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

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Last week I got all excited because on Disney+’s list for October 2022 it said they were finally going to add the old Zorro series! My dad loved that show and he was all set to start rewatching it.

Now apparently they’ve taken it off the list.

God DAMMIT Disney! Stop holding out on the GOOD STUFF!!!!!

It looks like it's on YouTube for free. 
In the YouTube search box, enter: 
     zorro tv series 1957 full episodes

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Last week I got all excited because on Disney+’s list for October 2022 it said they were finally going to add the old Zorro series! My dad loved that show and he was all set to start rewatching it.

Now apparently they’ve taken it off the list.

God DAMMIT Disney! Stop holding out on the GOOD STUFF!!!!!

Where are you seeing that it was taken off? It’s on the list at d23.com. 

[tessaray]

It still says October 5 for S1/2.

[Spartan Girl]

26 minutes ago, tessaray said:

It still says October 5 for S1/2.

I follow DejaView on Twitter which reports on all streaming services, and they and some news sources say it got taken off. But other news sources still have it on, as you said, so at this point I have no fucking idea what’ll happen. 🤦‍♀️ 

[tessaray]

I'm just waiting for the new Zorro, so if the old one really is delayed, I may be waiting longer for that too. 

[isalicat]

Well, I just cancelled Paramount+ (absolutely amazing, given the volume of stuff on there, that I could not find a single thing I wanted to watch - had signed up to see the new Beavis & Butthead movie while my friend was visiting in July) and signed up for Disney+ on the Hulu special deal so I can see Andor, which looks good. Since they are throwing up several episodes immediately I can binge those and then cancel if it is not up to expectations before the special deal runs out. But I do see a lot of other interesting things on there so we'll see....

[tessaray]

I'm trying to decide if I want to cancel my ad-free Paramount+ and go with the free version included now with Walmart+. You don't get your live local channel,  which probably only matters to me a couple of times a year.  And there are ads, though I'm not sure how obnoxious they are. First world problems... 

[Bort]

On 9/15/2022 at 4:28 PM, possibilities said:

Is there anything on Hulu that folks recommend I catch before I cancel?

The Great. It’s… great.

[jennifer6973]

20 hours ago, tessaray said:

I'm trying to decide if I want to cancel my ad-free Paramount+ and go with the free version included now with Walmart+. You don't get your live local channel,  which probably only matters to me a couple of times a year.  And there are ads, though I'm not sure how obnoxious they are. First world problems... 

You don't get the showtime programs either

[isalicat]

On 9/22/2022 at 6:53 AM, kariyaki said:

Is there anything on Hulu that folks recommend I catch before I cancel?

It depends on your particular taste of course, but there is a three season series from Australia called "Mr. InBetween" that is incredibly brilliant, in my opinion. Each episode is only a half hour long but they pack in more in a half hour than most 90 minute episodes of a lot of other programs. Its about a guy who works as a bouncer and enforcer for some very shady characters but who is simultaneously sharing custody of his super bright little girl and taking care of a brother with MS. You may need to turn your closed captioning on as sometimes the accents are very thick but I have watched the whole three seasons twice and there is nothing else like it out there.

[Zella]

5 minutes ago, isalicat said:

It depends on your particular taste of course, but there is a three season series from Australia called "Mr. InBetween" that is incredibly brilliant, in my opinion. Each episode is only a half hour long but they pack in more in a half hour than most 90 minute episodes of a lot of other programs. Its about a guy who works as a bouncer and enforcer for some very shady characters but who is simultaneously sharing custody of his super bright little girl and taking care of a brother with MS. You may need to turn your closed captioning on as sometimes the accents are very thick but I have watched the whole three seasons twice and there is nothing else like it out there.

I keep meaning to watch this. All I really know about it is it has Dewey from Justified rocking his natural accent, and that intrigues me all on its own. But this summary is definitely interesting!

[SunnyBeBe]

 I think someone stays up at night to figure out ways to screw up my viewing pleasure on the weekends.  Lol. So, now, I suddenly don’t have access to CBS on the App…. Neither the Firestick or Roku.  When I try to sign in using my Spectrum account, because I have cable at other house and use that to activate at my other house,  I get a code, however, when I type the code in, I then must scroll down to check the provider and spectrum is not one of the providers listed!  There’s only about 10 listed. I’ve never encountered that.  So, what to do?  Lol. I’m supposed to have cbs on demand on any device…………..

