Are Netflix, Hulu the New Cable?
In the absence of true cable competition, and with little regulation to prevent cable companies from ridiculously overpricing customers, people are starting to get fed up with how much they have to dish out for television. While some staunch free-market believers might still be waiting for a little laissez-faire to kick in, others are ready to stop supporting giant cable greed and are looking for other ways to get their weekly dosage of “Glee,” “Law and Order,” or “Frasier.”
Though many cable companies offer a cheap introductory rate, users quickly start seeing price hikes, which is why many people are looking into online streaming options like Netflix and Hulu in order phase out cable completely. In fact, switching to alternative services isn’t a bad idea given the right settings.
For starters, the bill for a monthly subscription with either Netflix or Hulu remains, thankfully so, in the single digits, with both plans starting at 7.99. Better yet, Hulu offers a limited free service! For an added cost, Netflix subscribers can get DVDs by mail. Netflix’s long-term plan, though, is to phase out the mail service completely, but that’s not necessarily bad, since it will create more streaming options.
In terms of offerings, Netflix has thousands of documentaries, dramas, critically acclaimed works, foreign films, and popular movies as part of its offerings, with hundreds added daily. So if you’re a film buff, you’re definitely going to get more out of Netflix than you ever would with a regular cable connection. For television fans, Hulu’s the way to go. Hulu also offers thousands of movies, but these are nothing too fancy. The real gem is the more than 16,000 episodes from more than 400 current and classic TV shows.
If you plan on watching a lot of Hulu or Netflix, make sure you understand the extent to which these services drain your network service. According to Netflix, one hour of streaming will use up close to 1 GB of bandwidth and works best on a connection speed of 500kbps (0.5MB). Both services can be used via gaming devices like the Wii, Xbox, or PS3.
Lastly, both services allow you to place your subscription on hold for a while in case you’re travelling or busy for a while.
The biggest limitation of abandoning cable is decentralization. Instead of getting most, or all, of your entertainment from one spot, you’re going to have to switch between Hulu, Netflix, and online news services to compensate. You’ll also find that Netflix has limited and problematic parental control; Hulu’s is even worse.
If you’re willing to deal with multiple entertainment outlets, then you might survive ditching cable. Unfortunately, you need both Hulu and Netflix for a more complete entertainment experience. At the end of the day, if you do watch a lot of television and like the surprise of variety that comes with it, you might have to stick with cable. You won’t be able to find a resource that brings together as many cooking shows, for example, online. As for Google TV, that’s a different story with a different blog.
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