I’ve been batting around the idea of subscribing to Amazon Prime.
I’m hesitant because I fear it’s just a clone of Netflix.
Any major differences between the two?
If it helps, I don’t have Hulu. I WANT to have Hulu but I had to cancel due to too many technical issues on their side.
Also, I love Netflix but I a little miffed at them right now. I recently noticed watching some old DS9 episodes that they have HUGE chuncks of episodes missing from the series. (like a 20 or 30 episode gap.)
I’ve got Amazon Prime for the shipping. Netflix for the shows and movies and its ability to watch through the Wii as well. That said, I’ve never really gone to Prime for the shows as the interface to find stuff didn’t seem intuitive and I gave up pretty quickly.
Yeah, I paid for Prime and occasionally it has something I want to watch. But more likely not. I have Netflix as well and I don’t think I’ll get my money’s worth out of Prime.
I have both. For some reason Netflix is reluctant to deliver my Amazon purchases. Maybe because they won’t fit in the red paper envelopes?
The answer is likely “no” if you don’t buy from Amazon frequently and only want the streaming library. I’ve had Prime for a couple of years and I think I’ve only watched one or two movies. Despite its many gaps, Netflix still has a better selection.
I’ve had Prime for years because I use Amazon enough that the free, quick shipping is worth it. As far as streaming video goes, it’s Netflix all the way…
One thing I’ve noticed about Netflix: when I finally got a “smart” TV, it appeared that episodes were missing from some TV shows. Upon investigation, the most episodes that TV’s version of Netflix will list is 100; these are the problem shows. I can go to my PC or the Roku hooked to the old TV & see that all the episodes are there! By beginning to watch one, I can make it reappear in the queue–so it can be watched on the big TV.
I have both, but am considering dropping Netflix - I find I’m much more likely to watch thing through Amazon - getting the Roku made me much more likely to do that. I guess it’s that I don’t have a problem with occasionally buying something that’s not free on Amazon Prime, and I don’t have to change interfaces.
If I do drop Netflix, I’m likely to pick up Hulu plus, since it can also be watched through the Roku and would let me watch some current shows I’m interested in but haven’t been able to watch without cable. I’m a little cranky that there are still ads even if I pay for it though, so I may not be able to make myself do that.
I agree that unless you want the free shipping you should just keep Netflix. I thought it was worth mentioning though that Amazon has a new app that allows you to add things to a “watchlist” via iPad so it’s not nearly as cumbersome as it was before to find something to watch. They still don’t have much in the “Prime” catalog though.
I’m not sure if you’re being sarcastic here. For me, and I think most people, the free (2-day) shipping is the first aspect of Amazon Prime I heard of, with video streaming a distant second.
Amazon Prime most typically has things several months (sometimes more than 12 months) before Netflix streaming gets them. So if it’s between the two streaming services, I’d say Amazon Prime is worth the added cost.
Even if you’re comparing Amazon Prime to Netflix’s DVD service, you still do get TV series earlier with Amazon. I can watch the newest Dr Who and Louie episodes right now, for example.
But you’re paying an additional amount for those - you have them because there available as streaming on Amazon, not as a free item with your Prime membership , correct? (if you are, I want to know how, because I’m paying for episodes of the current Dr. Who series).
Yes, you pay an additional amount for those. I forget to keep Amazon streaming and Amazon Prime separate in my head sometimes… This is because my ability to watch Amazon streaming through my Roku depends on my Prime membership–so for me, Prime is Amazon streaming.
So yeah, if it’s just about what comes free with Prime, other than the free shipping, I’d never say it’s worth getting it in addition to Netflix. The free selection is frankly abysmal.
Amazon Instant Video has lots of episodes of William F. Buckley’s “Firing Line” that are free with Prime. His guests include well-know folks from all across the political spectrum: Saul Alinsky, Margaret Thatcher, Huey Newton, Malcolm Muggeridge, Timothy Leary, Henry Kissinger, to name a few. You may not agree with Buckley, but if you want intelligent discussion, you can do no better. It’s an incredible historical collection.
(I see there have been other threads on this subject recently. Not a criticism, just noting it.)
Edited to add: If you search for the Buckley videos and select one, you’ll be offered a free 1-month Prime trial membership. This is probably true for many of the other videos, if not all.
This is because my ability to watch Amazon streaming through my Roku depends on my Prime membership–so for me, Prime is Amazon streaming.