iTunes, Amazon Instant, or UltraViolet?

[bhampton]

Sorry, I've been mad a Netflix for so long ... when I left the streaming thing was sort of an additional novelty... not a reason to subscribe. I think that really changed.

I do feel for anyone who only does the streaming though... the selection isn't the best.

I think Amazon offers a much better deal through prime but maybe that's because I use the heck out of the free shipping part and it's my wife that uses the streaming....

I tend not to use streaming at all really... It's too easy for me to go buy the blu.

-Brian

[bsweetness]

Originally Posted by bhampton

Sorry, I've been mad a Netflix for so long ... when I left the streaming thing was sort of an additional novelty... not a reason to subscribe. I think that really changed.

I do feel for anyone who only does the streaming though... the selection isn't the best.

I think Amazon offers a much better deal through prime but maybe that's because I use the heck out of the free shipping part and it's my wife that uses the streaming....

I tend not to use streaming at all really... It's too easy for me to go buy the blu.

-Brian

I don't know anyone that subscribes to Netflix for the discs anymore. Everyone I know uses it for the streaming. It's come a heck of a long way since you last used it.

I use Netflix streaming and Amazon Prime instant streaming. Netflix has a much larger selection and several acclaimed original shows - Arrested Development Season 4, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, etc. It's a pretty great deal for what you get. Amazon is quite good as well. They have some stuff Netflix doesn't, and they're slowly adding some original content (although it's not nearly as good as what Netflix has yet). I agree that the Amazon Prime deal is great between the free shipping and the instant streaming.

[madmod20061]

I use UV most followed by Itunes, then Amazon.

[huskerbear]

With itunes having been around so long I really expected this to be a grand slam pick for itunes?

[AZBrowncoat]

Originally Posted by bsweetness

I don't know anyone that subscribes to Netflix for the discs anymore.

Me - my Internet sucks so bad (best available in my area) that streaming is basically impossible so I subscribe to Netflix DVD by mail.

Of the listed services I prioritize iTunes over UV for the same reason (slow Internet). I'm slowly building my UV library but for now it is essentially useless for me.

[vandeetz]

I rip my own digital copies. I like being able to be free from locking myself into a platform.

I had a lot of my digital copies through itunes and when I moved away from the iPhone and iPad it was frustrating to have all my digital content locked up in an unusable service. Since this frustration I've ripped my blu's myself and created my own Digital copies. I'm not looking for excellent quality, if I want to watch on TV I'll stick in the blu-ray. I want something that looks good on a phone/tablet screen. I'm actually able to save a great deal of hard drive space by not needing the large file sizes on Apple HD digital copies. Using handbrake I was getting similar looking results with movies in the 1.5-3GB range and itunes was giving me 5GB+ for the same movies.

to each their own though, but if I want to ever switch to a new ecosystem I want to be able to bring my movies with me without hassles.

[Kingclothier]

For me itunes is the one due to the amount of films, the quality of HD content and the library itself, i may be bias as i have a ipad and apple tv and mac though :/ but my experiance of UV isnt great... ALSO LOVE NETFLIX, havent used amazon instant so cant comment, and ripping DVDs takes too long for my collection and ive filled 6TB of hard drives with HDrips (around 4-5GB a film) and it got wayyy too time cosuming especially as i make customer folders for each film

[Lsalas76]

Originally I prefered strickly itunes and hated the idea of uv at first. Then I decided to give vudu a try and I actually prefer vudu more than itunes now that you have the ability to stream or download movies to your devices including iphones and ipads.

Also, with vudu the movies redeem instantly as opposed to itunes where it can take a while to redeem movies if there is no disc.

With vudu I also share my account my brother and nieces. I own an iphone but have no interest in buying apple tv. I have the vudu app on my iphone, ps3, and xbox so I can watch most of my vudu collection in hdx and also not have to pay extra $99 for an apple tv.

I also like the disc to digital service for vudu, especially since you can convert movies from home. Vudu has some movies available to convert in hdx that have not been released on blu-ray.

Another reason I prefer vudu is that Disney digital copies are now available to be redeem on vudu thus having more support from the majority of major studios. For a while now Warner and sony are uv exclusive and their digital copies cannot be redeemed on itunes.

[Andysol]

Originally Posted by huskerbear

With itunes having been around so long I really expected this to be a grand slam pick for itunes?

