I subscribed to a pack for “most streaming services in my country” because I earn enough money now and wanted to try being honest. But I will very probably not renew it, I pay 50€/month, but still use Plex almost as often :
- The web apps suck, the mobile ones are often worse (laggy, contrast changes while watching, lack of features …)
- Some shows are not available in a decent quality : in France we have Kaamelott, owned by Canal+, they probably made an intern upload the episodes so it’s only available at 360p
- They try to control what you watch : the “continue watching” section of Netflix has been randomly moving from line 1 to 4 for a while now, seemingly just to push their bulshit recommendation algorithms that will me watch yet another cheap copycat
- Some “premium” movies are not part of any subscription (eg. Puss In Boots 2)
- Some show may not be available anywhere when shady exclusivity contracts expire (eg. “Au service de la France” was only available through piracy last time a friend tried to watch it) …
Sooooo … I was ok with the services sucking but I can’t be okay with them so obviously not trying to improve.
It’s also incredible how I was pirating everything else when I was a teenager (video games, books, audio, …) and managed to stop almost immediately when I received my first salary.
LazaroFilm@lemmy.world 5 months ago
I really don’t want to. I work in the film industry. I feel like 🏴☠️is like cutting the branch you’re on for me but I can’t afford to keep all those subscriptions, especially when the studios are fuxking us with sand on salaries and making the trikes last all year long. So far, I started soft with movie-web.app for some shows. If they keep on pushing us I will break. It’s not stealing if the other solution is racket.
BertramDitore@lemmy.world 5 months ago
I don’t like doing it, and I would be thrilled to throw my money at a single service that allows me to stream anything I want at high bitrate 4K. I’d actually be willing to pay a pretty high premium for that. Money is not the issue, it’s the quality of service. I genuinely wish there was a way to pay for a service that benefitted the film industry while providing a quality service to me. Until that’s the case, I’ll continue sailing on a ship that gives me the highest-possible quality content.
linearchaos@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Hell yeah. I’d pay $300 a month if they provide everything over 6 months old and never take shit out of the catalog.
I’d be super happy not to have to maintain my own catalogs.
sploosh@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Yo man let’s not go crazy, $300 a year would be on the high end of acceptable for that. The costs to keep more data available when you own the licenses are quite low as a percentage of total operations, so keeping old content up should be the norm instead of something to be lauded. You don’t get a cookie for base competency.
TexMexBazooka@lemm.ee 5 months ago
Piracy is and always has been a service issue. When a high quality, convenient, affordable service is provided on a consistent basis without endless bullshit, I have no problem paying.
When it constantly feels like I’m being bled dry for every single cent I have just to watch some TV…. Well, arrrrgh
I buy the blu ray versions of stuff I want to support
LazaroFilm@lemmy.world 5 months ago
If pirating is easier than paying for it then why am I paying for it? Note I have been paying for Netflix, HBO, Amazon and one/off Hulu and Apple but they’re all pushing the limits and password sharing is the only way to make it worth it. If I can’t share the price (like sharing phone plans) then I won’t pay. I don’t want to pirate, I’m happy to pay them but there are limits.