Will Zip.ca be Netflix For Canada?
When it comes to digital film and TV distribution, one of the most popular services out there is the US Netflix.com rental site. Netflix started as a DVD rental company, allowing monthly subscribers to rent as many via mail as they could handle. More recently, Netflix added digital ‘rentals’, so that current subscribers could instantly watch any movie available online using a variety of methods, from the desktop computer to embedded players found in a multitude of devices.
In Canada, Zip.ca has been operating under the Netflix DVD model for some time. For as little as $10.95/month subscribers can watch as many DVDs as they can mail back and forth (with free return envelopes) in one month. Unfortunately, they as of yet haven’t added digital downloads to their line. But that looks like it’s going to change…
The companies are currently collaborating with content owners to build an entertainment library that will expand over time and include new releases, catalog movies and TV shows. This will result in the first large-scale commercial movie download service in Canada. Zip.ca is exploring a number of models for its digital service including al a carte rentals and purchases as well as subscription-based options. [from the press release]
Others have tried to do the digital content thing in Canada, one of the largest being Bell’s now defunct Videostore.ca, which provided a decent standard def video stream even on an HDTV, suffered from an anemic selection of content, and wasn’t available on a wide variety of devices outside a PC.
There’s no established timeline for when the service will go online, but this is the closest to a wide distribution of digital content the Great White North has seen so far.
Suggestion: DVDLink.ca
used zip for 2 years until i found out about another great site DVDLink.ca
This site is mix of zip(for movies) and gameaccess(for games) DVDLink.ca is only site in Canada to offer movies and games for one price. Great selection, price and customer service
So far there hasn’t been a single incident where I’ve received movies from the bottom of my list. Everything is coming from top 5. Give these guys a try before turning back to local video stores.
[…] that Netflix itself has managed to wrangle a deal to provide its services here. A year ago, almost to the day, Zip.ca announced their intentions, but nothing panned out. Although the netflix.ca page is […]