A story I heard from my friend, I verified it about Swisscom TV/ online rental movies!!!! BE CAREFUL!!!

As the publicity of Swisscom indicates, their service of online rental moviesis that as if you rent a DVD, you can rent a movie online (on your TV screen) at any time as you like and start watching it when you want on your own TV in your own room or on your PC screen. And yes, there are indeed so many movies(!) available to rent online from Swisscom once you subscribe for the service and get the special recording/reception box from Swisscom connected to your TV.

HOWEVER!

The same Swisscom publicity never tells you (has never told so far) the fact that the vast mojority of all the movies they say availableare are viewable ONLY in one of the Swiss languages (French, German or Italian that you can choose), but any of them is NOT necessary the original language of the movie. This means, the mojority of available movies of which the original language is English canNOT be viewed in English. I verified this with the online Swisscom TV guide magazine about this "online rental films" of Swisscom.

If you are like me who prefer viewing a movie in its "original" language - if it's English, then in English, and if it is in French, then in French, the Swisscom online rental movie wouldn't be really a good choice.

My friend signed a contract for subscription, and some weeks later she reaslised this fact. Now it is too late. She who can't really enjoy movies in "dubbed language" doesn't watch much Swisscom online rental movies but she has to pay the bill anyway.

I was almost falling to this Swisscom service...but did not after all.  I hope one day, Swisscom would make it possible to view their online rental movies in their original language...

Naxxo doesn't have any such service as "online rental movie".

Cheers.

DVD fly is okay too.

Hi, Maya!

A bit of follow up on the Swisscom online rental movies.

On the online Swisscom TV magazine, the latest released online rental movies are marked by "son bicanal" and perhaps it means "viewable in the original language, too".  The magazine itself is one of the three Swiss languages. See e.g. in French:

http://www.3d-zeitschrift.de/p/340sxBDFHJPWY/Oktoberheft_FranzC3B6sisch.html

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago when I phoned the Swisscom hotline number of this service to ask about this language thing, the one answered the call checked their online information taking some time keeping me on the phone, and eventually she told me "No movie online is viewable in English! You must watch it in one of the Swiss languages because it is in Switzerland!" (not in the language that the movie is originally made of!) 

Interesting way of thinking by Swisscom... I thought. 

If "bicanal" means as I think, and if you are interested only in "new movies", subscribing for the Swisscom service of online rental movies could be your choice... If it works like that, please let me know! I can't really trust the Swisscom hotline information.

Thanks Cristian (Justdoit), you filled in the info I wanted that the Swisscom online rental films (filmes on demand) hotline person had "no clue" about when I asked. I appreciate! Also, I will see how DVD fly goes with it. I might try one of them after all... Kaz

might consider iTunes rentals....

Thanks everyone!

SWISSCOM

Swisscom is fine and Liondiver is right in what he says.   When searching for films however you will see information on it either in French/German/Italian, not English.   If you can make out the language it will say whether it can be view in English as well i.e. bi-canel if you like.  So if you can you just select the film for viewing and you're away, and once it's running just press the button that allows you to switch to English - it's not difficult.   There are a wide range of movies to choose from and some of the latest releases to appear from time to time, but not all, and those are the ones at CHF6.00 per rental and you have it for two days.  

All other rentals are generally CHF 3.50 and some documentaries 1.50.  When you get Swisscomm make sure you ask them that given where you live whether the full signal strength is available.  Don't forget this is Internet TV and you need a high band width to fully use it.   Because of the wiring on our building I cannot get the full signal band width, consequently I cannot record one film and view another at the same time.   Other than that Swisscom is not bad. 

NAXOO

Had Naxoo for a long time and just got rid of it as I had both Swisscom and Naxoo and when you want all the interest English channels and some with Naxoo, and the hard disk recorder you're in for CHF800 per annum.  I never tried their PP view, but here because it's classic TV signal I could get HD and full signal strength and so watch one movie and record another.

DVDFLY

I tried this several years ago and a few months ago got a pleasant sales person on the phone and off I go for another membership.   CHF 9 a month isn't much I grant you, but you've got to use it!  The DVDs cost CHF6 to hire and the great thing is you don't have to get them back the next day if you forget no problem - I've had some DVDs out for two weeks no extra charge.  So if you're like me you're prone to not getting your DVDs back on time or watching them again you're going to get hit for a second rental and so forth and one night from most places is CHF 6-7.    On paper Fly is great in practice it does not work for me. 

Seeing movies is a spontaneous thing for me (one of the few spontaneous luxuries we have in our so routine and preprogrammed speedy existences).  So when I have the urge I just go to the video store and get the movie then excited get ready and watch.  With DVD fly it's let me think about what film I might like to watch tomorrow evening.  Hum but movies are a mood think so I'm not sure is the answer I'll see how I feel, and therein lies the problem. 

If I have to plan a movie then personally I go to the Cinema and see on the big screen where there are no disruptions and it's great to be drawn in by the screen.  If you have your all singing all dancing TV and home cinema then that might be a different call.   These days, I highly recommend blue ray and that is one of the arguments for rental the quality of picture and sound are second to none.  However please don't go to the same video store as me as they only carry one copy of each film at the store.   

An additional option is can also join the our Cliché Cinema Group  

I would buy an apple iTV ($99 or £99 or E119) and then rent via iTunes. Its extremely easy, no posting required. (not available in CH for now).

You'll need an itunes account. I would recommend signing up to itunes.com (the US one). If you don't have a US credit card or address there is a way around this by buying iTunes gift tokens and cashing them in on your account. 2 of my collegues here have done that and it works very well. This means you can rent whats out in the US waaayyy before EU release dates.

Might be worth googling it to get the exact procedure.

I have a itunes.co.uk account and am happy to wait.

apologies, just re read my post and to clarify; the Apple iTV is not for sale in CH right now. You can buy one elsewhere and it will work here perfectly. Then do the sign up etc...