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Netflix, Hulu+, Amazon, Blockbuster or ???

post #1 of 20
12/13/12 at 2:25pm
Thread Starter 
i just bought a new smart tv and have discovered the world of streaming movies. While I don't watch a lot of movies, I have a very good surround sound system and expect the ability to stream will result in me watching a lot more. Is there anywhere I can look to see which service is best? Netflix is familar to me, the others not so much but I'm wondering if i would be better off w/ one service over the other. If they are all about the same, i'll go w/ the netflix since i know it and used to be a dvd subscriber
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post #2 of 20
12/13/12 at 2:51pm
Take a look here:

http://www.avsforum.com/f/184/video-download-services-hardware
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post #3 of 20
12/13/12 at 9:34pm
I think you'll find Netflix is still best over-all. Hulu+ is great for catching up on TV shows, but has relatively poor PQ, terrible selection of movies (unless you only like anime) and loads of commercials. Amazon is a close 2nd to Netflix but has a smaller library and inferior app IMO. But if you already pay for Prime, may as well take advantage of the streaming. BB is the worst of the worst. Most have free trials, so you can see for yourself.
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post #4 of 20
12/13/12 at 11:12pm
Netflix, lots of movies and a lot of Tv too.
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post #5 of 20
12/13/12 at 11:52pm
I'd recommend VUDU for streaming video titles.
I like they have 3D titles available and 5.1 channel audio on many titles.
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post #6 of 20
12/13/12 at 11:52pm
Amazon I couldn't get beyond stereo on the audio on their titles.
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post #7 of 20
12/14/12 at 12:08am
Vudu is OK, but substantially more expensive than either Netflix or Hulu+. I think I paid $5.99 for a single HDX movie, Netflix is still $7.99
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post #8 of 20
12/14/12 at 7:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BriscoCountyJr View Post

I'd recommend VUDU for streaming video titles.
I like they have 3D titles available and 5.1 channel audio on many titles.


We used Vudu for the 3D content as well. It's more expensive if you use it more often, but the first movie you get you can use the free credit. Also liked the fact they give you a two minute preview to see if the 1080p or 3D is working well for you.
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post #9 of 20
12/14/12 at 8:04am
VUDU is great picture and sound, 1080P/5.1, but as been mentioned, expensive. Amazon gives you 720P and 2 channel stereo. Netflix is also 720P but has 5.1 for most newer films. Blockbuster just sucks.... So, if you're looking for the best of all worlds, VUDU if you have a large wallet or Netflix for the rest of us...
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post #10 of 20
12/14/12 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobby94928 View Post

Netflix is also 720P but has 5.1 for most newer films.
I think that's only true if you watch on a PC. If you watch on most newer streaming devices (Blu-ray players, Roku, etc.), it's full 1080P. I've had 1080P Netflix on most of my devices for a couple of years now. VUDU is nice, but I can get the same thing from Redbox for a buck fifty, so I can't imagine ever using it again. Sometimes I'll splurge on a $3 disc from Blockbuster.
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post #11 of 20
12/14/12 at 3:22pm
Umm... 720P streamed is the same whether you put it on a PC or an HDTV. If you want to believe you get 1080P from Netflix, enjoy yourself. I also have a 1080P computer monitor and a Mac that is capable of 1080P. This is coming from someone who actually has a streaming Netflix subscription. I agree with you about VUDU and Redbox!

Edit: While I'm thinking about it, I have a ROKU 2 XS. While it streams 1080P, what I'm seeing on Netflix doesn't compare to VUDU or Bluray...
Edited by bobby94928 - 12/14/12 at 3:29pm
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post #12 of 20
12/14/12 at 3:53pm
Don't know what you're doing wrong on your Mac that it's limited to 720p, but NF is definitely 1080p on many devices and has been confirmed by several who've measured the bit rates. In fact NF had a big press release when they rolled it out to the PS3 a year or two ago. It's a well known fact. I was just trying to be nice in correcting you.

On the Roku did you confirm the title was really 1080p and compare it with the same title on Vudu?
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post #13 of 20
12/14/12 at 8:46pm
Yes, Netflix does have 1080p programming - available on certain boxes, RoKu XS being one of them. While it is 1080p and better looking than the lower res. Netflix stuff, it really does not look as good as a Blu Ruy, or even VuDu HDX. That said I find it eminently watchable.
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post #14 of 20
12/15/12 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mdavej View Post

Don't know what you're doing wrong on your Mac that it's limited to 720p, but NF is definitely 1080p on many devices and has been confirmed by several who've measured the bit rates. In fact NF had a big press release when they rolled it out to the PS3 a year or two ago. It's a well known fact. I was just trying to be nice in correcting you.
On the Roku did you confirm the title was really 1080p and compare it with the same title on Vudu?

