A meta thread for video streaming services - Netflix, Hulu, Disney, HBO, Warner, Prime, AppleTV, etc

Locast launched in NE Ohio today filling one of my major gaps in cord cutting - broadcast channels and live sports. The local Fox affiliate still broadcasts over VHF-Hi making it difficult to pick up. Much better tossing them $5/mo to get rid of the nag screens than being forced into Youtube TV or Hulu with live TV after their recent increases.

I guess “370 originals and nothing to watch” is the new “300 channels and nothing to watch.”

And before that it was ‘57 channels and nothing on’ -

https://youtu.be/YAlDbP4tdqc

And then before that it was ‘13 channels of shit on the TV to choose from’ -

Is that really their problem? They cost less than Netflix if you use 4K. I’m at 1080p, and even for me $2 $1 more for HBO Max seems like a better deal, since they have better content, but that’s completely subjective, of course.

You kids and your 13 channels! When I was growing up we had four channels: ABC, NBC, CBS, and PBS. We didn’t even get FOX until I was around 13 or 14.

And we liked it!

I remember visiting my grandparents and they had cable. They had a wired remote with like 20 buttons on it, each assigned to a specific channel. They even had the Playboy channel. Let’s just say I missed a lot of family outings.

This is what I was thinking. The best, let’s say five as a starter, TV shows on HBO are all probably better than the best show on Netflix. The quantity of quality TV and movies (they even have several TCM and Criterion movies buried in their menus) on HBO Max is significantly higher than any other streaming service I’ve used. I guess Netflix has more content overall so if you’re looking to constantly have something new streaming in the background it might be the better option.

So, good news bad news on HBO Max’s cheaper tier.

Good news: It’s coming in June.

Bad news: you don’t get everything right away.

However, if you opt for the ad-supported tier, you won’t have access to the movies that Warner Bros. is releasing on HBO Max and in theaters on the same day. For those, you’ll either need to plump for the standard plan (where those movies will initially be available for a month) or wait until they arrive on HBO Max on a permanent basis.

It’s also not free, it will just be cheaper.

I don’t believe the ad-supported tier is going to be free, just reduced price. Not that I care. You’d have to pay me an awful lot to get me to use a tier with ads.

Yeah, that’s how I feel about ads too. I wouldn’t even watch it if it was free. If they paid me? Maybe.

You guys are hardcore. I like free. I sit on the couch with my Kindle or phone and use those during the ads.

I’m cheap, we have the ad version of Hulu. Sure it’s a little annoying but I just pop on my phone for a minute when the commercial comes on, it’s not a big deal.

Well, ok, for Sports I’m willing to watch ads. There is that exception. But sports is kind of setup well for it. But during movies and TV shows? Nope.

Ads lower the quality of the experience more than they save me money. Like, if we were talking a market where it was a choice between paying $200/mo for an ad free streaming service or getting it for free but with ad breaks, I might consider the latter. But it’s the difference of like $6/mo. Or occasionally, there’d be something interesting on like a Roku free channel or something but…so what? I have hundreds of things to watch on the stuff I’m paying for, and if I really want I can subscribe to a proper, non-ad service that has it or in a pinch just rent or buy it.

I’m betting HBO starts the ad-supported cheaper tier, and then soon thereafter slips a price increase out for the non-ad version.

They’re already more expensive than almost the entire rest of the market. The ad tier is to try and get subscribers that won’t pay that. I doubt there will be price increases anytime soon.

On one hand yeah, it’s only like $6/month to get rid of ads. On the other hand I’m paying for Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix and Disney so I look to save wherever I can.

You know what saves more? Just not subscribing at all until you have room in your schedule and budget. :P

I haven’t watched an ad since I bought a TiVo in 1999.

Seriously.

HBO Max is the first to kind of poke holes in that methodology. Each of the “theater” movies are only on there for a month at a time, so if I don’t subscribe that month, I’ll miss it! That’s how they got me to sign up for the 6 months deal. But honestly, I’ve been very happy with them. Their content is gold Jerry. Gold!