Your Netflix, Lightbox habits or binge watching.

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Mspec

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Topic # 216700 9-Jul-2017 06:50

We ditched sky about 9 months ago now and never looked back and saved some $$ in the process. We have freeview terrestrial and Netflix as well as Lightbox which comes free. More than enough to cover the content we want to watch. We are on unlimited fibre so connection issues I have yet to see one.

Anyway what do you watch on these services and do you binge watch or just casually watch.

For us at the moment we are going through a show called forensic files which is really interesting they are only 20-25 a piece but we cant stop watching them.

What are you habits and what do you recommend on watching.

Best move we ever made was ditching sky

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Reply # 1816114 9-Jul-2017 08:02

We have Sky mainly for Sport, Food TV, Jones. We have Netflix and get Lightbox free. We had Amazon for a while but it's nothing compared to Netflix. The shows we have been watching on Netflix and Lightbox of late have been, Suits, Westwing, The Ranch, Brooklyn 99 and a lot of movies.

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davidcole

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Reply # 1816118 9-Jul-2017 08:33

We have Netflix, lightbox (free via spark) and hayu (reality channel - like bravo - don't judge too much.

Tend to watch broadcast till about 7:30 when the boy goes to bed. Then we'll normally watch and episode off lightbox or Netflix (OITNB, suits etc - some 1hr show or two). Then end the night on a. 30 min comedy (rewatching Seinfeld after finishing parks and recreation)

Don't tend to binge watch,I dont see the point in that, and really don't get the race to finish it first then you're stuck for a year till the bring out the next season - duh.

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pedrogarcia

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Reply # 1816124 9-Jul-2017 08:56

We subscribe to Sling TV which has a ton of live channels and a huge on demand catalogue. You can also add HBO etc pretty cheap. I think we pay 35 US a month. Totally recommend.

robjg63

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Reply # 1817193 9-Jul-2017 12:16

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Don't tend to binge watch in the now classical sense (ie watching every episode of a new series in one hit). But we do prefer to watch a series over consecutive nights rather than the episode a week method of the past. This keeps the story fresher in your mind and keeps the feel of the series going.

Also find that online content without adverts breaking it up every 7 minutes or so is hugely more enjoyable.

I have noticed while overseas, that there are a few countries that probably have the same amount of advertising per hour, but they run longer chunks of content (say 30-40 minutes) then have a longer ad break. Our free to air broadcasters here have pretty much trashed any drama or entertainment value out of anything they broadcast and unfortunately they just slavishly copy each other - even down to synchronising ad breaks.

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eracode

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Reply # 1817339 9-Jul-2017 15:41

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We currently have Netflix, Lightbox and Neon (all currently free, for various reasons).

One thing that occurs to me after consuming streaming for several years: these days there's a lot of terrific, high-quality content available - and after you've watched all the recent great stuff (eg. in our case House of Cards, Better Call Saul, Fargo 3 etc) when you go back into the catalogues, your standards of expectation have been raised and it's hard watch stuff that's even one notch below those expectations - so you get a bit bored with the catalogues. The volume of great new content doesn't seem to keep up with voracious appetites. Bit like a snake eating its own tail.

JimmyH

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Reply # 1817406 9-Jul-2017 17:29

I currently have Sky and Lightbox. Along with a few series friends pass me on USB sticks that's more than enough for the small amount of viewing I do. Usually about five TV episodes/movies a week. I casually rather than binge watch.

The only series I really care about is Game of Thrones. I will keep Sky/SoHo until the new series has broadcast, then my circa 20 year subscription to Sky will likely end. It's just getting too annoying (ads/promo interruptions, accelerated flow, marketing) to be worth what I pay, and I have already dropped the Sport, Rialto and Movie packages. Plus I now have so much recorded but unwatched Sky material (dating back to VHS days) on my server that I could go for quite a while just on unwatched back-catalog.

When Sky is gone I will probably spend some of the savings on Netflix, and a VPN for iPlayer.

I don't watch FTA pretty much ever now (except for the delayed coverage of All Blacks tests) as there is very little content, and the incessant ads ruin the entertainment value of what little there is.

lchiu7

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Reply # 1817430 9-Jul-2017 18:43

I am now using Youtube TV ( also have Netflix). Into 3rd month (1st was free and I got a free Chromecast) and I am liking it. It doesn't have a huge library of catalogue shows but pretty much allows you to watch and record all episodes of any broadcast TV shows (and no limit)

A couple of side benefits I found was 1) able to watch the America's Cup live streamed off NBC and then NBCsn and 2) the AB/Lion games streamed off ESPN2 (local Sky commentary too).

