ShowMax tested

From the response on this forum, the quality of the streams haven't been too great.

Teething problems I suppose.
 
It's great here. Although it's 720p and I'm on a 20mb line. With Netflix I have to manually up the quality but with Showmax it automatically adjusts.

Netflix starts of at low quality but then quickly jumps to 1080p on a 10mbps line. Unless you specify the quality not to exceed SD quality in the settings. Only youtube, where you can get original SABC programming, is where you can select quality.
 
On a 4mb line, Showmax quality looked like 360p. I looked for a setting to up the quality but couldn't find it. I can stream 1080p Youtube but yeah, thanks but not thanks.
 
Wait, there is no way to set the quality? That kinda sucks for us on LTE. Why would I want to stream 1080p to my tablet :(
 
Tested the iOS App on a basic 2mb line it was rather decent; selection looks good as well for a brand new entrant & the pricing of R99 for top option seems very affordable.
iOS App itself did not come across limited or buggy.


All in all; taking any biasness out; it's rather good & shows good potential.

Nice one guys...

Criminal Minds with the smooth sounding Malcolm Gooding

ImageUploadedByMyBroadband1440046851.941476.jpg
 
Last edited:
Downloaded Android app.
Open -> crash
Open again, find video, playback error, close app
Open again, find video again, playback error again, close again.

Maybe I'm just unlucky, but I'll give this a skip for a couple of months and let all the kinks get sorted out first.
 
I tried the free streams last night and got buffering all the time on a 10 Mbps line which is strange because I stream Netflix, Hulu and Showtime in HD all day long.

I will give my service provider a call to see if they can optimise it for me before I decide on subscribing... Selection is good for a startup but the stream quality and lack of Apple TV/Roku app has me on the fence.
 
I tried the free streams last night and got buffering all the time on a 10 Mbps line which is strange because I stream Netflix, Hulu and Showtime in HD all day long.

I will give my service provider a call to see if they can optimise it for me before I decide on subscribing... Selection is good for a startup but the stream quality and lack of Apple TV/Roku app has me on the fence.

Without a Roku app I've got no means of getting it on the TV.
 
Without a Roku app I've got no means of getting it on the TV.

I had a look at the free stuff and there wasn't even a dedicated toggle to AirPlay it. Not that the experience would be better with the quality of the stream. I'll give it another try this evening and call the ISP but I'm leaning towards skipping until they have dedicated apps.
 
Probably using the same streaming technology as SuperSport (It works great on my 1mb line) but i think it would be much better if you could pick you settings.

Biggest question i have is. Content? Is there stuff new? If suites is released today, is the new episode available immediately as it should be?
 
Netflix starts of at low quality but then quickly jumps to 1080p on a 10mbps line. Unless you specify the quality not to exceed SD quality in the settings. Only youtube, where you can get original SABC programming, is where you can select quality.
Most probably my AH account then. Even the new AH green is *****.
 
Can someone point me in the direction of HD content which can be streamed for fee?
I just can seem to find something
 
On a 4mb line, Showmax quality looked like 360p. I looked for a setting to up the quality but couldn't find it. I can stream 1080p Youtube but yeah, thanks but not thanks.
I asked them on their Live Chat about this and the response was that is was because of the resolution their receive some of their Overseas content at as well as the resolution at which local content was created. I do not agree with the Overseas content statement, especially the content they source from the BBC, which you can watch on the iPlayer in 1080p if you have the bandwidth.
Can someone point me in the direction of HD content which can be streamed for fee?
I just can seem to find something
There is nothing. The 2 episodes of the Kiddie LSD show, In the Night Garden, Showmax offers in in horrible quality. You can watch the same episodes via the BBC iPlayer in 480/720p.
 
Without a Roku app I've got no means of getting it on the TV.

Since I would be in the same boat: could one use a Chromecast to cast the image from a PC to the TV ?
 
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