Film Streaming

If you're just a tad more interested in films than general TV then it's worth checking out the myriad of on-demand and streaming options. Netflix has been making waves for years, Amazon is doing well with its Prime Video, HBO GO is an evergreen favourite with online TV addicts, YouTube offers endless video content from celebrities and lesser-known vloggers alike for free or ad-supported (ahem), but there are plenty of other options too. If you've been wondering which service will suit your needs best then wonder no more!

Please note: The purpose of this blog post is to share knowledge that was gathered by investigative journalism. All information provided in this article is intended as infotainment only. If you have any specific questions about the topic covered in this article, please consult a professional before making any decisions.

Update: January 2018: Netflix now offers 4K streaming quality. Presumably, Amazon Prime Video will follow suit soon as well.

Update: Autumn 2017: With the release of Apple TV 4K and the announcement of 4K content from iTunes, it's safe to assume that 4K streaming is something to keep an eye on this year! It's really starting to feel like we're entering THE age of 4K...

Update: Summer 2016: With the addition of 4K content to both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, it's great to see that both services are taking the leap in this area. Definitely something to look out for in 2016!

Update: February 2016: I'm very excited about the idea of 4K content, because it's almost certainly going to be around for years and years. If you've got a 4K TV, why not get your hands on some 4K content right away?

So you want to know which service is best for you? You're at [link] site. Here we'll discuss each major streaming service and help you decide which will best fit your needs.

Netflix

What is it?

Cost: $7.99 per month (streaming only), $9.99 per month (streaming & DVD) or $11.99 per month (streaming, DVD & Blu-Ray) There's also a free one-month trial for a limited time! For the entire range of Netflix packages, click here . Note: You can always test the water with the free one-month trial! There's also a great one-year plan that gives you four months free for new members (giving you 12 months for just $96)!

Description: This is probably the most popular streaming service on the planet. It's not just movies you can rent, but TV shows as well, so it's a great one-stop shop for most of us. The quality of the streams are superb and the UI is relatively easy to use. There are also plenty of documentaries and stand-up specials to enjoy, if you haven't already got enough movies!

Supported formats: MP4 container with H.264 video and AAC audio streams (downloadable content only) or MPEG-2 streams (streaming content only). On the technical side, Netflix offers 3 levels of encoding for video: Baseline Profile Level 3.0 which corresponds to a bitrate around 500kbps; Main Profile Level 4.0 which corresponds to a bitrate around 1.5Mb/s; High Profile Level 4.1 which corresponds to an even higher bitrate of around 4Mb/s.

Where do I get it?

Pricing and availability: Available on the web and on your iOS or Android device, plus Roku and Samsung smart TVs! It's also available in India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland (and elsewhere!) but availability may vary. Please see the Netflix website here for full details.

What else is there to know?

Streaming quality: The video stream is streamed at a maximum resolution of 1080p (about 1,080 pixels wide). The audio stream is AAC-LC at 256kbps, 48kHz.

Languages : English, French and Spanish. It's worth noting that some titles are available with subtitles in other languages.

Amazon Prime Vide

What is it?

Cost: $99 per year (which works out at a measly $8.25 per month). Full details can be found here . There's also a free 30-day trial for new users! For more information on Amazon's range of services, click here

Description: Amazon Prime Video offers a wide range of movies, TV shows, documentaries and anime, all with free (amazon.com) or ad-supported (ad-supported) streaming. It also gives subscribers the chance to rent a range of video via the Amazon Instant Video store.

Supported formats: MP4 container with H.264 video and AAC audio streams. For information on other possible streaming options, see the Amazon Video website here . Note: Although it says that Amazon has 'no plans' for 4K , many industry experts place this in quotes because it's not a guarantee at all . It seems like a pipe dream really... I have no idea why they wouldn't jump on this format, but we'll have to wait and see.

Where do I get it?

Pricing and availability: It's available on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Xbox 360/One and some Smart TVs. See the full list of apps here . Amazon Prime Instant Video is also available in the UK and Germany. Although it's only in beta in Japan right now! (For more details on Amazon's global service offerings, click here .)

What else is there to know? Streaming quality: The video stream is streamed at a maximum resolution of 720p (about 1,280 pixels wide). The audio stream is AAC-LC at 256kbps, 48kHz.

Languages : English, French and Spanish.

