Netflix Fare Hike Survival Tips
So, Netflix has decided to raise their prices by one or two bucks, depending on your subscription. And although it is a bit disappointing, I know how to save a few bucks whilst being subscribed to this film streaming service:
- I subscribe to the Standard Plan, not the Premium Plan, mainly because Ultra HD only offers a limited visual improvement on many films and some films are not made available in that higher resolution rate. And I rarely have multiple films streaming to several televisions or devices anyway.
- Netflix gift cards are occasionally discounted or sold with bonus loyalty points at some stores and gas stations in Canada so you can stock up for a year’s worth of subscriptions or more using these offers. I take advantage of Air Miles offers at Shell Gas Stations and Optimum Points offers at my Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix, Loblaws, Your Independent Grocer and Real Canadian Superstore stores. These are usually advertised in their flyers.
- You might also consider cancelling your subscription to the other streaming services you don’t actually need. I personally got rid of Paramount+ because they aren’t going to be streaming the new Picard series in Canada and i’ve already watched everything I wanted on Apple+ so i’ve cancelled that one as well, although you should note that offers for free subscriptions to the latter are occasionally made with purchases from Apple.
- In regards to CraveTV, you can save a few bucks by just viewing streaming content on your tablet and/or paying for your yearly membership in advance, preferably with a discounted gift card. And yearly membership is also available on Disney+, who offer a limited amount of Ultra HD films to their subscribers at no extra cost.
- I also personally never subscribed to Spotify because Amazon Music is offered to me free via my Prime Membership at Amazon.ca, along with Prime Video, which has a decent selection of films and concerts.
- I’ve also saved on extra cable outlets by installing an omnidirectional outdoor antenna, connecting my bedroom televisions to that antenna. I was mainly watching my local television stations on those televisions anyway. And some cable companies allow streaming on tablets and/or Roku, which eliminates the need for extra cable outlets.
I hope these tips are useful to some of you.
Bye Bye Shomi
Rogers Communications has announced that they will be closing Shomi, their film streaming service, on November 30th, 2016.
Frankly, i’m not that surprised. It had initially been a good service but the rotation of films slowed down and I rarely watched more than three films per month on the service over the spring and summer.
The remaining services, Netflix and CraveTV are a little less pitiful when it comes to content but i’m refusing to subscribe to anything less than a service like Netflix in the states. And the disproportionate monthly usage fees most of us Canadians are subjected too are a major turnoff as well so Shomi may not be the first to go.
CraveTV – First Thoughts
So I had finally decided to take a look at CraveTV, the streaming service that offers television programs and documentaries online and thought i’d give you my first thoughts on it.
Although I like having access to some concerts, music documentaries and the “Classic Albums” and “Behind The Music” television programs, it still feels like more can be done with the service.
At $7.99 it is quite affordable but unlike Shomi and Netflix, it only has a few feature films. And although I am tempted to remain subscribed for the extensive Monty Python, Absolutely Fabulous and Star Trek television program libraries, I don’t think I will remain on this service for long.
Like Netflix, there is just too little to watch on the service and i’ve already watched what I really wanted to within a month. The rest I already have on DVD or blu-ray.
CraveTV also would have held my attention longer if it wasn’t missing the Mythbusters episodes from 2011 and on. I’ve already watched the Seasons 5,6 and 7 episodes they have on Discovery Science and I get that channel for three bucks a month.
Perhaps I will rejoin in November and December to avoid the Christmas programming but I think all of the streaming services will need to add more television episodes, feature films and European releases to keep me subscribed for a longer period than three months.
Shomi – First Impressions
Now that Shomi has been made available to all Canadians I thought perhaps i’d give you my first impressions on this service.
I started using Shomi a few months back when I switched from Bell to Rogers and I currently get it for free with my cable package. But I don’t think if i’d pay $8.99 per month for the service.
Although I can access the service conveniently via by set top box and view content without it counting towards my download/upload limit, I still have issues with the service in regards to content.
Like the Canadian version of Netflix, Shomi has a limited catalogue of television series and film. And I happen to already own the vast majority of my favourite films on the service.
On the other hand Hollywood Suite is being offered to me at $5.95 per month and features quite a lot of films, including some on demand. And Crave TV has a significant amount of television series i’d be interested in at $4 per month, but the later would count towards my download/upload limit.
If Crave TV was offered via Roger’s set top box i’d go for it, in a heartbeat. But Crave TV is operated by Bell Media, Roger’s competition. And they’re only going to start offering the service to the rest of Canada on January 1st, 2016.
I’m hoping Shomi will expand their selection considerably to compete but I seriously doubt it will happen for some time because of licensing.
Netflix Canada have been plagued by licensing issues that have kept them from offering as many titles as their American counterparts and i’m guessing that both Shomi and Crave TV will be subjected to the same limitations.
I’m definitely going to keep checking Shomi for new content. But I suspect Crave TV will win me over by February because it has South Park, Little Britain, Monty Python and several music documentary series like Classic Albums and the INXS television mini-series.