A few years ago Kiwi’s had very few options when it came to streaming content. Some people would use things like this Cashcoup, but now times have changed a little bit. Many choose to use Geo bypassing services to access content that was restricted to the United States, however over the past 12-18 months localised streaming services have grown to the point where there is hardly any need to use geo bypassing to access quality content. With that in mind we take a look at the major services available locally in New Zealand to find out the best and worst options available. A lack of seamless streaming can really irritate customers which is why video stream monitoring is crucial.
1. Netflix
The world’s largest streaming service came to New Zealand in 2015 and it shook the competition and with good reason too. With three monthly pricing points starting at $9.99 (SD & 1 Device) then $12.99 (HD and 2 devices), $15.99 (up to 4k and 4 devices) and a month free trial, Netflix is by far the best value service in New Zealand. It is, of course, one of the biggest on demand video streaming services out there. The difference in price only changes the definition of the content streaming and the amount of devices that you can watch Netflix on at the same time, regardless of which price you pay you’ll get access to the same content.
The streaming giant has a massive library of TV shows and Movies to choose from. Netflix has, for years, been producing it’s own Netflix Original TV Shows, some are critically acclaimed powerhouses that make for captivating viewing. House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Jessica James and Narcos are a small sample of Netflix Original shows that can be binge watched with entire seasons available. When it comes to the movie side of the content, it doesn’t matter what genre you like, there is going to be plenty of movies to peak you interest. For the kids and family there is plenty of Disney, Dreamworks and other family friendly content available with highlights like Kung Fu Panda, Monsters Inc, Wall-E and even Harry Potter. For the adults every major genre is taken care of with movies like Shawshank Redemption, Gravity, The Help, We’re the Millers, Horrible Bosses, Sherlock Holmes, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Batman movies just a small selection from the plethora available.
Netflix also has best in class streaming technology on offer so the quality of the stream will adapt based on your available bandwidth. For the most part you’ll get a very brief buffering period when you first select your content to watch and then you’ll enjoy an uninterrupted stream while viewing. Netflix is available on just about every modern device so there is no shortage of ways to watch. Whether you have a Smart TV, Chromecast, Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Smartphone or Tablet you will always have a device on hand that can play Netflix. With the amount of content on offer and the price of subscription Netflix is THE best streaming service available in New Zealand.
2. Neon TV
Neon TV is Sky TV’s standalone (you don’t need a SKY TV subscription) streaming service and is a relative newcomer. At $20 per month with a one month free trial Neon TV is the most expensive of the streaming options available. There is a very good reason why it’s been slotted in at Number 2 though, the power of SKY means there is good movie content and great TV shows, the best of which makes it just about worth the monthly subscription on it’s own…Neon TV is the only NZ streaming service that offers HBO TV Shows.
So HBO content…Any HBO lover will be wanting to know about one show in particular and YES that epic Drama, Game of Thrones is available to be streamed on Neon TV! Not just one season either, Season 1 through 5 are available to be binge watched in their entirety and the fun doesn’t stop there either, Neon have already confirmed that Season 6 of Game of Thrones will be coming. So for the anti-SKY brigade having a Neon subscription is going to ensure you don’t miss a single episode of the highly anticipated 6th season of the epic series. Other big Neon TV shows include The Wire, The Good Wife and True Detective among a solid lineup of TV shows. Movie lovers also get the benefit of Sky’s rights deals. Disney is well catered for from animated classics like Finding Nemo, Aladdin and the timeless Lion King right through to the big budget blockbusters such as Thor, Captain America and Iron Man. For the adults the steamy Fifty Shades of Grey is available and action buffs are well taken care of with Furious 7 and Kill Bill to name a few.
The big downside to Neon TV is that it is currently limited to SD only. They are working on HD offerings so expect HD streaming to be available later in 2016. Ways to watch are a bit limited at the moment with PC’s perhaps being the preferred way to watch. Chromecast is also supported which means Neon can be streamed to your TV. Anyone with a modern laptop can watch the way I do it, by plugging the laptop into the TV via HDMI. A select range of Android devices can also stream Neon as can the Xbox 360. Current gen consoles miss out but I’d be very surprised if we get to the end of 2016 without seeing Neon come to Xbox One or PS4. There is a bit of buffering when you first load up a show but I’ve not experienced any re-buffering once a show has started which is a big plus (there’s nothing worse than getting into a show or movie only to have it stop to buffer). Whilst there may not currently be HD streaming offer and the price may be higher than competitors, there is a lot to like about Neon. The HBO content and Game of Thrones is well worth the subscription but throw in a big array of other TV shows and a great lineup of movies and all of a sudden that $20 per month makes it much more easier to stomach and is a great alternative or compliments Netflix.
