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Author Topic: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME  (Read 17578 times)

Offline beemaster

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HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« on: January 27, 2014, 10:42:05 am »
Got to say first I can find almost anything on the web (free and streaming) that any of those service have. But I called the cable company and asked what we can do with the bill.

This last month, with a triple play, Showtime and HBO and of course all the rentables the bill jumped to $208 - mind you (as if it explains it - my Internet speed is over 40mps) but I tried all combos, and 2 stuck out.

Keeping the Triple Play (TV, Internet and Phone) is always the cheapest bet, but there is a wide variety of packages of cable TV bundles that can dramatically effect your monthly fee.

With little effort, I took off the 2 discounted premium channels which I was getting for $10 a month each. Then with no other change, I got offered a 12 month plan that dropped down to $149.95 plus taxes = about a $45 saving, but I kept probing.

I asked about reducing the TV bundle to the barebones package - about a dozen local tv shows to keep up with news, etc. Nothing else TV wise, but we could easily live with in this bundle - our actual "live TV" show watching is almost nil. I don't care if I'm watching, let's say the great new series BLACKLIST tonight live with commercials or when I want with very limited commercials, and as soon as tomorrow. This package btw brings me down to $115.95 another $35 savings, still in a triple play package and getting the rock bottom deal for someone who has had promotional rates every 6 months or a year for way over a decade.

NOW THE BIG QUESTION:

I had Amazon Prime, thought I'd pay for it on shipping fees of stuff I bought through Amazon, and I think I did okay. I really didn't watch TV on it, just some movies and honestly didn't use it much.

NEVER used Netflix - just didn't come up in my trial of services quest for what is best for us.

We do watch HULU, a lot - and just started a week of free HULU to check it out. I'm still bothered by the commercials on TV shows, but they are shorter than regular HULU. I scrolled through the channels and some were as I had hoped, looks like they have a few hundred channels, many my cable company does not have, but almost all that they do have. But some of the channels had little to no content on them, seemed like "eye candy" on the channel listing page more than anything.

To help you, we watch TV series, mostly dramas, and often dramas we've never seen or heard of - found MISFITS from the UK to be a great Sci-Fi comedy, I'd put on the same scale as Warehouse 13, except MISFITS is very adult language and situations, but a good series that ran 5 seasons.

There are many such series specifically made for (or at least contracted to HULU) and we find more every day - right now we are watching John Doe about a over the top brilliant man who knows everything except who he is and where he comes from - great show.

The other thought being, I have a website that I have shared that has ALL THIS CONTENT ON IT and nearly any movie you have ever heard of, all streaming. TV shows are always available the next day and there are no commercials fairly easy to navigate. Sometimes you don't get HD content due to auto-bandwidth settings and rarely but it happens (at HULU too) there is some buffering, even at my very fast Internet speed.

SO WHAT'S IN THE PLANS?

Well, if I take the cable to $115, say $124 with taxes, then get HULU or other monthly service - I know we would be more than overwhelmed at the content we watch, as it is now. Truly, nothing much would change minus the rare "Channel Surfing with the TV remote" in TRUTH we watch TV through my computer 90% of the time. That included all the HBO and SHOWTIME stuff that streams for free now. I don't think we'd miss the cable box stuff, I'm very good at bookmarking our shows across the many websites - so we never miss the series we like and although none of the MOVIES content at any of the online service blow me away, it's easy enough to get the latest stuff in the theater downloaded in minutes - of course I don't endorse pirating, I just recognize it is readily available with newer technology like MAGNET downloads being much more secure and track-proof than torrent files.

SO WHAT DO YOU USE AND WHY?

Of the three and let me know of any others, which streaming service do you use and let me know which ones you have tried and what negatives you came across as well.

Thank you, saving $60 a month on cable is a lot of money, especially since we rarely have the TV in the TV mode - again, 90% of the time everything we watch is through my powerful workstation PC. $720 a year is a few thousand rounds of ammo, 10 to 15 dinner night outs, even a room in Atlantic City 5 time a year. And NEVER forget new toys, ummmmmm toys!
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2014, 01:12:51 pm »
i have one of the high end dish packages with the Hopper.  that's mostly for chris and his sports.  i enjoy the history, discovery, etc., but my heart would not break without them.   :-D

i have done netflix for a long time, but feel like some of the content is not as good as it once was.  am thinking about amazon prime for both the shipping and the books, with the added benefit of the shows/movies.  have not done it yet.

also find that for the occasional movie i can't wait to see...and that's very rare, PPV is worth the price.  i can rent two movies for the price of one trip to the theater and with the exception of the 3D or really big (graphics, scenery, CGI) movies, TV is fine for me. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline annette

