Lightbox One year free subscription warning / discussion

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#1545440 2-May-2016 16:31

Or Bigpipe customers :)

I did get 6 months of Lightbox from Bigpipe, so not complaining. At the end of that 6 months, if Lightbox has an AppleTV app, I may keep it (or swap from Bigpipe to Spark, since it will be $3 cheaper a month with free lightbox from them).

dafman

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#1545588 2-May-2016 20:39

As predicted, it's a fail as a standalone money making proposition, but since the infrastructure is there, and is a sunk cost, it makes sense to offer free to broadband customers to differentiate over other ISPs.

radomatic

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#1545611 2-May-2016 21:30

trig42:

Or Bigpipe customers :)

I did get 6 months of Lightbox from Bigpipe, so not complaining. At the end of that 6 months, if Lightbox has an AppleTV app, I may keep it (or swap from Bigpipe to Spark, since it will be $3 cheaper a month with free lightbox from them).

Good news - they released one (an Apple TV 4 app that is) today!

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#1545615 2-May-2016 21:35

AirPlay to ATV2/3 yet?

*edit*

Ok, after some testing it does AirPlay via "mirror" but not straight up (though sends the sound to TV?)

PhantomNVD

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#1545623 2-May-2016 21:44

dafman:
As predicted, it's a fail as a standalone money making proposition, but since the infrastructure is there, and is a sunk cost, it makes sense to offer free to broadband customers to differentiate over other ISPs.

Though it will take more money to maintain the contaent acquisition, so maybe "lifetime" access will be only till LightBox fails? Unless they see enough new customers to retain it as a 'pull', though again I guess VF could do similar with Neon and cancel that out too I guess...

Imagine choosing your ISP by what TV show you like best! 😂

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#1545679 3-May-2016 00:44

radomatic:

trig42:

Or Bigpipe customers :)

I did get 6 months of Lightbox from Bigpipe, so not complaining. At the end of that 6 months, if Lightbox has an AppleTV app, I may keep it (or swap from Bigpipe to Spark, since it will be $3 cheaper a month with free lightbox from them).

Good news - they released one (an Apple TV 4 app that is) today!

Oh, awesome! Must download that tomorrow.

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dafman

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#1545763 3-May-2016 08:52

PhantomNVD:
dafman:

As predicted, it's a fail as a standalone money making proposition, but since the infrastructure is there, and is a sunk cost, it makes sense to offer free to broadband customers to differentiate over other ISPs.

Though it will take more money to maintain the contaent acquisition, so maybe "lifetime" access will be only till LightBox fails? Unless they see enough new customers to retain it as a 'pull', though again I guess VF could do similar with Neon and cancel that out too I guess...

Imagine choosing your ISP by what TV show you like best! 😂

Unlikely they will continue to acquire much new content - well, not the expensive top-rated shows, maybe a few lower tier offerings. I suspect content will remain more or less as is, me thinks.

radomatic

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#1546033 3-May-2016 13:47

dafman:

Unlikely they will continue to acquire much new content - well, not the expensive top-rated shows, maybe a few lower tier offerings. I suspect content will remain more or less as is, me thinks.

I think they will push big on content, personally. Content is surely the drawcard for these services. It is king over everything else - your platform can be as amazing as you like, but if you don't have content, then who is going to subscribe?

Lightbox will know this, and they will be keen to expand their range of content. Particularly high profile shows and exclusives. I guess the concern is money - this stuff costs money, and Spark is not a bottomless pit of cash.

dafman

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#1546095 3-May-2016 15:14

radomatic:

dafman:

Unlikely they will continue to acquire much new content - well, not the expensive top-rated shows, maybe a few lower tier offerings. I suspect content will remain more or less as is, me thinks.

I think they will push big on content, personally. Content is surely the drawcard for these services. It is king over everything else - your platform can be as amazing as you like, but if you don't have content, then who is going to subscribe?

Lightbox will know this, and they will be keen to expand their range of content. Particularly high profile shows and exclusives. I guess the concern is money - this stuff costs money, and Spark is not a bottomless pit of cash.

But now Spark know that content was not enough to compete against the Netflix juggernaut, so I don't think you will see a push big on more new expensive content as throwing more good money after bad does not make for happy shareholders. Plan A failed. Plan B will see LB tick along in the background, probably with a largely static library, serving primarily as a sweetener for their ISP business (IMHO).

trig42

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#1546102 3-May-2016 15:23

I think an opportunity for Lightbox lies in NZ content. And Sport.

How they do that, and how much it will cost? I don't know, but imagine if they picked up the online rights for Rugby (or perhaps, just overseas rugby for a start), or the league, or Netball or cricket? I'm sure Sky has them all locked up tighter than the proverbial, but if they could nab one of them and do a good job of it...

dclegg

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#1546104 3-May-2016 15:25

dafman:

But now Spark know that content was not enough to compete against the Netflix juggernaut, so I don't think you will see a push big on more new expensive content as throwing more good money after bad does not make for happy shareholders. Plan A failed. Plan B will see LB tick along in the background, probably with a largely static library, serving primarily as a sweetener for their ISP business (IMHO).

We've been Lightbox users ever since its initial beta. They are definitely still updating the content regularly, with The Path and Underground two recent additions that are part of our regular viewing now.

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dclegg

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#1546106 3-May-2016 15:29

trig42:

I think an opportunity for Lightbox lies in NZ content. And Sport.

How they do that, and how much it will cost? I don't know, but imagine if they picked up the online rights for Rugby (or perhaps, just overseas rugby for a start), or the league, or Netball or cricket? I'm sure Sky has them all locked up tighter than the proverbial, but if they could nab one of them and do a good job of it...

If they did nab the rugby, my Dad would ditch Sky faster than you can say "Dave, how do I email the rugby AirPlay from my Chromecast to the telly?"*. His fear of losing access to rugby is the only thing keeping him tied to his traditional Sky subscription.

*Not a totally fair characterization. He's actually getting quite proficient with casting content to the Chromecast I got him for Christmas.

littleheaven

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#1546124 3-May-2016 16:04

That would be a good way to get paid subs - offer Lightbox for free with Broadband and then sport as a premium add-on at a cost. I'd sub for the cricket. Presently I shell out for Fanpass when the Black Caps are playing in a series that screens during watchable hours.

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ockel

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#1546125 3-May-2016 16:05

trig42:

I think an opportunity for Lightbox lies in NZ content. And Sport.

How they do that, and how much it will cost? I don't know, but imagine if they picked up the online rights for Rugby (or perhaps, just overseas rugby for a start), or the league, or Netball or cricket? I'm sure Sky has them all locked up tighter than the proverbial, but if they could nab one of them and do a good job of it...

Yeah, maybe they can start with:

English Premier League
PGA Golf
French rugby (Top 14).

ROTFLMAO.

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mattwnz

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#1546143 3-May-2016 16:16

ockel:

trig42:

I think an opportunity for Lightbox lies in NZ content. And Sport.

How they do that, and how much it will cost? I don't know, but imagine if they picked up the online rights for Rugby (or perhaps, just overseas rugby for a start), or the league, or Netball or cricket? I'm sure Sky has them all locked up tighter than the proverbial, but if they could nab one of them and do a good job of it...

Yeah, maybe they can start with:

English Premier League
PGA Golf
French rugby (Top 14).
ROTFLMAO.

Hasn't premier league now gone to another provider? But certainly a good idea. Almost like a freemium model. Even charging for premium shows could be an idea, although I imagine that would put a lot of people off. With this sort of thing, it is all about getting the customer numbers up, even if run at a loss for several years. This is how many successful SaaS providers have built their business.

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