I'm a Netflix subscriber, and always thought how much easier it would be just to be able to download movies online. I guess the possibility is there without having to violate copyright laws and all that, but I'm sticking to Netflix after this review.

Good review. And thanks!

Awesome. I *knew* they're be a catch. Apparently, there's *multiple* catches.

Well, Warren, you kinda glossed over a few key details; I'll list them in a minute. Let me first say that I found this review on a night when I was particularly frustrated with VONGO's selection of recently released Hollywood hits.

I decided to surf over to cinemanow.com to see what they had. Kinda going back to my roots since that was where I began my experience with movie downloads probably two years ago --- if not earlier.

What I discovered was that VONGO is not far behind Cinemanow or the other Mircosoft/Hollywood studios-supported service, Movielink. When it comes to recent content, the bottom line is the studios are afraid of making movies available on the 'Net. Even if they're DRMed to death.

Back to the VONGO experience: 1) You don't have to subscribe at all to watch movies. You can browse and then choose to watch only PPV titles, just like Cinemanow and Movielink. The $10 lets you watch the growing number of movies, series, concerts, Starz channel stream (which contains some content not downloadable from VONGO) and their smattering of somewhat recent movies.

2) If you're going to be watching movies on your computer using anything other than a DVD, you need 1GB of RAM; period. I've been using VONGO for about six months wth 1GB of memory and haven't seen a stutter yet -- much less out of synch audio. Besides, Vista's on its way and 1GB is minimum system requirements territory.

3)I usually watch VONGO using a flat panel monitor and a regular television. The picture's fine on both.

4) I'm not VONGO's biggest fan by any means. There is plenty of room for improvement: a) the selection of titles could be better; b) a lot of the titles offered as PPV should be part of the monthly fee; c) the interface should be scalable; d) the software should have been made compatible with WIN 98 and 2K; and e) there's no live help like there is on Movielink. Cinemanow suffers fom the same deficiency, that's why I tried VONGO in the first place.

Take it from a veteran of legal movie downloads, the state of the industry is not where it could or should be, but progress is being made thanks to competition from PVRs, Bittorrent and Netflix.

I own a PVR (MCE 2005), but I've never downloaded illegal content via Bittorent sites or used Netflix. I got tired of making Blockbuster richer with unjustified late fees. Plus, I'm an impulsive kind of guy, ordering a movie few days ahead just doesn't work for me.

That VONGO's not perfect goes without saying, but the reveiw published above isn't comprehensive enough to be representative of the service. I hope this review is more insightful and useful than the one posted.

I'd have no arguements with you, Craig, except that Vongo doesn't tell anyone that you have to have 1GB to use their service. Their requirements are 128MB. If it takes 1 GB, they need to tell people.

There's a lot of potential in the service. Legal movie downloading has a lot of promise. But they need to be upfront with the requirements, and somebody needs to get some movies people want to watch.

For the record -- cancellation is easy to do. Once I told the rep that I wasn't happy with the video quality and that I needed to get more RAM before I could really enjoy the service, she took care of it with no problems. I was on hold for a really long time, but I called on Sunday evening -- probably a lot of 14-day-trial people cancelling their accounts.

I just signed up for vongo on the free trial thing... So far I'm really digging it. It is nowhere near netflix as far as its library, but the feed is somewhere around TV quality for me and the convenience of quick and easy streaming is well worth the service.

One weird thing seems to be that there is little rhyme or reason to the PPV thing. Amelie is PPV but the Incredibles is not... I dont know if I get that. I dont always get my first choice for films, but I can usually find something I'd like to see. I'm sure there library will grow at a good clip for a while to come and finding my movie of choice will become easier. For now, between my desktop computer, 1GB of RAM and my s-video cable, I couldnt be happier.

I signed up for VONGO yesterday and have been enjoying the service. Download and install of VONGO software went well and I was up and running in just a few minutes. I have a high speed cable connection and it only took me about 10 to 15 minutes to download each movie that I have watched so far. Three (3) to date. I do agree that the movie selections on VONGO needs to be increased and hope to see that in the near future. At present, I plan to stay a member of VONGO awhile to see want the future holds and what selections are added weekly to the service.

