To Subscribe Or Not To Subscribe, That Is The Question: Paid Streaming Services

[Guest]

1 hour ago, meowmommy said:

If that makes you old AF, then I've been dead for a hundred years.  I can't stand that I click on a tile I see on Netflix, just to read the description to decide if I want to watch it, and the video starts playing.  And it doesn't matter that I have my preferences set not to auto-play.

Yeah, I hate that too. Unfortunately there’s no way to turn that one off. Sometimes I mute my tv when I’m trying to decide what to watch. 

[ClassicShowsFan]

Netflix no longer offers free trials in the US

[meowmommy]

9 hours ago, ClassicShowsFan said:

Netflix no longer offers free trials in the US

I got back on Netflix in March after dumping them about ten years ago, with a free trial.  They're being pennywise and pound-foolish if they get rid of the 30 day trial.  I don't know what "marketing promotions" would be preferable to taking their product for a test-drive.  Maybe stop charging extra for 4K?

The cited article gives the impression that Disney Plus has reinstituted free trials, though.  It hasn't.

Quote

Netflix’s decision to cancel its free trial comes at a time when other streaming services are leaning heavily on trials to build their initial subscriber bases. Apple just extended the initial free period for Apple TV Plus subscribers by three months to February 2021, while services like Quibi and Disney Plus launched while touting free trials.

 

[Quof]

I take advantage of the Netflix free trial once a year (in Canada).   During early Covid days, I actually paid for a month, and determined it wasn't worth keeping it.  As far as I can tell, there is no way to see what programs they actually offer unless and until you sign up.  

[BetterButter]

Quibi Is Shutting Down After Failing to Find a Buyer

[Anduin]

4 hours ago, BetterButter said:

Quibi Is Shutting Down After Failing to Find a Buyer

The best comment I've seen about this.

Quote

Look, say what you will about Quibi's mistakes, but in the end the company stood by its ethos of keeping things short

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Anduin

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m watching a lot of Amazon Prime Video, Showtime and IMDb.  I get so frustrated with the interfaces.  I’m getting ready to stop Showtime. Until then, does anyone know how to exit out from their main page? There is no exit. It keeps looping around, if you back it up. The only way I’ve been able to get out is to tell Alexa to exit out. 

[Irlandesa]

HBO Max is so frustrating.  It's like old Hulu with all of its buffering.  I'm sure they'd blame my internet speed but I don't have issues with any other streaming service. 

[Jaded]

Apparently Netflix is now mulling over offering 48 hour free trials.

[meowmommy]

22 hours ago, BetterButter said:

Quibi Is Shutting Down After Failing to Find a Buyer

You mean those free subscriptions to Quibi from T-Mobile Tuesdays aren't worth anything???

Seriously, I can't imagine anything I'd watch less than short movies I've never heard of.

14 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

HBO Max is so frustrating.  It's like old Hulu with all of its buffering.  I'm sure they'd blame my internet speed but I don't have issues with any other streaming service. 

And here we are now almost six months into HBO Max and they still haven't worked out a deal with Roku.  Do they not understand that 100% of nothing is still nothing?

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, meowmommy said:

And here we are now almost six months into HBO Max and they still haven't worked out a deal with Roku.  Do they not understand that 100% of nothing is still nothing?

Right.  Or Amazon Firestick.  (Peacock isn't on that either.)  I am lucky my big TV gets HBO Max and my DVR gets Peacock.  But it's annoying because that's only one place in the house that I can stream shows from those services.  I'd love to be able to stream old shows on them in my bedroom.

[STFUFrank]

What's frustrating about HBO Max is that I have HBO through Hulu and it was upgraded to Max because HBO ad free was the same price. HOWEVER, I don't have access to the HBO Max catalog likely because there's no deal with Roku. But if I download the HBO Max app on my phone and use my Hulu login I can watch on my phone. On my Roku I just get the catalog I had before HBO Max. I got the upgrade with none of the perks. 

Edited October 22, 2020 by STFUFrank
Typo

[meowmommy]

17 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I am lucky my big TV gets HBO Max and my DVR gets Peacock. 

