TNA Total Access App Review
TNA Total Access! What is it?
TNA’s version of the WWE Network. Only available in UK/Ireland at the moment (it will be coming to more countries) £5 or €6/month
What platforms?
Android (Google Play), iOS (Apple Store), Apple TV, Amazon FireTV and your PC.
Three screenshots from my phone put side by side.
What do they have?
The last 3 impacts, all the PPVs from 2005-2015 (note 2013 & ’14 had 4 PPVs, and 2015 had 2), neither of the 2 2016 PPVs are up though. “Inside Impact” (the 20 minute impact discussion show) goes back to June 1st 2016, 17 “TNA Epics” which is their home video compilation series eg “Best of Jeff Hardy in TNA”, 29 x One Night Only specials.
How’s the stream?
• Honestly, pretty poor. I have really fast internet and it buffers a lot if you start jumping around. It really wants you to start from the start and leave it playing. Even at that it’ll start pausing.
• Resolution? Up to 720p, but the bitrate isn’t great. I wager you could get better rips illegally. The old PPVs do look nice – high quality DVD rips, but the 4:3 standard def PPVs are “double bar’ed” i.e it’s slightly squished 4:3 with a large TNA bar and small black or white bar.
This is a screengrab from my phone. Note 4:3 PPV is stretched and cropped a little, but still has small white bars on either side.
Stray Thoughts:
• When you sign up you get a wordpress user and pass, it’s really weird (because sure OSW’s site is made with wordpress!) so it feels a bit cheap lol.
• Although I signed up on my phone I can access it on the desktop (and other devices presumably.) My tablet had absolutely none of the app – it keeps crashing immediately 🙁
• I am impressed at the speed Anthem have been able to get all the best TNA footage digitised and ready for a streaming service.
• When I downloaded it yesterday it said it had between 500-1,000 downloads on GooglePlay
Is it worth it?
It depends how much you love TNA or how much use you’d get out of the back catalogue. I’d recommend holding off until they can sort out the bandwidth issue as I’m having a tough time watching Black Reign!
One more thing, what do you think of Dixie being demoted from Chairman to “on the Advisory Board” for Anthem?
Great! She’s been with TNA for well over a decade and squandered too many chances. I’m kinda sad Billy Corgan got squeezed out because he seemed to genuinely care about building TNA and was prepared to go to court with a much bigger company (Anthem) to get control. (He’s since been paid/settled and is now out of TNA completely). I’ve hope with new people at the top of the TNA food chain, it has a chance to grow. I’m big fan of Jeff Jarrett but what fresh ideas for success he can bring to TNA management? Anthem has their work cut out for them reversing the negative brand connotation TNA has but they’re well aware with deep pockets! I really wish them the best. Also, give Josh Matthews & Pope the boot and bring in John & Wai! — Jay