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Internet TV (Read 828 times)

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

    OK, I could have sworn there was a thread on this very topic recently, but I can't find it...so here's a new one.

     

    Charter raised our rates again.  I don't really feel like playing the old "call and threaten to cancel cable" song and dance where they offer to give us a discounted year, ad nauseum.  We'd still keep them for internet, since that's about the only broadband game in town, but would like to drop them for TV once and for all.

     

    So we've been thinking about something like Hulu Plus.  We have an older Wii, which I think we could use as a receiver...or maybe it's time for a blu-ray player....

     

    The only thing I'd really be bummed to lose is AMC -- no cable would mean no watching The Walking Dead or Hell on Wheels when they air, instead having to wait 2 weeks to catch them online.  But it would be nice to have digital picture when I watch regular network stuff.  We have a pretty basic cable package, so the picture isn't HD.  I assume that internet TV is HD quality...?

     

    Anything else we need to know or other service/hardware recommendations?

    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

         ~ Sarah Kay


    Why is it sideways?

      You can get Netflix streaming for 7.99 a month. That combined with Amazon Prime (if you are a member) will get you access to most everything. I get the Walking Dead through Netflix. Plus tons of free movies.

       

      I don't use Hulu Plus, I am fine with the Netflix streaming. I use Roku2, and I am happy with it.

       

      The only problem that I have with Internet TV is the lack of ESPN. I am happy with the switch, though. Cheaper and overall better.

       

      Plus: No Commercials!!!!

       

      MTA: yes, everything is in HD. I have not had quality problems through Netflix.

      Trent


      Good Bad & The Monkey

        Apple TV likely to be announced in a week...

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        rectumdamnnearkilledem

          Apple TV likely to be announced in a week...

           

          Ahhh...yeah, I wonder if it will be more comparable to Roku.  In the past when I looked at Apple TV it always appeared to be more limited.  Does that work strictly through iTunes, then?  I notice that TV episodes through iTunes are $3, but they are $2 through Amazon.

           

          Amazon Prime does look intriguing.  We don't own a Kindle, but that would definitely make a future purchase of a Kindle an appealing possibility.  Looks like Amazon Prime requires a subscription + fee for each download, vs. Netflix's flat subscription..?

          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

               ~ Sarah Kay


          Why is it sideways?

            All the stuff that is on Amazon Prime is free if you are an Amazon Prime member, which I am because I use Amazon a lot and it pretty much makes sense because of what it saves me on shipping. There is other stuff on Amazon that you can buy lifetime access to or rent for a fee without the prime membership. Usually the stuff is pretty reasonable--2 to 4 bucks for a 24 hour rental, maybe 10 to 15 bucks to "buy."

             

            I don't use the Amazon stuff much, though, even though I am a prime member... not sure if the membership would be worth it unless you use Amazon a lot. 

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            rectumdamnnearkilledem

              I don't use the Amazon stuff much, though, even though I am a prime member... not sure if the membership would be worth it unless you use Amazon a lot. 

               

              Heh, I do.  I loathe brick-and-mortar shopping. Blush

               

              So streaming shows and movies is mostly free or cheap with Prime?  It's tricky figuring out how it works...they don't have a real good info. page re: that service.  What I saw for The Walking Dead episodes looked like it was a few bucks/episode, which adds up fast.  But that must be the pricing without Prime.

              Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

              remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                   ~ Sarah Kay


              Feeling the growl again

                I can't speak for TV shows, but Netflix via internet for downloading movies stinks...unless it has drastically changed in the past 6 months...or unless you like watching really old movies you have never heard of.

                 

                Amazon Prime is a good deal if you order any quantity of stuff over the internet.  I have not checked out their streaming offerings only because our Samsung sets do not like hooking up to a Mac and that's all we have right now.

                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                 

                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                 


                Why is it sideways?

                  Heh, I do.  I loathe brick-and-mortar shopping. Blush

                   

                  So streaming shows and movies is mostly free or cheap with Prime?  It's tricky figuring out how it works...they don't have a real good info. page re: that service.  What I saw for The Walking Dead episodes looked like it was a few bucks/episode, which adds up fast.  But that must be the pricing without Prime.

                   

                  Yeah, maybe. It is free on Netflix with the subscription, but I just checked, and as of now I only have access to the first season, first 6 episodes.

                   

                  Other disappointments: HBO programs are not accessible.

                   

                  It is all pretty damn quirky at this stage, but I have found lots of TV worth watching on there. I have been making my way through Breaking Bad and also Friday Night Lights. 

                   

                  The wife and I are also watching "How I Met Your Mother" -- there are 137 episodes available on Netflix for that...

                   

                  PBS has a pretty nice channel, if you are into that stuff.

                   

                  I would suggest getting a Netflix streaming subscription first. Then, if you want to do Amazon prime, I would do that next. 

                   

                  I am happy with the switch.

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                  rectumdamnnearkilledem

                    Yeah, maybe. It is free on Netflix with the subscription, but I just checked, and as of now I only have access to the first season, first 6 episodes.

                     

                    Other disappointments: HBO programs are not accessible.