My cable provider 'offers' HBO Max, but the fine print says if you actually want to watch the Max catalog and not just HBO, you can only stream it on a mobile device.  It's not included in their available apps.  So no different than what I have now with my freestanding subscription.

Peacock still has nothing I want to watch, even though it comes 'free' with my cable.  [Nothing on cable is ever really free, is it?]

[GHScorpiosRule]

55 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Right.  Or Amazon Firestick.  (Peacock isn't on that either.)  I am lucky my big TV gets HBO Max and my DVR gets Peacock.  But it's annoying because that's only one place in the house that I can stream shows from those services.  I'd love to be able to stream old shows on them in my bedroom.

Someone upthread provided a way where you could "sideload" both Peacock and HBOMax. So while Amazon Firestick doesn't have it, I was able to load it with those instructions so I can watch it on my teevee.

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, meowmommy said:

My cable provider 'offers' HBO Max, but the fine print says if you actually want to watch the Max catalog and not just HBO, you can only stream it on a mobile device.  It's not included in their available apps.  So no different than what I have now with my freestanding subscription.

What company do you have?  Mine is Comcast and I can stream it via my SmartTV app but not my DVR box. 

 

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Someone upthread provided a way where you could "sideload" both Peacock and HBOMax. So while Amazon Firestick doesn't have it, I was able to load it with those instructions so I can watch it on my teevee.

*sigh* I know it exists. It just feels so complicated and I'm lazy. 

[cynicat]

I'm very late to the party, but am finally cutting my cable cord.  I have Roku and have hesitated because I like my cable DVR and local news options.  I was thinking about fuboTV and wondered how that stacked up vs. Sling, or anything else out there.  I'm a blank slate--have at it!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, cynicat said:

I'm very late to the party, but am finally cutting my cable cord.  I have Roku and have hesitated because I like my cable DVR and local news options.  I was thinking about fuboTV and wondered how that stacked up vs. Sling, or anything else out there.  I'm a blank slate--have at it!

It really depends on what channels you want to watch, how much you want to spend, and how much equipment your willing to buy. If you want to get as close to cable as possible fuboTV is a good choice. If you just want a handful of select channels Sling is good. 

[meowmommy]

1 hour ago, cynicat said:

I'm very late to the party, but am finally cutting my cable cord.  I have Roku and have hesitated because I like my cable DVR and local news options.  I was thinking about fuboTV and wondered how that stacked up vs. Sling, or anything else out there.  I'm a blank slate--have at it!

I did a trial of YouTube TV and I was disappointed.  The interface was clunky, the guide only went out a day or two, and you can't delete anything you've saved or even mark it as watched.  While it's great that they have no limit on how much you can "record," not being able to tell what you've already watched is a real PITA, especially when you have TV series scheduled to record that you don't watch the day the episode comes out.

Don't know about fubo except that it's supposed to be good on sports. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, cynicat said:

I'm very late to the party, but am finally cutting my cable cord.  I have Roku and have hesitated because I like my cable DVR and local news options.  I was thinking about fuboTV and wondered how that stacked up vs. Sling, or anything else out there.  I'm a blank slate--have at it!

This article is a really good started place when looking at options. 
Best TV streaming service for cord cutters: Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and more compared

In addition to whatever service you go with I’d recommend an digital antenna for local channels. The picture quality is better than cable or streaming. At a minimum it’s nice to have if your wifi goes out. 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Guest

[cynicat]

Thanks for all of your advice.  I think I'm going to give Hulu Live a shot.  Even if I upgrade services it will still be 1/3 what I'm paying for cable.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m not finding any of these streaming channels very appealing.  I have a digital antenna hooked up to the tv and can get 3 local stations ABC, PBS and NBC.  I resort to that most of the time for local news. There’s about 25 channels in all. It’s totally free, so, it’s worth it. Lol  I also have a Firestick and a few streaming channels. 

It seems that after browsing through 100 movies/shows, I’ll find one I want, but, there’s a charge to see that one. It’s so annoying.  I spend much more time searching for something to watch, than I do actually watching it.

Edited November 9, 2020 by SunnyBeBe

[cynicat]

7 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m not finding any of these streaming channels very appealing.  I have a digital antenna hooked up to the tv and can get 3 local stations ABC, PBS and NBC.  I resort to that most of the time for local news. There’s about 25 channels in all. It’s totally free, so, it’s worth it. Lol  I also have a Firestick and a few streaming channels. 

