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

[stewedsquash]

4 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I have a smart tv

Now it’s just a big dumbass tv

You should trademark that line before a comedian steals it.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Why would anyone want to subscribe to Paramount? Other than for their "original" programming? Because shows like JAG? only the first season season finale is available; the second season? You have episode 2, then 6, then whatever. Point is, not ALL OF THE EPISODES are available.

Even with Wings, the first episode of the second season, you have to buy. Like, da fuck?

Totally cancelling after the 7-day trial, because I already have Perry Mason, I Love Lucy, and JAG on dvd, thank you very much.

[SunnyBeBe]

I get tired of continually getting pressured to get Paramount and other services.  It’s so annoying. It’s as if they will not accept no.  I shouldn’t be made uncomfortable due to high pressure techniques from networks.  Why is it being allowed?  

[peachmangosteen]

What are they doing?

[SunnyBeBe]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:45 AM, peachmangosteen said:

What are they doing?

When I go to the app’s home page  and click on Live tv, instead of playing live tv, like it used to do, it takes me into various screens to ensure that I have the right to live tv.  As if I haven’t logged in yet.  Of course, I do due to the fact I also have a Spectrum cable account on which I can watch on other devices On Demand.  Now, the networks are putting glitches into the process, which used to be seamless, in order to promote their PLUS pay channels, like Paramount +, Peacock, etc.  It hit a road block with the only way to proceed was to accept the free trial!  I didn’t want a free trial…..I started to do it, but then backed out.  Maybe, things will improve.  I’m really resenting CBS and NBC for doing this.   

[Stuffy]

I’m confused about this HBO vs Prime ordeal. I have/had HBO through Prime. I received the email about my HBO subscription being canceled, but I’m still watching HBO Max right now. Wonder how long that will last. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I haven’t had HBO in a while.  I think they may give you a grace period just in case you change your mind.  
 

I’m getting ready to cancel Reelz Now. They no longer air new episodes of Autopsy nor do they make any recent seasons available. It’s ridiculous.  They haven’t ever made the episode about Florence Henderson available.  I can only take so many episodes of Cops!🙄

Edited September 17, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[DearEvette]

17 hours ago, Stuffy said:

I’m confused about this HBO vs Prime ordeal. I have/had HBO through Prime. I received the email about my HBO subscription being canceled, but I’m still watching HBO Max right now. Wonder how long that will last. 

I got the same email.  It will end on November 17th.   Which is no biggee for me.  I had just cancelled my HBO through prime right before I got that email because I got a phone plan upgrade and it now my HBO Max subscription comes free through my phone plan.

[Guest]

17 hours ago, Stuffy said:

I’m confused about this HBO vs Prime ordeal. I have/had HBO through Prime. I received the email about my HBO subscription being canceled, but I’m still watching HBO Max right now. Wonder how long that will last. 

Just so you know HBO Max is offering 6 months at 50% to try and bring back people who subscribed through Prime. The deal is good through Sept. 26th. 

[Irlandesa]

When explaining why they're doing it, the HBO execs waxed poetic about their streaming app and how it will help them be able to better customize recommendations for users.

Maybe they should try to make the app not suck?  I find it so frustrating.  I will get recommended episodes of shows to watch from seasons I've already seen instead of the next episode I haven't seen.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m frustrated with all the apps. How hard would it be to devise a great one that is interactive and smart. It asked you if you’re done with that movie or want to see it again.  And it stops pushing a show on you that you’ve  bypassed weekly for 12 months. I don’t want to watch certain shows, but they won’t accept it.  Can I totally put it on Ignore? 
 

  It seems a very doable thing to make streaming great experience.  It would be popular, increase sales and please the customers.  What’s the hold up?  It’s as if it’s lagging behind in technology.  

[Guest]

For anyone with a monthly subscription to HBO Max they are offering an upgrade to the annual ad-free plan for $109.99. It’s $50 off the regular yearly price. 

[ABay]

Are the ads on Hulu always so damned loud? I was watching 9 Perfect Strangers and had to keep my hand on the remote so I wasn't blasted out of my chair.

