Best combination of streaming services to replace Sky HD?
Discussion
I have Sky+ HD and pay far too much for the priviledge.
The box is on its last legs and needs to be unplugged every day.
I have Amazon Prime already and I'm thinking that with a Now TV Cinema and Entertainment pass and maybe a Disney + pass I've got access to a lot of content for around a quarter of what I currently pay.
Throw in a decent Freeview Play tuner and I suspect I could cut the cord or at least try unplugging the Sky+ box for a month to find out.
Is Netflix actually any good?
I always struggle with the fact they don't seem to publish their content.
Ditto Disney+ as I'm not clear if it's the entire Star Wars and Marvel catalogues or just certain stuff?
The box is on its last legs and needs to be unplugged every day.
I have Amazon Prime already and I'm thinking that with a Now TV Cinema and Entertainment pass and maybe a Disney + pass I've got access to a lot of content for around a quarter of what I currently pay.
Throw in a decent Freeview Play tuner and I suspect I could cut the cord or at least try unplugging the Sky+ box for a month to find out.
Is Netflix actually any good?
I always struggle with the fact they don't seem to publish their content.
Ditto Disney+ as I'm not clear if it's the entire Star Wars and Marvel catalogues or just certain stuff?
I cancelled about 18 months ago as the broadband kept going down and the hd box was on its last legs.
I now have an amazon fire stick with prime, I dont tend to watch that too much but I use amazon music and the prime delivery so it's not too bad.
Then I have a Now TV stick which was £15 with the entertainment pack for 2 months included, the entertainment pack is £7.99 a month after, Netflix which is about the same and all the catch up apps and youtube app installed. I also bought a Humax freeview + HD box for £50 off ebay which I dont use that often. I didn't got for Now TV cinema as you tend to have to pay extra for the decent films on box office anyway.
I'm paying about £22 a month including amazon all in and about £22 a month for Vodafone broadband which is much quicker and more reliable than sky was. I was paying about £70 + a month for everything except sports with sky so very happy with the savings, I also find theres a lot more to watch.
I now have an amazon fire stick with prime, I dont tend to watch that too much but I use amazon music and the prime delivery so it's not too bad.
Then I have a Now TV stick which was £15 with the entertainment pack for 2 months included, the entertainment pack is £7.99 a month after, Netflix which is about the same and all the catch up apps and youtube app installed. I also bought a Humax freeview + HD box for £50 off ebay which I dont use that often. I didn't got for Now TV cinema as you tend to have to pay extra for the decent films on box office anyway.
I'm paying about £22 a month including amazon all in and about £22 a month for Vodafone broadband which is much quicker and more reliable than sky was. I was paying about £70 + a month for everything except sports with sky so very happy with the savings, I also find theres a lot more to watch.
We managed to replace our £100+ per month sky subscription (included broadband too) with:
VM Broadband
£11.99 Netflix Subscription
£79.99 per year Amazon Prime subscription
£4.99 Discovery channel subscription
We make do with ITV, Channel 4 and BBC iPlayer smart tv apps for catch up etc.
EDITED TO ADD: I wasn't so sure we could survive without Sky, so I cancelled it and used the sky box for Freeview - we rarely switch it on now. Since we cancelled, Sky have called many times offering us some pretty good deals - but I just dont miss it.
VM Broadband
£11.99 Netflix Subscription
£79.99 per year Amazon Prime subscription
£4.99 Discovery channel subscription
We make do with ITV, Channel 4 and BBC iPlayer smart tv apps for catch up etc.
EDITED TO ADD: I wasn't so sure we could survive without Sky, so I cancelled it and used the sky box for Freeview - we rarely switch it on now. Since we cancelled, Sky have called many times offering us some pretty good deals - but I just dont miss it.
I am seriously considering cancelling Sky and going with Netflix, Prime and YouTube.
In the last three months I've watched Ballers on Sky. That's it. I can't even see that I'd get use out of Freeview.
I think Now TV Entertainment package would be a suitable alternative (Sky Altantic, Comedy etc). but am not sure that is even worth £8.99 a month.
In the last three months I've watched Ballers on Sky. That's it. I can't even see that I'd get use out of Freeview.
I think Now TV Entertainment package would be a suitable alternative (Sky Altantic, Comedy etc). but am not sure that is even worth £8.99 a month.
CzechItOut said:
I am seriously considering cancelling Sky and going with Netflix, Prime and YouTube.
In the last three months I've watched Ballers on Sky. That's it. I can't even see that I'd get use out of Freeview.
I think Now TV Entertainment package would be a suitable alternative (Sky Altantic, Comedy etc). but am not sure that is even worth £8.99 a month.
