HD and that they could offer me 3 months for the price of 1 if i stayed.. i said NO! i'll only return when HD is available.

A week or so after that i got an email linking to a questionnaire about why i left.. same answers.

Last week i got a letter with a code for 3 months for the price of 1! And today they launch HD on the PS3!
 

[#3]

Having looking over the app again, they've  used the Amazon Instant Video UI.

[#4]

1 annoying thing about the app. The app has been made with Dolby Digital 5.1 output but as LF don't encode any films in it the sound only outputs out of two speakers with a home cinema system. Have to change the output on the amp everytime!

[#5]

I have took a look at the new app.

It's Version 2.00 and Yes it's an exact copy of the AIV UI.

You can use the XMB now though :)

[#6]

Despite DarrenBignell's proud claim that Lovefilm have been working on it for a while, they obviously failed to check that it still works on Standard Def analogue TVs!

Am I the only person in the UK who has a PS3 connected to a CRT TV?

I had to repeatedly contact Lovefilm so called support centre to point out that everything (including their menu screen) was displayed at an incorrect aspect ratio on my 16:9 32" CRT TV dspite it working properly before and still working properly on everything else including iPlayer, ITV player, Netflix etc.......  The first few replies suggested that I needed to change my settings and use an HDMI cable - I'm not sure they even knew what a CRT TV was!

Eventually I got a call from one of their staff and when I suggested that they'd just borrowed some old Amazon software from the US (who have lower resolution NTSC instead of UK's PAL standard) I was told that Lovefilm might be owned by Amazon but they were a still a separate company.

Further investigation shows that I am lucky with my Panasonic CRT as at least Lovefilm 2.0 works in colour for me.  It seems to me that video output is now in NTSC (60Hz & 480 visible lines) instead of UK PAL (50 Hz & 576 visible lines) which some TVs can only display in Black and White.

UK TV programmes recorded in 16:9 now display on my 16:9 TV with grey bands above and below. Even old 4:3 TV programmes display with black bands either side and grey bands above and below.  By using my TVs 'Zoom 1' setting I can get it to fill the screen vertically but at a compromised resolution.

Below is the response eventually received.   

Thanks for your patience and many apologies that we've not yet been able to offer you a solution to the streaming issue which you have been receiving on the LOVEFiLM Instant service through your PS3 device.

After much investigation, we are unable to resolve this issue at this time. Our technical teams are continuing to search for a solution.

I apologise for any inconvenience caused by this matter and I sincerely hope we are able to fix this as soon as possible. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Otherwise we will only contact you again if we are able to resolve this issue.

I wonder if Lovefilm's management are aware that they given semi-HD (720p) but taken away Standard Def?  Or am I really the only person in the UK who doesn't have an HD TV?

[#7]

Things you may have missed on the EU blog and forum about the dropped SD supported features..

SCEE anounced the dropping of PAL SD testing in the SDK to increase the speed of EU content getting on the EU store for release.

This includes.... the removal of anamorphic SD 16/9 mode and the use of NTSC only during SD for....

Demos

Applications.

PSN games 

• PS one releases
• PS2 HD remakes  
• PS3 digital titles

SCEE also announced no support for lower than 1080p for any SCEE websites. 

As the User base was less than <1%

SD does seam to be no longer a going consern from a lot of releases...with GUI cut of on SD... 

[#8]

If you have not done so yet. You will be getting emails to Move over to Amazon account login...

Its currently a request but I don't expect that to be a request for very long...

Amazon may be a seperate company in name but this instant streaming service and amazon Prime are now being offered in a bundle pricing to love film subscribers... exactly the same price as US $79 = UK £79, thats $1 = £1 pricing... ouch goes the bank computer...

[#9]

now lovefilm are ceasing there games rental from august......