Truscifi Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Most of us seem to agree that this 2 website Qwikster thing is annoying and a bad business move. But what are the other options? We use the streaming service for tv shows and documentaries and the dvd service for movies and some tv shows not available on streaming (like NCIS). I looked at iTunes, but it would be much more expensive to get the shows we watch now individually through them. Has anyone used a similar service to Netflix? I googled and found several but I don't know much about them. :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 The BBC has a streaming thing that is supposed to be available in the US soon. I am thinking I will have to get that (and reduce my cable) I don't know that anyone has anything that is as good as netflix. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Yeah, I was afraid of that. I will wind up keeping both services for now, but I think I'm going to keep looking for something better in both streaming and dvd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Amazon Prime has free streaming of some things with prime membership, but honestly I have had very little luck on finding anything I wanted to watch. It's an option, but not a good one at all for us personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I've been thinking the same thing. I was wondering if switching to discovery streaming for educational things and hulu for regular shows would work out or be more expensive. We don't watch too many movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 I'm not sure. I've heard Discovery Streaming is pretty expensive, but I've never looked into it. We did just luck into a free antenna though, so I'm hoping once we get it up we'll have more free options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.m Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 My only problem with Hulu is the lack of children's programming. We still subscribe to it because I don't even have a way to watch network TV since we dropped cable. I don't like Netflix's decision, but I will drop the DVDs before I drop the streaming. It doesn't seem like there is anything out there that compares. I really like that it streams in through the x-box and is easy to use! Should it become used less in our home, I would consider it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I was going to ask the very same thing! No, I don't see any real alternative for us. Our library has an OK selection, but often the DVDs are in the same poor (or worse!) shape than the Netflix discs, and while our inter-library loan is great for books, most of the libraries do not ILL DVDs (and I stink at returning quickly to avoid fees). RedBox is good for something new if we want it immediately, but then there's that aforementioned "returning quickly" issue again :tongue_smilie: Our best option is to keep the 1 DVD a month plan and the streaming. Here's my real concern though: The latest slew of new instant watch videos have been, for the most part, total garbage. DH even thought so, and he will watching ANYTHING. I don't mind paying an increased price and sticking with Netflix if the selections are going to improve, but I truly do not foresee the selections improving without the price also ticking continually upward as well. I'm worried about that :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Playon gives more options but that is mostly tv shows not movies...and it uses netflix and hulu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Discovery Streaming basic is available in some states for free through the public tv stations (not in ours, unfortunately). You can get the plus version through Homeschool Buyer's Co-op for $199 for the year (basic is $70 cheaper, but has much less content). I find it vastly superior to Netflix for educational videos (we just started using it this year). Hulu seems to be best for very current things like tv shows, as I've had trouble finding previous seasons to catch up. Caveat: I've not actually used Hulu Plus, so this may not be an issue for that. Redbox doesn't do the tv series sets (at least not that I've seen) or nearly as much foreign material as Netflix (those are our primary uses for Netflix). Amazon offers some streaming free with Prime, but I found the options very limited during our one month trial earlier this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravinlunachick Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I'm not sure. I've heard Discovery Streaming is pretty expensive, but I've never looked into it. We did just luck into a free antenna though, so I'm hoping once we get it up we'll have more free options. FYI, Discovery Streaming is free to all homeschoolers in South Carolina. The SCETV website has a way to sign up. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxmum Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Something from Dish Network/Blockbuster is going to be announced Friday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20108593-1/look-out-netflix-dish-set-to-unveil-blockbuster-streaming-details-friday/. Fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Has anyone here done Blockbuster by mail? We do a mix of TV programs on DVD and movies. For streaming, I think I've give the Amazon prime thing a whirl since it's free-ish and maybe Hulu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Something from Dish Network/Blockbuster is going to be announced Friday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20108593-1/look-out-netflix-dish-set-to-unveil-blockbuster-streaming-details-friday/. Fingers crossed! I hope this is good!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 SCETV Streaming info .... http://www.scetv.org/education/streamlinesc/materials/documents/HomeschoolFlyer.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 Apparently Netflix has made a deal with Discovery streaming. Hopefully the educational video selection is about to improve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Apparently Netflix has made a deal with Discovery streaming. Hopefully the educational video selection is about to improve! Really? I'd love to hear more. I wish Netflix subscribed to the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' school of thought. The price rise was bad enough, but having to have two separate accounts?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I don't like Netflix's decision, but I will drop the DVDs before I drop the streaming. It doesn't seem like there is anything out there that compares. This is what I did. I can't find anything that compares to Netflix streaming, so we kept it. Our library system has a decent DVD selection, including current and past tv shows, older movies, and documentaries that aren't on streaming. Between the library for older DVD's and Redbox for new movies, I'm hoping we'll be able to find what we want. It's not an irreversible decision. If we find we really do want the DVD option, we can always subscribe to Quikster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 We dropped the DVD portion, too. My husband and daughter and I spent a couple of hours looking over Hulu Plus and Amazon's streaming videos and concluded that neither one offered access to the shows we watch most. Well, Amazon offered access, but there was an additional cost per episode even with Amazon Prime. So, we've reluctantly decided to keep Netflix for streaming but search out other options for DVD rentals. I've discovered that our library has many of the movies and series we normally get through Netflix. Of course, every copy of each of the ones I checked in currently checked out. But I will just have to learn how to submit holds. I also figured out that, if we are not paying $16 per month for DVDs by mail, we could afford to buy an entire season of a show we liked on DVD every two months with the money not sent to Netflix/Qwickster. It frequently takes us a month or two to get through a season of a show, anyway. And, as someone else said, it's not a now-or-never decision. If we find we really miss it, we could always sign up for Qwickster later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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