Netflix vs. Roku vs. Premium Cable Channels

I use Netflix, Hulu, and Blockbuster mail order. If you havn't looked into it Blockbuster is not a bad deal, I think its around $15 or $16 a month for 3 movies at a time (and some video games) I use it for new movies and TV series on Blu Ray then other shows I want to watch I stream on Netflix or Hulu. With these three I almost never watch my cable that cost $90 a month.

I don't know about Roku, so I'll address what I do know - generally, Netflix is good for movies but it will limit your selection. It streams fine off a blu-ray player, a little better off my tablet (don't know why), with the exception of Fri/Sat evenings when netflix likes to give me messages telling me 'I should try again later'. I believe it may get overloaded occasionally.If you're going without TV completely, I'd do the streaming + disk subscription, which is $16, I believe.

Netflix won't have super-current stuff, so I'd layer Hulu for more regular-TV stuff. It won't be as good as a good cable package (base channels + premium channel like Showtime or HBO), but it's so much cheaper that it might be worth it for you, especially if you don't watch a whole lot of TV and have a tight budget.

Ok so we moved also and didn't want to pay for cable or dish! So I bought a digital tv antenna and get approx 12 channels, which includes all the major local channels and every one is in HD! We also got Netflix with a Roku box. The Roku box makes using netflix on a tv soooo easy and it alows for other channels to be added to the Roku box for TONS of TV viewing options. Definetly worth the money for us to buy the antenna, netflix monthly, and a roku box. Antenna cost less then price of one month of cable. Roku box was pretty cheap and netflix monthly is too.

If there are under 2 hdtv sets, hulu plus is a good deal when connect hdtv to laptop.

For 3 sets or more, dish or directtv have some OK promotional rate that last 1 year and then your call and pretend your canceling.


Also, see if Verison or U-verse is offer since its IPTV service.
U-verse

I have Netflix right now, they hardly have anything new. I would wait for Redbox to offer streaming, they are most likely going to put Netflix out of business.

I have Netflix streamed off of my PS3 as well as Amazon Instant Video and they are good for various movies, TV shows, etc, but a lot of the premium stuff from the likes of HBO, Showtime, Starz, are not on Netflix. The cable companies pulled their stuff from Netflix because they wanted too much of the Netflix pie, wanted Netflix to charge more for their piece of the pie, or wanted outrageously too much for renewed contracts to keep the same content.

Roku has a lot of TV and Movie viewing options if you have subscriptions with the various services. However some services do not offer streaming options and only go through the cable companies so you have to ask yourself what shows/movies are most important then find out whether they can be had via Roku, Netflix, or through online streaming from the respective provider's sites.

I think you'd do fine with a high speed internet service from your local cable or phone company and trying out Netflix streaming or Amazon Instant Video. I love live sporting events, but most of them are shown on local channels, so an HD antenna does the job. As for newer movies, Redbox should get the job done, or you can get Netflix by mail as well for an extra $8.

Is there anything out there that works like a dvr? Trying to cut back on our cable & Internet bill but I love my live tv. I do record multiple shows which is what I watch most of the time.

I've tried a few video streaming services and I'd have to say Netflix is the best imho. After you've seen everything good in their collection though it kind of just sits there.

I've only used Netflix but I got bored of it within a month or two. It was great at first but they seemed to rarely if ever add "new" movies. After I'd say two months I had nothing else to watch on Netflix.

Quote from kel_be : I'm moving to a new area that only offers Comcast or satellite dish service. I'm trying to save as much money as possible and I'm noticing that having the Digital Premiere pkg. plus internet with Comcast (plus 1 DVR and 1 HD service) will run me about $160 for the first 12m. Would it be less expensive to get a Netflix sub or Roku vs. signing up for the premium channels? Any experience with streaming Netflix off a blu-ray player?

We use Netflix streaming and DVD's combined with a Roku, combined with Amazon Prime streaming. We have an HD television, no cable whatsoever and if we put the television to the 700's or 900's (can't remember which right now) we get all local channels of NBC, ABC, CBS, KUSI, etc. We used to stream Netflix through a Wii, and it was a nightmare (no one likes the Wiiremote). We love our Roku, best money we have ever spent. We paid extra and got the one with the Ethernet connection as well, since wireless is sketchy in our complex. We have not been disappointed. The channels on Roku offer a lot of things that we want to watch, and we can use it for Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix in addition to the Roku channels. The Roku channels have been great since we are into horror films and older television shows which Roku channels are flooded with!

My parents have a Blu Ray player that they stream Netflix off of, it's a Toshiba with Wi Fi and they really enjoy it without any problems. I tried the controls once, and I just find the Roku easier, but I am not big into technology.

Netflix was born out of the mailorder DVD rental business. It’s heavily focused on movies, with some TV content. Most of the TV content is analogous to the DVD rental business were you would find last season’s episodes on DVD for rent, but only a year in arrears. I vastly prefer the ROKU box over AppleTV. I have the ROKU XS box and love it. I cannot recommend it more highly. Although there very small differences between the apps on AppleTV versus Roku (they’re mostly “all the same”) the interface and usability on the ROKU gets the edge. To clarify — there’s not a huge difference between, for example, Hulu on the AppleTV and Hulu on the ROKU, but if I had to pick one, I would pick the ROKU.

We have a similar problem as OP, except we have two families in one house and several TV's of varying types and ages. Husband and I watch cable channels like FX, USA, TNT, etc., plus the regular broadcast channels. The other part of the family are more into HBO and that type of programming, plus there is a 12 year old male in the house and I have no idea, (and I'm not sure I want to), what he watches. None of the suggestions here have mentioned the channels that my husband and I watch. Would those be available on Hulu? I checked out Netflix and got a big no from the one I talked to. Also Netflix is not current and I'm pretty sure we have seen most of what they have to offer.

To add to the problem, the cell phone reception here is bad and Sprint says it's the cable company's fault. I think they said the speed was way too slow. So if we need the cable for the cell phones we may have to keep it in spite of the ridiculous cost. So on a side note, if we drop cable is there something that will increase reception on the cell phones?

Thanks for any help or suggestions. I thought I was getting a tiny handle on the TV situation when the cell phone thing came up and now I'm back to square one on my technology learning curve.