Update on Cord Cutting (Cable TV) - 2021 version

[steelyman]

My guess is very few. The driver of Prime is speedy delivery and now has many add-ons, such as music and reading. None are good enough to compete on a stand-alone basis, but together they have a little something for everyone.

It like the old cable bundle.

For sure Amazon will be showing personalized ads built from people’s search histories and purchase profiles.

I completely agree. Especially the comparison to the cable bundle. Which spurred the whole cord cutting trend.

 

[ExPatKiwi]

So my Prime membership just renewed and now they bring this in on 1/1/24? I feel short changed.

 

[pb4uski]

It’ll be interesting to see if/how many people drop Prime as a result of this.

I might be one. Hate ads.

 

[W2R]

I love my Amazon Prime, mainly for the delivery; also I like my Prime Visa card.

I never watch Prime videos so I won't even see the commercials. On free Youtube I mute the commercials, and find that when muted, commercials are not a Big Deal to me.

 

[GenXguy]

I did that for years, not hard to hit the minimum, and if I paid for fast shipping a couple times a year, probably cheaper than the subscription. We are near distribution centers, so shipping seemed fast either way.

I would take one of their free offers a few times, and cancelled at the end of the free period. Came in handy during the holidays. But then DW got hooked on some old series, OK, not going to deny her that for a few bucks.

But it bugs me that we pay for the service, then have to pay to watch most movies. And now ads on top of that (or pay even more for the 'privilege' of paying for a movie?)?

QUESTION: It's not clear to me - if I drop Prime, can I still pay to watch an Amazon Prime movie by paying the rental fee? And is that fee different for non-prime accounts?

-ERD50

I don't have Prime and I can see that I can rent movies for like $4. Probably the same as the Prime cost for movies that aren't included for free.

 

[Northforker]

One simple way Florida recognizes residency is how they collect their tourist or "transient" tax. If you have a property rented for more than 183 days, they do not collect the tourist tax.

What is the tourist tax on short term rentals in Florida?
Florida's 6% state sales tax, plus any applicable discretionary sales surtax, applies to rental charges or room rates paid for the right to use or occupy living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations for rental periods six months or less, often called “transient rental accommodations” or “transient rentals ...

 

[audreyh1]

I really don’t watch much Amazon Prime Video, but this sounds awful.

 

[JoeWras]

One simple way Florida recognizes residency is how they collect their tourist or "transient" tax. If you have a property rented for more than 183 days, they do not collect the tourist tax.

Talk about thread drift!

Northforker, I think you may have dropped a reply in the wrong thread. Don't worry, we've all done it.

 

[Midpack]

I pretty much always qualify for the non-Prime free shipping.

+1. We’ve never subscribed to Prime, and ads make that even less likely. We order quite a bit from Amazon, but it’s very rare we don’t qualify for free shipping. Sometimes if we need something small, we’ll wait until we actually need something else to qualify for free shipping. I just ordered three small items yesterday and got free shipping.

 

[pb4uski]

Talk about thread drift!

Northforker, I think you may have dropped a reply in the wrong thread. Don't worry, we've all done it.

I think he just posted to the wrong thread, but I agree!

 

[explanade]

Today Amazon announces that beginning in 2024 it will include ads iitd Prime Video programming and offer Prime subscribers a new $2.99 pr month option for ad-free programming. https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-update-announces-limited-ads

Because they screwed up and blew half a billion on Rings of Power and hundreds of millions more on Citadel.

I can understand having to pay a lot for rights to some LOTR derivative but hundreds of millions for Citadel, a new IP which supposedly wasn't even done well for all that money?

 

[MichaelB]

Because they screwed up and blew half a billion on Rings of Power and hundreds of millions more on Citadel.

I can understand having to pay a lot for rights to some LOTR derivative but hundreds of millions for Citadel, a new IP which supposedly wasn't even done well for all that money?

I think Amazon is doing this because they can, and Netflix is showing that an ad viewing tier can be very profitable. Prime Video is a small part of the Prime bundle, so they are likely to see few cancellations. Their ads will be personalized, which makes them more valuable, so they can show only a few and still make lots of money, minimal cost so straight through to the bottom line.

We don’t watch a lot of Prime Video, there’s just not a lot of content. With this new announcement, we would probably hold back and wait until there was enough new content to justify one or two entire months, then take the $2.99 ad-free option for that programming, then cancel.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I'm grandfathered into the Prime Free shipping benefit from 2007 through my son when up to 4 family members got that benefit without having to buy a membership and it's all I need. I think there may be one other service I also get for free, I can't remember what it is and obviously don't use it. I don't get or use Prime Video but I hear it's gone way downhill. Shipping used to be free 2 day but now I usually get my orders the next day with no minimum needed so it's a nice benefit to have and definitely encourages me to buy more from Amazon than other online vendors.
They also invited me into the Vine review program last year so I get free stuff as well. I don't think I'm one of their more profitable members.

