If the chart to the left is any indication, we would all be rich over time and have tons of money available for entertainment among other things we value. But those of us feeling the pinch of the economy know better, and we are looking for ways to enjoy life for a better price in order to balance the ever-shrinking budget. Online movies & TV shows are a great way to trim entertainment costs.
There is a lot of information to sift through if you wish to compare streaming services. That’s both the good news and the bad news. We have a lot of choice now – in the not-so-distant past we basically only had costly pay TV subscriptions where we paid for hundreds of useless channels, and we could supplement our home entertainment options through DVD or blu-ray. In just a few years time new technology offerings have exploded; we have a variety of streaming providers that offer various models, including monthly subscriptions with total access to their entire libraries or the ability to rent or purchase individual digital titles for streaming. Additionally, we will be seeing a lot more growth in the mobile broadband sector where streaming will become mainstream as the technology and data plans catch up.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s available:
- Monthly subscriptions to a streaming library – Netflix and Hulu Plus offer one low price for total access to their entire library 24/7. Amazon Prime members can also pay for an annual membership and access their 15,000 streamed titles. Only Netflix has parental controls, so parents of young children will want to monitor their Hulu or Amazon streaming.
- Online Content Stores – Vudu, Amazon Instant Video and iTunes are a great way to rent or purchase individual titles. A combination of a monthly streaming service + supplementing with rentals or purchases is generally the way consumers tend to utilize these services.
- DVD Mailing Services + Streaming – Netflix and Blockbuster have both options to American consumers, but Netflix is a subscription service, whereas if you wish to stream through Blockbuster, you will have to rent or purchase individual titles. However, they do have plans for unlimited monthly DVD rental. LoveFilm serves the United Kingdom, and is a great resource across the pond!
- Specialized services – the Zune Marketplace allows you to rent or purchase shows. You can also obtain a monthly or annual music pass for unlimited music streaming. If you are a reality TV buff, SuperPass is the way to go! They have live feeds and interactive TV shows on your favorites like Big Brother, The Biggest Loser, & Survivor.
There are also a variety of ways to access your content, but you will need to check with each available provider to see what devices they support. If you wish to play movies on your tv for a great price, Roku works with virtually any television set out there, including High Definition. Apple TV only works with High Def, but is a great, affordable choice as well.
