Starz v.s. Showtime
 

I am about to order one on my DTV due to the rebate and try it out for 3 months. Any recommendations would be great.

I am looking for basic movies from the past few years, and no skin flicks.

Are there any sites to check both there programming for a month or two in advance?

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Starz has more popular movies, good documentary/critic programs and decent shows where as Showtime has more older(80's-90's) popular films and recent low-budget/DTV/independent stuff, Strikeforce/Boxing/NFL and pretty good original shows.

If you want positively no skin flicks, go with Starz.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

If you're just looking for movies, go with Starz. You can search their schedule online at their website.

While Showtime has some good original programming, their library of films pales in comparison with every other premium network, IMO.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Showtime has Dexter, Californication, Shameless, Episodes, Weeds as far as original programs goes. But, Dexter is off until September and Weeds is off until later in the summer. The movies are pretty meh.

Starz has Spartacus and will have Camelot in April and of course the movies.

Since your probably only going to stick with it for a 3 month time period, I would pick Starz. At least you will be able to watch Spartacus: Gods of the Arena for it's 6 episode run and a few popular movies.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Yeah, it's really bad; even when they do show older films, I would think they'd put the effort to show all of them in OAR since they are the best when it comes to OAR. The CBS-Paramount merger and subsequent EPIX creation really bit them.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

FWIW, you may get The Movie Channel w/ Showtime and Encore w/ Starz. Just something to also consider.

Also, not sure how Starz' OnDemand is, but recall Showtime having a pretty decent offering (back when I was with Comcast, at least).

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

I ended up canceling Starz because I have Netflix. Most of the movies and all of the series seem to be available for streaming at the same time they're being shown on the network. I caught Spartacus and Pillars of the Earth the same weeks they aired on Starz.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

you can also stream starz live television from netflix as well. Netflix is negotiating again as the deal will end in about nine months.
link

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Showtime is only good for the original programming IMO. The movies they show have sucked. I'd go with Starz if you only have it for a few months.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Thx guys. I have dial up so steaming is a no go.

Encore is included with Starz.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

On my cable system, -Charter, -Showtime includes TMC and Encore.

Other than "Spartacus", I'm not a fan of "Starz" because most of their HD "wisescreen/2:35" films are shown "cropped" to I:78, much like HBO/Cinemax. While Showtime sometimes does this, more often than not films are shown in their proper aspect ratios.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Great, tried to upgrade to Starz via internet and it said I had an old programming package and could not do it. I have been a DTV member with this package for about 15 years now.

Anyone know whats up with this?

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

If your on a grandfather package (a package that they no longer sell) you can still keep it, but you won't be able to upgrade to premium programming until you change it to a current one.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Thx mate. Disadvantges/advantages to upgrading to a new package rather than keep our old one?

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Well for starters you won't be able to upgrade your programming. And if you do change it to a current package the pricing may change a few bucks. I had a grandfather package for a year after the new ones were introduced, but I wanted to add Showtime and the online system wouldn't allow me to do it, so I was forced to change it.

So it's up to you, if you really want to add Starz for the 3+ months, then you have to change it to a current package that you can afford.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Cool, thanks.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

What kind of movies do you watch? For my money Showtime has had some good to great movies lately. I'm flipping through the OnDemand and here's what I see: The Brothers Bloom, Nine, Inglourious Basterds, The Hurt Locker, The Road, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and W.

They're not as mainstream (though they do have movies like Extract and Sorority Row if those are your thing), but I would argue that they have great films and not just ones that 'have sucked'.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Yeh, we had the free Showtime last week and it seemed really good.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

But for each one of those there's stuff like Do They Serve Beer in Hell or Stan Helsing or some other DTV dreck.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Yeah for me, Showtime sucks with the exception of their original programming...

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

It seems like Showtime always has original programming I want to watch. Even during the summer. Dexter, Californication, United States of Tara, Nurse Jackie, Bullshit, The Big C (my gf is mainly into that one), Weeds (although that has been a slog for the past couple seasons.

Basically, I could probably save money by cutting showtime and getting DVDs, but with so many of these shows, I have a "need to see it now" philosophy that won't abide for the several months waiting for the DVDs (this is especially good for shows with startling season finales that could get ruined)

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

I think Starz and Encore show better movies. But Showtime has better original programming.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Just go with Netflix with dvds. One subscribtion fee...you can rent both movies A and B at the same time, whereas movie A is shown exclusively on HBO and movie B is shown exclusively on Starz.

Plus...NO distracting, blinding logo, NO "pooping" from the station over the movie advertising a tv series, and NO freaking advertising during the end credits so one can listen to the music. The sight of theses practices on premium channels that one pays extra money for disgusts me.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

movie channels except for HBO (for original series) are a waste of money. They show the same movies over and over. You be better off getting high speed internet and Netflix. then you can watch what you want when you want.

Re: Starz v.s. Showtime
 

Weeds is headed towards the (thankfully) final season. While Shameless is questionable, Episodes is getting good reviews. Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara should certainly not be overlooked either - both are terrific. Honestly, I often wonder why I keep HBO only for True Blood and Big Love (which ends in a few weeks).