[Stuffy]

On 9/17/2021 at 11:53 AM, Dani said:

Just so you know HBO Max is offering 6 months at 50% to try and bring back people who subscribed through Prime. The deal is good through Sept. 26th. 

That’s what I ended up doing. 

[peachmangosteen]

14 hours ago, Dani said:

For anyone with a monthly subscription to HBO Max they are offering an upgrade to the annual ad-free plan for $109.99. It’s $50 off the regular yearly price. 

Or, if you had it before but cancelled, check your email because they have a deal where you can get 6 months for only 7.49 a month.

[SunnyBeBe]

I broke down and subscribed to Appletv. They let me view the first two episodes of The Morning show free and I was hooked.  So, I had to subscribe in order to see the rest of the season and the new season that just started.  I can also get Billions there, but must subscribe to Showtime to get the earlier seasons.  

Edited September 20, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[meowmommy]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I broke down and subscribed to Appletv. They let me view the first two episodes of The Morning show free and I was hooked.

I had AppleTV+ for over a year because I bought an iPad, but the free subscription finally ran out.  I found very little original programming, and unlike other streaming services that pull in movies and shows as part of the subscription, virtually everything not original is a paid add-on. 

I did like The Morning Show, though.  Ted Lasso bored me, as did the Bill Murray/Rashida Jones movie and the Rose Byrne series.  Oddly, the one thing we really liked was the series about tiny animals living in the wild, narrated by Paul Rudd.  I might do a month around the holidays just to catch up and to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas.

[SunnyBeBe]

3 hours ago, meowmommy said:

I had AppleTV+ for over a year because I bought an iPad, but the free subscription finally ran out.  I found very little original programming, and unlike other streaming services that pull in movies and shows as part of the subscription, virtually everything not original is a paid add-on. 

I did like The Morning Show, though.  Ted Lasso bored me, as did the Bill Murray/Rashida Jones movie and the Rose Byrne series.  Oddly, the one thing we really liked was the series about tiny animals living in the wild, narrated by Paul Rudd.  I might do a month around the holidays just to catch up and to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas.

I’m still paying a monthly fee for an extended warranty on my iPad.  I wonder if that entitles me to free or reduced rate on Appletv.  

[Guest]

6 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Or, if you had it before but cancelled, check your email because they have a deal where you can get 6 months for only 7.49 a month.

You don’t need to have received an email to sign up for that deal. It’s good for all new and returning customers. You also can signup for the $7.49 deal and then upgrade to the year discount. 

[janie jones]

On 9/18/2021 at 7:42 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m frustrated with all the apps. How hard would it be to devise a great one that is interactive and smart. It asked you if you’re done with that movie or want to see it again.  And it stops pushing a show on you that you’ve  bypassed weekly for 12 months. I don’t want to watch certain shows, but they won’t accept it.  Can I totally put it on Ignore?

Don't do this if you use your ratings to keep track of what you've watched, or you don't want to mess with your algorithm in this way, but giving the stuff you aren't interested in a thumbs-down (or whatever the platform uses as a bad score) would probably stop it.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, janie jones said:

Don't do this if you use your ratings to keep track of what you've watched, or you don't want to mess with your algorithm in this way, but giving the stuff you aren't interested in a thumbs-down (or whatever the platform uses as a bad score) would probably stop it.

Unfortunately many of the apps don’t even have the ability to rate anything. Peacock, HBO Max, Disney+ and Paramount Plus are all missing that option. 

4 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m still paying a monthly fee for an extended warranty on my iPad.  I wonder if that entitles me to free or reduced rate on Appletv.  

It doesn’t. You can only get the free trial within 3 months of buying a new device. 

On 9/18/2021 at 7:42 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m frustrated with all the apps. How hard would it be to devise a great one that is interactive and smart. It asked you if you’re done with that movie or want to see it again.  And it stops pushing a show on you that you’ve  bypassed weekly for 12 months. I don’t want to watch certain shows, but they won’t accept it.  Can I totally put it on Ignore? 
 

