Thinking very seriously of dumping cable. ATT Uverse was awesome at one point, apparently they decided they didn't need to be awesome anymore. Can't stomach the thought of going back to Cox so I think we may just switch to internet and over the air content. Does anybody have experience with Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, or any other providers? Suggestions much appreciated. Thanks.
Hulu Plus or Amazon Prime
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Have Amazon Prime. The added benefit of enjoying free shipping on many items from Amazon.com definitely gives it a boost in my opinion. I've definitely spent more money buying things from there that I normally would have bought either elsewhere online or at a regular store somewhere. I know there was a thread a few days ago on here that discussed amazon prime. You may want to search for it.
Different services. I have both and they tend to compliment each other. Hulu for newer shows and Amazon for older TV and the movie catalog.
I was trying to cut the cable a few years ago, but sports keep me locked in to cable
I was trying to cut the cable a few years ago, but sports keep me locked in to cable
I dumped cable last year and opted to go the over-the-air/internet route. I would be happier with it if I could actually pick up ANYTHING over the air in Dubuque without the need for a rooftop antenna, which I can't install because I'm in an apartment. Luckily I can still pick up crappy feeds of the local channels through the coax. Anyways...
IMO, Hulu Plus is a joke. There is very, very little value added by paying for it over the free version. They just created a fake restriction for anything that isn't a desktop computer to get people to start paying for their otherwise free, ad-supported product.
That being said, I wouldn't be so frustrated with it if it did any of the following things:
1. Made available more otherwise unavailable current TV content (it doesn't)
As a matter of fact, Hulu Plus actually tends to have LESS popular content than the free version!
Check out this message on the page for NBC's "The Voice":
We currently don't have the rights to make this show available on your TV or mobile devices — request to be notified if it becomes available in Hulu Plus.
So, if you were paying for Hulu Plus, you would NOT be able to watch that show. However, on the free version, you can. How unbelievably stupid is that?
2. Made popular content available more quickly (for most shows it doesn't)
3. Limited the advertising compared to the free version (it doesn't)
4. Or if Hulu didn't have a free version at all, and you simply pay to access like Netflix.
Personally, I have a desktop computer hooked up to the living room TV, so I can watch the free version of Hulu just fine. Of course if you don't plan on doing that, and you have a smart TV or will use a Roku or something, then you'd have to pay for Hulu Plus to use it anyways.
Hulu will help you be able to legally watch most network shows and some cable shows between a day to a week after they've aired, though. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to browse on Hulu and see if the shows you want to watch (that aren't available over the air for you) are even on Hulu Plus. Otherwise, probably not a point in getting it.
I would highly recommend Netflix. They don't often have blockbuster movies, but neither does anybody else unless it's pay-per-view or the movie theater. Their library of previously aired seasons of TV shows has grown pretty large, and that's what we use it for a lot, more so than movies. Plus, no ads.
I'm signed up for Amazon Prime, but to be honest it was for the free 2-day shipping. I don't think I would have signed up if the point of it was the video streaming. We've used it twice for streaming, I think.. once for a Dr. Who episode, and once to watch a movie. Occasionally it can fill in a gap left by Netflix, but often times that gap is due to a movie being a still popular release, in which case you have to pay to rent it on Amazon anyways. I'm not sure if being a Prime subscriber gets you a cheaper price, or simply the privilege to pay more money to rent a movie.
Of course, my gripes aside, the non-movie-streaming aspects of Prime make it a pretty cool service. Free 2-day shipping on many items on Amazon, and also you have access to their Kindle lending library if you're interested. Once a month you can basically "check out" a book from their library for free. Not a huge deal, but still a nice side benefit.
I don't have much experience with any of the major sports providers, but my feeling is a lot of it is expensive and limited. The biggest thing with any of those, if you research them, read the blackout rules carefully. The MLB service is notoriously bad for blackouts. All the time. So even though you are paying for it, you still can't watch.
tl;dr - I think Hulu Plus sucks, Netflix is nice, Amazon Prime has a smaller library but the additional non-streaming related offerings are nice, and live sports are probably going to be difficult to access and/or expensive.
We use both Netflix and Hulu plus pretty heavily. We also have directv but mostly use it for news, sports and some shows.
Both work great and have good offerings.
Both work great and have good offerings.
I have amazon prime. I am pretty happy with it. Decent selection of shows and movies. I have a 2 year old, and they have a great selection of kids shows. She watches shows on it all the time. They don't have the newest seasons, but she's 2. She doesn't know the difference. I also have a kindle fire hd, which is essentially a content delivery system for amazon. Amazon prime is basically a must if you own a fire and don't want to hack it. Plus I like the free shipping. Don't know how it compares to hulu or Netflix since I haven't used either. That being said, I would never drop my satellite service. Hell, the online service I use the most is HBO GO. You have to have some kind of cable or satellite service to use that, unless you can find someone nice enough to let you use their login. HBO is talking about letting people have a standalone HBO GO subscription, but I think that is a ways off.
I get my TV over the air. I also subscribe to Netflix. I make up for the big name movies that Netflix doesn't have by going to the RedBox by my house and picking it up for about a buck.
I tried Hulu Plus in the past, and canceled it within a week. I wasn't impressed. Most of the shows on it were shows I wouldn't watch even if I did have cable.
I have Amazon Prime for Students. It is free, and gives you free shipping and better deals for music. If you sign up for their student program they will let you upgrade to the full Amazon Prime (movie and TV streaming) for half the normal price. I'm considering doing that.
For my sports I listen to the Twins via the Android MLB at bat app ($20/season) and get my Cyclones through our local Raleigh-Durham gamewatch group or Cyclones.tv. I also stream cycling races via steephill.com.
I tried Hulu Plus in the past, and canceled it within a week. I wasn't impressed. Most of the shows on it were shows I wouldn't watch even if I did have cable.
I have Amazon Prime for Students. It is free, and gives you free shipping and better deals for music. If you sign up for their student program they will let you upgrade to the full Amazon Prime (movie and TV streaming) for half the normal price. I'm considering doing that.
For my sports I listen to the Twins via the Android MLB at bat app ($20/season) and get my Cyclones through our local Raleigh-Durham gamewatch group or Cyclones.tv. I also stream cycling races via steephill.com.
If you have trouble picking ota signals, try making your own antenna. I made one out of a scrap of 1/2 inch copper pipe bent into a loop. It works great.
I'm not a big fan of the Hulu plus. I had it for a bit, but cancelled it. It's easier to just wait for it to show up on netflix, as a whole season and watch without commercials. Amazon prime is a great deal as well, especially if you love to shop online and read a lot of books on your mobile device. I don't know exactly what their streaming selection is like, but the over-all value is really good. My In-laws have Amazon prime and they love it, but they both read more books on their Kindles than they ever do watch TV.
I think the Netflix/Amazon discussion is one that you just have to compare and decide which one fits you best. Netflix definitely has lost some in the new movies department, but it's great for checking out that odd-ball movie you never knew existed and their TV selection is almost too much to deal with. Hell, if ti wasn't for netflix, I never would have seen Trailer Park Boys, so it will definitely have a sweet spot in my heart forever.
I think the Netflix/Amazon discussion is one that you just have to compare and decide which one fits you best. Netflix definitely has lost some in the new movies department, but it's great for checking out that odd-ball movie you never knew existed and their TV selection is almost too much to deal with. Hell, if ti wasn't for netflix, I never would have seen Trailer Park Boys, so it will definitely have a sweet spot in my heart forever.