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Turner Classic Movies Launches 'Watch TCM' tvOS App With Thousands of Classic Films on Demand

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Alongside a major version 3.0 update that rolled out to its iOS app [Direct Link] earlier this week, Turner Classic Movies has also expanded support for its "Watch TCM" app to tvOS devices. Now the app can be downloaded to the fourth-generation Apple TV and fifth-generation Apple TV 4K, with thousands of classic films available on demand.

tcm_atv.jpg

You'll need to have TCM already on your current cable or satellite TV package, and then once you sync the app to your log-in information you'll get access to its content. This includes two live streams for the east and west coast feed of Turner Classic Movies in addition to the on-demand movies.
Turner Classic Movies presents WATCH TCM, a "TV Everywhere" service that lets you enjoy unlimited access to the best of TCM, at no additional cost with your TV subscription. Not your ordinary "TV Everywhere" service, WATCH TCM is a content rich and in-depth movie companion that lets you experience the richly textured world of classic movies that only Turner Classic Movies can bring you.
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The company says this back catalog includes "nearly every title playing on TCM," including introductions by special hosts like Ben Mankiewicz. Both live and on-demand movies are presented uncut, commercial free, and in their original aspect ratios.

The app also features articles, cast and crew information, photo galleries, short films, film collections ("Birthday Tributes", "31 Days of Oscar", "Silent Sunday Nights", etc.) and more. All of the films can be added to your Watchlist so you can keep an organized list of what you want to watch next, but the app doesn't appear to integrate with Apple's TV app as of yet.

Watch TCM differs from Turner Classic Movies' film streaming service "FilmStruck" since it connects to your pre-existing cable subscription. FilmStruck is a standalone subscription service that starts at $6.99/month and raises to $8.25/month ($99 billed annually) and includes most of TCM's classic films as well as the Criterion Collection. The app first debuted on the fourth-generation Apple TV in late 2016.

Article Link: Turner Classic Movies Launches 'Watch TCM' tvOS App With Thousands of Classic Films on Demand
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/06/22/watch-tcm-app-launches-tvos/
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Interesting. Most of the key players at TCM left years ago because the station was languishing. They left to start FilmStruck, which is great. They inked exclusive streaming rights to the Criterion Collection. Worth checking out if you’re a film buff.
 
picaman said:
No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.
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As it comes down to legal agreements between the carrier and the provider, it's likely squarely on both of them. With the AT&T/Time Warner deal approved, this should be fixed eventually, at least for Turner properties.
 
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picaman said:
No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.
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Add me to the list of disappointed for NOW, no DIRECTV NOW!
 
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e-coli said:
Interesting. Most of the key players at TCM left years ago because the station was languishing. They left to start FilmStruck, which is great. They inked exclusive streaming rights to the Criterion Collection. Worth checking out if you’re a film buff.
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Apparently they didn't go far:
"FilmStruck is a film streaming service from Turner Classic Movies which caters to cinephiles and focuses on rare, classic, foreign, arthouse, and independent cinema."
 
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picaman said:
No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.
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I'm not sure about "woefully incomplete". There are very glaring omissions (like Turner), but it's an extensive list:

  • ABC, A&E, AMC
  • BBC America, BTN2GO (Big Ten Network), BET, Bravo Now
  • CBS, CMT, CNBC, CSN Bay Area, CSN California, CSN Chicago, CSN Mid-Atlantic, CSN New England, Comedy Central, Cooking Channel
  • Disney, Disney Jr., Disney XD, DIY Network
  • E! Now, ESPN (Watch ESPN)
  • Food Network, FOX Now, FOX Sports Go, Freeform, FX Now, FYI
  • HGTV, History, HBO GO® (requires HBO subscription)
  • IFC
  • Lifetime, LOGO
  • MAX GO® (requires Cinemax subscription), MLB Network (Web only), MLB.com At Bat (app only), MSNBC Now, MTV
  • National Geographic, NBC, NBC BayArea, NBC California, NBC Chicago, NBC Golf, NBC Mid-Atlantic, NBC New England, NBC Sports, Nick, Nick Jr.
  • Olympic Channel, Oxygen Now
  • Paramount Network
  • Showtime Anytime, SNY (Via NBC Sports), Sprout Now, Sundance TV (Web only), SYFY Now
  • Telemundo Now, Travel Channel, TV Land
  • UNIVERSO NOW, Univision, Univision-Deportes, Univision NOW, USA NOW
  • VH1, Viceland, WEtv
 
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picaman said:
No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.
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I just wish could get DIRECTV Now added to the first page of six or seven major providers when we're authenticating with our DTV Now credentials. It's annoying to have to go to "More Providers" and then scroll through a list of hundreds of local and regional providers to select DIRECTV Now. I'm sure they will be added to the "major" list eventually. Just an annoying first world problem in the meantime. Really, the Apple TV should remember which provider you've authenticated with previously and put that provider at the top of the "major" list.
 
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picaman said:
No auth possible yet with DirectTV Now. I like the service but the list of providers that allow DTVN sign-ins is woefully incomplete. Not sure whose fault that is.
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I haven’t checked it out yet. Does it support DirecTV?

WarHeadz said:
I also wish Directv now had a west coast feed. It’s a little annoying to be in California and watching shows on EST
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Oh wow, most west coast people I know want east coast feeds. But that’s mostly for live events.
 
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Saw this last night when the FireTV app updated. I poked around to see if there was an AppleTV app and bingo! Apparently TCM pissed off Roku fans though as Roku support was “coming soon” for more than a year and now the activation page doesn’t mention it. Oops.
 
camnchar said:
ABC at least is location dependent on DirecTV Now, and blacked out in my area. This seems ludicrous since it is available over the air.
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The contractual complexities with local affiliates is arcane at best. I'm lucky enough to live in a moderately large market with generally agreeable affiliates, though it took forever to get the CBS affiliate added.
 
camnchar said:
ABC at least is location dependent on DirecTV Now, and blacked out in my area. This seems ludicrous since it is available over the air.
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I think it has to do with if the affiliate is independently or corporately owned. The major market stations tend to be corporate and available. I get all the Philly broadcast stations.
 
Feel like this used to be Turner's corner. TCM was THE authority for classic movies for years. And they let FilmStruck beat them to this by at least two years. And even then this requires a traditional cable sub.
 
This is a winner already. Downloaded it and told the husband, and he said “there’s a movie I’ve wanted to get but it’s not on DVD anywhere”. A quick voice search, and bingo, we’ll be watching “Women in the Wind” tonight.
 
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Damn. I've been wanting this on tvOS for years and now its finally here and I can't get it because of DirecTV Now. Sheesh.
 
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