Warner Archive Streaming Service has The Detective Shows! (1 Viewer)

Currently in "Beta", Select Episodes of "77 Sunset Strip" (Years 2-6) and "Hawaiian Eye" (All 4 Years) are available! http://instant.warnerarchive.com/tv.html?pageId=290&pageType=SeriesTV Either these were clearable music-wise (accounts for the hodge-podge sellection), or "streaming" is consitered "Broadcasting" rights wise. The 1966 Norman Felton produced Arena Productions/MGM Series JERICHO is also available.

Just Tried The link, Got The Message This Service Is Unavailable. Looks Like Its Only Available If You Live In America.

Tried it, says I have to have an invitation from WB to get a one month trial, so didn't get it to work.

The page comes up but no content will load for me.

This is a wonderful service. After I jumped thru all the hoops to register for it online, then pull it up on the Roku, I had to type a recognition number online again to get the channel. When I did so the channel showed up, only when I tried to watch anything, it said oh no, you have to have an account. Go here to create an account: warnerbros.com/roku So I did, only no such page exists! Undaunted, I poked around on the Roku and found something called 'account'. When I went there it logged me in under my warner archive email. Success! So then I went back to try to watch one of the 77 Sunset Strip episodes. Only it told me the same thing: to go to a nonexistent page to create an account! So I poked around a little more on the Roku and found a help department, which told me to go to some instant.warnersomething website to learn how all this works. So I dutifully tried that...only the site times out without anything coming up. In case you hadn't guessed, I used 'wonderful' in the most sarcastic way possible. EtA: Well at least I got a quick reply from customer service...and on Super Sunday to boot! They wanted me to input a special beta code that went out to invited archive members. Well yeah that's what Richard V said one or two comments up but who reads thoroughly these days? Apparently not me! My problem is apparently that I don't have that code, because I'm not on the invite list. So all the aggravation was for naught...unless they take pity on me and send me an invite. I really do want to watch some 77 Sunset Strips.

I don't think the service is live yet. Best to wait for it to get out of Beta.

I have to hand it to the archive, their customer service is tops. After I explained that I didn't have an invite, they sent me one! Right now I'm watching an episode of 77 Sunset Strip! Pretty nice transfer too. Who needs the Super Bowl?

If they are offering select episodes they are probably the ones that already have the music cleared. But it is good news for the prospect of future season set releases as its strong evidence that they are working on these series.

I wonder if they will make it available through PS3 at some point. I have nothing against Roku, but I am not looking to install another gadget.

Here is a link to all films and TV shows available with this service. http://instant.warnerarchive.com/browse.html Again only available if you are a member selected as a beta tester. You need an activation code. No clue yet as to what the price of a subscription. Many Warner controlled films from the 30's and 40's are available as part of Amazon Prime. I hope this new service doesn't remove the films from that service.

DeWilson said:

Currently in "Beta", Select Episodes of "77 Sunset Strip" (Years 2-6) and "Hawaiian Eye" (All 4 Years) are available! http://instant.warnerarchive.com/tv.html?pageId=290&pageType=SeriesTV Either these were clearable music-wise (accounts for the hodge-podge sellection), or "streaming" is consitered "Broadcasting" rights wise. The 1966 Norman Felton produced Arena Productions/MGM Series JERICHO is also available.

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Could be many reasons for less than full seasons music rights being one of them. It could also be the quality and completeness of the prints available. If an episode is only available in a 16mm and/or syndicated version Warner may not want to make it available on the service. It could also be a space issue. Not sure how these streaming services run but if the content has to be loaded on a hard drive somewhere in order to be streamed, there may be limited space currently available and they want to give a good sample of what the service will be when officially launched. Superman Season 1 is only available as a half season set (13 episodes) I am also afraid that HD masters of films like Baby Face or Auntie Mame will not be used for blu ray due to lack of demand. Perhaps they will be Archive blu rays.