3. TVNZ on Demand
So, this one is the dark horse of the bunch. It’s free and filled with some quality content, there is really no excuse not to be using TVNZ on Demand.
TVNZ on Demand is all about TV content and the rule of thumb is, if it’s appeared on a TVNZ Channel then it will be available on TVNZ on Demand. The content is generally has a time limit attached to it and some shows you’ll only have a pretty short space of time to view it on demand. For a free service there is some great content on offer, current shows like Big Bang Theory, The Bachelor, Lucifer and Once Upon a Time. So how can TVNZ offer their content for free you ask? Why, with ads of course. That’s right, to get the benefit of free streamed content you’ll have to endure non-skippable ad breaks during the stream. Considering there is no subscription fee the only price you pay is the annoyance of having to watch ads.
There are some movies available as well although you won’t be finding any blockbusters, instead you’ll get the likes of Get Smart, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Billy among others.
For a free platform, TVNZ has done pretty well to offer TVNZ On Demand on a range of platforms. The most obvious is through your web browser on PC but you’ll also be able to find it on selected Samsung Devices, iOS, Windows 10 and as a console exclusive on PS4. Without having to put a cent down to access TVNZ on Demand this one is a no brainer, anyone who streams should have this app.
4. Lightbox
Lightbox is a 2015 baby and is the brainchild of telco, Spark. Lightbox comes with a 30 day free trial and a monthly subscription fee of $12.99. Lightbox did start out more expensive but dropped their price when the likes of Netflix hit the market. Lightbox is all about TV content, you won’t find any movies at all on Lightbox so this is a subscription purely for the TV lover which makes the subscription fee a bit hard to swallow given the likes of Netflix and Neon both offer TV and movies for the price of entry.
There is a decent TV library on offer and like competitors, you’ll find Lightbox offers complete seasons of shows, often you’ll find every season of a series. Some of the shows are “express from the US” which is just a fancy way of saying that the most recent episode of a particular series will be available shortly after it has aired in the US. Shows that are on the express train are Vikings, Better Call Saul and Suits. For the sitcom fans out there you’ll find Modern Family on offer and arguably the holy grail of sitcom’s, Seinfeld, in fact Lightbox is the only service in New Zealand that you’ll find Seinfeld on. Funnily enough Orange is the New Black seasons 1 & 2 are also available on Lightbox, it must have been a deal that was done prior to Netflix entering the NZ market and it’s one show that I can’t see staying on Lightbox for too long. For the fans of crime, and drama Lightbox does have some good offerings, although admittedly shows like American Horror Story and The Good Wife are available on Netflix as well.
To the credit of Lightbox they do support a range of devices. PC through the web browser is available as is Google Chromecast support. iOS & Android users will also find that their devices support the app and anyone with a PS4 will also be able to access the service. Despite some decent TV content and wide device support paying $12.99 a month for a service that only caters to TV shows isn’t a sound value for money proposition. Given that the likes of Netflix & Neon offer TV and Movies and both feature much stronger libraries, there is just not enough to warrant grabbing Lightbox over a competitor.
5. Quickflix
Quickflix was the first dedicated streaming service in New Zealand so you’d think they would have an advantage right? Well you couldn’t be more wrong, Quickflix offers both a streaming and pay per view service but it is the worst of all the contenders in the streaming market. So bad is the service that under no circumstances should you admit to having Quickflix or else you’ll face being Ostracised from society.
At $12.99, Quickflix isn’t a bad price, except for the fact that all it’s best content is on a pay per view basis and the bulk of the content available as part of the subscription is old shows and movies. To go with it the streaming technology on offer is by far the worst I’ve experienced. It’s available on PC, iOS, Android, Xbox One, PS4, Chromecast and selected smart TV’s but I can honestly say I have never been able to finish a single show or movie on Quickflix without substantial rebuffering. Before you go blaming my internet connection, I have VDSL and have no trouble streaming any of the other services. Avoid at all costs!
Gd to read your feedback on this its helped alot for us to make a choice