Could you share a title with me that is 1080P on Netflix.... I looked at a bit of Black Hawk Down last night. It was labeled as HD and 5.1 sound. It looked decent but not 1080P and had stereo sound as opposed to 5.1....
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post #15 of 20
12/15/12 at 11:04am
See THIS post for a list of HD and 5.1 titles and a link to search others. That title should be 1080p, but there is no way to tell for sure without measuring the bit rate. Does your Roku indicate stream quality? If it's really important to you, post in that thread and perhaps the author can confirm. You never mentioned your ISP speed which could be limiting you to 720p. Do you have at least 12 Mbps service?
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post #16 of 20
12/15/12 at 12:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobby94928 View Post

Umm... 720P streamed is the same whether you put it on a PC or an HDTV. If you want to believe you get 1080P from Netflix, enjoy yourself. I also have a 1080P computer monitor and a Mac that is capable of 1080P. This is coming from someone who actually has a streaming Netflix subscription. I agree with you about VUDU and Redbox!
Edit: While I'm thinking about it, I have a ROKU 2 XS. While it streams 1080P, what I'm seeing on Netflix doesn't compare to VUDU or Bluray...

Quote:
Originally Posted by bobby94928 View Post

Could you share a title with me that is 1080P on Netflix.... I looked at a bit of Black Hawk Down last night. It was labeled as HD and 5.1 sound. It looked decent but not 1080P and had stereo sound as opposed to 5.1....
You do know that the same rules apply to all computers, including Macs (which are also PC's - as in Personal Computers), don't you? If you aren't using a streaming device like a Roku or some other player with a built in capabilities, you aren't going to ever see 1080p.

It's an artificial DRM issue, not a capability issue with your equipment. My PC can output 1080p, too, but I can't access Netflix that way because they don't allow it. My Roku is a completely different story.

Continuing to watch on your Mac isn't going to achieve a different result than you've already experienced.
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post #17 of 20
12/15/12 at 8:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mdavej View Post

See THIS post for a list of HD and 5.1 titles and a link to search others. That title should be 1080p, but there is no way to tell for sure without measuring the bit rate. Does your Roku indicate stream quality? If it's really important to you, post in that thread and perhaps the author can confirm. You never mentioned your ISP speed which could be limiting you to 720p. Do you have at least 12 Mbps service?

Thank you for the link to the list. My Roku indicates 1080P, of course that doesn't mean that the source is not 1080I. My ISP speed is greater than 25 Mbps. I am capable of 1080P and get that using VUDU. To me VUDU looks much better than Netflix HD. Same movie, same Roku. BTW, I solved my 5.1 or stereo issue. I needed to set the Netflix over Roku to 5.1. The default was stereo. Now it sounds great.
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post #18 of 20
12/15/12 at 8:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NetworkTV View Post

You do know that the same rules apply to all computers, including Macs (which are also PC's - as in Personal Computers), don't you? If you aren't using a streaming device like a Roku or some other player with a built in capabilities, you aren't going to ever see 1080p.
It's an artificial DRM issue, not a capability issue with your equipment. My PC can output 1080p, too, but I can't access Netflix that way because they don't allow it. My Roku is a completely different story.
Continuing to watch on your Mac isn't going to achieve a different result than you've already experienced.

I'm not sure what part of my stating that I am using my Roku you don't understand. I actually never watch streaming on my Mac, I was just mentioning that I had the 1080P capability on it. My whole conversation was related to Netflix and 1080P and that I wasn't seeing what appeared to be 1080P over the Roku.
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post #19 of 20
12/16/12 at 1:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobby94928 View Post

Thank you for the link to the list. My Roku indicates 1080P, of course that doesn't mean that the source is not 1080I. My ISP speed is greater than 25 Mbps. I am capable of 1080P and get that using VUDU. To me VUDU looks much better than Netflix HD. Same movie, same Roku. BTW, I solved my 5.1 or stereo issue. I needed to set the Netflix over Roku to 5.1. The default was stereo. Now it sounds great.

Many of the Netflix titles are encoded 1080P24 - unfortunately the Roku 2 will only output 1080P60....It would be much better if the Roku 2 could output 1080P24.

Glad to hear you got 5.1 working

Yes Blu-Ray and Vudu HDX will look better - but I think that Netflix 1080P streams look OK - but I really wish that most of the Netflix players would output P24
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post #20 of 20
12/16/12 at 4:08pm
VUDU is now offering 7.1 sound on a few titles. I just began using them and am impressed with the quality of the picture and sound. I just wish they'd expand their 7.1 offerings.
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