It works fine on one tv with a different Firestick.  Lol I bought them    both within weeks.  Lol

Edited October 9, 2022 by SunnyBeBe

[peachmangosteen]

12 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

hen I try to sign in using my Spectrum account, because I have cable at other house and use that to activate at my other house,  I get a code, however, when I type the code in, I then must scroll down to check the provider and spectrum is not one of the providers listed!  There’s only about 10 listed. I’ve never encountered that.

They don't always list every single cable service. I always have to use the search function to get mine.

[SunnyBeBe]

3 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

They don't always list every single cable service. I always have to use the search function to get mine.

It would only allow me to click on one in the list. 🙄 So annoying. I’ll give it another try later today.  My other Firestick immediately connected me, so I was able to watch the show I wanted.  

[shapeshifter]

8 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

It would only allow me to click on one in the list. 🙄 So annoying. I’ll give it another try later today.  My other Firestick immediately connected me, so I was able to watch the show I wanted.  

Maybe CBS is now under Paramount+ on your other device?

[SunnyBeBe]

I think I still have Paramount+…..it’s on a different App.  I’ll check on it.  

[SuprSuprElevated]

netflix-sets-7-monthly-price-for-its-ad-supported-service-steep-discount-commercial-interruptions-15-year-old-streaming-service-losing-subscribers-quarter-losses

[Kel Varnsen]

12 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

netflix-sets-7-monthly-price-for-its-ad-supported-service-steep-discount-commercial-interruptions-15-year-old-streaming-service-losing-subscribers-quarter-losses

I wish Netflix offered a cheaper full HD plan. Looking at the options in Canada it is $5.99 for Netflix with ads 720pHD and no downloads. $9.99 for 720 no ads one screen and $16.49  for 2 screens and 1080p. We have the standard plan and with tax it is $18.63, easily our most expensive streaming service. But I can't remember last time we had Netflix playing on 2 screens. So I wish I could get like an in-between basic and standard plan that was still 1080p but one screen. Like for $12.99 or something.

[SunnyBeBe]

I have Netflix basic plan for $9.99 per month.  That seems reasonable to me.  

[SoMuchTV]

On 10/14/2022 at 8:48 AM, Kel Varnsen said:

I wish Netflix offered a cheaper full HD plan. Looking at the options in Canada it is $5.99 for Netflix with ads 720pHD and no downloads. $9.99 for 720 no ads one screen and $16.49  for 2 screens and 1080p. We have the standard plan and with tax it is $18.63, easily our most expensive streaming service. But I can't remember last time we had Netflix playing on 2 screens. So I wish I could get like an in-between basic and standard plan that was still 1080p but one screen. Like for $12.99 or something.

19 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I have Netflix basic plan for $9.99 per month.  That seems reasonable to me.  

I also have the $9.99 plan.  I downgraded mostly out of spite after the last round of price increases.  I know it's not 1080p but even on my 60-inch tv, I really can't tell much difference.  Plus I don't watch nearly as much Netflix as I did when it was pretty much the only streamer.

I'll be following here to see if anyone switches to the ad-supported plan.  I don't mind a few ads and no downloads, but they also said:

Quote

a "limited" amount of programming available on the commercial-free service won't be on the ad-supported version because of licensing issues.

I'll probably wait a bit to hear what that "limited" amount includes, but I'd seriously consider switching.

[possibilities]

4 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I have Netflix basic plan for $9.99 per month.  That seems reasonable to me.  

Me, too.

The way I look at this stuff is that I compare it to the cost of going to just one movie in the theater. For that price, I can watch a movie a night, or binge multiple seasons of various shows, for an entire month. It's really not expensive.

[peachmangosteen]

For some reason, I didn't even realize there was a cheaper Netflix plan than the 15.49 one I have lol. I wish I could try it out to see how it looks because I feel like I could most likely tell the difference.

[SunnyBeBe]

My  basic Netflix is ad free and I enjoy that.  Most of my other paid channels I have are with ads. It is annoying, but…..

[possibilities]

Can't you try it and then switch back to the other plan if you don't like it?

[SoMuchTV]

2 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

For some reason, I didn't even realize there was a cheaper Netflix plan than the 15.49 one I have lol. I wish I could try it out to see how it looks because I feel like I could most likely tell the difference.

21 minutes ago, possibilities said:

Can't you try it and then switch back to the other plan if you don't like it?

Yes - unless they've changed the rules in the last couple years.  When we got a 4k tv I upgraded to the highest level, couldn't tell much difference, and switched back at the next billing cycle.

One thing to be aware of about the cheapest plan - it's just for one screen at a time, so if one person is already watching, another household member won't be able to stream at the same time.  Hasn't been a problem for our house so far.

[Guest]

19 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I have Netflix basic plan for $9.99 per month.  That seems reasonable to me.  