Wow!

I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed I am with Vongo.

I tried out the 14-day free trial because I thought "Cool! I can try it out with really no risk"... First mistake...I took me three tries to cancel! I was on hold over 30 mins the first two times I tried to cancel and then I was disconnected...then the 3rd time it took 45 mins for someone to actually come on and close my account.

Second Mistake...assuming that the video quality would be ANYWHERE even near regular DVD quality. I have a Home Theater PC hooked up to my 55" Hitachi High Definition TV. I own around 500 movies (long time subscriber to Columbia House) and was tired of having to sift through stacks of DVDs to find/play the ones I wanted. I loaded my top 100 DVDs onto my HTPC so I can play that at will...Quality is excellent! True Progessive scan...and when I play DVDs through my HTPC the quality is just as good...so I expected something along those lines... WRONG. The image quality was quite poor...comparable to a VHS image...I would'nt watch VHS on any TV today...why should I settle for that quality here? The quality is "ok" if I veiw the download on my PC monitor...but looks terrible on anything over 27" inches...

Oh...and just to help you understand that my HTPC is no slouch of a machine...its an AMD 64 X2 Dual Core, 2GB Ram, and an ATI All-in-Wonder X800XT Video Card (256mb Ram). So my video quality has NOTHING to do with the hardware.

Third mistake...the thing that prompted me to try out Vongo was my local Hollywood Video and Blockbuster were both out of stock on a recent release - Poseidon. So I figure that Vongo would have current releases...They do a great job of telling you how much better they are than a Video rental store and Netflix...they are bit myopic though and completely miss out on the fact that both Blockbuster/Hollywood Video and NETflix have HUGE Selections of current releases...not so at Vongo...Vongo has 1800 titles currently available (Compared to NETFlix 65000 titles)...with few current releases (last 6 months) and many of those are PAYPER VIEW! I've already got High Definition Payper View with my DirecTV High Definition Satellite/TiVO! Why do I want to pay for older movies with lower quality image and sound?

The bottom line is this...
If you don't mind a limited selection of older movies & lower quality image and sound, then Vongo might work for you...then again...so would Starz, HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime...well...then again you can still get Dobly Surround and DTS from those sources...not at Vongo.

If you are looking for:
Great Selection
Current Releases
Good quality image and sound

Then don't bother with Vongo.

I saw one Vongo commercial and was watching a movie 20 minutes later. I have been waiting for this kind of instant gratification with movies since I got online in 1993. :-) I use it almost every day, and have found many wonderful films I had never heard of.

HOWEVER, I am frequently outraged by the quality of the software. It is bugier than a two-bit flophouse, and they don't seem to be interested in doing anything about it. Some of the problems are just inconvenient, but others are mind bending. For example, who wants to watch a movie to within 3 minutes of the end, only to have it die and be unwilling to start where it left off, forcing you to run the whole 2 hours just to find out how it ends. Yuk. In all fairness, it doesn't happen often, and I have found a work around: before I start watching, I advance to the end of the film. If it works, then I know I'm safe. Otherwise, I just download it again.

I was amazed that no one mentioned any of the dozen or so serious bugs. I have talked to their phone support only once, and I mentioned several of the worst problems. They seeme to be aware of nearly all of them, and even knew under what circumstances they happen. But no idea when (or if) they would be fixed. It has left me with a dilemma: put up with it indefinitely, or cancel the service. I have decided I just get too much value to cancel. So I'm learning to deal with the down sides.

As to the technical requirements, I use it mostly on a Compaq notebook with 512MB of RAM. Almost never see any stuttering or synch problems, and the only video weakness I see is that, presumably due to color averaging, large areas of solid background color tend to get a layered look. I can deal with that.