Now for some other goodies!

Cable Cuts: It's perfect for cord cutters! Just completely your media center on top of your Smart TV or home theater PC (HTPC). It's easy to set up and supports a wide range of devices. You'll never go back... they say! Check it out here . (Note: the service requires a $2.99/month subscription fee if you want to access all of their channels. If you only want a few channels, it's probably cheaper to buy a cable subscription instead. However, there's a free trial.)

Amazon Instant Video is also available in the UK and Germany. Although it's only in beta in Japan right now! (For more details on Amazon's global service offerings, click .) It's perfect for cord cutters! Just completely your media center on top of your Smart TV or home theater PC (HTPC). It's easy to set up and supports a wide range of devices. You'll never go back... they say!

What else is there to know? Streaming quality: The video stream is streamed at a maximum resolution of 720p (about 1,280 pixels wide). The audio stream is AAC-LC at 256kbps, 48kHz

Languages : English, French and Spanish. It's worth noting that some titles are available with subtitles in other languages.

Pluto TV: A new streaming service offering 100 channels of ad-supported live TV (and 50 more on the paid plan). Already available on iOS, Android, Xbox One and Apple TVs. You can also get it direct via Roku . It's a great way to just have all your shows in one place... well sort of! Check out their library here . (Note: The free version has ads between shows. The paid version does not.)

Youtube: If you already have an account then you might be aware of YouTube's ability to stream videos in the background. This is a great method of watching your favourite news channel/podcast/movie in another tab. Most newer smartphones support this feature, so it's definitely worth checking out if you're a regular YouTube user!

What else is there to know? Streaming quality: The video stream is streamed at a maximum resolution of 720p (about 1,280 pixels wide). The audio stream is AAC-LC at 128kbps, 48kHz.

Languages : Choice of any language available on the subtitles/CC list (or whatever that would be called).

Vudu: The cheapest way to get your movies on. This is the place for you if you're an existing VHS, DVD or Blu-ray owner (or have a lot of them!) to make them digital and watch them on all your devices. You'll be renting from Vudu too! Currently available through an iOS app and with a Web interface. You can also use Roku . Try it here .

What else is there to know? Streaming quality : For Ultra HD movies, the video stream is upscaled from 1080p (about 1,080 pixels wide). The audio stream is Dolby Digital Plus at 740kbps, 48kHz. For HD movies, the video stream is upscaled from 720p (about 1,280 pixels wide). The audio stream is Dolby Digital Plus at 448kbps, 48kHz.

Languages : Choice of any language available on the subtitles/CC list (or whatever that would be called).

PowToon: Produce your own animated videos and presentations - all for free! You can find PowToon here .

What else is there to know? Streaming quality: There's no streaming quality information mentioned on their website. They do say that it's compatible with many different apps, but I'm not sure which ones are listed or if there's any info about how well it streams.

Languages : For the free version, English is listed as the available language.

Vimeo: A very select group of some of the best independent movies and videos on the web. Supporting a wide range of different video formats, subtitles and CC lists. You can find out more here . (Note: You need to sign up for a Vimeo account before you can access their services.)

What else is there to know? Streaming quality: The video stream is streamed at a maximum resolution of 1080p (about 1,920 pixels wide). The audio stream is AAC-LC at 48kHz.

Languages : For the free version, English is listed as the available language.

Daily Motion: The second-largest video-sharing site in the world. With over 50 million unique visitors each month, it's a great site to find videos and movies (too many adverts though!). You can check out their site here . (Note: You need to sign up for a Daily Motion account before you can access their services.)

What else is there to know? Streaming quality: It's not clear what streaming quality is supported. It looks like they use Flash, so I wonder if it streams at 720p... that'd be interesting. The audio stream is AAC-LC at 256kbps, 48kHz.

Languages : For the free version, English is listed as the only available language.

Note: This list is getting a little out of date. For a more up-to-date reference, check out My Streaming Services on the wiki . The list above is now only a sampling of all the services available. There are many more that I have not listed here... and likely some dead sites... so don't take this as an exhaustive list!

That's all for now my friends... until next time! (Note: This post was originally written in July 2012.)

(You can also find me at either blog, on Facebook or Reddit , or on Twitter @jason_dig .)

Things tend to change over time. Some popular sites have been shut down... while new ones have sprung up.

Film Streaming

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