Online streaming options for the uninformed
Be nice. Rewind! is such an archaic and strange phrase in today’s world of Blu-rays, Video on Demand and online streaming that for most of this generation it makes no sense. Think of how well known that phrase used to be if you were around to experience the crude rectangle that is a VHS tape. His entertainment was based on trips to the local Blockbuster Video to see the latest releases or old favorites. I myself remember how much I used to get on my little brother’s nerves because I “wasted” my only rent on Child’s Play for the tenth time. What can I say? I loved the shit that had been branded on me as a kid. So as the years went by, we went from physically watching movies to VOD pay-per-view from the comfort of our own home, to what is now the most common source of entertainment, instant online streaming and instant downloads.
Being able to stream movies and TV shows instantly from your couch is what has made online streaming such a successful business. In addition to being convenient, you can watch virtually any movie or TV show you want in a matter of minutes. Think back to when you used to show up at a video store and the movie you wanted to rent was already on loan. Either they didn’t have enough copies or it was a new release and everyone wanted to see it. Online streaming eliminates this problem. Now what you are faced with is the decision of which service works best for your needs.
Let’s start with Netflix. This popular online streaming service is subscription based with three plan options: Basic, Standard, and Premium. All options offer unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows at the price of $8 to $12 per month with the additional option of adding DVD rentals. Watching Netflix is easy when you can access it on the go via smartphone and tablet, or at home via your laptop or gaming console like Xbox One. Netflix has thousands of choices of movies and TV shows and regularly adds new movies to give subscribers more of what they want. With the popularity of this service, Netflix has even expanded and produced its own TV shows known as Netflix Originals, such as the hit Daredevil, which premiered last April.
Another top option is Amazon Prime Instant Video. This option is a benefit of being an Amazon Prime member. An Amazon Prime subscription costs $100 per year, $8.25 per month, which ends up being a great value, especially if you shop on Amazon frequently. They stream almost exactly the same movies as Netflix and also have their own produced shows called Amazon Studio Exclusives. Viewing options are similar, and Amazon Prime Instant Video can be accessed through other devices, as well as Amazon’s Fire TV. One of the advantages over Netflix is the option to rent movies that are not free through Prime as well as being able to buy movies that are downloaded instantly to your account. This gives you a better selection in areas where Netflix might be lacking.
If Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video are at the top of the movie streaming game, then Hulu Plus dominates when it comes to streaming TV shows. At $7.99 per month, Hulu Plus has a better catalog of TV shows than the previous two streaming services and still offers some full-length movies. This subscription service is for those people who like to watch old programs, as well as those that are currently broadcast in real time. Hulu Plus posts new episodes of the shows that are playing days or sometimes hours after they air on TV. It gives you the convenience of watching your shows later or allows you to catch up when you get behind. Hulu Plus is a nice add-on subscription to add to the above two subscriptions to give you more diversity in your TV show selections.
Depending on whether you have an iPhone or run an Android system, it might also open up some options for downloading content. They may not be the most popular or cheapest options, but they do have a sizable selection for about the same price. iTunes and Google Play stores offer new and older material and you pay for content, rent or buy it. YouTube has also entered the field of renting or buying movies.
For me, and I’m sure for many others, online streaming and instant downloading have transformed the way I get the content I want. No more leaving a video store or Redbox kiosk empty handed, or leaving my point of home. Everything is at my fingertips. Who’s to say that in the future I won’t be able to instantly stream movies in a self-driving car? It would surely make those long trips much more bearable.