  It seems a very doable thing to make streaming great experience.  It would be popular, increase sales and please the customers.  What’s the hold up?  It’s as if it’s lagging behind in technology.  

At this point I’d settle for simply functional with most of the apps. Interactive and smart is probably a pipe dream. Peacock doesn’t even have a preview when you fast forward and rewind. How on earth are they that far behind technology Netflix had a decade ago?

[peachmangosteen]

14 hours ago, Dani said:

Peacock doesn’t even have a preview when you fast forward and rewind.

This continues to boggle my mind. 

[meowmommy]

What did Netflix go and do?  I just opened up my playlist on the Roku and the programs are totally not in the order I manually set them to be.  And I went on the computer to re-sort and apparently choosing your own sort, or any other sort that Netflix doesn't want you to have, is no longer an option.  There are shows I'll probably never get to that are sitting in the first row.  It's not alphabetical, it's not chronological, it's not anything that makes any sense.

Tried asking the help section, which promptly showed me, "How to find out if a TV show or movie is leaving Netflix," which is completely irrelevant to what I want to know.

Went on live chat with Netflix and had a long, very frustrating chat with a rep who insisted sorting had never, ever been an option and that I didn't know what I was talking about when I said My List could be manually sorted on the computer--until today.  She used the fact that they'd taken down the help page as evidence that it never existed.  It's like Newspeak where they've completely rewritten their history to reflect current reality.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’ve had to switch to my Roku in order to watch apps for ABC, CBS and NBC.  They don’t seem to be compatible with my Firestick.  I’ve read others have the same problem with CBS.  I have Prime, Hulu, Appletv,and a few others on the Firestick.  I’ve also noticed that it just stops playing sometimes, even before the show has gone off. I just feel like it’s such a chore.  
 

On Amazon Music, I say “Please locate the song Fancy Like, by Walker Hayes on Amazon Music.” Alexa says, I don’t have that.  So I do a manual search and spell it out…it pops up.  🙄 That happens quite a bit.  

[krankydoodle]

I'm impressed by how many quality horror movies Peacock has streaming for free this month. There are a few that are only available for paying subscribers, but not nearly as many as I would've expected. By contrast, Paramount+ continues to disappoint, though at least they'll be releasing the newest Paranormal Activity movie on the platform in late October.

[Bastet]

A year ago, I did a Cold Case re-watch on the Roku channel, and was annoyed by how the same commercials aired over and over.  I just recently started an Ugly Betty re-watch, and two of the oft-repeated commercials are the same ones from last year.  It's driving me nuts.

[ABay]

While watching Only Murders in the Building on Hulu, I have to keep a finger on the mute button because the commercials are SO DAMNED LOUD. But now I'm binging Horrible Histories and although the repetition is tiresome, at least I'm not being yelled at every 10 minutes.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I hate every single Indian/Bollywood streaming service. Not a one have the movies from its golden era, or even the classics from the 50s-60s. My favorites are nearly all of the movies starring Amitabh Bachchan (I say nearly, because there were a few clunkers) from the early 70s to early 80s; there are a collection of other movies that are just as good. But are they available? No they're not. And what I consider adding insult to injury is they don't play the entire movie. I have a very good memory, so when I watch one at time when I don't feel like pulling out the dvd, and they cut 4-5 scenes, it irritates the hell out of me. I don't understand the reasoning behind it. Not just these streaming services, but NetFlix and Amazon Prime Video that have them, do the same damn thing.

I'm particularly frustrated right now because there are a few from what I consider Classic Bollywood, aren't available on dvd. And one in particular, that I do have, the dvd is scratched, so the last 10 minutes of the movie doesn't play; the dvd just freezes.

Why it's not available, I don't know. But I'm still on the hunt for it to become available somewhere.

[GHScorpiosRule]

WOOHOO! Found a new copy of this DVD from Amazon. Checked the ratings from other customers. 100% positive.

And for the fellow Desis on this site, the movie is 1981 Jyoti, starring Hema Malini and Jeetendra. Hema has always been beautiful, but she just looks...luminescent? in this.