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2014, 06:22:58 pm »
I like Netflix although I haven't tried anything else. We like to watch tv series, like Homeland, Downton Abbey and I do pay for 2 DVD's at a time as well as the streaming. With tax comes out to $24.00 a month Sometimes stuff isnt on streaming and I can get the movies I want on DVD

Offline Kathyp

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2014, 06:59:01 pm »
that's true.  i had better choices when i paid for the DVDs on netflix.  still going to do the 30 day trial on amazon prime.  will report on how it compares.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline AllenF

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2014, 08:15:22 pm »
My wife likes prime because of the free shipping on the crap she buys.  But with the free movies with prime, we have seen them all.  Not that many free movies imo.  But you can buy video there.  We missed the finale of walking dead last fall.  We paid that money to watch it.  Me and the boys use netflix.  Thousands of stinking cartoons.   I get the dvds for the newer flicks and the weird (just finished Fantasy Island season 1). 

Offline beemaster

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2014, 08:37:34 pm »
I've shared my site of choice before http://www.tubeplus.me/ there really isn't any TV series I haven't found here and all content is commercial free. You'll need a DivX player installed, not a big deal, and any show can be searched by movie or TV, the title or choosing A-Z option (I like to go through letters of the alphabet to see how many thousands of shows there under each letter.

The good thing, it is free and all new shows appear the following day. You have the option of multiple sites to stream it from, I have my favorite 1800downloads and putlocker are 2 of my favorite, very fast and hardly ever a buffering issue and they definitely have the largest archive of shows, whether premium channels or HULU or NETFLIX original content - it's all there.

I have never had an issue with viruses, etc., after over 4 years of use. It is by far the most prolific archive of TV and Movies I know of. Of course, it may not be for every one, but it has a short learning curve and there are many sites that compile content, but this has proven to be a solid source for me - mind you that I use ad-blocker plus, so there is likely commercials somewhere, but I have never seen one - and NONE are within the shows.
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Offline kingd

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2014, 10:02:25 pm »
We have had netflix for years and it works for us especially since we have 2 girls in college and can have all of us steaming at the same time on one account(not being charged extra yet), They even have separate lists of their movies, Plus I still like getting DVD's.

 On our cable,We have to call every 12 months to see what deal is being offered(usually the same thing) to keep getting the deals.

 Now I might be wrong but I thought alot of shipping was free if you spend $35 or more on amazon?

Offline AllenF

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2014, 10:17:14 pm »
Not for 2 day shipping I think.   Prime gets 2 day ship.   And she buys a lot of little stuff.   (bag of almond flour or a bottle of vitamins or protein bars)   

Offline Kathyp

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Re:
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2014, 10:25:33 pm »
Google play is very good if you like to download stuff for travel.   Good prices.  Quick download.   30 days to start watching.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline beemaster

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Re:
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2014, 11:49:09 pm »
Google play is very good if you like to download stuff for travel.   Good prices.  Quick download.   30 days to start watching.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Good option for that flight to Buds!!!

I use a file transfer program connects PC to iPhone called FileMaster - easy to transfer through any browser, has players built in, good for videos and audiobooks - needs a better bookmarker for audiobooks though.

Not sure if I mentioned, I gave up Audible last night. Had 3 books in queue, returned one made it four, downloaded parts 3-6 of a series I'm on book 2 of, and they gave me a $20 credit to reconsider - which I used to buy the 7th and final book, then cancelled Audible.

Nearly every book I pay for, I find elsewhere and can use filemaster (and a few other apps) to download. Not as convenient as Audible, but $14 a month cheaper.

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Offline buzzbee

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2014, 06:21:41 pm »
John,
On a little side venture here, have you tried the chromecast yet. Almost anything viewable on the net can be sent to your chromecast that plugs into your hdmi port. It is an inexpensive( 35dollar) item that neeeds the program sent to it via a chromecsat app or the chrome browser and it picks up your wifi and continues on it's own.
We have comcast for right about 100 for internet HD dvr service, hbo, starz ,streampix,and such under a promo deal for two years. Like you our bill was in the mid 100'srange and when calling and talking about switching nback to dish, we were able to negotiate quite a bit lower. The triple play is still not available here due to conflicts with a small local phone company. But now that cell service is avalablehere, I don't know that their protections will be maintained. We will have to wait and see. But with cable, constant negotiation is of utmost importance.
We are not committed to the cable for two years,but they could only guarantee pricing for  two years and we would have to caancel the package deal before expiration to not be charged for the premiums.

Offline beemaster

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2014, 09:48:56 pm »
Ken

Good thing about promo offers, here at least - Xfinity don't hold you too it, you can change or cancel any time.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2014, 10:30:21 pm »
buzzbee, do you have to use the device by way of google chrome?  i am not fond of that browser and wouldn't want to have to install it.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline deknow

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2014, 09:49:00 am »
I can't say that I've never downloaded something that I didn't have rights to...but I can say that I don't make a habit of it.

