Netflix vs. Amazon Prime

[yromj]

I've been a Netflix user for while now and overall am very happy w/ it. However, I've noticed a few times that things will suddenly just disappear from the instant list. For example, Jan and I just started watching "Camelot" and now it's not available. That's pretty frustrating.

I've been contemplating Amazon's video service and Amazon Prime. What are the ins/outs/details of Amazon's service? I believe Prime is $79/year and includes the video service. Does that give access to all the videos in the library or just older ones or...?

Any info will help.

John

 

[mzpro5]

First the Camelot thing - Netflix gets stuff from Starz and they are usually only available for a limited time. Most likely that is what happened with Camelot as it was a Starz original. I have had the happen with several items in my Instant Que.

Regarding NF vs AP - Almost everything on AP is available on NF but alot of what is on NF is not available on AP. AP does not include the entire video service, most of which is PPV. Your best bet is to go to the Amazon site and see what is available for free Prime viewing.

I had Prime for several years just for the shipping breaks. Prime Streaming is OK but it has no where near the NF library I wouldn't try and replace NF with it. On the other hand if you order a lot of stuff from Amazon Prime is worth it for the shipping and the VOD service is just a plus.

 

[Huey]

Yromj, I was in the same boat as you. I hated that Netflix was raising their pricing, and decided to drop them. I never was a huge streamer, but it was nice at times, although neither site is perfect for selection. Netflix has a much larger selection, and it is much easier to put movies into your que. My personal opinion, Amazon gets the nod for picture quality. With Netflix, because of bandwith issues, the would lower the frame rate, and I would get a very jumpy picture. I have not noticed this at all with Amazon.

If you are into heavy streaming, Netflix is your best choice. If you just watch an occasional streamed movie, but order a lot of stuff from Amazon, then that would be the way to go.

 

[Barney]

With all my calls to Netflex (about their lack exampleisney, etc) movies & doing some hunting on Amazon...........Netflex still has alot more movies/tv shows for streaming.
Streaming needs more competition........& studios need to learn what the recording industry learned (they didn't like download music, CD sales fell out & now they are making major $$$$ with downloads)....its the sign of the times........streaming will grow real fast & the need for them to offer the movies to (Netflex, Amazon, WalMart, etc)..........

 

[jomari]

i like having both now, and well, theres pros and cons as always. hueys brought up some good parts of it.

first off,

Netflix
- great for the subscription price
- VERY large selection of course

Amazon
- SELECT older tv shows, material for free.
- Mostly PPV, and depends on how good your bandwidth is.
- newer material arrives release date (remember tho, these are also PPV)

ive shared this link to a couple of members, and they've found it useful.

Here you go, it tells you the new material that sometimes doesnt show via netflix, and older stuff about to expire. i prefer the older webpage, which i will note below too...

http://instantwatcher.com/

older one
http://instantwatcher.com/genres

if i had to choose, id go with netflix, because i know them and well, monthly based subscription. amazon is still fairly new with their collection, and im still trying to justify purchasing stuff on a ppv basis. i might as well do that with my directv service to avoid bandwidth issues.

 

[mzpro5]

Yromj, My personal opinion, Amazon gets the nod for picture quality. With Netflix, because of bandwith issues, the would lower the frame rate, and I would get a very jumpy picture. I have not noticed this at all with Amazon.
.

If you have the bandwidth NF looks very good. I have TW/RR cable and unlike Huey i have the bandwidth where NF PQ is very good.

Like Huey says your internet connection/service has a lot to do with it.

 

[Yesfan70]

Yromj, My personal opinion, Amazon gets the nod for picture quality. With Netflix, because of bandwith issues, the would lower the frame rate, and I would get a very jumpy picture. I have not noticed this at all with Amazon.
.

If you have the bandwidth NF looks very good. I have TW/RR cable and unlike Huey i have the bandwidth where NF PQ is very good.

Like Huey says your internet connection/service has a lot to do with it.

I have to agree. I upgrade my DSL speed to the medium package, and there was a much better improvement.


I've been an Amazon Prime customer for about 3 years. Love it, but haven't really used the streaming service. More than likely, I'll drop the Prime service when Amazon's new warehouse, here in Bradley County, gets completed. I don't see the need to pay for two day shipping if I'm about 15 minutes away from the warehouse. That and sales tax. :angry-banghead:

 

[Flint]

Streaming needs more competition? Wait until Apple makes is easier, faster, and more convenient to stream and netflix will go out of business in a year.