Yes and no. If iTunes and UV both came out on all our movie purchases, then most likely. But unfortunately, iTunes has been all but dropped by the studios. There is no question that if you are tied to the apple ecosystem, iTunes is vastly superior- by a mile. Apple TV streaming iTunes is better than any itv unit that streams vudu. iPad/iPhone iTunes quality is better than any vudu offering on a mobile device (even on an ipad/iPhone).

But now that the content is severely handicapped, even it being a better service means little as the content doesn't support it.

I still do iTunes only, but those days are just about over.


Note: keep in mind, this is a Blu-ray forum- so that's why you're seeing the vudu/UV dominance- because of the codes on our inserts. iTunes dominates the digital video market with not even a close second.

[monkeyd19]

I really enjoy UV over iTunes because of the device limitation on types of devices. I don't really buy Apple's brand, so that essentially makes the decision for me. Of course, the biggest appeal with UV is also one of its biggest turn offs. The multiple points of entry is nice, but it can quickly become burdensome.

[JAWoOKIE]

Almost all UV via Vudu for me. Some Amazon, zero itunes.

[Hunk Golden]

I prefer iTunes. I like Apple products, so it works very well for me.

I do wish Apple TV would let you watch the SD version of something you own in HD -- you technically own both HD and SD copies when you buy/redeem an HD copy, but Apple TV defaults to whatever you bought/redeemed -- there's no way to force Apple TV to play the SD version of something you own in HD -- unfortunately the HD version sometimes takes a while to "queue up," as their video service is different than Netflix, Amazon Instant, Youtube, etc... The SD version will play almost immediately if you have a decent internet connection.

Someone who's not invested in Apple (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Apple TV, whatever) would be much better served to go with another service, most likely Vudu. And Vudu has the disk-to-digital thing, which is very cool. It doesn't work for me b/c I don't shop at Mall-Wart (haven't for 10 years). I wish they didn't own it, but what are you gonna' do.

Lastly, I f'in hate disk-based digital copies that come with Blu-ray purchases. I haven't started my PC (which has a disk drive) in over 6 months. It's old and buggy and clunky. So I have a bunch of disk-based DC's that I'll either never redeem or will only redeem when I visit a family member who has a better PC w/disk drive. I love the way Universal does it. They give you a code that works in iTunes (if you prefer that) and/or UV (if you prefer that). You can redeem it in both, which is what I usually do. I don't download iTunes content when I buy/redeem something in iTunes. I just let it go to the cloud.

[EricJ]

Up until now, I was only looking at UV, since all I had was a PS3 and could download the complete HDX file through Vudu.

Just recently, was thinking about finally getting an iPad for Christmas, and--no, literally--five minutes after redeeming my free Mary Poppins Blu-included Disney DigitalCopyPlus for UV/Vudu out of old habit, thought, "Oh, CRAP! I shoulda picked iTunes, for the tablet!"
(I should've noticed that Vudu didn't have an app, and seems like iTunes would be more inside-friendly with the Apple products, and Disney copies even more so.)

Just out of curiosity, for those already initiated:
Way, way back in the (early 00's) day when "Digital Copy" meant downloading a big digital iTunes .m4v file for your iPod, I managed to get a few free Warner copies (Harry Potter 6), and even splurged on a few movies and TV shows in hard form.
Do old iTunes purchases still license the streaming cloud versions today, or will I have to go back and double-dip my movies all over again?

[assydingo]

Now on the PS4 they do streaming through Vudu. One of the main reasons I liked Vudu is you could download on the TV. Blarg!

Streaming is so unreliable. It's fine for Netflix where you pay a monthly fee but for movies you buy individually... no, just no.

iTunes works well for me despite not watchable on TV. Well, not easily watchable on TV. Usually just watch it on an iPad or computer.

[MifuneFan]

I use Netflix every day, but as far as digital copies go, UV all the way, and speciifcally through Vudu.

[pmac]

Originally Posted by assydingo

Now on the PS4 they do streaming through Vudu. One of the main reasons I liked Vudu is you could download on the TV. Blarg!

Streaming is so unreliable. It's fine for Netflix where you pay a monthly fee but for movies you buy individually... no, just no.

iTunes works well for me despite not watchable on TV. Well, not easily watchable on TV. Usually just watch it on an iPad or computer.

Why is streaming unreliable? In what way?

I only ask because I have had issues in the past when I used Cinema Now and my PS3, but since I got my Roku my streams haven't skipped once, the PS seems to be limited in its performance, but the Roku is far superior as far as speed goes based on this households results.
We use netflix sometimes too, I use it late at night more than the wife and son when I can't sleep I turn on some form of Late Night Comedy (Guilty Pleasures, all real dumb but at that time of night it fine )

[hqn102]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Up until now, I was only looking at UV, since all I had was a PS3 and could download the complete HDX file through Vudu.

