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Streaming Services: TV Via A Series Of Tubes

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Posts

  • CarpyCarpy Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    I get irrationally irritated that the Amazon Xbox app doesn't implement hitting Y as a shortcut to search. Every other app follows that paradigm but when I'm in Amazon I hit Y like three times before I remember I have to manually scroll to the search menu.

    Carpy on
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Admittedly this was a while ago, but I was watching the West Wing via Amazon Prime and despite it being free to stream for Prime subscribers I somehow bought an entire season. I have no idea what I clicked or how it happened, but at least Amazon was kind enough to cancel the order.

  • Ninja Snarl PNinja Snarl P My helmet is my burden. Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered User regular
    I don't mind that something like the trailer autoplay exists, it just pisses me off that Netflix flatly refuses to let people decently customize their interface in favor of basically chucking commercials at them without giving them a way to turn them off. Every single version of the app absolutely should have a couple of tick boxes in setup for "mute trailers" and "disable trailers"; pro-viewer design decisions like that would get a million times more goodwill from me than any amount of bombarding me with autoplay trailers for Netflix exclusives that are completely and entirely unrelated to anything I might be interested in.

    That being said, yes, Netflix at least has something that works as an interface, whereas Amazon Video is just an amazing pile of terrible and nonfunctional design. It once took me twenty minutes to find my purchased videos on the Amazon mobile app after an update because they moved all purchased videos to a subcategory of side menu, while the "Your Videos" heading just listed the usual Prime stuff. Though at least Prime makes it fairly simple to browse and select episodes, which is more than Hulu can say.

  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    RT800 wrote: »
    For all the complaints I may have about Netflix, they're still the most reliable and easy-to-navigate streaming platform I've come across.

    I recently checked out Amazon Prime video and that shit just seems like it's all over the place.

    You know what's the best thing is that if I want to rent a movie on my Xbox app, I can no longer just buy it from the app. I have to use my phone to pay for the movie, then go back to the Xbox and it will be available. I think I've bitched about this before in here, but it's just so stupid.

    The Netflix app is the best among the streaming services as far as UI, but that's just because it's the least terrible. They are all dreadful.

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  • So It GoesSo It Goes We keep moving...Registered User regular
    Amazon and HBO have the worst apps and Amazons UI in general is poop

    💩 I say

  • BSoBBSoB Registered User regular
    shryke wrote: »
    RT800 wrote: »
    For all the complaints I may have about Netflix, they're still the most reliable and easy-to-navigate streaming platform I've come across.

    I recently checked out Amazon Prime video and that shit just seems like it's all over the place.

    When I had a free trial, I tried using Amazon Prime Video and it was a confusing clusterfuck.

    Whoever decided that each season of a show was going to be its own entity should be fired.

    You can search for "science fiction" then have to scroll through all 10 seasons of Stargate SG1. Even if what you wanted was Stargate SG1, that's fucking stupid.

  • ThawmusThawmus +Jackface Registered User regular
    BSoB wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    RT800 wrote: »
    For all the complaints I may have about Netflix, they're still the most reliable and easy-to-navigate streaming platform I've come across.

    I recently checked out Amazon Prime video and that shit just seems like it's all over the place.

    When I had a free trial, I tried using Amazon Prime Video and it was a confusing clusterfuck.

    Whoever decided that each season of a show was going to be its own entity should be fired.

    You can search for "science fiction" then have to scroll through all 10 seasons of Stargate SG1. Even if what you wanted was Stargate SG1, that's fucking stupid.

    Try picking out a season of Top Gear.

    It's madness.

    Twitch: Thawmus83
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    RT800 wrote: »
    For all the complaints I may have about Netflix, they're still the most reliable and easy-to-navigate streaming platform I've come across.

    I recently checked out Amazon Prime video and that shit just seems like it's all over the place.

    You know what's the best thing is that if I want to rent a movie on my Xbox app, I can no longer just buy it from the app. I have to use my phone to pay for the movie, then go back to the Xbox and it will be available. I think I've bitched about this before in here, but it's just so stupid.

