Welcome to the era of online streaming. Today, it is common to find people watching their favourite movies or TV shows in the comfort of their home. Did I mention without spending a dime? Unlike going to the movie theatre. More and more people are cutting the cord and embracing online streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.
With a reliable internet connection and a compatible device, you’re set to binge-watch your favourite programs. But even though online streaming packs a ton of perks, it comes with a dark side.
What are video streaming services?
Video streaming services are online on-demand streaming media for movies, TV shows and music. These services provide an alternative to satellite and cable at affordable fees. The videos are uploaded from a cloud-based network and vary with region, price and subscription. Watch your favourite TV shows, and classics with the MSN watch the online guide.
Pay video streaming services include Netflix, YouTube video, Amazon Prime, Vimeo and Hulu, among others. Free streaming services include Crackle, The Internet Archive, Engage Media and Retrovision, among others.
If you’re having a difficult time deciding whether a streaming service is for you or not, check out these pros and cons.
Pros of Streaming Movies Online
1. Convenient and personalized viewing.
Streaming services allow you to watch your favourite movies and TV shows anywhere anytime whether you’re on a plane or at the cafe. You can take a break and log into your account later and continue watching.
Premium subscriptions even allow you to binge-watch your favourite programs without those annoying commercials. Most online streaming services also recommend the best TV shows and movies you can watch based on your viewing history. Take off the guesswork from your viewing experience.
2. Flexibility.
Satellite and cable companies can tie you into strict monthly and annual contracts, but online streaming services are very flexible. You can sign up and cancel or upgrade a subscription at any time without the worry of paying any penalties or termination charges.
3. Affordability.
With cable and satellite services, you get to cough out hundreds of dollars for a year’s subscription. Online streaming services are affordable and convenient. You get to choose a plan that suits your needs and budget and pay per month or for a year, and you can pay at most $50 per month.
4. Instant playback.
During the early bandwidth era, for a webmaster to add videos onto his/her website, he/she had to upload it as a link. Website visitors had to download the file before playing it back.
Streaming video is now the ultimate solution. The content is posted in a way that supports file play immediately the file begins to download. Viewers can also rewind backwards or forward throughout the video file.
5. Endless entertainment.
Online streaming services pack a rich catalogue of movies, classics, TV shows with premium ones showcasing live sports events, documentaries, news, music and weather updates. This is the main reason many people are embracing streaming services. You get variety.
The streaming platform, Film Struck, showcases a vast number of both classic and modern critically acclaimed films. With just a click on your device, you can enjoy plenty of entertainment and be part of live events when they happen at your comfort.
Cons of Streaming Movies Online
1. Require fast and reliable high internet.
To enjoy uninterrupted viewing without constant video buffering, your internet connection should be fast at all times. If your internet connection is slow, you can upgrade your plan to a pricey yet super-fast solution or change to a more reliable internet service provider.
Sufficient bandwidth is key to seamless video play. If you’re using Netflix, you’ll require at least 5 Mbps HD quality or 7 Mbps super HD quality. While for 3D streaming, you’ll need at least 12 Mbps. Unreliable internet connection will result in poor quality downloads and interrupted playback. Streaming video takes up a massive chunk of data bandwidth.
2. Your device ought to be compatible.
To gain unlimited access to your online streaming service and watch your favourite TV shows, you’ll need a compatible device. One with access to internet connection capabilities. Ensure you update your flash drive. A reliable desktop, computer, tablet or laptop supports hassle-free streaming of movies online.
3. The content doesn’t last forever.
Unless your favourite TV show is specific to the streaming platform like Netflix/Amazon prime original/Hulu production, it will disappear with time. Some movies come back; others vanish for a good while some are not available for streaming. To avoid missing out on your favourite content, Netflix offers a DVD subscription service and delivery to your doorstep.
4. Selection depends on location.
The biggest flaw with streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon prime original among others is their restricted geographic content. The United States has the best selection of movies and TV shows, including the latest releases.
Other countries have different catalogues, and it can be quite disappointing if you miss out on your favourite criminal TV show. Reason? Geographic restrictions. Even though the content varies with the region you’re in, it won’t change drastically. Give it a month.
5. More extended periods before watching your favourite program.
If you are subscribed to Netflix or Amazon services, you’ll often have to wait until a television show has finalized its seasons. And it’s released to the consumer market before watching it.
This can take up to a year before you can start watching a show that’s already airing on TV. Programs delay until after they are aired on TV services. This is often done to boost physical sales, which are a considerable portion of the revenue of the movies. This is because media sales have been declining over the years, thanks to rentals and streaming.
6. You miss out on the realistic experience of watching a movie in a theatre.
Streaming platforms are the death of the movie industry. Since most of the film and TV shows eventually end up on Amazon Prime, Hulu, Netflix or HBO, no one is bothered about a movie ticket. With a movie just a click away, there is no need to visit the movie theatre. But the experience is different. A blockbuster movie on your screen will not give you that enjoyable and immersive experience you get in a movie theatre.
Bottom line
Welcome to the era of cord-cutting. More and more people are ditching the cable and embracing video streaming services. Online streaming has transformed the way we consume media. While there are several downsides to going cable-free, these are minor compared to the tons of perks of streaming movies online.