Just recently, was thinking about finally getting an iPad for Christmas, and--no, literally--five minutes after redeeming my free Mary Poppins Blu-included Disney DigitalCopyPlus for UV/Vudu out of old habit, thought, "Oh, CRAP! I shoulda picked iTunes, for the tablet!"
(I should've noticed that Vudu didn't have an app, and seems like iTunes would be more inside-friendly with the Apple products, and Disney copies even more so.)

Just out of curiosity, for those already initiated:
Way, way back in the (early 00's) day when "Digital Copy" meant downloading a big digital iTunes .m4v file for your iPod, I managed to get a few free Warner copies (Harry Potter 6), and even splurged on a few movies and TV shows in hard form.
Do old iTunes purchases still license the streaming cloud versions today, or will I have to go back and double-dip my movies all over again?

vudu does have an app

[Andysol]

Originally Posted by Hunk Golden

I prefer iTunes. I like Apple products, so it works very well for me.

I do wish Apple TV would let you watch the SD version of something you own in HD -- you technically own both HD and SD copies when you buy/redeem an HD copy, but Apple TV defaults to whatever you bought/redeemed -- there's no way to force Apple TV to play the SD version of something you own in HD -- unfortunately the HD version sometimes takes a while to "queue up," as their video service is different than Netflix, Amazon Instant, Youtube, etc... The SD version will play almost immediately if you have a decent internet connection.

Someone who's not invested in Apple (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Apple TV, whatever) would be much better served to go with another service, most likely Vudu. And Vudu has the disk-to-digital thing, which is very cool. It doesn't work for me b/c I don't shop at Mall-Wart (haven't for 10 years). I wish they didn't own it, but what are you gonna' do.

Lastly, I f'in hate disk-based digital copies that come with Blu-ray purchases. I haven't started my PC (which has a disk drive) in over 6 months. It's old and buggy and clunky. So I have a bunch of disk-based DC's that I'll either never redeem or will only redeem when I visit a family member who has a better PC w/disk drive. I love the way Universal does it. They give you a code that works in iTunes (if you prefer that) and/or UV (if you prefer that). You can redeem it in both, which is what I usually do. I don't download iTunes content when I buy/redeem something in iTunes. I just let it go to the cloud.

You can go to settings and have Apple TV stream 720p instead of 1080p- that should help slightly. I would assume they come out with a new Apple TV in 2014- probably springtime. If it has Wireless AC- that should clear up all your woes and you can go back to 1080p.

Originally Posted by EricJ

Up until now, I was only looking at UV, since all I had was a PS3 and could download the complete HDX file through Vudu.

Just recently, was thinking about finally getting an iPad for Christmas, and--no, literally--five minutes after redeeming my free Mary Poppins Blu-included Disney DigitalCopyPlus for UV/Vudu out of old habit, thought, "Oh, CRAP! I shoulda picked iTunes, for the tablet!"
(I should've noticed that Vudu didn't have an app, and seems like iTunes would be more inside-friendly with the Apple products, and Disney copies even more so.)

Just out of curiosity, for those already initiated:
Way, way back in the (early 00's) day when "Digital Copy" meant downloading a big digital iTunes .m4v file for your iPod, I managed to get a few free Warner copies (Harry Potter 6), and even splurged on a few movies and TV shows in hard form.
Do old iTunes purchases still license the streaming cloud versions today, or will I have to go back and double-dip my movies all over again?

First- Vudu does have an app (so does Flixster)
Second- yes- all your old purchases are linked up to your apple id. In fact- just going to the "videos" app will give you the option to stream them from anywhere at anytime. It would also show up on your Apple TV if you ever get one of those.

[echopulse]

Be glad you redeemed it on vudu. It's better to have all your movies in one library. Vudu, TargetTicket, Flixster and CinemaNow all have apps for IOS. They work great on my iPad. The good thing is if you ever decide to change your mind, and switch to an Android tablet or phone, you can take your movies with you.

[bsweetness]

Originally Posted by echopulse

Be glad you redeemed it on vudu. It's better to have all your movies in one library. Vudu, TargetTicket, Flixster and CinemaNow all have apps for IOS. They work great on my iPad. The good thing is if you ever decide to change your mind, and switch to an Android tablet or phone, you can take your movies with you.

Not to mention the fact that you'll have access to them on gaming systems (PS3, PS4, 360, Xbox One), other streaming devices (such as Roku), and most smart TVs.