We’ve blogged about On Demand Online a number of times here on Comcast Voices, and now is the time for Comcast customers to take it for a spin themselves. Fancast XFINITY TV, the new name for On Demand Online, is now available in a national beta.
We started testing Fancast XFINITY TV with a technical trial this summer and into the fall. We got lots of great feedback, tweaked some things, and now we want to hear from even more people (millions and millions of you).
The Fancast XFINITY TV national beta gives Comcast customers a quick and easy way to watch thousands of hours of cable programming, most of which has never been available online before for no additional cost. You can watch shows from 27 networks, including HBO, Cinemax, TNT, Discovery, CBS, AMC, Hallmark and more, from the comfort of your computer screen. This month you’ll be able to watch things like: The Sopranos (every episode) and Curb Your Enthusiasm from HBO, Crash (Starz), Man vs. Wild (Discovery) and The Closer (TNT). We also have tons of blockbuster and independent movies like Slumdog Millionaire, Juno, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Milk and Wall-E from our network partners.
During the national beta you’ll have to be a Comcast customer who subscribes to both digital cable and our Internet service to use Fancast XFINITY TV. We’re working on making this service available to digital cable customers on any ISP and you can expect that to be available next year.
Today, you’ll be able to watch Fancast XFINITY TV content from home or on-the-go on up to three separate computers. As you click around in the beta be sure to let us know what you like, and what you don’t like about the product.
Don’t worry if you have any trouble with any aspect of Fancast XFINITY TV, we expect that you might have some questions and we’ve setup a number of different ways for you to get help. Through the Fancast Help section you can access an email address, chat options, and a special toll-free number you can call to get help. One final thing to be aware of: we’re using your Comcast.net email address as your login for Fancast XFINITY TV. If you don’t know what your Comcast.net email address and password use the help page to either call or email us and we’ll get you setup right away.
Once that’s all set, simply visit comcast.net or fancast.com and sign in with your Comcast email username and password. Thanks to our authentication technology, developed by Comcast Interactive Media, your login allows us to figure out what content your subscription entitles you to see (for example, if you subscribe to HBO you’ll gain access to HBO’s programming on Fancast XFINITY TV with a simple click of the mouse).
This national beta is only the beginning of Fancast XFINITY TV. We’re working on a new user interface, lots of cool new features, and making sure that the service is compatible with all of the system configurations that exist in all of your homes. We’ll continue to add these features and more in the first half of next year.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I need to catch up on some episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm.