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I don't really know what the fuss is about. We switched from the basic ad-free plan to the cheapest plan with ads a few months ago. We're spending less, can watch on two devices at 1080p, and we are subjected to about 2-4 ads per show (which is way less than the number of commercials I was subjected to growing up). It really works fine for us and I don't have a problem with it. Netflix and Prime are the only two services we keep throughout the year; we renew our Disney+ about 2-3 times a year for a month or so, and Apple TV about once a year for a couple of months. We don't pay for any "regular" tv services at all; any shows we want to watch (Survivor for example) are available free to view on the channel's respective app a day after it aired on tv. We can also watch the evening news on the apps. It's a system that works for us 🤷‍♂️🙂
 
But isn't this kind of silly for Netflix to assume that every time you log in to another TV, it is your "home" like what if you are on a Eurotrip and change Hotel every 2 days. Aren't they going to block you eventually for changing your "home" too often (from their point of view)?

I offer only a probable simple remedy. We won't be able to solve corporate policy decisions and/or app coding algorithm issues posting in a web forum. However, with that one simple change, your own problem may be fully resolved as soon as immediately.
 
I'm sure the prices will only increase as more and more people subscribe for one or two months annually and cancel after watching their favorite shows, as I have been doing for years with all of the services.

Apple TV+ recently sent me a survey asking why I canceled and what would keep me, so I pointed out that I only pay for one service for one month at a time depending on who has the shows I wanna watch.
 
In exchange for the odd advert (currently. I expect this to change) they've knocked the price down from £7 to £5, added 2x streams and upped the quality from SD to HD. This is a lot more than Amazon who just shoved in ads and then asked for an extra £3.
 
Cue lots of commenters saying how they’re glad they’ve cancelled long ago.
Not me. I've never canceled Netflix, and I never will.

Because I've never subscribed.

pirate flag.jpg
 
Why sell someone something once when you can rent it to them forever? Why just rent it forever when you can ALSO sell ads on it forever? User experience? What's that? Why would they care? Where else you gonna get video when they own it all?
The only flaw in their plan is that we can live without video. The whole idea may turn out to be a historical flash in the pan.
 
I'm starting to think streaming might start to feel a fight back from consumers. I know HMV here in the UK have picked up on physical sales of films. its only small but its interesting to see.

Digital purchases on iTunes are so cheap it's almost cheaper to just buy than stream in some instances. they've got films from £2.99 at the moment.
They will simply stop releasing on physical media in the future if people balk on streaming.

"Digital Purchases" aren't yours, as has been demonstrated many times over the years.
 
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I have no idea what plan I'm on, but T-Mobile pays for it. If that goes away, bye felicia.
T-Mobile don't pay for it, you do. When companies team up with Netflix, they simply transfer payment to Netflix on your behalf as an "inclusion" in your plan. They also get a kickback. There is nothing free here. They are making you feel as though it's free,..thats called psychological marketing.
 
I believe Netflix once said that they can keep increasing prices and customers will stay.

It didn't work on me as I cancelled last year after the billionth price hike.
I believe MR readers said Netflix would crash and burn after they stopped password sharing.

And Netflix didnt say every customer would stay.
 
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The only flaw in their plan is that we can live without video. The whole idea may turn out to be a historical flash in the pan.
Books are still free at the library. Currently re-reading the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy series. Hasn’t cost me a dime.
Edit to add: they also have tons of movies and tv shows on disk. All free of charge.
 
I'm starting to think streaming might start to feel a fight back from consumers. I know HMV here in the UK have picked up on physical sales of films. its only small but its interesting to see.
If prices go up, people may start to be more choosy about how many services they subscribe to - the danger is that this will impact the smaller players rather than the larger ones, like Netflix, with big-name shows. Currently, I'm subscribing to 4 but as prices rise one or more of them is likely to get "rested" for 6 months or so... Netflix and Prime tend to be the ones to stick with since there's a lot of back-catalogue stuff on those that I could watch, or re-watch, in a drought.

Probably, the best approach is to "rest" some services until there's a backlog of shows you want to watch (and just hope that spoilers don't show up in news/social media headlines) - so I fully expect minimum-term subscriptions to be the next stage in encruddification...

For me, Apple TV+ is safe for the moment simply because Slow Horses season 4 is coming in September... after that, it might be getting a rest (no sign of Severance or For All Mankind yet). Interesting, because that's one show where we don't have to wait 2 years between seasons - probably because although it isn't cheap neither is it a SFX-loaded, CGI-in-every-scene spectacular that spends a year in post... (and it looks like they've shot it pretty much back to back) but I don't think that's the only reason it takes so long, and could be one reason why so many shows fail after 1 or 2 seasons - people just lose interest while waiting, figures go down, more shows get cancelled after S2, so people don't bother starting a show until it's got 3 seasons under its belt.., figures go down more... I know that Covid and the writers strike have put a crimp in production - but the "8 episodes, cliffhanger, now wait 18 months" pattern was emerging before that.
 
I don't really know what the fuss is about. We switched from the basic ad-free plan to the cheapest plan with ads a few months ago. We're spending less, can watch on two devices at 1080p, and we are subjected to about 2-4 ads per show (which is way less than the number of commercials I was subjected to growing up). It really works fine for us and I don't have a problem with it. Netflix and Prime are the only two services we keep throughout the year; we renew our Disney+ about 2-3 times a year for a month or so, and Apple TV about once a year for a couple of months. We don't pay for any "regular" tv services at all; any shows we want to watch (Survivor for example) are available free to view on the channel's respective app a day after it aired on tv. We can also watch the evening news on the apps. It's a system that works for us 🤷‍♂️🙂

and that's how it starts and continues. You don't realize YOU are PAYING for ads. You're getting less "product" all the while, Netflix is making MORE money off you as a product because of ads. Lol

You are making them money by paying and by paying for ads. Why anyone would PAY for ads is beyond me.
 
Interesting to see how time per episode changed over the decades. Going back to early broadcast shows you might get 55 minutes per hour or 5 minutes of ads per hour. As time progress shows went to: 50, 45, 42. Doubt this trend will ever change. Netflix today with ads... a bearable few interruptions. Netflix with ads 10 years from now... doubt it will be a few.
 
I believe Netflix once said that they can keep increasing prices and customers will stay.

It didn't work on me as I cancelled last year after the billionth price hike.
I canceled as well a few years back due to the price hiking fueled by their greed. I told them when I left on the message that the reason I’m ending my subscription is due to it being too expensive. Unfortunately the answer for companies like Netflix and Hulu has been to add in ad-sponsored versions of cheaper subscriptions. Which then means they’re asking if you will pay their company to give you ads. I feel like Netflix and Hulu has become out-of-touch with things over the years. Evidence of that can be found based off just how many people use ad-blockers. Ads are commonly unwanted and shunned by users with a passion. Folks find them irritating and annoying. Often it’s just telling you about a product that everyone knows exists already and is as pointless as advertising air; it’s what you breath!

But unfortunately greed blinds those with the power to turn back on the dial on advertising intensity so I fear they’ll never get it...
 
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Just around the corner is ATSC 3.0 with DRM. This would be a good opportunity to migrate a lot of populated areas to OTA broadcast. :rolleyes:
 
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