Jeet is an okay actor, I guess; those who know me, know that 💗Amitabh Bachchan💗 is my numero uno, but I have 90% of his movies. The ones I don't have are the clunkers, and I can watch those online if I've a mind to do so. Which I don't.

[SunnyBeBe]

I haven’t noticed streaming movies to be cut, but it’s possible.   

[Guest]

I’m so frustrated with Hulu that I could scream. Yesterday I get an email that HBO Max has been added to my account. Fortunately, it was a free trial so I was able to cancel it without it costing me anything. I checked with the other users on the account and discovered my young niece probably did it when she wanted to watch Wonder Woman 1984. An hour ago I see another email that HBO Max was added again. It is ridiculous easy to change your subscription on Hulu. She’s really good about asked for permission with most things but the stupid screen defaults to purchasing without any type of security measure. I guess I’m just lucky she didn’t want to watch the first WW movie. Selecting that one would have switched me to Live TV and cost me $50+.

After googling I discovered it’s a common problem without any solution and Hulu doesn’t care. I’ve changed my password and logged out anyone else that had been logged in to stop it from happening until I come up with a solution. Any suggestions for a work around? If you sign up for Hulu with Amazon or Apple can people still make in app purchases with any security measures?

Edited October 15, 2021 by Guest

[Bort]

8 hours ago, Dani said:

Any suggestions for a work around?

Tell people to pay for their own subscription if they want it? This is why I don’t loan my subscriptions out. Not that I have any left anymore, I’ve cancelled all but one.

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

Tell people to pay for their own subscription if they want it? 

I don’t think that will work since she’s 6 and I want her to use it.
 

Plus, my primary concern is that it is so easy to change your plan that I might accidentally do it one day. On the streaming device I use it’s as easy as two clicks on a show or movie that comes up in regular screens. There are days that could happen because I accidentally sit on the remote. That’s way too easy to for a potentially $50+ increase to my bill for my comfort level. 

Edited October 15, 2021 by Guest

[GHScorpiosRule]

15 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I haven’t noticed streaming movies to be cut, but it’s possible.   

The only international movies I watch are from India--and those are the ones I've watched before and I know (because my memory is nearly photographic), that they have been cut. And it's not Netflix or Amazon Prime Video doing them, but the distributers? production companies? I don't know who-but whoever is in charge of and puts the movies on streaming format. And it makes NO sense. And it bugs me. Because some of the scenes cut would explain what is happening and in the transition scenes. It's stupid. They're all stupid.

[SunnyBeBe]

I just discovered a new mini series on Hulu called Dopesick.  It’s about the OxyContin epidemic.  I couldn’t find a thread around here about, which is surprising.  

[Zella]

20 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I just discovered a new mini series on Hulu called Dopesick.  It’s about the OxyContin epidemic.  I couldn’t find a thread around here about, which is surprising.  

Is that based on Beth Macy's book? I knew they were adapting it but hadn't realized it was released. The book is superb (though heartbreaking.)

[SunnyBeBe]

50 minutes ago, Zella said:

Is that based on Beth Macy's book? I knew they were adapting it but hadn't realized it was released. The book is superb (though heartbreaking.)

Yes. It’s a mini series…4 episodes I think…based on Beth Macy’s book.  It’s well done, imo. 

[Evie]

On 10/15/2021 at 2:47 PM, GHScorpiosRule said:

The only international movies I watch are from India--and those are the ones I've watched before and I know (because my memory is nearly photographic), that they have been cut. And it's not Netflix or Amazon Prime Video doing them, but the distributers? production companies? I don't know who-but whoever is in charge of and puts the movies on streaming format. And it makes NO sense. And it bugs me. Because some of the scenes cut would explain what is happening and in the transition scenes. It's stupid. They're all stupid.

Did the scenes have music in them? There have been some foreign series that I've watched where scenes have been cut because of copyright issues. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, Evie said:

Did the scenes have music in them? There have been some foreign series that I've watched where scenes have been cut because of copyright issues. 

Nope. Scenes cut were of two minutes or more of dialogue. 

