How many different streaming services is too much?

Whoey · **on:** June 07, 2019, 01:12:31 PM

Given the modern day trend of streaming video services, how many is too much?

I think it's already way past saturation point, and that's before Disney throws their hat into the ring.

ezdog · **Reply #1 on:** June 07, 2019, 01:15:52 PM

Quote from: Whoey on June 07, 2019, 01:12:31 PM

Given the modern day trend of streaming video services, how many is too much?

I think it's already way past saturation point, and that's before Disney throws their hat into the ring.

Too much for what?

Vidar · **Reply #2 on:** June 07, 2019, 01:18:42 PM

I'm not sure there can be too many? You subscribe to what you like, and apart from some hassle of signing up initially I'm not sure where the downside of more choice is?

I might even argue that there isn't enough options; I would like to be able to subscribe to single shows instead of entire packages consisting of 95% of stuff I don't watch...

Whoey · **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2019, 01:30:03 PM

Quote from: Vidar on June 07, 2019, 01:18:42 PM

I'm not sure there can be too many? You subscribe to what you like, and apart from some hassle of signing up initially I'm not sure where the downside of more choice is?

I might even argue that there isn't enough options; I would like to be able to subscribe to single shows instead of entire packages consisting of 95% of stuff I don't watch...

Yeah I kinda think a show based subscription vs platform might be preferable. Also I would rather that if something is available when I subscribe, it should not be removed.

Quote from: ezdog on June 07, 2019, 01:15:52 PM

Too much for what?

Well obviously most mortals can't afford all the services at the same time, and thus you likely have to rotate subscriptions and potentially have to deal with spoilers.

I'm kind of like vidar, there's a lot I can't be bothered with... gimme what I want.

ezdog · **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2019, 02:29:49 PM

One thing I can not comprehend so far is the way the Cable Streaming works here at least with 1 particular provider?

If yo have their Cable TV service then you can Stream it too for free but only in your own house!!?

If I already have the TV service and it plays on my TV then why would I need to stream it too?

??

Sort of like anyone listening to Music on the Tiny phone speakers and being satisfied that this still sounds like Music somehow?

In the interest of actual transparency I sell & Install AV Systems and of course am somewhat biased toward higher performance than a tiny speaker or device can ever give you anyway but still we seem to be growing an entire generation of young whippersnappers who can not seem to appreciate the difference any more!

Bah Humbug!

SirVicaLot · **Reply #5 on:** June 07, 2019, 02:57:49 PM

We have one streaming provider and no cable. We also have an ever growing DVD collection, and don‘t watch a lot of TV. For us more than one is not necessary. I am not willing to pay more than $25 a month on streaming, so should they fracture the market even more (and that‘s what it looks like), we go back to DVD only.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #6 on:** June 07, 2019, 09:05:59 PM

I have been wondering this myself. I am also part of the problem I think.....

I currently have a Netflix account, a Crave account (kind of like a Canadian Hulu) and I pay for Prime TV, but mostly because Megan likes to shop.

I am considering YouTube Red because I am interested in Cobra Kai, and the big reason I am not yet subscribed is that it isn't available in Canada.

I'll probably also have to get the Disney service because I hate modern Disney, but they own everything I love- Muppets, Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar etc.

So far there is probably the biggest variety of things I watch on Netflix, so I doubt I would cancel that.

Crave could probably go- I only really watch a few things on that- Tosh.0, Letterkenny, Doom Patrol and Agents of Shield are all that come to mind, plus the occasional roast.

Prime is more about the shopping and TV is secondary, although appreciated. It would probably be worth it just for ALF and Grand Tour, which is good because that (and the occasional movie) is all I am interested in now that they have cancelled the Tick.

I'd love to be able to pick and choose shows to subscribe to, but that's not a great idea for the same reason they don't do that with TV- special interest shows wouldnt exist if there wasn't funding available from other, more mainstream shows.