    The Netflix app is the best among the streaming services as far as UI, but that's just because it's the least terrible. They are all dreadful.

    The desktop Netflix is ... it's fine. The search function works, so that's like 90% of what I need. The horizontal list structure is kinda dumb and clunky but it's not the worst. The suggestions are kinda useful although their algorithm really feels like it's trying to push certain things because they keep appearing on lists. I hate the way the order of the lists randomly reorganizes itself all the time.

    The worst thing about Netflix is that shit just disappears off the service like an East German badmouthing the Stasi. One day I'm flipping through my list and thinking "Wasn't this on there?" and it's not until I stop and search for it and get nothing that I can figure out what happened.

    But the whole thing is just clearly designed imo to have you open the website, select some random tile you see that looks interesting in the list it's throwing in your face and just start watching.

  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    I have been rewatching Cowboy Bebop on Hulu, and for some reason, possibly because of the way it has subs and dubs as separate entities under the same show, refuses to allow me to pick up where i left off.
    It never puts it in the continue watching section, and despite the progress bars on each ep i watched going all the way to the end, it shows I've completed 0 episodes.

    steam_sig.png
  • ThawmusThawmus +Jackface Registered User regular
    I have been rewatching Cowboy Bebop on Hulu, and for some reason, possibly because of the way it has subs and dubs as separate entities under the same show, refuses to allow me to pick up where i left off.
    It never puts it in the continue watching section, and despite the progress bars on each ep i watched going all the way to the end, it shows I've completed 0 episodes.

    Hulu's UI is definitely the one I hate the most.

    Yes, more than Amazon's, but it's a close call.

    Twitch: Thawmus83
  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    Started on S2 of Mrs. Maisel. I kind of find the supporting cast more compelling than Midge, especially Rose and Abe after the episode in Paris. They seem more human somehow, more interesting than the main character. Really loved Susie living in the parent's home using the pink soap and such.

  • CptHamiltonCptHamilton Registered User regular
    I haven't tried to using Amazon Video UI on my TV but the Hulu UI is a garbage fire. Is that undifferentiated string of characters a genre? A movie? A tv show? Guess I'll press a bunch of buttons to get my cursor over there to find out!

    PSN,Steam,Live | CptHamiltonian
  • taliosfalcontaliosfalcon Registered User regular
    Oh you ignorant, lucky fools, here in Canada we have this service called cravetv , which is the only streaming service to watch HBO and Showtime stuff on. Cravetv has an interface that makes Hulu and Amazon look like works of art, and is limited to low bitrate chunky 720p and mostly only stereo audio. *Sigh*

    steam xbox - adeptpenguin
  • N1tSt4lkerN1tSt4lker Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    So It Goes wrote: »
    Amazon and HBO have the worst apps and Amazons UI in general is poop

    💩 I say

    The thing I hate most about HBO, is that when you're looking at seasons of shows, they scroll from the last episode to the first, so you know, good job organizing things in the most spoilery way.

    N1tSt4lker on
  • honoverehonovere Registered User regular
    I do like that Amaon feature that tells you about all the actors currently in the scene and stuff.

  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    Thawmus wrote: »
    BSoB wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    RT800 wrote: »
    For all the complaints I may have about Netflix, they're still the most reliable and easy-to-navigate streaming platform I've come across.

    I recently checked out Amazon Prime video and that shit just seems like it's all over the place.

    When I had a free trial, I tried using Amazon Prime Video and it was a confusing clusterfuck.

    Whoever decided that each season of a show was going to be its own entity should be fired.

    You can search for "science fiction" then have to scroll through all 10 seasons of Stargate SG1. Even if what you wanted was Stargate SG1, that's fucking stupid.

    Try picking out a season of Top Gear.

    It's madness.

    This!!! OMG. Then whoever decided to label the specials as "Episode 0" or randomly group them into "Season Zero".

    Fucking asinine.

    Trying to watch Top Gear episodes you've already purchased is a great argument for piracy.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • lwt1973lwt1973 King of Thieves SyndicationRegistered User regular
    I'm going through Runaways right now. I enjoyed the first season though a couple of the things happened and seemed like they were just dropped in the next episode. I'm starting up S2 now.