 

[badatmath]

I did that for years, not hard to hit the minimum, and if I paid for fast shipping a couple times a year, probably cheaper than the subscription. We are near distribution centers, so shipping seemed fast either way.

I would take one of their free offers a few times, and cancelled at the end of the free period. Came in handy during the holidays. But then DW got hooked on some old series, OK, not going to deny her that for a few bucks.

But it bugs me that we pay for the service, then have to pay to watch most movies. And now ads on top of that (or pay even more for the 'privilege' of paying for a movie?)?

QUESTION: It's not clear to me - if I drop Prime, can I still pay to watch an Amazon Prime movie by paying the rental fee? And is that fee different for non-prime accounts?

-ERD50

I don't have prime and I rent movies now and then. Most are 3.99 + tax though I can't say if others cost more. I am usually not watching a new release. If I look hard enough I can usually find what I want free online anyway.

 

[JoeWras]

I think this WSJ is worth a read. (Unlocked link: https://www.wsj.com/business/media/...hi7q8vnqoat&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink)

Peak TV Is Over. A Different Hollywood Is Coming.
The end of the writers’ strike marks a new era. Studios and streamers are likely to order fewer TV shows. Consolidation could follow.

Fewer new shows in production. A higher bar to get shows renewed. Rich paydays going only to an elite few.

The labor pact writers struck with studios and streamers this week, ending a five-month strike, will likely accelerate the retrenchment that was already under way in Hollywood for more than a year. It represented a formal end to “peak TV,” a decade that included an explosion of programming for viewers—and job opportunities for talent in Tinseltown

 

[Kroeran]

One simple way Florida recognizes residency is how they collect their tourist or "transient" tax. If you have a property rented for more than 183 days, they do not collect the tourist tax.

What is the tourist tax on short term rentals in Florida?
Florida's 6% state sales tax, plus any applicable discretionary sales surtax, applies to rental charges or room rates paid for the right to use or occupy living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations for rental periods six months or less, often called “transient rental accommodations” or “transient rentals ...

Plus county transient tax

 

[pb4uski]

If you want to rent for just the busy season, say January through March, the landlord can write a lease greater than 183 days but that allows the tenant to cancel with x days notice after 3 months and sidestep the tourst tax. That is what the landlord for a friend who rents seasonally does.

 

[JoeWras]

Sounds like tax evasion to me.

 

[Cayman]

Ugh... the slow, steady march of insidious ad-creep. Seems like more and streaming services are going in this direction.

I already watch Prime less often than I do my other paid services, and this will only exacerbate that trend. Might even cancel Prime altogether one of these days, although I know DW would resist that (she loves the "free" shipping).

Dropped our Prime and still get free shipping when we spend $25... pretty easy to do.

 

[Cayman]

Sounds like tax evasion to me.

Right. Good call out.

 

[rk911]

Dropped our Prime and still get free shipping when we spend $25... pretty easy to do.

yup. we do the same. and if we NEED something NOW and can't get it in stores we'll order it and pay shipping...a small drop in a big bucket.

 

[MichaelB]

Discovery+ just announced a price increase. From my email.

Hey there,

Thank you for being a discovery+ subscriber. We want to let you know about an upcoming change to your subscription.

Your discovery+ (Ad-Free) monthly plan will increase to $8.99/month (plus applicable taxes) starting on your next billing date on or after November 2. If you are currently on a promotional offer, your price will increase at the end of the promotional period.

 

[explanade]

I think the strategy of the streamers is to raise the ad-free price and try to get you to switch to the ad-supported tier.

They make more money from the ad-supported tiers, even with a much lower subscription price.

 

[JoeWras]

I think the strategy of the streamers is to raise the ad-free price and try to get you to switch to the ad-supported tier.

They make more money from the ad-supported tiers, even with a much lower subscription price.

So streamers are discovering what radio discovered one century ago.

 

[wyecrabber1]

Eye Stream TV

I had a friend who lives in New England call me this weekend asking for help with a problem with her internet and program provider. Seem she was unable to stream any content. The best I could tell her internet connection was fine. She gets most of her programing from a company called Eye Stream TV.

Went to the website this morning.https://eyestreambeej.now.site/home According to my friend she get local and premium channels, PPV, ESPN even NFL Game Pass for $40.00 per month. Roku, Firestick and other android devices are supported.

Does anyone have experience with this company? Seems like the bit torrent sites for downloading pirated software in the past.

Thanks!!!