[isalicat]

If you have BritBox, like murder mysteries and great writing, check out "The Long Call". It is written by Ann Cleeves who is also responsible for bringing us "Vera" and "Shetland". I watched the first ep and it is definitely up to her usual incredible standard of murder plus incredible characterizations in a setting way outside my normal "ken".

 

 

[SunnyBeBe]

I broke down and got a 7 day free trial of Showtime.  I guess I’ll keep it for a while.  I saw the trailer for the new series Dexter: New Blood and it was a must.  Looks really good.  The ending of the original Dexter was a fiasco, but I’m willing to give this new one a chance.  

[theredhead77]

On 10/15/2021 at 1:41 AM, Dani said:

Any suggestions for a work around? If you sign up for Hulu with Amazon or Apple can people still make in app purchases with any security measures?

Does she have her own profile and if so, is it set to be a kids profile? I don't know if that would stop the in-app upgrades but it might.

https://help.hulu.com/s/article/restrict-content

[Guest]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

Does she have her own profile and if so, is it set to be a kids profile? I don't know if that would stop the in-app upgrades but it might.

https://help.hulu.com/s/article/restrict-content

Thanks but in my experience Hulu’s kids profile are so poorly designed that they are functionally useless. Plus my larger concern was that an accidentally button push by anyone (including the dog) could switch me to Hulu Live way too easily for my comfort. 

I ended up signing up through apple which eliminated all in-app upgrades. 

[BetterButter]

Get a month of Disney Plus for just $2

Quote

In celebration of its big Disney Plus Day event

 

[Anela]

My HBO Max I have on trial, has suddenly started narrating the show to me, and reading me subtitles. I don't know what happened today, and my settings say that those are switched off. Has this happened to anyone else?

[GHScorpiosRule]

So Amazon Prime Video moved free viewing of Highlander from its ad-free, free viewing to Prime members to IMDbTV with ads. I thought that I was getting the complete, unedited episodes. But nope. In season one's "Band of Brothers", there is a scene of Grayson (the immortal who challenged Duncan as a way to hurt Darius) at some club dancing or some such. That scene was cut out. Like why? I'm forced to watch the same damn commercials every 10 minutes or so. And I want to see the ENTIRE episode.

I was contemplating purchasing it, as the series isn't available to buy on Amazon, and one or two are selling it for over $100 and it's not the entire series. Forget it!

Then I searched on ebay, and got it for $40. Amazon ain't all that, after all.

And this is just another reason I'm not a fan of streaming. There are always some shows that won't air the entire episodes. Back before the news hit about Cosby, I used to watch The Cosby Show on Hulu, only to discover they didn't play the entire episodes. At least 2-3 minutes of scenes were cut out. I remember one of them was the amazing "Big FUUUN!" rant Claire gave to Vanessa.

[SunnyBeBe]

Besides Dexter:New Blood, Showtime is pretty pitiful.  I’m not impressed with the options or shows.  It’s seems to have gone downhill since I watched it a while back.  The interface is terrible. Which seems to be the norm.  

Edited November 16, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[peachmangosteen]

Hulu is doing the .99 per month for a year deal again for new subscribers and returning subscribers who haven't been subscribed in the past month. https://www.hulu.com/gma

[DearEvette]

Amazon Prime is doing something similar.  They have a bunch of Prime Channels they are offering for .99 for two months then up to regular price -- Starz, Showtime, BritBox, AMC+ Discovery+ and a few others for a limited time.  I decided to re-up my Paramount+ subscription for two months that I had let lapse several months ago.

[meowmommy]

3 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Hulu is doing the .99 per month for a year deal again for new subscribers and returning subscribers who haven't been subscribed in the past month. https://www.hulu.com/gma

My $1.99/month deal expires in two days.  If I really liked Hulu, I suppose I could register with a different email and a different credit card, but honestly, it's been months since they had anything I actually wanted to watch.

I'll just have to suffer with only AP, Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Starz, Epix, Peacock, Kanopy, Hoopla, Discovery+, TCM, Tubi, and the free year of Paramount+ T-mobile just handed out.

And most nights I still struggle to find something good to watch.