I thought I'd be disappointed in the selection, but once I got over looking for specific titles, and just finding the goodies that were there, I have been very happy. I currently have about 30 films on my computer I haven't even watched yet. I tend to look for new ones often and only watch one I already have when I can't find something new that looks good.

The most important technical limitation would be bandwidth. They say it takes 1Mb/sec and they mean it. Cable and reasonably fast DSL works in real time, slow DSL doesn't. But you can download even on a slow connection if you're willing to wait. Bottom line for me is it's a pretty strong love/hate, but the love of film and instant gratification wins out in the end.

Does anyone have the number to cancel vongo. I signed up for the service and watched a few movies. Now I can't get on the site. I want to cancel, but can't get on to my account to get the number. Thanks.

Valid comments all. Here is the latest: I installed Windows Vista Ultimate, yesterday. Vista lets you know pre-install if there might be problems with programs post-install. Nothing for Vongo. I have had Vongo for about a week. Once Vista was loaded the first thing I saw was a banner, "There seems to be a problem with your Vongo library." Vista does not like Vongo. Vongo does not run on Vista on my Dell XPS x86 3.4 CPU. If I cannot run Vongo I cannot get to my account to cancel it. Good thing I still have machines with XP.

I thought their movie selection didn't warrant the $10 a month, so I canceled after having the service only 5 minutes.

The number to cancel is: 1-877-VONGO21

They're pretty helpful, but be prepared because they'll do anything in their power to keep you. My advice, just keep politely declining their offers until you've been told your account is canceled.

I dont find any of the problems that others are complaining about. I have vista ultimate and vongo works inside of the media center application flawless. Im happy as a pig in .... Video quality is amazing! I am using a HTPC tweaked for RBG output directly to my 55inch hdtv. it looks fantastic. for $9 a month and no waiting for mail to arrive i think it beats netflix. the library looks to be expanding. I like how the videos go into my media library and dont exipre for about 3-6months. Im going to have to buy a larger hard drive! :D

I think the quality problems may be associated with using the wrong types of video filters. I downloaded a few all in one codec packs and the native format looks beautiful.

There are still lots of bugs when using Vista Media Center. If you try to move the window, restore, maximize, or minimize then you will have to close out and reopen it. The program usually feels pretty smooth but could definitely be better. As for the library, it could be better but you can't beat $9.99 a month.

Just found out Vongo does not work with VISTA ULTIMATE 64. What a bummer. I had to cancel my service, once I talked to a representative about why I was having problems with the program. Really to bad, I like Vongo.

You can try this fix for your technical issue.



- Make sure you are logged-in as the "ADMIN" or main user in your computer.

- Please check if you have the new 2.0.1 Version of Vongo.



Below is the list of the Vongo minimum requirements



· U.S based IP address

· Broadband connection with a download speed of 100 kpbs for PPV

· 300 kpbs for a Vongo Membership

· Windows Media Player 11 or higher

· Macromedia Flash Player Version 9 or higher

· Windows XP or Windows Vista operating system

· Two gigabytes of available hard drive space (5 gig recommended)

· 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

· 512MB of RAM

· 16 bit full duplex sound card and speakers or better

· 65,000 color video display card



FOR XP

- Start

- Control Panel

- User Accounts

- Select User

- What does the text under the user name say?



FOR VISTA

- Start

- Control Panel

- User Accounts

- User Accounts (yes again)

- What does the text under the user name say?



Close Vongo and re-launch the Tray application



Exit the Tray

· Right click on the Vongo icon in the system tray and choose Exit.

· Go to C:/Program Files/Vongo, and double click VongoTray.exe (not VongoTray.exe.config)

· Watch the Vongo icon in the system tray, wait until the red circle with slash goes away

· Launch Vongo FROM THE START MENU or DESKTOP ICON. It will take a bit longer than normal but User should be good to go. Do not launch the Vongo on the system tray otherwise you will crash the application.