To my way of thinking, this thread does cross a line...not in that it mentions some websites,  but in the justification it seems people have for stealing.

deknow

Offline beemaster

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2014, 04:55:12 pm »
Here we go.... "I've stole before, but that was me" Glad you forgave yourself.

Let me ask this, If you paid for HBO and a show appeared on there, so you chose to download it AFTER paying your fees to HBO - are you still stealing, just stealing a little - or have you paid your royalties?

About 90+ of this post concerns TV SHOW - it's under the TV FORUM HEADING and we are talking about watching TV Shows on our time, typically through services that we pay for that carry those shows.

Shows on Broadcast TV where you can obtain the content through the airways, through a legal digital converter box - do you see watching a copy to watch (NOT DISTRIBUTE) infringement? Does that commercial you muted and went for a bowl of ice cream until the show can back make you a thief?

How about shows that you can not find on regular TV until of course they make a movie of the same name, then they dust the box off and play a Gilligan's Island Marathon - how much of a crook is it if you would like your kids to see these, especially if they have never heard of them and they were the shows you couldn't wait to air as a kid 50 years ago?

If I pay for cable, and a show airs on a channel I paid for - then I believe I have the right to see that show however I choose - if I DVR it, TIVO it, catch it on Youtube (who has a tremendous FREE LIBRARY) available, or I find a site that streams it - and the dreaded download site where again you get it, watch it and delete it.

I know you admit to being a thief in your past, reminds me of the I smoked pot when I was a kid line - no one smokes pot, but they sure use too! but somehow you believe that qualifying others in a hierarchy that you either made up, or you get a trill out of seeing how us evil people dance with the devil for an episode of Bewitched or Rifleman.

So, I'll ask this - if I choose to stream or download a TV show or movie I pay monthly fees to a cable company to see, but I don't want to pay another $12 a month for a DVR, I give up rights to watch that show that I paid for because I was at work, not home or watched something else? How many times are you supposed to pay for something? Isn't it ever yours?

Final thought, seems movie companies make about 2 dozen films a year for half a decade - and at least 60% are nominated for the Oscars, the other 40% for SAG, or People's Choice, etc.. 70% of all new films are REMAKE of either films of the past or TV series. So 30% are new, half of those are NOT released in theaters near anyone, leaving really new conceptional ideas you may catch a year - all the rest are rehashed, even if you don't know until you realize Bad Lieutenant with Nicholas Cage is a remake of Bad Lieutenant with Harvey Kiatel decades before, or as Martin Scorsese says "There hasn't been an original movie made since Dark City" with Kieffer Sutherland - you can look up the year, it's shameful.

I suppose you write a royalty check every time you sing happy birthday too - or do you apply rules so the best fit you? Satellite, cable, streaming media or over the air content, whether watching commercials or paying for channels - we all watch something, probably frequently that might raise an eyebrow on infringement.





« Last Edit: January 29, 2014, 05:18:30 pm by beemaster »
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Offline deknow

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2014, 07:30:51 pm »
Umm, whatever dude.

deknow

Offline buzzbee

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2014, 08:58:01 pm »
I don't think what John is talking about is really much different than Dish networks hopper and Comcast gives you the option of watching a lot of TV on your smart device no matter where you are.
I think TV viewing is going to go through a huge revolution soon as people will be more accustomed to watching something when they want,not when the broadcaster chooses to serve it to them.

Offline buzzbee

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2014, 09:04:26 pm »
Kathy,
 I have the chromecast app for my droid powered nexus 7 which all androids are google platform. Not sure why you don't like the chrome browser, It is my second choice after firefox. Not all content is able to be broadcast over the chromecast, but I'm sure with Google behind it, the list will grow. I have used it to broadcast some of my own videos from the pc to the television. I thought for 35 dollars it was an inexpensive techy gadget.  Oh,and I just checked, chromecast is available on IOS also.

http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast/?gclid=CJeXgZqcp7wCFStnOgod1VsAfA

Offline Kathyp

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2014, 09:21:43 pm »
thanks buzzbee.  i just got the hopper.  hated to upgrade, but i'll tell you what, that's a way to get spoiled really quickly!   :-D
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline beemaster

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Re: HULU , NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2014, 09:38:23 pm »
Deknow.... Why do Libs always think people are talking about them? I believe I was talking about TV and Movies, and somehow you couldn't find it applicable enough to anything you have :watched" to comment on whether if you have already paid for something, it is yours to view.

Ken, TV is/has changed so much - the only issue is DATA USAGE, try watching an hour of TV or God forbid a movie and there goes your 3gigs of data for the month over cellular.

I think if the entertainment revolution is going to make the next big leap, then finally unlimited data (without all the tricks they pull) might be in the future of broadcasting. It would be wonderful to just click and watch something over Cellular, but Wi-Fi is still the only true affordable way to do it.
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