Worth noting the £8.99 doesn't even get you HD - it's another £3 for that. However there are often good deals - I am on a black Friday £99 for 12 months Cinema and entertainment package, so £135 for a full year's HD service. Not sure I'd continue with the movies at normal price, as the new releases are really variable. The TV all depends on what big shows are around at the time.In the last three months I've watched Ballers on Sky. That's it. I can't even see that I'd get use out of Freeview.
I think Now TV Entertainment package would be a suitable alternative (Sky Altantic, Comedy etc). but am not sure that is even worth £8.99 a month.
Have signed up for Disney+ for £50 for the year as we'll definitely make enough use of the movies to justify that.
Would like Netflix as well, but really can't fit in watching any more more shows.
Before binning off Sky, they'll do you a discount and send a new box out gratis when you threaten to cancel.
Also they are doing good deals when you combine the phone and broadband, I was paying BT £50 a month for phone and BB (and BT Sport channels) and got Sky to give me TV, phone and BB (without sports though) for £30.
Anyway, back to the original question.
In addition to my basic Sky sub (I realised that the 2 main things I thought needed the sports package for - Jeff Stelling and NFL RedZone - are actually part of the entertainment channels!) I have Amazon Prime which is worth it for the free next day deliveries if you order plenty of things from Amazon, and then do random months of Netflix and channels on Amazon such as MotorTrend-OnDemand. I've currently got a one month sub to motorsport.tv as that gets me 2 WEC races plus their back catalogue.
I find that after a month or two I've seen everything I need to on Netflix etc so can cancel for a few months and then go back for another month and catchup when something new appears (although Netflix and Amazon are now putting out some shows weekly like traditional tv rather than putting out episodes at once).
Also, there's loads of 'box sets' on things like the iPlayer and ITVHub if you are desperate - have just found that the entire back-run of Inspector Monteblano is on the iPlayer so that's several hours of free viewing I've got to look forward to.
TL:DR = Keep signing up and cancelling the different services.
Also they are doing good deals when you combine the phone and broadband, I was paying BT £50 a month for phone and BB (and BT Sport channels) and got Sky to give me TV, phone and BB (without sports though) for £30.
Anyway, back to the original question.
In addition to my basic Sky sub (I realised that the 2 main things I thought needed the sports package for - Jeff Stelling and NFL RedZone - are actually part of the entertainment channels!) I have Amazon Prime which is worth it for the free next day deliveries if you order plenty of things from Amazon, and then do random months of Netflix and channels on Amazon such as MotorTrend-OnDemand. I've currently got a one month sub to motorsport.tv as that gets me 2 WEC races plus their back catalogue.
I find that after a month or two I've seen everything I need to on Netflix etc so can cancel for a few months and then go back for another month and catchup when something new appears (although Netflix and Amazon are now putting out some shows weekly like traditional tv rather than putting out episodes at once).
Also, there's loads of 'box sets' on things like the iPlayer and ITVHub if you are desperate - have just found that the entire back-run of Inspector Monteblano is on the iPlayer so that's several hours of free viewing I've got to look forward to.
TL:DR = Keep signing up and cancelling the different services.
I'm toying with getting the new freesat box to replace our Sky box. As well as Prime and maybe Netflix - we tend to do Prime for a year, usually on a deal, then have a break.
Nothing annoys me about Sky as much as the way they disable recording functionality to your own box if you aren't subscribed.
Nothing annoys me about Sky as much as the way they disable recording functionality to your own box if you aren't subscribed.
Watching with interest - I just negotiated a new discounted price with Sky, only for the feckers to send me a letter this week telling me there are increasing my bill by £5 (RPI?).
I'm going to tell them to stuff it, I think. Get a new Smart TV and stream viewing while keeping the Sky+ box.
It's not much, it's £52 for TV, Talk & BB but it keeps increasing and the BB isn't that good - 19mbps when I tested it yesterday.
I'm going to tell them to stuff it, I think. Get a new Smart TV and stream viewing while keeping the Sky+ box.
It's not much, it's £52 for TV, Talk & BB but it keeps increasing and the BB isn't that good - 19mbps when I tested it yesterday.
The only thing I've missed is now tv doesnt have Nat Geo which sky did, so I cant watch car sos when it first comes out. However theres an app on the fire stick for £7 a month called tv player which has nat geo on so I just subscribe to that for the 2 months a year that car sos is on and cancel when the series ends.
JD66 said:
The only thing I've missed is now tv doesnt have Nat Geo which sky did, so I cant watch car sos when it first comes out. However theres an app on the fire stick for £7 a month called tv player which has nat geo on so I just subscribe to that for the 2 months a year that car sos is on and cancel when the series ends.
Yes National Geo is one I'm struggling with.I think it's on Disney + but I'm trying to work out how much of Disney + is going to be available in the UK.
Still not sure.
Anyone have a view (pardon the pun) on Freeview Play v Freesat?
I guess for any of these options it needs a Roku box or is there a better all-in-one for the app based stuff?