                     

                    It is all pretty damn quirky at this stage, but I have found lots of TV worth watching on there. I have been making my way through Breaking Bad and also Friday Night Lights. 

                     

                    The wife and I are also watching "How I Met Your Mother" -- there are 137 episodes available on Netflix for that...

                     

                    PBS has a pretty nice channel, if you are into that stuff.

                     

                    I would suggest getting a Netflix streaming subscription first. Then, if you want to do Amazon prime, I would do that next. 

                     

                    I am happy with the switch.

                     

                    Hmmm...so only old TWD episodes.  Crummy.

                     

                    My sister is a huge How I Met Your Mother fan.  Wow, that would take a long time to get caught up!

                     

                    I'm going to have to look more into Netflix--and see how it would compare to Hulu Plus.  I think they're pretty similar.

                    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                         ~ Sarah Kay

                    Trent


                    Good Bad & The Monkey

                      I was not clear, I apologize.

                       

                      AppleTV will not be that tiny little box that goes next to your television set. This will be a new product, with a full standalone TV set and with that box integrated. With access to internet, iTunes and anything on your laptop/iPad/iPod/iPhone.


                      Why is it sideways?

                        Hmmm...so only old TWD episodes.  Crummy.

                         

                        My sister is a huge How I Met Your Mother fan.  Wow, that would take a long time to get caught up!

                         

                        I'm going to have to look more into Netflix--and see how it would compare to Hulu Plus.  I think they're pretty similar.

                         

                        It is all pretty damn confusing, I agree. I am not huge TV guy and did not watch much besides sports on cable, so it doesn't bother me that everything on there is old because it is new to me. Smile

                         

                        I think it is the future of TV though--cable is probably still better if you want access to everything.

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                        rectumdamnnearkilledem

                          I was not clear, I apologize.

                           

                          AppleTV will not be that tiny little box that goes next to your television set. This will be a new product, with a full standalone TV set and with that box integrated. With access to internet, iTunes and anything on your laptop/iPad/iPod/iPhone.

                           

                           

                          Ahh...wow.  That would be neat in the future (wish we were in the market for a new TV, right now--our Samsung set is only a few years old and a total POS--the whites have all gone blown-out and pink in the past few months and no amount of tweaking of the picture will change that).

                          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                               ~ Sarah Kay

                            I think with Amazon Prime it's just certain shows/movies that are included. You can rent/buy other stuff from Amazon Instant Video. Amazon Prime videos and Amazon Instant Videos are 2 different things.

                             

                            I think to watch Amazon videos (Prime or Instant Video) you need to have a compatible device. To watch Netflix on your TV you would also need a compatible device and Wii will work for that. Also you can watch Netflix on your iPhone.

                             

                            I've tried Hulu Plus a few times but in the end I've always gotten so frustrated that I end up cancelling. don't know if it is just me but Hulu Plus does not stream well. Stops, lags, very annoying. Netflix streams much much better.

                             

                            Since I rarely watch real TV or go to the movies, I am pretty happy with Netflix. Netflix's terms say that on the $7.99 streaming plan you can only stream to one device at a time but some people have been able to watch on multiple devices at the same time but I think Netflix is cracking down on that.

                             

                            mta: I also hate Hulu Plus navigation. But maybe that is because our TV is horrendously old (it's from the last century!) so the picture is crappy. Anyway, I think Wii/Hulu Plus are offereing a free trial right now if you want to try it for the Wii.

                            jEfFgObLuE


                            I've got a fever...

                              I can't speak for TV shows, but Netflix via internet for downloading movies stinks...unless it has drastically changed in the past 6 months...or unless you like watching really old movies you have never heard of.

                               

                               And it's gonna get a little worse...

                               

                              50 ‘Starz’ Movies That Are About to Disappear from Netflix Streaming

                               

                              But Netflix is still real good for catching up on TV shows.  And there are lots of kids shows / cartoons on there.  They've added a "Just for Kids" link at the front-end of Netflix, so a click there takes you into all of the kid-friendly content, where they can even search by character.  At $7.99 a month, it's cheaper than a babysitter.

                               

                              We haven't cut the cord (and probably won't due to sports), but we have an Apple TV set-top box, which also has Netflix access.  So we can watch Netflix on our big TV in HD (mostly -- some programs are SD), and use Apple TV to rent HD movies (which is pretty much how we watch any movies since Blockbuster's gone and I dumped the Netflix DVD plan).  

                              On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

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                              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                                It is all pretty damn confusing, I agree. I am not huge TV guy and did not watch much besides sports on cable, so it doesn't bother me that everything on there is old because it is new to me. Smile

                                 

                                I think it is the future of TV though--cable is probably still better if you want access to everything.

                                 

                                Yeah, we really only watch a few TV shows.  The regular network stuff is easy to figure out.  It's the cable-specific stuff like AMC that makes it tricky to figure out what service is most useful and least apt to break the bank.  It's too bad we can't just pay for the specific channels we actually watch.  I'd be down to ABC and AMC.

                                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                     ~ Sarah Kay

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