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I get roughly zero commercials on Netflix. That probably varies somewhat depending on how you access it - I use a super old Chromecast bc my super old TV's app doesn't work anymore.
On the other hand, most shows I used to watch on it are gone now, leaving me either to watch the Shitflix content that's left, or just 1-2-3-it elsewhere.
Commercials are present on Hulu on lower paid tiers and now on prime unless you pay extra every month. The latter is new.
And present in Netflix as well at lower tier subscriptions.
It's not so bad to have one subscription service that is like $15-20/month, or even less with ads.
Where it really adds up is having to pay for all of them, like Disney+ and Paramount+, and that is also (relatively) new. One of the reasons I got Netflix in the first place was to watch Star Trek shows... but now those are elsewhere, as too is most everything else, and I'm wondering what all I am getting from Netflix anymore.
Here's my list:
(1) fantastic streaming tech, I almost never have buffering issues these days (possibly significantly lower resolution but it switches seamlessly)
(2) ability to download an episode to watch offline, e.g. at a gym and it even auto-advances to download the next one in a series.
(3) Netflix produced content, except this tends to be crappy content (not always, but... not worth the pricetag definitely, for me)
(4) Anything that Netflix is successfully able to license from other places, which unfortunately tends to rotate and sometimes doesn't even get whole entire series (like you'll get up to a certain season and then no more).
It is licensing that ruined television for everyone, not Netflix, but still... am I getting my value? We'll see as time goes on.
I get all of your points with pirating as well withoit paying anything
True. But that takes significant effort to set up. And I did forget to add one more benefit to paying Netflix - I get to give back, to encourage good quality content to continue to be created.
So whenever I have trouble connecting to a high sea, or just want a more guaranteed experience, it's a reliable standby:-) ... caveat: for the content that it actually has on there:-(.
But that takes significant effort to set up.
not really
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connect to vpn
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go to preferred free streaming website
encourage good quality content to continue to be created.
that would be true if Netflix actually made good content. right now you give netflix money for a few good shows and an overwhelming amount of slop (that's even more the case for disney+). if you want to support certain content you like just buy the bluray or go to the cinema
I dunno about you but for me sometimes websites don't want to stream. It is pretty darn easy, when it works, but so is Netflix, which works far more often, and does things like tap out halfway through a show extremely infrequently to never.
Also the former requires an internet connection. A better comparison for you to have used is not streaming but downloading. If you download entire seasons at a time, then you won't have connection issues watching it later. Though Netflix is legit great about that too, with one-click downloading of an entire season at once. So Netflix kinda wins there too, plus being far easier for someone who doesn't know what "self- hosting" even means to set up.
It really is great software.
About content though... yeah, it's really hit or miss. Which is somewhat complicated by all the hype around TV shows these days - who wants to watch Mandalorian? Game of Thrones? Star Trek shows? The actual good Marvel ones? None of that is on Netflix, but are they really "good" to begin with, or is that just what "they" want us all to be watching? Anyway, there's some fantastic stuff that is truly great that is available on Netflix. To name a few: The Magicians, The 100, The Babadook, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Sandman, yes and things that don't start with "The" also! Orange is the New Black, Ghost in the Shell, Midnight Mass, ... well, I'm sure there's more, probably 😎.
Netflix is not for everyone. But it is good for some, or perhaps I should say some of the time. And for the rest there's always sailing. :-P
The download function is the only pro for Netflix (and that's only aviable for the limited amount of content Netflix has licensed). If I have buffer issues, I can just switch to another website.
There's also the ethical aspect. I don't want to support Hollywood in its current state. I won't give money to a company that accidentally and occasionally produces a good show while deliberately fucking up many big projects on a large scale because they don't care about making good content anymore, only money.
There is that to consider too, yeah...
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Amazon Prime does commercials too. You have to pay more to get rid of them.