I'm going to try a few with the free trials and see if they add anything.  If I can get the local news via a digital antenna, then I may not even need the streaming service because my Roku has a boatload of live programming with nearly all the channels I want.  

[Quof]

I've now tried Amazon and Crave (Canadian), neither of them hooked me in.   I got a new iPhone through work, and it gives me a free year of AppleTV.   I haven't been interested enough to figure it out yet.

[SunnyBeBe]

4 hours ago, cynicat said:

I'm going to try a few with the free trials and see if they add anything.  If I can get the local news via a digital antenna, then I may not even need the streaming service because my Roku has a boatload of live programming with nearly all the channels I want.  

I just got a new Roku tv and am looking forward to checking it out.  Still in the box.  No time to set up lol

[Mittengirl]

Just curious - do most of you pick a service (or two or three) and stick with them or do you subscribe to service A for a few months, then go to service B for a while, changing if/when a specific show or movie pops up or you have watched everything you want to on that service?  Do any services offer a discount for subscribing for a long term, like Disney+?  I am decidedly non-committed.  Offer me a free month or a good discount and I am yours.

[Zella]

21 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

Just curious - do most of you pick a service (or two or three) and stick with them or do you subscribe to service A for a few months, then go to service B for a while, changing if/when a specific show or movie pops up or you have watched everything you want to on that service?  Do any services offer a discount for subscribing for a long term, like Disney+?  I am decidedly non-committed.  Offer me a free month or a good discount and I am yours.

I've stayed with just Netflix and Amazon for years. That's not necessarily because I think they're both awesome--they both have their issues--but I find enough of what I want to watch on there that it works for me. I also use Prime so much for other orders that I'd keep it even if I didn't watch any content.

I used to contemplate a Hulu account, but I had a bad experience with Hulu several years ago--trying to navigate the site or get it to stream was impossible for me and at the time almost none of their content appealed to me, so I've never tried it again, even after they added way more content that interests me. 

As more streaming sites have been added, I've resisted signing up, partially due to money. I just can't afford to subscribe to every streaming service that is out there. 

[supposebly]

It's starting to feel like signing up for more than one cable package. So, I don't really see the point of signing up with more than one or two streaming services. There is really only so much time in the day to watch TV. I have Netflix and Amazon and if there is really something I absolutely have to see and I expect to watch it more than once, I buy it on Itunes. Unfortunately, the last 2 seasons of GoT and the last Hobbit movie were among those. I wish I could sell them second hand. I don't expect to watch those ever again. But overall, I think I haven't wasted too much money on things I don't like.

[Guest]

On 11/9/2020 at 9:35 PM, Mittengirl said:

Just curious - do most of you pick a service (or two or three) and stick with them or do you subscribe to service A for a few months, then go to service B for a while, changing if/when a specific show or movie pops up or you have watched everything you want to on that service?  Do any services offer a discount for subscribing for a long term, like Disney+?  I am decidedly non-committed.  Offer me a free month or a good discount and I am yours.

I prefer to rotate. I like the flexibility and this way I don’t feel like I am wasting money during content lulls or when I have less time to watch. Disney+ is the one exception but that’s more for my family members than me. 

Hulu offers a yearly discount but it’s only for the version with ads. 

[janie jones]

14 hours ago, supposebly said:

It's starting to feel like signing up for more than one cable package. So, I don't really see the point of signing up with more than one or two streaming services. There is really only so much time in the day to watch TV. I have Netflix and Amazon and if there is really something I absolutely have to see and I expect to watch it more than once, I buy it on Itunes. Unfortunately, the last 2 seasons of GoT and the last Hobbit movie were among those. I wish I could sell them second hand. I don't expect to watch those ever again. But overall, I think I haven't wasted too much money on things I don't like.

I feel basically the same way. I'll die before I watch everything I want to watch, so I don't feel inclined to purchase another service. Netflix and Prime have more than enough content, and there's nothing on another service I feel I have to see.

And to be honest, I don't really consider Prime to be a streaming service I'm paying for. The reason we got Prime originally was for the free shipping, so the streaming service just feels like a gift with purchase.