Of course, when you consider the average cable bill nowadays is over $100 I feel like I could afford to both save money and support multiple streaming services.

Def

AlephZero · **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2019, 09:05:43 PM

It's only too much if you subscribe to too many

I currently have Netflix, HBO Nordic and Prime Video, which I agree is a bit much

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2019, 09:42:57 PM

Quote from: AlephZero on June 08, 2019, 09:05:43 PM

It's only too much if you subscribe to too many

Totally agree. I don't have any

powernoodle · **Reply #9 on:** June 09, 2019, 12:04:47 AM

At the Powernoodle Compound, we have Directv Now, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. "Free" HBO comes with Directv Now. We have a $25/m discount on Directv Now because we have an unlimited cellular plan with AT&T. So we are dropping maybe $50/month (I don't count Prime because we only have it as part of Amazon Prime), which is less than half of what we were paying for cable tv that we really did not like anyway. I consider that almost a bargain.

Whoey · **Reply #10 on:** June 09, 2019, 12:09:59 AM

We have prime, but it's obviously so much more than just the streaming services

We only have free to air tv, which in Spain is actually quite good.

powernoodle · **Reply #11 on:** June 09, 2019, 12:14:05 AM

Having an antenna for emergencies - or frugality - is pretty nice too.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #12 on:** June 09, 2019, 12:52:57 AM

A basic cable package here is about $130 CDN for about 30 channels and internet package. You can't have TV without also getting your internet through the same provider. That includes all of the mainstream channels, which is great if you want to watch TV like it was 1987. Unfortunately the things I want to watch are on channels like History, Discovery and the Cartoon Network, which means I would need to upgrade to the next tier service, which is currently on for $140 for a year, after which it reverts to $205. Subtracting my current internet cost of (I think) $50/mth means that I would be paying anywhere between $80/mth for the basic package with very little I'm interested in, to $155/mth for the regular price of the next tier package.

I think Netflix costs something like $12/mth, Prime is more but doesn't count because I am using it for shipping, and Crave is something like $10/mth. I still have a long way to go before I am paying cable prices, and I can watch what I want when I want, not just when someone has scheduled a show to start. Plus, if I am paying for the service, why do I also have to watch commercials as well? Online streaming companies are creating just as good, if not better content for a lot less, and without commercials, so what are the traditional TV people doing wrong?

Although, I will admit that I do miss commercials sometimes. I find I am not as "up" on things as I used to be, especially when it comes to the movies I want to see.

I was a prisoner of cable TV for far too long, and I am happy to have cut the cord, and happy to pay for streaming services. And, if I ever get the urge to watch "normal" TV again, I'll get an Android Box and watch it that way.

Def

cody6268 · **Reply #13 on:** June 23, 2019, 11:30:18 PM

The selection got worse and worse with Hulu/Netflix so I cancelled it. Crackle and IMDB FreeDive have quite a bit of good stuff on them, and they're both free. These days, basically every cable channel (even when Disney now owns most of Hulu) is coming out with their own streaming service and pulling what they have off the major services.

On another note, Dish Network has a pretty bad selection. We have a medium-tier package. We get all kinds of channels that are typically OTA channels in most markets (and in my area, we have both Laff and MeTV affiliates; and neighboring markets have most of the others), a bunch of "special interest" and channels that are 24/7 infomercials, but stuff I do watch, like the Science and Smithsonian Channel (and even kiddie stuff like Boomerang and Nicktoons that I still watch) are top tier (on a $100/month package!); when with many providers, it's on basic or medium-tier packages. The former was with Comcast on the medium-tier package we had. And not to forget to mention, the Wally is a 1990s brick that is laggy and never works right. They want you to pay extra to get the Hopper. While, the X1 was Xfinity's standard box, and that was a marvel. Though cost and customer service was why my folks switched; but I can see why Dish is cheaper; worse selection and horrid equipment.