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Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

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Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#111

Post by lunchables »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #60

Ugh, I am so sick of the "if all of the content I ever want isn't available for less than a single $10 a month sub, I'll pirate it" nonsense. Netflix was never going to be the be-all, end-all of content and its time our generation grew up a little bit. For the amount of content you could get in a traditional cable package, you should expect to pay about as much as a traditional cable package.

But we removed the entire cost of the physical cable network from the equation. Unless you mean the cost of your internet service PLUS the cost of the streaming services should be about equal to your "traditional cable package" ? If so, then you're probably not far off. Except that the cable providers don't also get some margin off delivering the programming anymore.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#112

Post by TeMPOraL »

fron wrote: post #23
scarface74 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone wanted to get rid of the cable bundle and have channels a la carte. Be careful what you ask for.

No. Everyone wanted to get rid of both the cable bundle and channels. People just want on-demand access to whatever shows.

And ads. Don't forget the ads.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#113

Post by esond »

There's something to be said for the cord-cutting software ecosystem supporting more-than-casual piracy experiencing huge improvements. If you have the hardware, you can host your own media using Plex as a server, and Sonarr to manage your library and automate acquisition of new TV episodes.

Plex is one of the best pieces of software I've ever used. It Just Works™. You need a decent internet pipeline to support remote streaming, but LAN is a breeze to setup. It's so feature-rich I don't know where to begin. I honestly prefer it to any other streaming service. Apps on just about every platform you can think of (they had yet to release apps for Nintendo consoles last I checked).

I have my whole family set up on my server, and it doesn't cost them a dime. The primary drawbacks from their perspective are that they need to request shows and movies to be added, and I naturally don't have Netflix-level availability, but hey. Shit's free.

So when a cord-cutter with enough savvy to pirate video can actually replicate the services rendered by Netflix et al. on their own, why would they pay five times for something centralized that they can get for free[1]?

[1] Plex has $7 month premium features, with the option for a lifetime pass equal to about 2.5 years of subscription.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#114

Post by itscrapthatswhy »

It's not just that there is too many. They also all try to shove stuff down your throat in an Amazon like manner while providing a rather crappy service. They've been accumulating bad PR for a couple of years now.

I mean - Netflix knows that they have a lot of shit content that no one in their right mind wants to watch. They also won't allow you to hide that stuff in any real way. Their search is also rather hostile and definitely not aimed at helping you find what you want.

And HBO - I literally subscribed just for John Oliver. And now I can watch it within minutes of it airing on YT, but have to wait days for it to show up in their service. Used to be the same with GoT. Thanks, but no thanks.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#115

Post by ocdtrekkie »

lunchables wrote: post #111
ocdtrekkie wrote: post #60

Ugh, I am so sick of the "if all of the content I ever want isn't available for less than a single $10 a month sub, I'll pirate it" nonsense. Netflix was never going to be the be-all, end-all of content and its time our generation grew up a little bit. For the amount of content you could get in a traditional cable package, you should expect to pay about as much as a traditional cable package.

But we removed the entire cost of the physical cable network from the equation. Unless you mean the cost of your internet service PLUS the cost of the streaming services should be about equal to your "traditional cable package" ? If so, then you're probably not far off. Except that the cable providers don't also get some margin off delivering the programming anymore.

How did we remove the cost of the physical cable network? They still have to support all of that bandwidth, just over a different format. Plus, most people today also demand these services are without ads, so what traditionally paid for more of the content side has to be made up on the subscription side.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#116

Post by jadams5 »

10'ish years ago I remember people being mad at the cable companies for bundling all the channels together into all-or-nothing options. Why did I have to pay for ESPN when I just want the SciFi channel? Here we are today with lots of options where you only pay for what you want and now people want them all bundled back together again!

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#117

Post by ocdtrekkie »

ShteiLoups wrote: post #83
ocdtrekkie wrote: post #60

Ugh, I am so sick of the "if all of the content I ever want isn't available for less than a single $10 a month sub, I'll pirate it" nonsense. Netflix was never going to be the be-all, end-all of content and its time our generation grew up a little bit. For the amount of content you could get in a traditional cable package, you should expect to pay about as much as a traditional cable package.

Woah, free markets balancing themselves... Crazy

Piracy isn't a "market", it's theft. The free market isn't "balancing itself" when everyone's using an illegal hole in that market.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#118

Post by dvfjsdhgfv »

Bombthecat wrote: post #103
hunta2097 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there is a model for rotating streaming provider. You can easily watch a year's worth of a provider's [good] content in 3 months. Just change provider every 3 months to a different one, then binge it all. Maybe a service that automatically deactivates your account at the best point in the billing-cycle? If you could do it without too much overlap you could actually do it on a monthly basis: Jan - Netflix Feb…

Until the streaming services go full circle: show is only visible money to Friday next episode next week. When all episodes are "aired" they start from episode one from Monday to Friday. So that you need to be subscribed for several months. (that's when they go back to more episodes which they just cut to 10)

Yeah, but at this point the streaming service is not better than the cable + PVR.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#119

Post by mratzloff »

toxik wrote: post #10

Streaming "choices"? It's fragmentation and rent-seeking behavior. It is simply a case of the supply not meeting the demand at a reasonable price point, when there is an alternative.

Yes, rent seeking by creating original content. A nefarious twist on the concept of rent seeking.

Re: Too Many Video Streaming Choices May Drive Users Back To Piracy

#120

Post by TeMPOraL »

cjslep wrote: post #96

This is a tragedy of the commons scenario. Instead of (all numbers illustrative): Group A: 100% group B gets jealous and does: Group A: 25%, Group B: 25%, Piracy: 50% As long as B's shareholders are happy (0->25%) then "who cares".

It's worse than that. Netflix does pay for the IP it streams, and there's more players involved. The end result is, each of them will get even less, and some pirates can even make money off this - all they need to do is to collect and curate links to pirate media sources, and charge a tiny amount for ad-free streaming. And they are already doing it.
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