Epix has now launched, four months after it was originally announced. The new premium movie channel with accompanying Web site is hoping to gain viewers on both media by offering free weekend passes, but will it be enough for the venture to be successful?
Epix Coming Soon
June saw a new venture announced by the name of Epix. It’s a premium movie channel from Lionsgate, MGM, and Paramount which will be available to watch on cable and, if you are a Verizon FiOS subscriber, on the Web as well.
At the time I described it as a Hulu for movies but that was slightly over the top. It is only available to U.S. residents, the same as Hulu, but it’s a different animal altogether by virtue of being inextricably linked in with a cable subscription. Something which Hulu is not, although even Hulu could soon start charging for selected content.
What Epix Isn’t
Epix is the TV and movies industries trying to move with the times a little. Just a few years ago, the idea of offering streaming movies over the Web would have been anathema to the studios, but they are at least now experimenting with the format.
However, as previously reported, Epix is just one small cog in a very large wheel, and on it’s own won’t achieve anything. What’s really needed is an integrated online movie store with content from all available sources, and that’s the only way the movie industry will avoid going the way of the music industry.
What Epix Is
However, we are left with Epix in its current format, and it’s not a bad start to the move to offering Hollywood content over the Web. Epix has launched today, and a limited number of free three-day weekend passes are being handed out from now until Thanksgiving at EpixHD.com/invite.
While Epix on the Web is currently limited to FiOS subscribers, other Internet and cable providers are in talks.
According to ReadWriteWeb, EpixHD is totally Flash-based to avoid the need for any downloads or plug-ins being installed. Video quality is reported as exceptional, with fast connections receiving video at 720p HD.
There are currently 300 movies available on the site, including recent releases such as Iron Man, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Indiana Jones and The Temple of The Crystal Skull.
Conclusions
It’ll be interesting to see how many people take up the free weekend pass offer and then how many of those choose to use the service in the long term. To truly succeed, Pix needs to sign up more Internet and cable providers but for now I’m certainly jealous of FiOS subscribers.