· Try clicking on "Reconnect" if still offline



In addition follow the steps below before you continue:



Set WMP (Windows Media Player) 11 as default player

FOR XP

- Start

- Control Panel

- Add or Remove Programs

- Set Program and Access Defaults

- Set WMP 11 as default



FOR VISTA

- Start

- Control Panel

- Programs

- Set your default programs

- Set WMP 11 as default



ALLOW the following program on your FIREWALL



- Vongo.exe

- VongoTray.exe

- VongoPlayer.exe

- VongoPortable.exe

- VongoPortableManager.exe

- Starz DB convert



6. Ping www.vongo .com

- Windows key + R

- Type "Command" and then hit "enter"

- Type "ping www.msn.com" then hit enter

- Do the same for www.vongo.com

YOU ARE INCORRECT. That does not work to fix the problem. VONGO DOES NOT WORK WITH 64 BIT OPERATING SYSTEMS ANY LONGER SINCE VERSION 2.0

vongo would only waste your money as well as your time. there is no instant gratification... their fixes does not work...they don't know how to fix their trash...it is a pain in the ass...they will provide you a free trial were in you will not be able to use the trial because of the technical issues that they have and they will charge you $ 9.99 for a service that you could not utilize..the service is so cheap that i cannot understand why this Starz Entertainment Group were trying to deceive the consumers...they would promise for a trial then for $ 9.99 unlimited downloads that will just be pain in the ass....IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE PISSED SUBSCRIBE TO VONGO ......hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Vongo does not honor coupons that it includes with the pre-loaded software it pushes on people who purchase new computers. When calling customer service, the service will not give any viable excuse as to why but "user error", so the representatives I spoke to say it is my fault that they will not honor the advertisements they put in new computer boxes.

I was charged for two monts of service. One month I will accept as my responsibility. But the latest, I cancelled the service within the time frame, and they charged my credit card, and will not issue a refund.

I do not recommend this service. The majority of movies are outdated: Circa 1980's and beyond. Of the newer movies, most have been out on the market for a month or longer. So, the service is not worth trying out. It will be a waste of time and money. Customer service is very low par. Arguing with a person who will not give his name, nor the company leadership name, so writing this company to settle issues are not acceptable means of conducting business. A company should give the names and how to reach the office numbers of the chief of operations and/or other management tiers. This was refused to me.

All this hassle for a $10.59 charge to be taken off of my credit card, and they will not do it, nor even offer my the two weeks free I should of had left. VERY poor customer service, with absolutely no empathy towards customers. So, my alternative is to file a lawsuit. For false and misleading advertisement--seeing that the original pre-printed advertisement I received with my computer says:"30 day FREE trial" of which I only received 14 days of free try out service.

I agree totally. I have discussed this many places thus far.

Here are a few of them... Geeks With Blogs, vistax64
and again.

Quite the few heated discussions on these forums. I show proof positive why it doesnt work, and show emails from Vongo techs also stating they are aware of the situation. Last email was last friday 12/21/07

On a side note.... i did enjoy Vongo while it worked. Each update broke the system further and it became increasingly frustrating to use it. I do however hope they get the 64 bit issue resolved and all the bugs as i would liek to use this service again, minuis the hair pulling and all of course.

Vongo released an update in late November 2007 that fixed the issues related to 64-bit Vista installations. 64-bit Vista users with the previous version of Vongo will need to uninstall and reinstall the new version.

I don't like Vongo, their approach to business, their monthly subscription packaged with Pay Per View , at seemingly unknow prices.
I resent the 30 day Toshiba FREE TRIAL
offer of Vongo which becomes 14 days at download. I resent Toshiba for screwing up my new lap top with Vongo. Bottom line I trust Netflix and have a lot of reservations about Toshiba and Vongo, they have lost my trust.
I am keeping my Toshiba laptop as I picked it up at a Wal-Mart secret sale for Three Hundred and some dollars , I will just pretend it's a Sony and enjoy my NETFLIX.

Vongo crash my computer and I have over 80 GIG of is a new computer, i turn off and then back on again then it works but my pc seems to slow down so I uninstall vongo and it start to speed up fast and I have a cox ISP.

