[ExDilbert]

You won't pay for Netflix, but do you watch it?

No. I did, and paid for it, before the spate of recent price increases. Disney+ is $11.99/mo or $9.99 with an annual subscription that includes UHD (4K.) The equivalent Netflix subscription is $20.99/mo with no annual option. The last time I subscribed to Netflix I paid about $10/mo for 6 months of the HD plan in a bundle offer. We ended up watching Prime Video ($7.99/mo, less annually) and Disney+ more than Netflix.

The cost of Crave is also an issue. We subscribe but I've been wondering why for some time. At one time, First Choice aka TMN aka Crave was a good source of top rated, popular Hollywood and other worldwide movies on a non-exclusive basis. That slowly went downhill as studios started exclusive licensing in the Canadian market and other services bought the rights. Now it seems the only movies they carry are poorly rated, rotten tomatoes. Things have really taken a nosedive since Bell took over. Much of the time, the only programming worth watching is from Showtime and that has deteriorated as well. Then they siphoned off Starz programming to an extra cost service. That's another disappointment in both cost and program quality. HBO has taken a similar route with their own shows which are often low budget series, documentaries and talk shows. The days of big budget blockbusters that built their reputation and scripted shows with wide appeal are just about gone.

 

[Digmor Crusher]

I only subscribe to Netflix and Prime, I have Crave/HBO package on my cable but there are only about 3 shows I watch on HBO so I just activate when these shows are on, the rest of the time I am unsubscribed.

 

[ExDilbert]

I guess that's my point. $20+/mo for 3 shows a year is a bit much. There was a time when I subscribed to TMN for a few months a year and got to see everything in rotation which was probably dozens of shows and movies. That was before streaming and catching up by binging. (My version of binging is watching two episodes a day. ) These days I've gotten a bit lazy in that regard. The public library has a better selection of movies than Crave for no cost.

 

[bluedrongo]

I was with Bell Satellite for many years during which i subscribed to TMN. It cost 20$ and for that I got 4 movie channels and 2 HBO channels.
It also had Shameless not sure which channel that was on.
I found it exceptional value but then Crave took over and ruined it, at least for me.

 

[ExDilbert]

At one time it included Moviepix and the US superstations. They were gradually dropped and turned into add-ons by most TV providers. Moviepix was eventually turned into Starz, whose programming was previously included with Crave. The launch of Starz included a hefty price increase. I don't mind the price increases so much. TMN went for years with minimal increases. It's the paucity of quality content that I dislike the most. What other service that costs over $20/mo has such a lack of new high end content, so many bad movies and such mediocre technical quality?

 

[Tridus]

HBO has always been expensive, so that isn't really unexpected when they moved it to Crave. But yeah, Crave is really expensive for what it is, especially since they only just very recently discovered that 4k exists.

The other thing is that since it's a Canadian BDU service, you kind of expect to be gouged. Netflix used to be the cheaper, superior option. Now it's turning into the bloated price for what you get incumbent, with less content worth watching and charging extra for 4k looking antiquated in the face of D+.

 

[17671]

I was with Bell Satellite for many years during which i subscribed to TMN. It cost 20$ and for that I got 4 movie channels and 2 HBO channels.
It also had Shameless not sure which channel that was on.
I found it exceptional value but then Crave took over and ruined it, at least for me.

Me too! loved watching TMN - The Movie Network and all the shows like Shameless. Today Television and Streaming is much different, not sure if better or worse, but sometimes more choice and selection does not necessarily mean better TV experience, Society now consumes way more TV than we used to, remember what your parents said when you were young, too much TV is not good for you

 

[bluedrongo]

remember what your parents said when you were young, too much TV is not good for you

When I was young we didn't have a tv.

 

[17671]

How many do you have now? lets hope you don't have a house full of them?

 

[ExDilbert]

When I was young we didn't have a tv.

Same here much of the time. When we did have TV it was B/W with just one or two channels.

Today Television and Streaming is much different, not sure if better or worse, but sometimes more choice and selection does not necessarily mean better TV experience,

What we have now is too many channels and not enough selection. I see many channels that air the same shows which are mostly stale reruns and cancon. It's a real slog to find new shows of interest, even with electronic guides and internet databases. It's yet another example of consumerism and capitalism gone over the top compounded by an era of marketplace disruptions and supply shortages.

 

[Mr.6]

What we have now is too many channels and not enough selection. I see many channels that air the same shows which are mostly stale reruns and cancon. It's a real slog to find new shows of interest, even with electronic guides and internet databases. It's yet another example of consumerism and capitalism gone over the top compounded by an era of marketplace disruptions and supply shortages.

This is why, in my opinion, streaming is superior.

 

[17671]

streaming is not any better, there are content wars on streaming platforms.

 

[bluedrongo]

How many do you have now? lets hope you don't have a house full of them?

One, an 11 year old plasma which I still love.

 

[NeilN]

No commercials, no need to fit episodes into 22/42 minutes, shows that don't have to censor themselves, shows that don't have to appeal to to the widest possible audience, shows in foreign languages... But streaming isn't any better...

 

[bluedrongo]

Same here much of the time. When we did have TV it was B/W with just one or two channels.

Yep, same here, I didn't get my first colour tv until around 1977 and that was mainly so my little kids could see Sesame Street in colour. ( actually it was more likely for me haha)
I lived in Australia and it was behind North America as far as tv was concerned.
Even then there were only 3 commercial channels plus the ABC which is government funded , much like CBC used to be.

 

[bluedrongo]

No commercials, no need to fit episodes into 22/42 minutes, shows that don't have to censor themselves, shows that don't have to appeal to to the widest possible audience, shows in foreign languages... But streaming isn't any better...

I love to be able to stream without commercials and have found so many great shows to watch and have a waiting list of things to watch a mile long.
I'm pretty much at the stage where I can't stand to watch the networks, even with fast forwarding, it still interrupts the flow.

 

[17671]

No commercials, no need to fit episodes into 22/42 minutes, shows that don't have to censor themselves, shows that don't have to appeal to to the widest possible audience, shows in foreign languages... But streaming isn't any better...

That's really good for you that you think commercials and advertisements are not important to local businesses. Some of my own relatives rely on commercials to sell their product/service while others are struggling to produce canadian content so they can feed their families, but yeah, who cares about supporting Canadian productions and struggling businesses airing commericials, Some streaming platforms also have commercials too btw.

we know for a fact Streaming has gone up in price and will continue to climb in price, this is a fact

your idea is great lets give you a metal.

 

[Mr.6]

streaming is not any better, there are content wars on streaming platforms.

Simply subscribe and unsubscribe as needed. No need to make a phone call.

Simple really.

 

[Mr.6]

That's really good for you that you think commercials and advertisements are not important to local businesses. Some of my own relatives rely on commercials to sell their product/service while others are struggling to produce canadian content so they can feed their families, but yeah, who cares about supporting Canadian productions and struggling businesses airing commericials, Some streaming platforms also have commercials too btw.

we know for a fact Streaming has gone up in price and will continue to climb in price, this is a fact

your idea is great lets give you a metal.

Do you enjoy and have time to watch commercials? Do you want to?

 

[17671]

we know this already, some people subscribe to a dozen services and watch tv shows all day and night long, if thats how they want to use their free time let them. good for them.

I hope you know the major reason people switch from linear TV to streaming was yup you Guessed it, the PRICE POINT. we can not use that argument anymore since people subscribe to multiple services and overlap, and the services themselfs go up in price, this is the argument i was making, its not chap anymore lets face it, its a fact