So when Steven Colbert debuted on The Late Show I tested out the CBS All Access app on my Roku.  It’s easy to set up, just install the app and sign up on the website, then you’re good to go.  It does cost $3.99 per month but that was fine, I pay $8.99 for Netflix so $3.99 sounds like a good deal.

Once I got into the app I had a change of heart, first of all you can not see the entire episode, they cut clips out of each episode so you have to watch them separately.  So basically you watch the episode with parts cut out, then you have to go back and hunt for the clips that were cut out if you want to see the entire show. Very annoying to say the least.

Then you have to sit through commercials, so not only are you paying for the service but you also have to sit through commercials.  This is why I canceled my Hulu account two years ago (click the link for that story), you have to pick one, either I pay for the service and don’t get commercials or I don’t pay for the service then I’ll gladly sit though your commercials.

Also there is a lot of buffering, it could take almost double the time of the episode to watch because of all the buffering.  And yes I checked my connection, and I tested Netflix and VUDU before and after watching one episode on CBS All Access, Netflix and VUDU worked fine with no buffering.

CBS needs to fix this app, first play the full episodes without clips cut out.  If you want to off clips that’s fine but don’t cut them out of the show!  Second decide what you want to offer, a paid service with NO commercials or a free service with commercials.  They could offer a tiered plan, maybe something like this:

• Free Plan – Has commercials and maybe a banner ad on the lower third.
• $3.99 Plan – No commercials but banner ad on the lower third.
• $6.99 Plan – No commercials and no banner ads.