I have Amazon Prime already just for the shipping of actual things. This is really nice.
September 26, 2011
Unlimited, instant streaming of video for Amazon Prime members...
... interesting!
I have Amazon Prime already just for the shipping of actual things. This is really nice.
I have Amazon Prime already just for the shipping of actual things. This is really nice.
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This has been offered for quite a while. The big announcement from Amazon today was adding Fox content to their offerings.
Thanks for sharing, Prof. I like Rockford Files and Columbo (both are PIs). May be I can stream these, if available.
You're just figuring this out?
Recently viewed Man on Wire
Don't they also offer library lending privileges to Kindle users with Amazon Prime?
Sorry.
I have a nice monitor, but the Blonde insisted on buying a big screen (65 in) TV when we were both working and I can't see watching stuff on anything that much smaller.
(I know, we can hook up a PC, but we both have desktops, so...)
The hype is great. It's FREE! But the selection isn't so hot. We've just discovered Breaking bad and want to watch from the beginning. It's streaming on Netflix and Amazon, but Amazon will charge me $2 an episode on top of the $8 or $9 I pay for Prime.
@edutcher
Take a look at the new bluray players. Many have Netflix and Amazon streaming built-in and cost $125 or less.
We bought a blu-ray for Christmas, last year, so we're sticking with the Netflix dvd's for a while, foregoing the streaming until the picture quality and selection makes it worth our while.
It is old news but presumably, a lot of people (like Althouse) aren't aware of it yet.
The selection is pretty limited but it's also free for current Prime members. It's like they pulled a reverse Netflix.
Also, I reviewed Man on Wire when it came out a few years ago.
As a Prime member, I got excited. But then I checked the inventory and found that everything new I wanted see was still $3-4 a pop.
All the free stuff is old, I've already seen it, or I'm not interested in watching it.
Sorry.
I have a nice monitor, but the Blonde insisted on buying a big screen (65 in) TV when we were both working and I can't see watching stuff on anything that much smaller.
(I know, we can hook up a PC, but we both have desktops, so...)
Roku or Apple TV devices that have broadband and HDMI built in can be used for streaming, and they aren't crazy expensive.
Thanks, EM and Triangle.
Things are looking up, so we may look into it.
@edutcher
Get a Roku box, they have a HD model for $60. We run three of them, in fact I have a Roku sitting on top of a Tivo PremierXL cuz the Roku pulls in a stronger wifi signal, it buffers faster and the remote & menus are super simple. You can program it to your universal remote in a snap too.
You can stream HuluPlus (HuluPlus just added the Criterion movie catalog) and Crackle too. Roku constantly signs up new sources of content...and they push firmware updates often and invisably.
I keep waiting for them to screw it up...it's that good.
So basically a push to go Amazon Prime vs. Netflix.
Interesting!
Man on Wire was okay. I remember when they did it.
Oops! EM beat me to it...but I'd forget about a Bluray player...it's a dinosaur...hard media is on it's way out...and do you really want to invest in movies in yet another format? We have some in four formats. Enough.
We probably have close to a thousand DVD's and the full magillah cable selection, but watch streaming more than any other medium. I'm seriously considering dumping cable TV entirely.
This was a brilliant idea for them -- I got hooked on watching old episodes of some favorite shows for free (since I have Amazon Prime for the shipping). And since then, I've bought a few things on Amazon Instant Streaming that in the past I would have bought on iTunes.
@Fred4Pres
So basically a push to go Amazon Prime vs. Netflix.
Not so much, Amazon Prime Instant's catalog is limited in comparison to Netflix Instant...but since it's gratis with Prime membership, it's another source.
[Edit] A big difference is that you browse the Amazon Prime catalog on the TV screen, whereas Netflix requires you to log-in online, choose and build a queue index that they stream to you...which I find a tedious process.
BJM, you can surf Netflix on the TV screen. You can input prefernces on the computer, since they obviously cannot show you everything, but the selections are broad on the TV.
I discovered this a couple of weeks ago. I've watched several things. It's a nice plus for us Prime members. My Sony TV can access Amazon streaming but some things are more difficult than others to send to the TV. I haven't quite figured out the process for sending the more obscure stuff to the TV.
America's Politico wrote:
I like Rockford Files and Columbo (both are PIs).
Your ignorance of American politics is almost equaled by your ignorance of American popular culture. So you like Columbo, and he's a PI, is that it? If you really liked Columbo then one assumes you watch and listen. If so then you would know that the title character is not a PI.
N.B.
He is neither a private investigator, nor is he the ratio of a circle's diameter to it circumference. He is Detective Lieutenant Columbo of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Ask your K Street buddies to explain it to you.
We have been using GoogleTV + Amazon Prime for some time now; it has been pleasant, though Hulu is a stick in the mud about Google TV. We use the XBox for Hulu. If you like any of the star trek franchises, they are all free with Amazon Prime, every season, every episode.
