For a moment, it seemed like the streaming apps were the things that could save us from the hegemony of cable TV—a system where you had to pay for a ton of stuff you didn’t want to watch so you could see the handful of things you were actually interested in.
Archived version: https://archive.ph/K4EIh
The only reason I have Netflix is because I get it through T-Mobile as a last resort. Fuck the state of streaming content. Raise the pirate flag boys!
Currently paying for YouTube ad-free, Netflix ad-free, and Hulu ad-free.
YouTube’s algorithm seems intent on making me look elsewhere for content, as it suggests the same twenty things over and over again, despite the fact that I’ve watched half of them already and ignored the other half for months now. We only keep it because spouse wants it for YouTube music. Me? I’ve wandered off to piped and peertube, mostly.
The Netflix app locks up and crashes the Roku at least once every movie. It used to do this just now and again, but recently it’s so bad I don’t even load it anymore and spouse is THIS CLOSE to being talked into just cancelling it.
Hulu…? Well, it’s ok. I wish it still had a lot of the older stuff, as a lot of the newer stuff is just stupid and/or revolting. Because of the above, we’d probably keep this one and dump the others, based on price and what (mostly spouse) finds useful to watch.
I’m actually checking out other things. Like Hoopla through the local library, eBooks, real books (the local library is free). Spouse and I have also learned to play several different card games, and sometimes we actually interact with each other instead of alpha-wave mind-bending into the electronic hallucination machine on the other side of the living room. We’re also exploring more outdoor activities, like hiking, birding, nature walks, team sports, and so on.
Sometimes, a “bad” thing is just the right thing that needs to happen.
despite the fact that I’ve watched half of them already and ignored the other half for months now
What’s up with that anyway? You don’t have to have a fancy algorithm to not show me the things I’ve watched already!
Also congrats on finding new hobbies. Sometimes we forget that there’s life outside of screens. Or perhaps not many have the energy for anything beyond staring at the black mirror.
We’ve all got to find balance in our lives! Sounds like you’re doing that! Wish more people would take this approach, if the streaming eco system no longer suits us we can simply choose to not participate, we don’t NEED the entertainment they provide. That’s the only way the product will improve, if we just continue paying for it what incentive do they have to improve the service?
https://www.togetherprice.com/ - great site to share subscription prices, I’ve been using it for years.
Good to know 👍🏻
I will forever wonder how these companies actively choose $0/mo over a cut of $XX/mo and everyone in the decision chain thinks it’s the right decision.
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They want you to drop your subscription to the ad-supported tier.
My favorite example of the reverse in recent memory has been Wizards of the Coast essentially going back completely and then some on their unpopular OGL changes after a significant portion of their DnD Beyond members canceled their subscriptions.
Like 22% of Americans never check their credit card statement details.
🎶Yar Har, fiddle-de-dee🎶
As someone who watches pretty much no movies or shows, I couldn’t care less, but it’s gonna be fun watching piracy shoot back up.
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The only reason I even have Hulu is because I pay for Spotify. Otherwise, it’s just not worth the price tag for me.
Spotify, though…raised its price recently, but also gave me new features that I use, so I’m not complaining.
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The one I know for sure is new that I use is an AI DJ feature. It plays music in sets it thinks you’ll like, then lets you know when a new set is starting and what it’ll be like; lets you start a new set manually if you don’t like the type of music being played.
As someone who lived alone, when it came out it was nice to have a friendly voice (sounds like a young, 20-something guy), even though fake, to talk to me about my music.
Clearly I need to do research on them, though; I’m out of the loop on their nastiness.
I’m on a Disney/Hulu bundle for $19.99, that isn’t bad. Hopefully that won’t change. But as soon as Ahsoka is over I plan to cancel.
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I can’t see any removing the ad free option, they’ll just make it more expensive.
This is what happened to cable too I think. My grandpa was saying back in the day cable was what you got to avoid ads
Yeah but sometimes there’s nothing better than a good foie gras
Yar har har matey.
Since these are turning to shit, are there any good Soap2Day replacements?
Bflicks.something
Watch The Wire!
just ordered a nice OTA antenna so I can watch my local channels, anything else needed will be purchased for exactly 1 month and then cancelled
I’ve also started looking at smaller streaming services like CuriosityStream and MagellanTV cause I’m more interested in documentaries and such instead of the latest weekly tv dramas
Can recommend Nebula if you’re interested in explainer Youtube videos (they have other content, though afaik mostly explainers)
I didn’t really like Nebula. I signed up and canceled my subscription before I even finished a single video. Almost everything is available on YouTube for free (albeit with ads if you don’t have Youtube Premium) and it just didn’t feel like they had enough content to be charging $5/month.
Well for the $5/month you get:
- Videos earlier than on Youtube for most (i think) creators (the least valuable of the 3)
- Exclusive bonus videos (this one i like, it varies what the exclusive is, but it is usually as high quality as the rest of the creators content)
- The creators get paid much more (even if you have Youtube Premium). The payout of Nebula is like Spotify where Nebula (the company) takes 30% of money earned and then split the rest to the content creators based on watch time.
These 3 things are what I think make Nebula worth it for me, though it’s fair if you don’t think it’s worth it to you (to each their own). Also, i don’t how long ago you signed up but for me I think there’s a good amount of content on Nebula (at least for the types of videos I watch)
I watch a lot of educational explainer content and I’ve thought about trying nebula. Who do you watch on there that you think makes it worth it?
if it’s not for sale on vudu i’m not watching it. the streaming companies can die off imo.
I’ve never threw away my jolly roger, it’s just safely hidden away
I am happy to steal from corporations. Been doing it all my life and I will never stop. Fuck em.
Things you never hear people say: I couldn’t sleep last night worrying about corporate profit margins because I stole some of it. It’s the least culpable crime in history.
So piracy is a check on the abuses of the media market?
Interesting!
