Streaming/digital download: Acetrax is closing and the consequences

spizz

Digital download and streaming services are for many people popular.  Everyone knows the slogans. You can use digital products everywhere, as much as you want and at every time you like.

 

 Acetrax a streaming and digital download company, owned by the private TV company SKY, is closing its doors and there will be consquences for their former customers.

The Swiss company was bought by Sky in May 2012, and is best known in the UK for its smart TV apps, which let you stream films directly to tellies from the likes of Samsung, LG and Panasonic. Like many streaming companies it lets you rent movies for 24 hours or buy the right to stream them whenever you want, which will obviously be affected when the service closes.

Acetrax, a video-on-demand service that serves millions of customers across Europe, is closing on June 21st. Unlike other service closures, Acetrax is at least providing a sort of "exit strategy" for purchasers, but it's one filled with busywork and limitations.

 

 

 

What are the consequences for customer who did pay for digital products ?

 

 

After [the June 21st shutdown], owners of Windows PCs can download their films. Mac users can forget it, as can anyone hoping to re-download HD films. Even on Windows, it's standard definition only from that point. 

Movies that users have previously downloaded will cease to play from that date, so re-downloading films is mandatory if you want to continue to be able to watch them. Re-downloaded films will be tied solely to the machine on which they're first played. Because they use Microsoft's Windows Media Player DRM, the films can't be transferred to any platform that doesn't support the copy-protection technology.

 

 

• Standard-definition files only. If you've paid for an HD version, you can't download it.
• PC only. If you have a Mac, you can't download the thing you've paid for. 
• That specific PC only. "You will not be able to transfer the movie to another device," its FAQwarns.
• You need to play each movie for at least 5 minutes, again before 21 June, so Acetrax can validate the licence.

 

 

 

This sort of time-killer is only going to make former Acetrax customers more hesitant to purchase digital downloads from online services and, obviously, those who have spent the most money will be wasting the most time re-downloading and re-verifying movies they've previously purchased.