nbc.com
The NBC Network is one of the most renowned and successful broadcasters in the entertainment industry. They produce high-quality television shows that are equally as popular as their movie and radio projects. The website for the NBC Network oozes with passion and dedication, displaying just how much they care about their fans.
An interesting fact about NBC is that it has a website documenting its growth as one of the largest stations in the world. The website can be found at http://www.nbcuniversal.com and lists the various accomplishments the network has made throughout the years. After reviewing the timeline, it is evident that the growth of the company is thanks to the phenomenal workers behind the scenes.
NBC has aired many noteworthy events and shows over the course of its long history. The Macy's Day Parade was first aired in 1939 and became an annual tradition in many American households. NBC was one of the first networks to air color television. It was almost an entire decade ahead of the other providers.
NBC is known for producing a wide range of series, some of which have been running for many years. Western series such as Bonanza, Golden Girls, and Law and Order are still popular today. Other long-running series that originate from NBC include The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The West Wing.
Website Design
Despite NBC's efforts, most online streaming networks are mediocre. However, NBC is a standout in this area; the company focuses on viewers and does not overload its website with advertisements.
The large slideshow is under the main menu and has featured shows in the slides. The menu is simple and easy to read, but the search bar is difficult to find since it's in the shape of a magnifying glass without text. The color scheme is a monochrome black and white. Overall, the website design is fine, but it could use some improvement.
Content
NBC is well-known for its prolific output of media. There are innumerable films, radio broadcasts, and shows that are aired on NBC TV Network. Their main focus is streaming their television programs online so that they can be accessed by as many people as possible.
The website host an extensive library of television programming from many smaller networks that NBC owns. Some of the networks that offer programs include Bravo, CNBC, E!, MSNBC, NBC, Oxygen, SyFy, Telemundo, Universal Kids, Universo, and USA.
There are many shows on NBC's website, and it can be difficult to decide which to watch. NBC has a list of categories, like "Throwbacks," "Trending," and "Bingeworthy." There are many different genres, and decades. Additionally, the streaming service offers three locked episodes for free to anyone who signs up. This means even if you don't have a television provider, you can unlock the important content you want to watch. It only takes a few minutes to create a profile.
Desktop & Mobile Accessibility
The desktop website is easy to navigate. The search bar is not very clear at first glance, but it is disguised as a small magnifying glass on the corner of the screen.
The mobile browser version suffers from delays in loading pages and forcing users to download apps to watch videos. The button promoting the app is small and difficult to spot, hovering around the bottom of the browser.
The application uses Bluetooth to connect with nearby televisions, which visually have the same lists but a different color scheme. The app uses a vibrant purple background for its homepage, a grey one for it shows category and a dull pink for the search page. The app loads a lot better than the other options.
Positives
NBC outperforms the other large networks' streaming sites in terms of content quantity and quality. They offer a great deal of free content, as well as the ability to access three locked episodes for free through an account creation process.
Another benefit of using this service is the ease of navigation. The menu is formatted well, and one of the best navigational tools is the menu from the episodes. It allows you to access fun facts about the cast, trivia, and other information about the program.
The advertisements are quite few. There are only two to three breaks in between shows. Even so, there are only two ads per break, usually amounting in around one minute or less. Another helpful feature is the autoplay at the end of the episodes.
I typically do not click on FAQs or help guides unless something is wrong, but I was curious and checked NBC?s. The reason I checked was that it was in a very visible place on the website. The section was very helpful and had valuable information regarding their streaming site and common troubleshooting.
Negatives
The NBC TV Streaming Service is a mostly positive experience. It is very hard to choose anything wrong with the site. If I had to choose some negative aspects, I would say the load time is not up to par.
Whenever you attempt to click on the show you want to watch, there is no response. The page is loading, but nothing signals that to the viewer. It is frustrating to click multiple times and not even see a loading icon. By the time you attempt to click something else, the page will have loaded and left you even more annoyed.
It is easy to miss, and I found myself clicking on the wrong thing a few times.
Another small issue with NBC's website is the search bar. I couldn't locate it at first because it is not marked very clearly. When looking for the search bar, I usually look for a little bubble that allows you to click and type or even the word "search?" In NBC's case, their search button is a small magnifying glass. A lot of services use the same glass, but often accompany it with large text. It can be easy to miss, so I found myself clicking on the wrong thing a few times.
The video quality on the desktop browser starts out poor but eventually becomes acceptable after a few minutes of buffering. However, I waited up to three minutes in a stream before the quality balanced out.
A related issue to the video quality is that the ads often lag or do not load properly, which delays the stream. It is an unfortunate negative that I hope is worked out soon.
Improvements Needed
There are few changes that need to be made to NBC TV's streaming services. However, always room for improvement exists. The main changes need to be made on the desktop browser. The app is nearly perfect.
The biggest issue for me is not being able to easily recognize the search bar. It is the first thing I look for on any website. Other viewers do the same, so it could easily be resolved by separating it from the main menu and writing the word search next to the symbol.
The Initial load times need to be much faster. It is extremely frustrating to wait for something to happen and for the quality of the video to slowly start improving. Finally, the buffering problems with the advertisements need to be improved as well.
Summary
NBC has been a prevalent network in the media world for many years. They are well known for their streaming services which continue to keep the viewer in mind. The website design is thoughtful and easy to use.
The free content is a great feature and the option to unlock free content by signing up for a profile is a nice surprise. The variety of content in their vast library is a nice sight. They collectively distribute their content, as well as the content of other television channels they own. NBC is one of the better television streaming services on the market currently.
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