Movie Streaming Services

It's no longer the case that you have to have to wait until you can get to the shops to buy the movies you want to watch. You don't even have to wait for rental companies to post your discs out to you any more. Thanks to advances in computer technology and internet bandwidth, it's now possible for anyone to enjoy the benefits of the internet age by streaming movies straight to your PC.

Of course it's not just movies that benefit. It's also possible to receive numerous other channels such as music channels, educational channels, social channels, and entertainment channels. The big question is, what are the benefits to streaming movies over the internet? The first benefit is ease of access. No matter what time it is, you can access the content you want to see. The second benefit is that it's inexpensive. DVD collections can cost in their thousands, and satellite TV services can cost over $100 a month. Online services in comparison often have a one off payment and little or no fees associated with their services.

Tip 1

Before signing up for an online streaming service, have a think about how many movies you're planning to watch. If you only intend to watch a couple of movies a week then that's not a problem, but if you might watch more than that first check with your internet service provider to find out if they have any bandwidth caps. Streaming movies can use up a lot of bandwidth, and you wouldn't want to push your internet over the limit. Fortunately most ISPs have usage limits that will handle a fair amount of high definition streaming, but it's better to play it safe and check.

Tip 2

Streaming programs and movies to your PC is all good and well, but once you use the service and find you like it, consider purchasing a home media center PC. These are small quiet PCs that look more akin to VCRs than computers and are intended to fit into the living room in a way that tradition PCs never could. Using a media center PC hooked up to your main television and your home network will let you enjoy online streaming with the whole family.

Tip 3

Before buying consider whether you want a subscription service, a la carte where you pay for each movie download, or a one off fee for multiple channels. With a subscription service then you are locked in to making a payment every month, and you may want to avoid that if you aren't a heavy movie watcher. If you do watch a lot of movies then a subscription service would probably be a better idea as it will save money. A third alternative are services that provide a software solution for a one off fee. That solution then continues to provide an ongoing service thereafter.