I always get annoyed that they seem to advertise and show lots of crap from random apps that nobody watches but that might just be the rubbish built-in apps on my TV.
I guess for any of these options it needs a Roku box or is there a better all-in-one for the app based stuff?
I always get annoyed that they seem to advertise and show lots of crap from random apps that nobody watches but that might just be the rubbish built-in apps on my TV.
We've gone with Prime, Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube.
Prime pays for itself in delivery anyway, Netflix is looking a bit overpriced now but will stick with it as the kid likes quite a few shows, and Disney was a no brainer at £4.17 a month.
YouTube is a bit leftfield at £11.99 but I couldn't go back to ads now and as I'm often working whilst listening to music I find YouTube Music to be excellent.
Prime pays for itself in delivery anyway, Netflix is looking a bit overpriced now but will stick with it as the kid likes quite a few shows, and Disney was a no brainer at £4.17 a month.
YouTube is a bit leftfield at £11.99 but I couldn't go back to ads now and as I'm often working whilst listening to music I find YouTube Music to be excellent.
Edited by ukaskew on Tuesday 3rd March 22:33
Nat Geo is on Disney+ in the states. Is it not in the UK?
We recently scaled back from a super deal $180/month with Verizon to $30/month for internet and Disney+. We get HBO through your phone plans and may have left my mother in law logged in to Netflix. Oh, and we have Amazon Prime because my wife seems to stream packages into our house.
I rarely use Disney+ now I’m caught up on all things Starwars. I rarely use Netflix as well. My usual order is to check HBO them jump on to YouTube. My wife wanted to get YouTube TV which would have all the channels back for $50/month but it just isn’t worth it.
In the US there is an odd situation where the free channels you used to use an aerial to watch can only be watched for free with an aerial. All apps require a valid cable tv subscription to view them. Can’t say I’ve missed them though.
We recently scaled back from a super deal $180/month with Verizon to $30/month for internet and Disney+. We get HBO through your phone plans and may have left my mother in law logged in to Netflix. Oh, and we have Amazon Prime because my wife seems to stream packages into our house.
I rarely use Disney+ now I’m caught up on all things Starwars. I rarely use Netflix as well. My usual order is to check HBO them jump on to YouTube. My wife wanted to get YouTube TV which would have all the channels back for $50/month but it just isn’t worth it.
In the US there is an odd situation where the free channels you used to use an aerial to watch can only be watched for free with an aerial. All apps require a valid cable tv subscription to view them. Can’t say I’ve missed them though.
ukaskew said:
We've gone with Prime, Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube.
Prime pays for itself in delivery anyway, Netflix is looking a bit overpriced now but will stick with it as the kid likes quite a few shows, and Disney was a no brainer at £4.17 a month.
YouTube is a bit leftfield at £11.99 but I couldn't go back to ads now and as I'm often working whilst listening to music I find YouTube Music to be excellent.
Do you know what's included with Disney+ please?Prime pays for itself in delivery anyway, Netflix is looking a bit overpriced now but will stick with it as the kid likes quite a few shows, and Disney was a no brainer at £4.17 a month.
YouTube is a bit leftfield at £11.99 but I couldn't go back to ads now and as I'm often working whilst listening to music I find YouTube Music to be excellent.
Edited by ukaskew on Tuesday 3rd March 22:33
Lots of pictures of Darth Vader and Iron Man and mention of National Geographic but I can't find a program guide anywhere.
davek_964 said:
I haven't seen any guides - but all the adverts for Disney+ I've seen / heard include National Geographic, so I'm pretty sure we're getting it in the UK.
Yeah it's to what degree.For example is it all on demand or is there a "channel" that mirrors the National Geo channel on Sky?
To be fair the one year package looks a no brainer just for the Marvel and Star Wars content but I'm a bit of a National Geographic fan and if I did drop Sky that's probably the one non-movie channel I'd miss the most.
crofty1984 said:
I'm thinking of getting rid of prime. It's on my smart TV but half of the things on there you still have to pay extra for! They really pissed me off with Fleabag, season 1 free, season 2, open your wallet. No, I've already paid you a
hole.
That's a strange way to think about it, basically need to think of it as a Netflix service integrated with a Google Play/Sky Store or something along those lines. You haven't paid for the content that is behind a paywall in exactly the same way in that you can't watch something on Netflix that Netflix don't have streaming rights to.hole.The UI has made it frustrating (although the little Prime banner makes it pretty clear what is what), but at least on my Roku now there is an option to hide paid content.
Anyhow, the first company to come up with an integrated system where you can log in to all of your services and search/view everything seamlessly will be on to an absolute winner (particularly in the US where there are significantly more streaming services).
"I want to watch Dazed and Confused" is a far more difficult request than it should be at the moment as I have to individually go into 3 different services to see if they have it.
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