Getting rid of Netflix...any ideas for substitute?

[Frugal]

Hi everyone --

After some thought, we have decided to finally (!) whoohoo! get rid of Netflix tomorrow, before our next billing period begins. We are doing this mainly to protest Netflix raising rates effective 9/1/11, and also because of the waning quality of their instant movies available (plus viewing problems they say are our fault, but are actually Netflix problems).

Other than getting videos out of the library, does anyone have any frugal ideas for saving money on renting videos? Or viewing TV shows online on sites like Hulu, etc.?

[Radiance]

The other day I went to a Borders that was closing and got a couple of DVD for $2 each. (sorry to see them go though, I like Borders

I watch a maximum of 2-3 hours a week of TV so I dont need much:

1. Ebay you can get some dirty cheap DVDs there
2. Ask friends to switch DVDs around. I just gave some DVD's my son outgrew to a friend who has a baby
3. I love Hulu (free) have a lot of funny programs I like
4. The other one is Youtube, there is good entertainment too, plus, you can use it to learn anything from playing piano to Yoga.
5. I watched the Copa America last night from Univision, free.
6. I bet there are many more sites with programs to watch for free.

[cypher1]

Redbox for renting DVDs. $1 a night is nothing IMO. Torrent sites for downloading TV shows. Anything I watch, I download and watch later on the weekends. I'm probably going to keep Netflix for 2 dvd rents, but drop streaming since I maybe watch 1 a month.

[dawnwes]

Well, we are keeping Netflix because I still think it is a good deal.

We did just drop Directv though, so for us, Netflix is a huge savings.

Our library has very few DVDs at all, so that option isn't even viable.

If you are watching on your computer, you can go to almost any of the channels and watch whatever they have available through streaming. Hulu is also an option.

We like to watch ON our TVs through a streaming device, like Roku. We subscribe to HuluPlus, Netflix and Playon. I pay around $20/month currently and may drop down our Netflix DVD rental from 2 to 1 in September to keep it around the same price.

Redbox is ok if you just want movies, but I watch a lot of TV series and am enjoying ones I have never watched before (currently The Good Wife, before that Mad Men) and watching several at a time. I love that! Redbox doesn't have TV series.

Dawn

[feh]

We don't have cable/satellite. We watch content over-the-air, online and borrow from our local library.

[Frugal]

Yes, I can't believe that Borders is closing. We don't have a lot of Redboxes by us either, and no Blockbuster Express kiosks. Wish we did. Our library also has hardly any selection.

[Radiance]

If you are watching on your computer, you can go to almost any of the channels and watch whatever they have available through streaming.

But no discovery channel right? I miss discovery channel sometimes

[Hector]

Well, we are keeping Netflix because I still think it is a good deal.

We did just drop Directv though, so for us, Netflix is a huge savings.

Our library has very few DVDs at all, so that option isn't even viable.

If you are watching on your computer, you can go to almost any of the channels and watch whatever they have available through streaming. Hulu is also an option.

We like to watch ON our TVs through a streaming device, like Roku. We subscribe to HuluPlus, Netflix and Playon. I pay around $20/month currently and may drop down our Netflix DVD rental from 2 to 1 in September to keep it around the same price.

Redbox is ok if you just want movies, but I watch a lot of TV series and am enjoying ones I have never watched before (currently The Good Wife, before that Mad Men) and watching several at a time. I love that! Redbox doesn't have TV series.

Dawn

everything that you are watching on computer, you can watch it on tv by VGA and HDMI

[dawnwes]

That may be, but we want to watch it on the big screen and don't have extra computers lying around to hook up to TVs.

Our main computer is in an office other than my laptop. We have 3 TVs, one on each floor, and I like to have my laptop on and surf while I have the TV on.

If you know a way to have our desktop in the office work on the TVs on other floors and on the other side of the house, with the ability to watch all 3 TVs, I would be interested.

And I cannot get Netflix for free anyway.

Dawn

everything that you are watching on computer, you can watch it on tv by VGA and HDMI

[jack Davies]

Cant post links because I haven't made enough posts to do that but there is a great article on this, but to be honest I would just keep netflix instant streaming, because I believe everything will eventually go to instant streaming for netflix to cut costs its probably costing them way too much to keep shipping DVDS with no late fees plus they are not charging for broken DVDS which I'm pretty sure is costing them a fortune. I personally ran a DVD Vending Business and to purchase wholesale DVDs is not really whole sale its literally just a few cents off the retail price.

If you're thinking HULU that would be wrong because they make you pay $7.99 plus commercials yeah you're paying the same price for netflix but with ads. and less content. hope that helped some.

[disneysteve]

I like hulu for some stuff. For other things, I just go straight to the network websites. Most shows are available the day after they originally air. So when I miss NCIS on Tuesday, I just go to CBS.com on Wednesday and watch it online. I've got a nice 21" iMac so I actually enjoy watching on the computer or you can run it through your TV using S video cable or get Apple TV and be able to stream straight to the TV wirelessly.

Our library charges for DVDs so we never do that. We've never tried Redbox. The whole reason we got Netflix is so we didn't have to drive to the video store to pick up and drive again to drop off and have a deadline. We're keeping Netflix though I haven't decided if I will change plans.

[dawnwes]

Ok, wait. So, I can go to CBS.com on my computer (Apple MacBook Pro) and then wirelessly get that CBS show from the website on my AppleTV?

I don't think that is possible. Is it?

Dawn

I like hulu for some stuff. For other things, I just go straight to the network websites. Most shows are available the day after they originally air. So when I miss NCIS on Tuesday, I just go to CBS.com on Wednesday and watch it online. I've got a nice 21" iMac so I actually enjoy watching on the computer or you can run it through your TV using S video cable or get Apple TV and be able to stream straight to the TV wirelessly.

Our library charges for DVDs so we never do that. We've never tried Redbox. The whole reason we got Netflix is so we didn't have to drive to the video store to pick up and drive again to drop off and have a deadline. We're keeping Netflix though I haven't decided if I will change plans.

[disneysteve]

Ok, wait. So, I can go to CBS.com on my computer (Apple MacBook Pro) and then wirelessly get that CBS show from the website on my AppleTV?

I don't think that is possible. Is it?

Dawn

Actually, I believe it is not possible. I think Apple TV only lets you stream stuff you get through them. I don't think you can just go to any website and stream that.

Although I haven't done it, because we have an ancient TV, I've been told by various people that hooking your computer to your TV is very simple - one cable. You just need to have the computer close enough to the TV to do so.

[dawnwes]

Right, which is something I am not willing to do. We have one desktop (PC) and one laptop (my Apple) and 3 TVs on 3 different floors of the house.

I think our best option is still Roku boxes and Netflix and possibly HuluPlus if we are so inclined....we may not keep Hulu+ but we haven't decided yet.

Dawn

Actually, I believe it is not possible. I think Apple TV only lets you stream stuff you get through them. I don't think you can just go to any website and stream that.

Although I haven't done it, because we have an ancient TV, I've been told by various people that hooking your computer to your TV is very simple - one cable. You just need to have the computer close enough to the TV to do so.

[dawnwes]

We actually get Discovery channel live through our cable company through a splitter.

Dawn

But no discovery channel right? I miss discovery channel sometimes