    "He's sulking in his tent like Achilles! It's the Iliad?...from Homer?! READ A BOOK!!" -Handy
  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    Oh you ignorant, lucky fools, here in Canada we have this service called cravetv , which is the only streaming service to watch HBO and Showtime stuff on. Cravetv has an interface that makes Hulu and Amazon look like works of art, and is limited to low bitrate chunky 720p and mostly only stereo audio. *Sigh*

    One of my co-workers signed up for Crave for one series - she showed me the movie category, it was less than 100 results. Crave is basically propped up by their lock on HBO content.

  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Just watched Happy and its easily one of the best things SyFy has ever done (how did this end up on SyFy? I'm glad it did though cuz its great). Its fantastic and Christopher Meloni is great in it. Highly recommend it.

  • KadokenKadoken Giving Ends to my Friends and it Feels Stupendous Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    I really like these first three episodes of Punisher season 2.

    Their take on the Mennonite is pretty good too. Understated.

    Kadoken on
  • Romantic UndeadRomantic Undead Registered User regular
    Just finished Season 1 of Titans on Netflix. My daughter is a Teen Titans Go nut, so I have to admit that drawing parallels between the goofball and grimdark versions of the same characters was actually kinda fun.

    I admit that while the original marketing was dumb with the whole "fuck Batman" thing, they do, in my opinion, relay Dick and Bruce's breakup in a convincing way. They delivered well on the pathos for the side characters despite their ridiculous costumes (meaning Hank, Dawn and the Doom Patrol), and I find it ridiculous how many different "universes" DC has running at once right now, but, for what it was, I didn't hate this, and look forward to S2.

    Also I have a huge crush on Donna Troy, don't tell my wife. :P

    3DS FC: 1547-5210-6531
  • KadokenKadoken Giving Ends to my Friends and it Feels Stupendous Registered User regular
    Five episodes in to Pun-Pun S2, critics might be full of shit. This is better than S1.

  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    Kadoken wrote: »
    Five episodes in to Pun-Pun S2, critics might be full of shit. This is better than S1.

    I quit S1 at episode 5 because it was too boring and slow and I hated the revised origin and I don't give a shit about the detective lady or anyone but Frank, so would it be worthwhile to jump back in?

    I say this as someone who loves Punisher War Zone and thought it was far better than the Thomas Jane Punisher.

    edit: if the critics are saying it's bad then it's probably good, they've become absolutely unreliable and dictated by groupthink as opposed to genuine reviews these days.

    TexiKen on
  • KadokenKadoken Giving Ends to my Friends and it Feels Stupendous Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    TexiKen wrote: »
    Kadoken wrote: »
    Five episodes in to Pun-Pun S2, critics might be full of shit. This is better than S1.

    I quit S1 at episode 5 because it was too boring and slow and I hated the revised origin and I don't give a shit about the detective lady or anyone but Frank, so would it be worthwhile to jump back in?

    I say this as someone who loves Punisher War Zone and thought it was far better than the Thomas Jane Punisher.

    edit: if the critics are saying it's bad then it's probably good, they've become absolutely unreliable and dictated by groupthink as opposed to genuine reviews these days.

    Okay maybe that’s little far.

    Also while I would prefer a pace closer to the Ennis or Rucka comics, I like the slow pace so it might not be your thing still. I think it does pick up faster than Micro keeping Frank in his base for an episode and such.

    They're also leaning closer to the Ennis depiction of Frank as a bonafide psycho who wants his forever war. Not quite there.

    Edit: once again the show slows down from like episodes 7-10. Even though I’m glad the Netflixverse existed and I would be happy if it had only given Daredevil S1, the Pun-Pun parts of S2, and Jessica Jones S1 (as the best parts [nothing wrong with DDS3]) I am glad that in a couple months and maybe in a decade when all this trademark and contract stuff is settled this chaff will not be mandated.