There are a bunch of Hawaiian Eye episodes online, but they don't show up for me on Roku. The Sunset Strips look pretty good; a few are a trifle dark in spots. One had enough edge enhancement that I noticed it. Audio quality is excellent in all cases so far, altho there is the occasional momentary sound glitch. In the batch I've been watching some start with opening credits, then a fanfare 'This is a Warner Bros Television Production', then the episode title as Act I begins. One or two of them skip the credits and begin with the fanfare. The show is better than I remember it. A nice variety: some light eps, some heavy, even an experimental one now and then (like with no dialogue). I'd buy this series on disc, especially if they promise to include the final Jack Webb season.

When will we get 77 SUNSET STRIP and HAWAIIAN EYE on disc is ALL I want to know.

I wish they would get a move on with hawaiian eye also

Garysb said:

Could be many reasons for less than full seasons music rights being one of them. It could also be the quality and completeness of the prints available. If an episode is only available in a 16mm and/or syndicated version Warner may not want to make it available on the service. .

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It's unlikley to be a print issue,as Warner Brothers has master elements on all the series and would be nothing for them to strike up a new prints for the service. Different episodes have different music by different artists,writers and publishers, it's as simple as that. Consitering that Connie Stevens (or Tina Cole filling in for four episodes) sang in every HAWAIIAN EYE episode at least one song, the number of episodes cleared is impressive - 61 of 134 shows.

I see this as a double edged sword, with a no win scenario. If the streaming of the detective shows is a big success, then Warner can sit back and think, wow, this is going over like gangbusters, why should we spend ANY money, even MOD, to put out a physical disc when we can make dough this way? On the other hand, if there is little to no interest in streaming the shows, they can point to it and say, "See, there isn't enough interest in these shows to warrant a MOD, much less a regular season by season release." Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic, but it seems like a reasonable scenario.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard V
I see this as a double edged sword, with a no win scenario. If the streaming of the detective shows is a big success, then Warner can sit back and think, wow, this is going over like gangbusters, why should we spend ANY money, even MOD, to put out a physical disc when we can make dough this way? On the other hand, if there is little to no interest in streaming the shows, they can point to it and say, "See, there isn't enough interest in these shows to warrant a MOD, much less a regular season by season release." Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic, but it seems like a reasonable scenario.

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I agree completely with that line of thinking, Richard. And knowing just a tad about the in-workings of some of the studios (thanks in large part to many insider friends) your hypothetical is exactly the way these things often go down. It really can be a no win situation for those of us that prefer physical media. I hope it doesn't go down that way, but I certainly wouldn't be shocked if it did.
Gary "not a streaming fan if that's the only option - as a secondary option for rental it's great, but I don't want it becoming the standard and thereby kill physical media" O.

Gary OS said:

     Quote: I agree completely with that line of thinking, Richard.  And knowing just a tad about the in-workings of some of the studios (thanks in large part to many insider friends) your hypothetical is exactly the way these things often go down.  It really can be a no win situation for those of us that prefer physical media.  I hope it doesn't go down that way, but I certainly wouldn't be shocked if it did. Gary "not a streaming fan if that's the only option - as a secondary option for rental it's great, but I don't want it becoming the standard and thereby kill physical media" O.

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I think ultimately is the future, studios putting their back catalog up as a streaming service, either competing with Netflix, or in addition to. Physical media will someday end. I'd rather streaming to not beong able to seeing them at all. Maybe with an ability to DL to a device for a fee.

Is there supposed to be a Roku Warner Archive Channel ? If so I can't find it. Once the beta test is over is this going to be a subscription service where you pay a fee for unlimited access or is it going to be pay as you go, say $1.99 per episode or movie. Not very interested if i can only watch on my computer but if I can get the service on my TV, they may have a customer if the price is right. Update I found the answer. Its a private channel that you have to add manually. Here are the instructions: ON YOUR COMPUTER 1)Login to your Roku account at roku.com 2)Click on My Account. Under Manage Account, click Add a Private Channel. Enter the code: waibeta ON YOUR ROKU 3) Open the Warner Archive Instant channel. (If the channel does not automatically appear, enter and exit the Roku Channel Store). 4) You will be prompted to link your Warner Archive Instant account to your Roku. Click Yes, then follow the onscreen instructions.

One question: What's a Roku?