Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Internet Streaming Services - Comparing Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime (Guest Post)


Hello, now that the fall sweeps are starting up, UOH has asked me (Kristin Dahlman; EntertainmentRanter.Blogspot.com) to look into a hot topic: Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon Prime for all your TV/movie watching needs. These three providers are the main options when it comes to streaming films or TV shows. The big question is, which one is the best option for you? While your friend may swear by Netflix, it might not have the show or movie you're looking for. Never fear as UOH has asked me (a habitual TV and movie streamer) to give you a little insight into these services.


NETFLIX

Let's start out with Netflix, as this option is probably the most familiar to you. Netflix is great for a family or multiple users, since you can create different profiles under the same account. These profiles will show you movies or shows personalized to you based on your interests. While all of the these providers show you items based on your history, Netflix goes the most in depth in this process and will show you titles upon titles to get a better idea of what you like to watch. Netflix is great for movies and main stream shows, like Friends, Grey's Anatomy and Criminal Minds, however if you like reality shows, Netflix is not your best option. Your best option would be Hulu, or more accurately, Hulu Plus.

Netflix has three different monthly streaming plans, Basic, Standard, and Premium. The main difference, besides price, is the number of screens you can watch at once which is important for accounts with multiple users, like families. The Basic plan is $7.99 with 1 screen at a time, Standard is $8.99 with 2 screens at a time, while the Premium is $11.99 with 4 screens at a time. The Standard and Premium plans also offer high definition availability. Netflix also offers DVD and Blue-Ray rentals through the mail. These start at $7.99 and $9.99 respectively and go up in price from there depending on how many movies you want to watch at a time.




HULU

Hulu Plus has a great selection of early 2000's reality shows that are just horrible to watch, yet are so funny. They really are all train wrecks. Hulu has a mix of TV shows and movies as well. The movies tend to be a little lesser known and maybe a little older, but good nonetheless. Hulu also offers the option of adding Showtime to your account, which lets you access their shows and movies. Hulu is pretty good if you’re looking for a specific show or film, but this provider does not offer recommendations at the same level Netflix and Amazon Prime do.

Hulu pricing is much simpler than Netflix with only one plan at $7.99 per month. This plan gives you full access with less ads. Unfortunately, there are still some ads, but that’s the tradeoff for being able to see the newer shows.




AMAZON PRIME

Speaking of Amazon Prime, this provider is for all of Amazon, however for this post I'll only focus on the streaming portion. Prime has a some very obscure films along with mainstream films, which makes it fun to discover new things. For TV shows, it also includes portions of HBO's line up, which is amazing, however no Game of Thrones, yet. Prime offers a lot of binge watching shows and opportunities, which makes for some fun lazy days.

Prime is basically Amazon’s VIP resource for all that they offer. Benefits include: “FREE Two-Day Shipping for eligible purchases, unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Prime Instant Video, and the ability to borrow books from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library for $99 a year. [8.25/month]” So Amazon Prime can actually be a really good deal if you use their other services and then get the access of their internet streaming.




OTHER SERVICES

Some other services include Yahoo Screen, YouTube and TV provider websites. Yahoo Screen only has a few shows that they produce themselves such as Community, Sin City Saints, and Other Space. Their other videos are mostly short clips, news, or summaries. YouTube has a bunch of older or not popular TV shows, movies, and documentaries for free. Some popular shows are How It’s Made, Mystery Science Theater, or Carl Sagan’s Cosmos. A simple google search will show these shows and movies. For specific new TV shows, you can usually watch them for free (some require your cable provider login) on the TV provider’s website the next day but usually with some ads. Examples would be Fox’s Family Guy, or Comedy Central shows.

Before you go and commit to the streaming provider, do a little research. Prime and Hulu are easy enough to search without committing, however to search Netflix you need an account; therefore use this link to see what's on Netflix and Prime before you get an account, www.instantwatcher.com





Enjoy streaming!!


Kristin Dahlman