What Are Your Non-Netflix Options For Streaming Video & DVDs?
With many Netflix subscribers less than pleased about that company’s decision to effectively raise rates by 60% for customers who want streaming videos and DVDs, people are starting to take a look at other options.
For those looking for a new DVD dealer, Blockbuster, which has remained relatively quiet since being bought at auction by Dish Network in April, is offering existing Netflix customers 30-day free trials of its DVD-by-mail service. The Blockbuster goes for the same price ($9.99 for 1 DVD at a time) as Netflix but has the edge by offering the bigger name new releases weeks earlier. It also has a selection of video game titles.
And there is always Redbox. The kiosk DVD vendors usually offer the more popular titles for around $1/night with Blu-Ray discs going for a bit more.
If streaming is more your thing, there are a few options, though none with a similar subscription set-up as Netflix. Hulu and Hulu Plus have a pretty expansive library of TV shows, but even the premium service displays ads during playback on most titles. The same goes for Crackle.com, which offers a selection of free movies and shows but interrupts them with advertisements.
Amazon has a growing (though relatively small) library of movies available for rental streaming. Prices range anywhere from $1 to $5 per title but there is a selection of titles available for free for Amazon Prime members who pony up the $79 annual fee for that service.
Which non-Netflix options do you think offer the most?
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