QOTW: Netflix, Amazon Prime or Now TV?

[HEXUS]

A HEXUS reader asks which is the UK's best streaming service?

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[Biscuit]

Amazon prime doesnt offer much of the goodstuff without paying extra
Now TV is seperated into sport(6.99 a DAY), TV and Movies with seperate subriptions.
Netflix is awesome, however I can feel it being dented by exclusives landing on other platforms.

[DanceswithUnix]

I have a Netflix subscription, thought I would be bored of it after a few months but actually kept it going for about a year now, and ditched Sky.

I get occasional NowTV Movies subscriptions, but I won't pay the full rate. I have bought a couple of the NowTV boxes when they were on sale which ignoring the free hardware made for a better deal than just paying full rate.

NowTV and Netflix both do a 1 month trial. I did one, then the other before choosing Netflix.

[Tabbykatze]

I've been subscribed with Netflix for a few years because every once in while it's sometimes awesome, sometimes it's a disappointment. But that's due to the content, the quality has always been brilliant as long as the connection is good on my end.

From what I understand, their content is often utter tosh because Sky currently hold the streaming rights to a lot of digital content and IP so it means others like Netflix can't have it.

But the disappointment of lack of content is completely nullified when programs like Daredevil come out. Binge watched that like a tramp on chips.

[Smackos]

The best thing about these services is that unlike you have with Sky TV, you can move month to month from one to the next. There is nothing stopping you from trying out Netflix for a month or two, following it with a few months of Amazon and so on, binge watching all the TV box sets you fancy in that time. Just make sure to go into your account and turn off auto renew each time you want to swap. Generally Now TV has had the poorest reputation of the three for reliability, but they have definitely made strides to improve on that front. Most people would find the other two very acceptable in quality.

Be aware that whichever service you might want to use you will want to make sure you are on a reliable and unlimited usage internet connection.

Playing devils advocate, maybe consider signing up to a Now TV pass to continue watching most of your current favourite Sky TV shows, and actually go old school and take out a Amazon disc by post subscription. All told you would only be looking at just under £15 for both, and you'd get a much broader (and generally more recent) set of films to choose from at the weekend too. Since you actually get two discs at a time with the disc subscription, you could then split one list for a film at the weekend and the second for another TV series that takes your fancy. When you consider some of the headline shows from Netflix etc are on disc anyway, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Vikings, Black Sails for example, you don't really have to miss out on what those services offer either.

Either way, good luck with your choices.

[crossy]

I had Amazon Instant Video (via Prime) for a while and was pretty underwhelmed. Seemed to be a pretty restricted choice, and invariably what I wanted to watch was "premium" content, so would have to pay extra. Even worse, the costs of IV's 'premium' content was more than the same title on Virgin Media's service.

Netflix is comparatively expensive, but I really like the idea that once the subscription is paid it's an "all you can eat". Definitely worth the peace of mind - especially with two TV-obsessed teens in the house.

NowTV isn't a service I've tried.

[OilSheikh]

Piratebay ?

[aidanjt]

Piratebay ?

There's also customisable curated show feed services, so users can just set their torrent client to automatically download new episodes. The sad fact is illicit service is still far better than open market services, and it always will as long as big content keeps trying to rig the game in their favour with exclusivity deals and other similar nonsense.

[Percy1983]

CEX store next to work, look at blurays for £1-£4 and can keep them forever if I choose.

[Brewster0101]

Just finished my NOW TV subscription of films for first time in 18 months. Got fed up with buffering and only 720p quality and no dolby digital.

But for TV shows (ie Game of Thrones) I guess Now TV is the best value service.

[Smackos]

The phrase you are looking for is... "Because it is free"..

Dont get me wrong, country to country it varies massively (No idea how it stands in Ireland right now for streaming services) but certainly if you live with a decent broadband system in North America, major Western European nations or now in Australia for example then there is little stopping people from subscribing to a raft of services to watch what they want. The only real sticking block now when it comes down to it is when it comes to live sports, then the networks still have a stranglehold for the most part. As for TV shows and films, the excuses are really poor now.

There's also customisable curated show feed services, so users can just set their torrent client to automatically download new episodes. The sad fact is illicit service is still far better than open market services, and it always will as long as big content keeps trying to rig the game in their favour with exclusivity deals and other similar nonsense.

[Dareos]

Its going to be entirely down to user experience

Amazon has things like Bosch and Black Sails etc
Netflix has Daredevil and House of Cards
Now TV has sky

I know Netflix gives you a free months trial, Amazon do a student discount with a .ac.uk address, not sure what Now do.

im thinking try before you buy

just as an addition, the quality is entirely going to depend on the internet connection, and if theres any heavy web users in the house then there could be an impact. Theres also the issue of compatibiity with some of the Roku (Now TV) boxes and certain cable tv suppliers superhubs (was i too obvious there?).

That second issue might well be down to users tho

[aidanjt]

As for TV shows and films, the excuses are really poor now.

That's not an excuse, it's a fact, piracy is primarily a service problem, it always has been.

[Noxvayl]

I use Netflix and love it. For TV series it is the better option, especially with kids because it has a large catalogue of kids series.

The movies are hit and miss, there are some gems in the list for UK users but it can be annoying having only the second Hobbit film and not the first or third...

[LSG501]

Haven't tried now tv or bt's service so can't comment on them.

Netflix is ok but to get the best from it you need to use a vpn, which is now against the tos from what I've been reading. So in essence you're paying the same for a lesser service. It also seemed to buffer a lot for some reason.

Amazon (at least on the pc) has really bad design problems, really difficult to find stuff... does have one positive, it's basically free if you actually use amazon prime for deliveries (lets be honest here most things are ordered from amazon these days).

Extra service mention - Crunchyroll - this is for anime, it's a good service which is screwed up because they still have location restrictions (usually funimation shows) which means you're paying the same for less again... you just can't watch said shows on the site unless you're not in the UK/USA, even though they actually are showing/listing it.

Then there are the 'delays' in showing in some locations, seriously it's about time this stopped. Costs also soon adds up if you subscribe to all of them, it's not exactly a cheap option.

Google/itunes - they're ok but I'd rather just buy a dvd/blu ray than a digital version which has limitations/restrictions and convert it myself.

Now as bad as this sounds (I'd never condone such actions obviously) torrents/usenet/download sites are still the most efficient resource to getting tv shows (and arguably movies) online, often the download speeds are better (wouldn't know myself) and there's usually less delay in release of the show than some legal sources.

The problem is ultimately 2 fold,1 suppliers want a piece of the pie at the expense of their customers so go for exclusivity and 2 regional restrictions which don't work anymore in a 21st century digital age. Until these issues get fixed getting media from illegal sources will likely remain the easiest solution.

[directhex]

Netflix is the only one that works on Linux