[Katy M]

6 minutes ago, janie jones said:

I feel basically the same way. I'll die before I watch everything I want to watch, so I don't feel inclined to purchase another service. Netflix and Prime have more than enough content, and there's nothing on another service I feel I have to see.

I think I'm the opposite.  I feel like I've watched everything I want to watch.

[Zella]

17 hours ago, supposebly said:

Unfortunately, the last 2 seasons of GoT and the last Hobbit movie were among those. I wish I could sell them second hand. I don't expect to watch those ever again. But overall, I think I haven't wasted too much money on things I don't like.

I work at a library, and I increasingly just check stuff out from them on DVD for an initial watch. Then if I like it enough to want to rewatch it, I'll take the extra step of buying. Sometimes have to wait awhile before I get something popular that way due to wait lists, but it has saved me quite a bit of money. 

[andromeda331]

14 hours ago, janie jones said:

I feel basically the same way. I'll die before I watch everything I want to watch, so I don't feel inclined to purchase another service. Netflix and Prime have more than enough content, and there's nothing on another service I feel I have to see.

Same here. Every few months I decide to clear out my Netflix and Amazon watchlist while I do wipe out some movies and shows But of course I always end up finding more movies and shows to add at the same time. I'm going to die with dozens of movies and TV shows still to watch and some TV shows only partly watched. Same with books.

Quote

And to be honest, I don't really consider Prime to be a streaming service I'm paying for. The reason we got Prime originally was for the free shipping, so the streaming service just feels like a gift with purchase.

I do like that you can use Amazon prime for more then just shows. I've saved a lot from the free shipping. I know its impossible for other streaming sites since their just shows but I wish you could use them for other things too. 

Edited November 12, 2020 by andromeda331

[ABay]

Netflix and Amazon are my keepers, but I cycle through the special channels on Prime. Right now, it's Britbox for a while, at least until Mock the Week wraps for the year. Starz was a waste of 99cents. I might take on MhZ again over the holidays if they're really releasing new episodes of Murder In....,

[peachmangosteen]

If you get HBO Max through Hulu can you use Hulu gift cards to pay for it?

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

If you get HBO Max through Hulu can you use Hulu gift cards to pay for it?

No. The premium add-ons require a credit or debit card for payment. 

[MaryMitch]

fyi for those who want to watch the new Mulan but balked at the $30 price from Disney Plus: The blu-ray is on sale now at Walmart for $25 and Redbox shows it on their site as available.

[BetterButter]

HBO Max will finally launch on Amazon Fire TV, Roku users still left in the dust

[meowmommy]

41 minutes ago, BetterButter said:

HBO Max will finally launch on Amazon Fire TV, Roku users still left in the dust

Ooh!  Ooh!  Buried in the article you linked is another link to a Variety article, which explains that some Rokus have now upgraded to include AirPlay 2.  Turns out my Roku TV was included in the update.  So I went and set it up and I can now stream HBO Max from my iPad to my Roku!!!!

[meowmommy]

If anyone's not aware, Hulu is offering a 12 month, ad supported, subscription for only $1.99/month, good until November 30 at midnight.  No free trials, though.  I decided to give it a shot.

[Mittengirl]

I signed up for the Hulu $1.99/month special.  On first glance I didn’t see a lot I want to watch, but maybe after a closer look I will find enough to justify $25 for the whole year.

[Irlandesa]

5 minutes ago, Mittengirl said:

I signed up for the Hulu $1.99/month special.  On first glance I didn’t see a lot I want to watch, but maybe after a closer look I will find enough to justify $25 for the whole year.

I signed up for that last year.  I'm wondering if I should cancel this year and sign up again next year.

There's good stuff on Hulu.  You just need some good luck in finding it because the interface is terrible and they don't make good recommendations. You need to know specifically what you're looking for.

[BetterButter]

HBO Max Seals Deal With Roku, Making Streaming Distribution Footprint Complete

[Irlandesa]

14 minutes ago, BetterButter said:

HBO Max Seals Deal With Roku, Making Streaming Distribution Footprint Complete

They've expanded to a lot of sets recently including the Xfinity cable boxes, PS5 and now Roku.  I wonder if they felt engagement was lagging so they were willing to compromise.