The new Google Kindle Tablet is rumored to come with an Amazon Prime account to seal the deal as the world transitions to the Cloud Service model.
Amazon Prime has become our turn-to source for odds and ends. Free 2 day shipping for Prime items? Even 4$ purchases begin to make sense.
I haven'had cable in years. I recently ditched Netflix DVDs and went with streaming. Ihave VUDU for newish movies which cost about $3.99 each. I didn't find Amazon prime selection that much better than Netflix.
I would go to streaming only but the thought of redoing all my computer/TV stuff is exhausting.
Fred4Pres
How are you getting to the top level Netflix streaming catalog on your TV? Are you in Canada? or porting through a computer to the TV via HDMI?
I can watch instantly from the main catalog on a computer...but not any of my streaming devices.
I would dearly love to skip the queue.
What is all this BS about "FREE?"
Amazon Prime costs $72.00 per year and the streaming videos are all associated with specific HDTV brands and models and specific streaming devices sold on Amazon.
Left to my own "devices," I interpret the offer to mean "you buy our stuff and we will throw in the freebies."
Of course, we do not know what goodies are offered to the Amazon hosting blog for promoting this offer. I would hold out for access to these streaming videos as the smallest acceptable pittance, Althouse.
Do NOT try to use a blu-ray player for any streaming. Get a ROKU box. It's the difference between "barely works" and "works well".
Note that many set top boxes do Netflix, but most don't do Amazon. ROKU does both well, along many others.
Amazon Prime costs $72.00 per year and the streaming videos are all associated with specific HDTV brands and models and specific streaming devices sold on Amazon.
Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, gadfly?
It's free if you have Prime already, which many of us do, and I've watched on my PC (hooked up to my TV) on Windows and Linux. No Amazon devices required!
I realize that I cannot stream the two shows I mentioned earlier (at 2:40 pm). So, I will have to look elsewhere. I use iTunes as it allows me to pay individually, which I like. The only problem with iTunes is that the download process is not fast. The best site I use is Hulu.com. I wish there was a possibility of getting all shows I like on Hulu+.
I ran an HDMI cable from my PC to my TV, and got a wireless keyboard and mouse. I can sit in front of the TV and watch or do anything my computer can on my big screen. I usually watch Hulu and Adult Swim on line. Very easy to pause, replay, search etc. Also can watch YouTube or any online video on the big screen. Plus any photo or videos I take with my camera and load on my PC.
Are closed captions available on the Amazon Prime offerings? That's a deal breaker for me and always stops any progress towards a cable free existance - I haven't looked at Roku, Hulu et al lately but last time I checked cc was not available
@bagoh20
I can access content on any device on the home network via the TV's but the quality thru my main tower isn't as good as thru the Roku. What vid/tuner card are you running?
I'm just about due for a tower upgrade and am thinking about an Alienware gaming box. Anyone here running AW? Got any recommendations?
Roku has a lot of channels, including youtube and Netflix just linked to facebook. Tivo needs to step it up.
Streaming just gets better & better.
@gadfly
I buy a lot of normal "stuff" on Amazon, household supplies, printer carts & paper, personal & pet care, and grocery items...the prices are cheaper than at brick & mortar stores or the big box warehouses and they deliver to my door. A lot of retailers have really downsized or thinned out their shelf stock and I was hunting for items that I normally bought in one stop and with $4.19 a gal gas that's no small deal.
I let my fingers do the walking and UPS the schelping and I don't graze and pick up impulse items.
BJM,
I just bought a decent video card (no tuner) for my PC that has HDMI output. I happen to have a GForce 8400 GS, but there is a wide range of them that will work. Just make sure the card supports the resolution and screen size you want on the TV. Best is to have a computer monitor with that same screen resolution so that it looks the same on the monitor as on the TV without having to manually change resolution on your computer.
I don't know how the other methods with boxes, etc. work, so I don't know if this is better than those or not. This setup just turns your TV into a huge monitor that can show whatever is on your computer big and clear.
Unless your computer is in front of the TV, you'll need the wireless keyboard and mouse too.
I use Prime for shipping and shopping, so this is icing on the cake... Almost. Browsing Prime Videos is beyond frustrating. And my viewing options are limited. Amazon discriminates against my iPad.
I also have Netflix. The Netflix experience is VASTLY better. I can watch Netflix everywhere. iPad, iPhone, Roku, Xbox 360, PS3, Mac, PC.
So, who's an Amazon Vine member around here?
WV: pantsman. One of the lesser known Avengers.
@bagoh20
Thanks for the feedback, I have wireless keyboards & mice.
This desktop has a GEforce 7200 and the TV in my office is a little grainy on HDMI. I'll have to wait until I upgrade the tower ...it would be nice to surf from the sofa nearer the wood stove.
Amazon Prime video is slooooooow. Nice as an extra, nothing to actually pay for.
I've never had any speed issues with Amazon's streaming video.
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