 

[Towen7]

Streaming needs more competition? Wait until Apple makes is easier, faster, and more convenient to stream and netflix will go out of business in a year.

Notice that there is no mention of Apple ever making it any cheaper to stream.

 

[Yesfan70]

Streaming needs more competition? Wait until Apple makes is easier, faster, and more convenient to stream and netflix will go out of business in a year.

Notice that there is no mention of Apple ever making it any cheaper to stream.

Same reason why I don't own an Apple computer today. My brother used to be a fanboi. He tried to get me to upgrade my Dell at one time, but a Mac's cost was a big issue for me. Sure I could go used, what he suggested, but why should I pay for a used product that would be the same as a new PC's price?

 

[Flint]

it isn't about cheap for Apple, it is about the whole user experience. While I don't buy into it, they have tens of millions of customers who handily and happily live with regular monthly iTunes bills over $50 in order to have such a seamless, simple, thought free experience. I want to watch a certain TV show... click, click, click... here it is! Woohoo!!!

Netflix and Amazon cannot match that anytime soon.

Wait until EVERY PIECE OF MEDIA you own or experience is all controlled by one experience through Apple! Simple, basic, easy, even a moron can do it. Just pay a little more.

 

[Botch]

More than likely, I'll drop the Prime service when Amazon's new warehouse, here in Bradley County, gets completed. I don't see the need to pay for two day shipping if I'm about 15 minutes away from the warehouse. That and sales tax. :angry-banghead:

I wouldn't have guessed that Amazon had retail, brick-n-mortar stores that you could shop in... :think:

 

[Flint]

Tada!!!

http://m.engadget.com/default/article.d ... latest_art

 

[mzpro5]

I think in the end Amazon, with their offering of HD PPV, has the better business model. You can get movies released on disc the day they released. The price , 4.99 for most HD rentals, is a tad high for my tastes but I have watched a few and the quality was not BD quality but excellent for streaming (better than the DTV PPV offerings I have tried). If you are at home on a Saturday night and decide you want to watch a new release Amazon is the way to go.

I wonder if NF will eventually offer the same service as Amazon.

Regarding Apple I have no experience with them other than my 4 year old iPod so can't comment on their service.

 

[mzpro5]

Of course I should have added to the above that in ordere to really be a successful streaming option Amazon has to offer it as a stand alone service with a fee just like NF. Only being available to Prime members really hampers growth.

Of course they could have a strategy where they offer the streaming as part of Prime for $79 - then people say "that's less than NF per year (and if I order something from Amazon shipping is free and I get it in a couple days)". So people then start to use Amazon more for purchases because they now have free 2 day shipping and Amazon comes out the winner in the end.

Just a theory.

 

[Towen7]

I dont understand why but i often get the impression that people feel they have to choose either NF or Amazon. There is no reason not to use both. I've been a Prime customer for years so I consider the Amazon service to be free, and nothing beats free. That said, If you font use the shipping benefit of being a Prime customer than the clear winner is NF. But if you are an Amazon Prime customer (if you aren't you probably should be) there is absolutely no reason you can't have BOTH services until Amazon offers the same selection as NF.

 

[mzpro5]

I dont understand why but i often get the impression that people feel they have to choose either NF or Amazon. There is no reason not to use both. I've been a Prime customer for years so I consider the Amazon service to be free, and nothing beats free. That said, If you font use the shipping benefit of being a Prime customer than the clear winner is NF. But if you are an Amazon Prime customer (if you aren't you probably should be) there is absolutely no reason you can't have BOTH services until Amazon offers the same selection as NF.

I do both. Same situation as you = I had Prime for 2-3 years before the streaming was offered.

 

[Barney]

As me & others have stated........we need some competition going with this streaming.
Streaming is going on in my household every day, school or not.

 

[Flint]

Time Warner has mentioned publicly that they are working hard right now to change their image from being known as a Cable TV company to being known as an ISP (more like AT&T or Verizon). They hope to be streaming everything in a few years only to their subscribers and traditional cable channels will fade to nothing. This will lighten the load on their network which currently is always piping about 300 SD channels and about a dozen HD channels to every house even if the house isn't watching it. if they move to a streaming model, they can significantly reduce their load to only the shows people are watching.

 

[Barney]

Questiion is though.....when are the studio's going to allow these "streamers" stream all the movies without having to do PPV for each stream. Something is going to have to give (bend). 1 movie a day would be $30 a month......thats way too much to pay.