Streaming Video Services (non-subscription) Shootout (1 Viewer)

[JQuintana]

I'm voting MA. A friend of mine who is not into techy stuff gave me a bunch of his movie codes and pretty much all are now loaded to my MA account.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Vudu has also just rolled out a 4K-capable app for Sony Android TVs!

(It's about time)

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I want to dock a point away from Amazon's streaming service for only providing 2.0 sound on my AppleTV. It seems ridiculous in 2018 that they don't do 5.1 streaming for titles that include 5.1 on every other service.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I will probably revisit this article after the first of the year, as a lot has changed in just the last few months, with a new shootout for 2019.

 

[Bob Cashill]

iTunes is my go-to as I'm part of the ACU (Apple Computing Universe ) but the ones I use all suffice. (I've never used Google and had never heard of Fandango or Ultra.)

 

[Todd Erwin]

I want to dock a point away from Amazon's streaming service for only providing 2.0 sound on my AppleTV. It seems ridiculous in 2018 that they don't do 5.1 streaming for titles that include 5.1 on every other service.

Not to mention the fact that to access Amazon Prime videos and listen to their Dolby Atmos tracks, you must have a 4K Fire device.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Not to mention the fact that to access Amazon Prime videos and listen to their Dolby Atmos tracks, you must have a 4K Fire device.

So basically, Amazon Prime videos only play in top quality on an Amazon-branded device?

I don't know why this doesn't bother me with iTunes and the AppleTV, but does bother me with Amazon.

 

[Todd Erwin]

So basically, Amazon Prime videos only play in top quality on an Amazon-branded device?

I don't know why this doesn't bother me with iTunes and the AppleTV, but does bother me with Amazon.

Possibly because you can view Amazon content on other devices, but iTunes can only be viewed on Apple products?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Possibly because you can view Amazon content on other devices, but iTunes can only be viewed on Apple products?

Yeah, I think you're right. I expect that my iTunes purchases are only going to work on my AppleTV, so I make my purchasing decisions accordingly.

Meanwhile, I'm an Amazon Prime subscriber for the shipping discount, but they frequently promote their Prime video as being an added benefit to my membership, but whenever I go to use Amazon Prime, I am disappointed at the relative quality compared to other services like iTunes and Netflix and Vudu. There doesn't seem to be any technical reason for why this should be, and given that their service is supposed to work with several of the devices I already own, it seems crazy to me that I should have to buy yet another device to get the same quality from Amazon Prime that I can get on Netflix on any device.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Meanwhile, I'm an Amazon Prime subscriber for the shipping discount, but they frequently promote their Prime video as being an added benefit to my membership, but whenever I go to use Amazon Prime, I am disappointed at the relative quality compared to other services like iTunes and Netflix and Vudu. There doesn't seem to be any technical reason for why this should be, and given that their service is supposed to work with several of the devices I already own, it seems crazy to me that I should have to buy yet another device to get the same quality from Amazon Prime that I can get on Netflix on any device.

It's the same way with me Josh. Amazon Prime is my least favorite of all those you noted.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I recently watched the "Baywatch" movie on Amazon Prime - missed it in theaters and wanted to see it, and it was a free Prime selection. By the time the film finished playing, I was willing to fork over $5 to iTunes for a rental to have had better quality. The downmix from 5.1 to 2.0 sounded particularly awful to my ears, with dialogue getting lost in the mix frequently.

So it frustrates me to have theoretical access to all of the content that Prime provides, but to have it play back in such a way that it doesn't feel like I'm getting anything of value.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I recently watched the "Baywatch" movie on Amazon Prime - missed it in theaters and wanted to see it, and it was a free Prime selection. By the time the film finished playing, I was willing to fork over $5 to iTunes for a rental to have had better quality. The downmix from 5.1 to 2.0 sounded particularly awful to my ears, with dialogue getting lost in the mix frequently.

So it frustrates me to have theoretical access to all of the content that Prime provides, but to have it play back in such a way that it doesn't feel like I'm getting anything of value.

I remember when Amazon Prime Video first debuted on Playstation 3, and although audio was only 2.0 stereo, it was transmitted (or the PS3 interpreted it) as a 5.1 audio stream, and one had to change the audio output settings on the PS3 to output only 2.0 stereo for content to play back in Pro-Logic surround.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I remember when Amazon Prime Video first debuted on Playstation 3, and although audio was only 2.0 stereo, it was transmitted (or the PS3 interpreted it) as a 5.1 audio stream, and one had to change the audio output settings on the PS3 to output only 2.0 stereo for content to play back in Pro-Logic surround.

I experience basically the same thing on my AppleTV.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

So basically, Amazon Prime videos only play in top quality on an Amazon-branded device?

I don't know why this doesn't bother me with iTunes and the AppleTV, but does bother me with Amazon.

The audio on Amazon Prime Video is not restricted to two channels on Roku devices. I get Dolby Digital+ 5.1 audio and 4K HDR10 video on my Roku Ultra. In fact, Amazon is the only app I use the Ultra for anymore, and it's due to the better audio. For everything else, I am using my Apple TV 4K.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The audio on Amazon Prime Video is not restricted to two channels on Roku devices. I get Dolby Digital+ 5.1 audio and 4K HDR10 video on my Roku Ultra. In fact, Amazon is the only app I use the Ultra for anymore, and it's due to the better audio. For everything else, I am using my Apple TV 4K.

That's bizarre. Why allow the Roku to do it, but not the AppleTV or PS3/4?

It's ridiculous how many devices one must own to be able to stream properly.

 

[Todd Erwin]

That's bizarre. Why allow the Roku to do it, but not the AppleTV or PS3/4?

It's ridiculous how many devices one must own to be able to stream properly.

The app on the PS3, I believe, was corrected and now offers 5.1 PCM.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The app on the PS3, I believe, was corrected and now offers 5.1 PCM.

I'll give that a try! I can't even remember the last time we fired up the PS3 but it's worth a shot. Thanks Todd!