I don't know why but I download other programs like kazaa and it never slow down my pc.

this is the biggest scam ever,,,they are very easy to install and take your money but when u want to cancel ur membership it is the biggest pain,,,they dont even leave a number to call and cancel on their site, i found the number finally 1-877-VONGO21 to cancel,,,

I've been a Vongo user for about a year now and have certainly gotten my moneys worth. I caught a lot of movies that I missed in their day, and even watched movies which I already own on VHS simply because it was handy to download them.

Lately, the weekly additions tend to be 3 to 4 good movies, 1 or 2 great movies, and a string of Troma films. I've seen a few Troma films and know what to expect, but really, their films are mostly a waste of time. With that said, at least 50% of Vongo is a waste of time.

This weeks new releases:
Buttcrack (Troma)
City Slickers II (1994)
Combat Shock (Troma)
Farts of Darkness (Troma)
G.I. Executioner (Troma)
Hot Summer in Barefoot County (Troma)
Hurlyburly (1998)
The Iron Sheriff (1957)
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
Joe Dancer: The Big Black Pill (1981)
Joe Dancer: The Big Trade (1981)
Joe Dancer: The Monkey Mission (1981)
Kid Colter (1985)
The Killer Elite (1975)
A Kiss Before Dying (1956)
Mission to Mars (2000)
Mr. Majestyk (1974)
Mystery Men (1999)
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
Savage Abduction (Troma)
Tank Girl (1995)
The Unforgiven (1960)

6 Troma films (just added this week, lots more previous weeks), 1 film in 2000, 5 from the 90s, the rest before 1990. Awesome!

The odd thing is they also have the splash screen films, which are not listed in the 'new this week', so maybe they have been available for a while. Currently these are promoted:
Open Season (2006)
Perfect Stranger (2007)
Reign over Me (2007)
Jindabyne (2007)
Voltron Series (1985)
Desert Punk (2004)
187 (1997)
A Time to KIll (1996)
Rainman (1988)
The Big One (1998)

Vongo, as others pointed out, uses a buggy Flash enabled program to manage your account and select movies. The last update to the Vongo software promised it was better, faster, etc, but it was the opposite - more unnecessary graphic pizzazz, slower response, longer loading time.

Often, the list of movies offers a movie for free with the membership and the same movie for Pay-Per-View for 99¢. What???

Okay, the time came for me to close my account. I was lead to believe that once I cancel, I wouldn't be able to access the system. Not true. In fact, after canceling, a message displayed saying that I could use their service for PPV movies.

Wait... cancel doesn't mean remove my account? It doesn't mean strip my credit card information from your system? No, it doesn't. If you want to truly cancel service, you need to call the 877-VONGO21 nubmer and speak with an Indian person who might understand you. The one I spoke with tried to explain to me (a web developer by trade) that only the last 4 digits of the card are stored. Hahaha, okay, sure.

I got her to confess she didn't understand what she was saying (clearly a script reader and not well versed in English). Then she said that in 3 to 5 days the request will be processed to close my account completely.

We will see...

Okay, this is my cancellation update!

As I mentioned in April, I expected to have my credit card removed from their system after cancelling. Turned out that they did not do that, as they want you to continue to buy PPV movies.

So here is it, over a month later since I posted about this (probably two months after cancelling) and I just tried downloading a PPV movie.

Guess what? It accepted the order, meaning they still hqave my credit card number stored in their system.

I tried calling their number and after following the prompts, it disconnects. I tried calling in as a new customer to order Vongo, and it disconnects. This is 2:30pm EST, what is the deal?

I smell a chargeback brewing...

Thanks for posting this enlightening review! I saw that "My Coke Rewards" was offering a free one-month subscription to Vongo in exchange for 250 points, so I Googled reviews and yours was the most informative (and believable). It sounds like Vongo is not for me, and I'm really glad I didn't waste 250 Coke points for something I could have gotten for a free trial subscription anyway...that seems kind of sneaky on Coke's part, doesn't it? But thanks for taking the time to test Vongo and posting a detailed review.