Amazon charging an extra $2.99/month for top streaming service

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Thanks for the update on that.
 
I Don't care about Dolby Atmos or Dolby Vision (I have a 20 year old Sanyo projector and 5.1 speakers--the CLS II's, Descent i sub and 3 cheapo ML bookshelf speakers. I am mainly a music guy). They snookered me into re-subscribing to Prime, then right after announced there would be ads without paying an additional ransom. I have it marked on my calendar. After this subscription ends I am done with Prime.

Also, Amazon has become an evil monopolist. Even though it has become harder to do so, I avoid them for online purchases as much as possible.
 
I'm strongly considering getting rid of Prime, I hardly watch anything on Prime video since their hasn't been anything worth watching in ages and that goes for all the streaming services. Watching ads is just as bad as sitting in traffic.
 
Personally, I don't care. I do watch Prime content enough and I pay extra not to see commercials on Hulu etc, so Oh well.

Netflix is still probably my favorite.
Really enjoyed Foundation, Ted Lasso, For all Mankind on Apple TV Plan to watch Silo and plan to watch a few others.
Disney is the one that might fall off my list, followed by Hulu. Their latest content doesn't feel like more than filler.
I watched the Manalorian, Bobba Fet, Obewan, Ashoka and they are all light mush. Andor was good. I liked Loki. Most of the rest just isn't memorable.
Paramount I only have for Star Trek series. Waiting for the next season of Strange new worlds and the last season of Discovery to drop.
PBS for All creatures great and small, and a few others.
Surprisingly I'm not watching MAX much these days, but they have some really good content.

It seems like they have all pulled back a bit and too many series I liked were cancelled.

I'm debating starting to rotate which channels I have since I seem to clean a channel out after a while and then end up waiting months to half a year for something I like to come back.
 
Watching ads is just as bad as sitting in traffic.
An excellent analogy. When something on commercial OTA TV interests me I usually DVR it and skip the commercials. I'm sure that is possible on streaming services too but it requires hacking skills I have not yet mastered.

I won't suffer commercials on something I have already paid for, nor will I "buy" or "rent" something I've already paid for. Prime was getting so that fewer and fewer things I bought qualified for free shipping, and fewer and fewer media items were "included with Prime" (i.e. you have to pay extra). I canceled. Then once they baited me to renew Prime to get free shipping on something. I did it, and canceled immediately after I received the item. I subsequently did that again, but didn't cancel in time.

Of course Amazon is starting to rape you for shipping, probably to subsidize the Prime users. I don't care, I'm getting out for good next time. I suggest you do too.
 
I'm debating starting to rotate which channels I have since I seem to clean a channel out after a while and then end up waiting months to half a year for something I like to come back.
Sounds like a good plan. This is often recommended by tech "gurus" like CNET and NY Times Cable Cutter.
 
PBS for All creatures great and small,
I was a fan of the original "All Critters", with Robert Hardy and Peter Davidson (can't remember who played James). Another PBS/BBC reboot not as good as the original was "Malice Aforethought" on "Mystery". Of course you'd have to put up with NTSC 4X3 but I don't care with good content. There may be higher resolution dubs from the film originals but I doubt it.

Speaking of which, I did buy the Blu Rays of "The Prisoner", having previously owned VHS and DVD versions. There is surround content. Synthesized I assume. Not that impressive sound, but they look excellent.
 
I buy a lot from Amazon, so going Prime makes sense for me because of the free shipping. The tv shows are just an added plus. I went ahead and paid the extra $3 a month. Netflix is the one that rapes you on the price. Their top service is expensive, as is HBO Max now. Luckily I get HBO through my cable and I only pay $5 a month for it. Paramount plus is another I use, and its a good value now especially since it has Showtime on there too.
 
Just looked, im paying $23/month now for Netflix. I think if I drop any, it might be them. Max is $20/month.
 
Sounds like a good plan. This is often recommended by tech "gurus" like CNET and NY Times Cable Cutter.
Yeah, it certainly makes the most sense to do that. I just dont want the hassle of dropping service and then having to add it back again. It would save money though.
 
This is all just a personal preference. For PBS, I actually like to support them even if I don't watch much there.
Otherwise, whatever.

At one point I purchased the BD series for Orphan Black, because I didn't want to pick up yet another streaming service just to watch that again. It's a fantastic series if you haven't watched it before.

I also have the BD series for BSG 2004-2009 which is extremely well done in every way, cinematography, audio, acting, writing. Just a great sci-fi series about the human condition good and bad.
 
Does anyone use Youtube tv or another streaming service for their "cable" channels? Im still using cable and they have us using Tivo boxes. Its not bad.

Ive tried comparing prices with cable and then using something like Youtube tv and the price seems to come out about the same, no matter which way you go. Have any of you saved money dropping cable? I use our cable company for internet and still use phone with them too. I like having a separate phone number for home .
 
I transfered our home number to Google Voice, one time $20 charge. It's controlled by an app on my mobile, use that number to give out when I don't want to give out my mobile number.
 
I transfered our home number to Google Voice, one time $20 charge. It's controlled by an app on my mobile, use that number to give out when I don't want to give out my mobile number.
Wow, never heard of that. So you pay them $20 once and you can get a 2nd phone number on your cell phone?
I guess in order to have it ring to an old fashioned phone in my home I'd just need to get one of the newer blue tooth capable phone systems.
 
I personally hate talking of my cell phone because its not as comfortable to me, and I prefer the speaker and mic in the bigger phone.
 
I am assuming it is still the one time charge. I did this years ago but once you do the transfer you just download the Google Voice app for your phone.
Yea, slab style phones are not conducive to comfort. If it is going to be a long call I pull out the headset.
 
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