I have the same tier and I agree the price alone is reasonable. If they would improve their content I would have no problem paying it year round. For now I just sign up for a month at a time when there is something I want to watch. 

[meowmommy]

9 minutes ago, Dani said:

I have the same tier and I agree the price alone is reasonable. If they would improve their content I would have no problem paying it year round. For now I just sign up for a month at a time when there is something I want to watch. 

I just reinstated my Netflix subscription yesterday after an almost nine-month hiatus.  I think they are foolish not to offer yearly plans (of course with a slight discount over the monthly rate), to discourage month-on, month-off cycling.

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

I just reinstated my Netflix subscription yesterday after an almost nine-month hiatus.  I think they are foolish not to offer yearly plans (of course with a slight discount over the monthly rate), to discourage month-on, month-off cycling.

I agree. It’s bizarre that they are the only service not offering a yearly deal. 

[peachmangosteen]

Yes, I have always wondered why they don't do a yearly plan. It really makes no sense to me.

6 hours ago, possibilities said:

Can't you try it and then switch back to the other plan if you don't like it?

I don't wanna risk absolutely hating the quality of it lol. I guess maybe I could try it in a month there's really nothing I'm interested in watching.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I don't wanna risk absolutely hating the quality of it lol. I guess maybe I could try it in a month there's really nothing I'm interested in watching.

If you tried it and hated it you could upgrade in the middle of your billing period getting the higher tier features back immediately. It would just move your billing date up to adjust for the difference. 

How to change your plan

[SuprSuprElevated]

[Popples]

Replace The Office with Bob's Burgers and this is me.

[SuprSuprElevated]

Email from Netflix today:

Do you want to allow profile transfers? We added a new feature that lets anyone using your account keep all the things they love about Netflix if they create a new account.

People move. Families grow. Relationships change.

Now people on your account can transfer a profile – including recommendations, viewing history, My List, saved games, settings and more – to their own membership that they pay for.

This is a feature for other people using your Netflix

Allowing this feature will not sign out other devices on your account or block anyone from using your Netflix.

There is no charge for allowing this feature, and we will never transfer your payment information to the new account. Kids profiles and PIN-protected profiles cannot be transferred.

You’re in control

Simply click the button below to turn on this feature and instantly allow profiles to be transferred from your account. You can always turn off profile transfers on your account settings page. This feature will automatically be disabled for your account in two years.

This is copied from my email, so there are hotlinks that aren't active here.  Just an FYI

[SuprSuprElevated]

Your avi is adorable @Popples!

[meowmommy]

3 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

"There is no charge for allowing this feature, and we will never transfer your payment information to the new account."

Yeah, I got that email, too.  Gotta love how they're trying to spin this as a positive.  I mean, how generous of them not to charge you for cutting off your viewing partner.

Seems like they'd generate a lot more positive response if they offered a discount to those of us who don't share our passwords outside our homes.

4 hours ago, Popples said:

Replace The Office with Bob's Burgers and this is me.

I never really liked The Office, and I don't know what Bob's Burgers is, but I do totally get the idea of sticking with the old favorites.  I recently finished rewatching the entire run of Six Feet Under, after I rewatched all of Downton Abbey, and I'm doing the same now with Outlander.  Rather than looking for new stuff that I might not like or they might pull without notice if I do like it.

[andromeda331]

A couple questions on PlutoTV, it's very confusing and I can't figure it out. Does anyone know what channel Wheel of Fortune is on or how to find it? Do they have a favorites or something to save it to so I can go straight to it? 

[JustHereForFood]

16 hours ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Your avi is adorable @Popples!

I second that, they are always so cure and seasonal.

[possibilities]

13 hours ago, meowmommy said:

I recently finished rewatching the entire run of Six Feet Under

Do you remember how they got Rico to come back, without offering him a partnership, in season 1? It's driving me crazy that I can't remember.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, andromeda331 said:

A couple questions on PlutoTV, it's very confusing and I can't figure it out. Does anyone know what channel Wheel of Fortune is on or how to find it? Do they have a favorites or something to save it to so I can go straight to it? 

It’s channel 1010. They do have a favorites list. I can tell you how to find it on the app but how helpful that would be will depend on how you watch. 

[andromeda331]

6 minutes ago, Dani said:

It’s channel 1010. They do have a favorites list. I can tell you how to find it on the app but how helpful that would be will depend on how you watch. 

Thank you!

[meowmommy]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

Do you remember how they got Rico to come back, without offering him a partnership, in season 1? It's driving me crazy that I can't remember.

