Our definition of television has changed over the years. Before you could only watch TV on your TV. If you wanted to see a movie in those early days, you had to drive all the way to the store to buy or rent a DVD. Thanks to high-speed internet, we can now stream movies and TV from the cloud to all sorts of devices, from phones to computers (and yes, even your TV). Now that streaming video has proven insanely popular, dozens of online streaming services have entered the picture, all vying for your attention and your money. That begs the question: which is better?
Describing all the streaming services available would be next to impossible, but here is my top 5 list of the most popular services out there.
iTunes: For Apple Enthusiasts
Like most Apple products, you either love iTunes or you hate it. If you already have Apple products, using iTunes is a great way to sync all your videos, music, and books across all your devices. And every time you pause a video, you can pick up where you left off, even on a different device. The downside of this service is that it is only available for Mac or PC products. It is also slower at updating rentals than other providers. Overall, iTunes is a good option for Mac users, but other options are worth exploring.
Supported Devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, PC/Mac
Price: $0.99 for TV show rentals, movie rentals start at $2.99
Selection: iTunes has a good selection to buy; rents update slower than some other providers
Vudu: for the videophile
Vudu started life in 2008 as a box offering HD movies delivered over the Internet. Now they’ve gotten rid of their hardware and licensed their service to other devices. If you only want the highest quality content, this is the service for you. In addition to offering 3D content, Vudu also has the highest quality video of any streaming service. They also have some new movies available earlier than other streaming services. The problem is that this service can be expensive.
Supported Devices: Android, iPad, Roku, HDTV/Blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC/Mac
Price:$2 for 2 days on select titles, other titles start at $4.99 for HD and $5.99 for HDX (with 1080p HD) and generally last 24 hours
Selection: They have several thousand selections and most titles are available the same day the DVD goes on sale.
Amazon Instant Video: the good afterthought
Amazon began selling digital media using a download service. They have since switched to Amazon Instant Video and moved away from downloaded content in favor of streaming. To get access to Amazon Instant Video, you can sign up for Amazon Prime, which allows you to access some content for free, after your annual subscription. Other content can be purchased.
While Amazon’s video catalog is growing rapidly, its level of content is still not on the same level as Netflix or Hulu. However, Amazon does have some unique features that are exclusive to this platform: free two-day shipping and reduced overnight shipping on all Amazon Prime products and even free monthly book rentals from the Amazon Prime Lending Library.
Supported Devices: Kindle Fire, iPad, Nook, Roku, HDTV/Blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, WiiU, PC/Mac and more
Price: $79 annual subscription to Amazon Prime, TV shows start at $1.39 to rent and $1.99 to buy, new movies start at $3.99 to rent and $14.99 to buy
Selection: They have a fair amount of old shows and movies, there is also a good selection of BBC shows. While they do have some new movies available for Amazon Prime members, most of them require you to pay for them.
Hulu Plus: For TV Show Addicts
Hulu Plus started out as a TV series streaming site, and although they offer some movies, the reason to subscribe to Hulu Plus is to watch TV shows. The platform offers more TV series than any other service, especially current episodes, and most of this content can be viewed without commercials. Hulu also offers a free service for streaming new episodes of hit TV shows, but it’s only available on your computer.
Supported Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad, Roku, Apple TV, HDTV/Blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, WiiU, PC/Mac
Price: $7.99 monthly subscription
Selection: The best selection of TV shows from any provider. Hulu Plus is an especially good option for those who want to watch the latest episodes of hit TV shows.
Netflix: get a little bit of everything
Netflix came onto the scene over 10 years ago and completely revolutionized video rental. They have one of the largest streaming content libraries and millions of subscribers, making Netflix one of the largest streaming video services out there. The HD quality isn’t as high as some providers, but the cheap subscription and availability on almost any device make Netflix a must-have for any movie or TV lover.
Supported Devices: Android, iPhone, iPad, Nook, Roku, HDTV/Blu-ray, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, WiiU, PC/Mac and more (just about anything)
Price: $7.99 monthly subscription
Selection: With a huge selection of TV shows and a huge selection of movies, Netflix has the best overall selection of videos out there.