[roseha]

I don't know.  I've signed up for so many services and then tend to forget I have them.  I got Netflix to see Kim's Convenience, but now that I've seen them all I may just cancel it.    I don't find myself going back to it generally speaking.  I haven't watched Acorn lately but I imagine I will eventually, I like a lot of their shows.

I do have a cheap low level cable plan with Spectrum that allows you to select 12 cable channels in addition to their local news (NY1 herein New York, which I think is very professional) and all the over the air channels.   I'm able to get Turner Classics for example, anyway the plan is fairly cheap and at least I'm not paying for all the channels I wasn't watching before on cable, or for that matter, on Youtube TV.   I have a cable card with a Tivo so that way I can still record.

[meowmommy]

18 hours ago, BetterButter said:

HBO Max Seals Deal With Roku, Making Streaming Distribution Footprint Complete

So I got all happy this morning, updating my software on all my Rokus so we could get the HBO Max I've been paying for since May.  Now not only I have to rebuild my playlist because it doesn't carry over from HBO, but I'm really pissed at how Max manages said list.  Who thought it was a good idea to make your playlist a single line that you have to click endlessly and can't sort?  And I thought Netflix's playlist was bad...

 

[DearEvette]

I feel you.  I don't use my Roku anymore but switched to a Fire tv box a few yearts ago.  And I have to tell you, the interface of HBOMax is a MASSIVE improvement over the former HBO channel for Prime/Amazon on the Fire TV.  You literally could not browse using.  You either had to pick one of their featured titles  or you had to know what you wanted to watch and ask Alexa to bring the title up.  The only way to figure out if HBO had a title in its catalog using the Prime HBO channel was to go to the HBO website on a computer.  So frustrating.  So the Max app way better than the old channel.

[isalicat]

So, the only streaming service I have found that really seems worth the money (for me) is BritBox. I have been watching Midsommar Murders, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Rebus, Father Brown, and Shetland, and last night, following one of those "if you like this, you will like that" recommendations, I watched the first episode of the first season of Wallander, another murder mystery series, this set in Sweden. I was absolutely blown away how great this is - stars Kenneth Branagh just to start with, and in this first ep was a young Tom Hiddleston, David Warner (as Wallander's dad) and an even younger and outstanding Nicholas Hoult. What an amazing cast and an excellent script. I recommend if you like this sort of thing!

[Zella]

5 hours ago, isalicat said:

So, the only streaming service I have found that really seems worth the money (for me) is BritBox. I have been watching Midsommar Murders, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Rebus, Father Brown, and Shetland, and last night, following one of those "if you like this, you will like that" recommendations, I watched the first episode of the first season of Wallander, another murder mystery series, this set in Sweden. I was absolutely blown away how great this is - stars Kenneth Branagh just to start with, and in this first ep was a young Tom Hiddleston, David Warner (as Wallander's dad) and an even younger and outstanding Nicholas Hoult. What an amazing cast and an excellent script. I recommend if you like this sort of thing!

I couldn't get into Wallander because it seemed so aggressively British to me. I like Scandinavian mysteries even more so than I do British mysteries (though I love them too), so I went into it expecting moody Nordic Noir, but this is making me think I need to revisit it with a different expectation. 

[Guest]

Verizon subscribers can get a free year of Discovery Plus—here's how

Quote

In December 2020, Discovery announced a new streaming service, Discovery+, that will debut on January 4, 2021. The new service will feature a number of networks that were previously only available on cable or Hulu, including HGTV, the Food Network, TLC, ID, and Animal Planet. 

The best part? If you're a Verizon customer, you get a free year of Discovery+.

Discovery+ partnered with Verizon to offer free access if you have certain Verizon services. According to Verizon, any customer with one line on Play More or Get More Unlimited service, new Fios Internet subscribers, or new 5G Home subscribers is eligible for the free year of Discovery+. Those with the Verizon Unlimited plan, Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, Above Unlimited, Do More Unlimited, and Start Unlimited are eligible for six free months of Discovery+.

 

[BetterButter]

Roku Confirms Quibi Deal, Taking Exclusive Global Rights To Dozens Of Shows; Stock Hits New High