I think in Season 1 it was just a matter of Kroehner being complete assholes and Rico realizing that he had a better deal with Fisher and Sons.  Later, of course, he got the partnership after the inheritance Vanessa got was needed to pay for the funeral home's plumbing repair.

[meowmommy]

I had no idea the free Peacock Premium I got for being a Cox subscriber was temporary.  They just sent out a notice that it's going away in January.  Along with the web page, the email, the newsgroups, and all the other things they've taken away over the years as they've raised the price.

Not that I watch Peacock, because I don't, but this annoys me.  Especially since I get emails a couple of times a week asking me to switch to T-Mobile's $50 internet.  I do wonder what I get for my money with Cox.  If I could figure out how to get the few channels I watch on cable through some sort of free or cheap access...

[Cinnabon]

31 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

I had no idea the free Peacock Premium I got for being a Cox subscriber was temporary.  They just sent out a notice that it's going away in January.  Along with the web page, the email, the newsgroups, and all the other things they've taken away over the years as they've raised the price.

Not that I watch Peacock, because I don't, but this annoys me.  Especially since I get emails a couple of times a week asking me to switch to T-Mobile's $50 internet.  I do wonder what I get for my money with Cox.  If I could figure out how to get the few channels I watch on cable through some sort of free or cheap access...

I pay for Peacock and I’m still forced to suffer through commercials. Unbelievable. 🤦‍♀️

[meowmommy]

Through Nov 3, Walmart is offering a $49 annual deal for its Walmart Plus membership, which includes the Paramount Essentials plan.  Paramount alone normally costs $49.  Not available if you're an existing Walmart+ customer.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m evaluating value for the dollar again.  Does anyone mind saying what they pay now for cable, internet, and phone package?  Especially, if it’s with Spectrum.  

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m evaluating value for the dollar again.  Does anyone mind saying what they pay now for cable, internet, and phone package?  Especially, if it’s with Spectrum.  

I have a temporary deal with Spectrum for just internet that's a few dollars per month.
It's due in part to some pandemic funds they had to use up, and also because I was a new customer. 

Meanwhile, my daughter's household has both Spectrum internet and TV because they were told it would cost the same for both after the first year. It might be as much as $99/mo., but I'm not sure.

Bottom line: Don't be afraid to ask if there are any "deals."

Probably way more details than you wanted to know about my access to Spectrum TV:

However, we all have Roku TVs, and I sign in to their Roku account——which may be a factor for this next bit, but I'm not sure than any smart TV wouldn't be the same:

I downloaded the Spectrum app on my Roku TV and then signed in using my daughter's Spectrum login credentials. 
I don't see anything morally wrong with this, because, for example, when they had a plumbing disaster in their home and had to take showers at my place for a week, this became their "second home" so-to-speak. 
And when I'm at their house playing with my grandbaby, letting the dog out, cleaning the bathroom, napping on the couch, etc., I'm in my "second home" so-to-speak.
Anyway, if Spectrum develops the technology and the policy to tell me to cut it out, I will. 
Plus, it's the cheapest Spectrum TV package, and only has about 10-15 channels, only a few of which I ever watch.

Edited November 4, 2022 by shapeshifter

[peachmangosteen]

3 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m evaluating value for the dollar again.  Does anyone mind saying what they pay now for cable, internet, and phone package?  Especially, if it’s with Spectrum.  

I don't have Spectrum, but we pay $230 per month for cable/internet/phone. But that's only because my sister called and sorta bitched them out because our price had risen so much lol.

[jennifer6973]

3 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m evaluating value for the dollar again.  Does anyone mind saying what they pay now for cable, internet, and phone package?  Especially, if it’s with Spectrum.  

I have spectrum and if you have a smart tv you don't need a box to use it.  They charge extra for the boxes.

[SunnyBeBe]

Thanks.  We’re paying $203.00 per month for basic cable, internet and home phone.  I thought it was a lot, but they say there is no better deal for long time customers.  The deals for bundles are for new customers and you can’t just switch the account to a new name for someone else  who  lives in the house to get a good deal.  It has to legitimately be a new resident.  Plus, the deal is for only 12 months, then it goes up.  Oh well……

[shapeshifter]

19 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Thanks.  We’re paying $203.00 per month for basic cable, internet and home phone.  I thought it was a lot, but they say there is no better deal for long time customers.  The deals for bundles are for new customers and you can’t just switch the account to a new name for someone else  who  lives in the house to get a good deal.  It has to legitimately be a new resident.  Plus, the deal is for only 12 months, then it goes up.  Oh well……

That seems like robbery.
Can you switch providers to get a better deal?