I will be dtiching Vodafone cable TV (I only had basic service and would only miss FoodTV and Disovery Turbo) so the monthly cost difference is minimal. Plus I have ditched Vodafone cable internet (100/10) and moved to Bigpipe 200/200 UFB which is cheaper.

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Jas777

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Reply # 1817691 10-Jul-2017 10:42

eracode:

We currently have Netflix, Lightbox and Neon (all currently free, for various reasons).

Based on this and the fact others here also get some of the above 3 for free in varying details how long can or will the 3 services run at losses before they deem it time to make a profit if ever?

The other thing that I wonder about and as I am not as technical as others is will there become a point when the streaming companies actively attempt to defeat VPNs if it is possible.

FineWine

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Reply # 1817693 10-Jul-2017 10:47

Unlimited fibre using ChromeCast Ultra for Netflix, Lightbox (free) & YouTube. We tend to binge on 3 to 4 episodes in one series then switch to another series the following night. (House of Cards then Peaky Blinders) (Musketeers and Better Call Soul) We also have some complete box sets which we are working through (Breaking Bad, True Blood to name two)

Had Foxtel in Aussie when it first came out in the early 90's, gave up on it after 18 mths. But at least in Aussie I could watch the cricket [20 or 50 over, IPL, 5 days tests] (delayed or otherwise) FTA. I AM NOT going to fork out for $ky just for cricket. NZ government should never have sold out entirely to Sky, at least in Aussie the Fed's ruled that all premier events had to be live FTA and our government should do the same.

Anyway my local United Video bloke says he is surviving so I can still get the latest Blueray for $8. Am waiting to see what AppleTV box comes with next as I have noticed they tend to have the latest releases - buy or rent and we are an Apple centric house.

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rb99

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Reply # 1817700 10-Jul-2017 11:00

Wife tends to binge watch, I don't (find things morph from interesting to interminable after a while, plus tend to lapse into unconsciousness on the couch). We have Netflix and Amazon Prime (and iPlayer). AMPrime seems to get ignored for no particular reason.

See NF has Lion BTW.

rb99

Jas777

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Reply # 1817706 10-Jul-2017 11:07

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FineWine:

Had Foxtel in Aussie when it first came out in the early 90's, gave up on it after 18 mths. But at least in Aussie I could watch the cricket [20 or 50 over, IPL, 5 days tests] (delayed or otherwise) FTA. I AM NOT going to fork out for $ky just for cricket. NZ government should never have sold out entirely to Sky, at least in Aussie the Fed's ruled that all premier events had to be live FTA and our government should do the same.

Why should the NZ taxpayer have to pay so people can watch sports? In Australia it is mostly private companies, here it will be mostly the government.

And if they did pay for sports then do they do the same for other types of entertainment? Do they allow you to go to see a NZ made movie for free at the theatre or go to the Symphony Orchestra for free?

dclegg

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Reply # 1817737 10-Jul-2017 11:34

We have Netflix, Lightbox, Hulu & HBO. We finally ditched Sky last year, after being subscribers ever since our return to New Zealand in 2004.

We don't really binge watch shows as such, but generally have a core set of 3-5 shows that we'll rotate through each evening. Currently this is The West Wing, House of Cards, Glow, and Orange is the New Black. I'm also watching The Leftovers, but my wife isn't so keen on that one.

As for recommendations for you, here's a few from Lightbox that we enjoyed. I have a soft spot for that service, as it was the first real attempt at a NZ SVOD service.

Better Call Saul

Happy Valley

The Bridge (original Swedish/Danish version)

Acquitted

The Handmaids Tale

Vikings

Moone Boy

Homeland

The Good Wife

MikeAqua

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Reply # 1817759 10-Jul-2017 12:04

We have Lightbox (incl with UFB) and Netflix. We tend to be home after 6pm during the week so have delayed game shows and news in the background while making dinner. Then switch to Netflix or Lightbox. Netflix is preferred because it can run directly from the MiBox, so it's less faff. Because of that we also have the ability to FF the intro/credits/recap.

Tend to semi-binge - a couple of episodes of a series per night until it's all gone, then on to the next one.

Do I miss SKY? Yes but only for ABs games and GOT.

Mike

MikeAqua

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Reply # 1817761 10-Jul-2017 12:05

dclegg:

Glow

What's Glow like?

Mike

dclegg

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Reply # 1817764 10-Jul-2017 12:07

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MikeAqua:

What's Glow like?

A little quirky. I quite enjoy it, but my wife is a little 'meh' on it.

Another quirky comedy on Netflix is The Santa Clarita Diet. Not for the squeamish, and it can be a little overacted at times. But it had a few good laughs scattered in there.

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