    Kadoken on
  • Harry DresdenHarry Dresden Registered User regular
    edited January 2019
    emp123 wrote: »
    Just watched Happy and its easily one of the best things SyFy has ever done (how did this end up on SyFy? I'm glad it did though cuz its great). Its fantastic and Christopher Meloni is great in it. Highly recommend it.

    Syfy has been brilliant with its scripted content for years now. The Magicians, Deadly Class, Krypton, 12 Monkeys, Dark Matter, Defiance, Blood Drive. It's all good.
    Kadoken wrote: »
    Okay maybe that’s little far.

    Also while I would prefer a pace closer to the Ennis or Rucka comics, I like the slow pace so it might not be your thing still. I think it does pick up faster than Micro keeping Frank in his base for an episode and such.

    They're also leaning closer to the Ennis depiction of Frank as a bonafide psycho who wants his forever war. Not quite there.

    TexiKen would hate season 2, it's more down to Earth and the bad guys are supposed to be Alt-Right.
    Also I have a huge crush on Donna Troy, don't tell my wife. :P

    Who doesn't?

    Harry Dresden on
  • caligynefobcaligynefob DKRegistered User regular
    Punisher season 2 is pretty good so far (6 episodes in). The fight scenes are much better than season 1. However, everything Madani related should have been cut, just boring and terrible.

    PS4 - Mrfuzzyhat
  • DonnictonDonnicton Registered User regular
    This episode of Married With Children, they bought a $2100 computer. It's "a muscle machine".

    a 3600 baud modem
    a VGA high resolution color monitor
    a 40 megabyte hard disk
    and 7(what?) Megabytes of RAM

    I'm in awe at the size of this lad. I'd play so many Apogee shareware floppies on it.

  • CptHamiltonCptHamilton Registered User regular
    Donnicton wrote: »
    This episode of Married With Children, they bought a $2100 computer. It's "a muscle machine".

    a 3600 baud modem
    a VGA high resolution color monitor
    a 40 megabyte hard disk
    and 7(what?) Megabytes of RAM

    I'm in awe at the size of this lad. I'd play so many Apogee shareware floppies on it.

    I knew a guy in HS who had 7MB of ram. I don't remember why or even how, considering parity ram was pretty much the order of the day back then...

    PSN,Steam,Live | CptHamiltonian
  • DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    Probably 6400kb and the manufacturer rounded up for marketing.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
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  • nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    Either that or 8mb and some was reserved by the system

  • VeeveeVeevee WisconsinRegistered User regular
    Watched the Fyre Festival documentary on Netflix, and my only question from it is what the fuck was Chuck Schumer's press secretary doing meeting with the scam artist behind the the whole thing while he was on fucking bail and running another scam?

  • So It GoesSo It Goes We keep moving...Registered User regular
    Veevee wrote: »
    Watched the Fyre Festival documentary on Netflix, and my only question from it is what the fuck was Chuck Schumer's press secretary doing meeting with the scam artist behind the the whole thing while he was on fucking bail and running another scam?

    I have the same question!!


  • thatassemblyguythatassemblyguy Janitor of Technical Debt .Registered User regular
    Watching the Netflix Fyre festival retrospective taught me that there was originally an App!

    And the sad, sad part about it to me: that app looked really interesting and feasible, and the team, minus the scam artist and the marketing director guy, came across as very talented and genuine.

  • Alistair HuttonAlistair Hutton Dr EdinburghRegistered User regular
    RT800 wrote: »
    For all the complaints I may have about Netflix, they're still the most reliable and easy-to-navigate streaming platform I've come across.

    I recently checked out Amazon Prime video and that shit just seems like it's all over the place.

    It's the absolute fucking worst.

    Amazon own IMDB yet the search on prime video is an abomination.

    It is Kafka level obtuse, for instance IMDB has a link to prime video on every movie result page but IT DOESN'T TAKE YOU. TO THE VIDEO ON AMAZON VIDEO, IT JUST TAKES YOU TO THE HOMEPAGE.

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  • VeeveeVeevee WisconsinRegistered User regular
    So It Goes wrote: »
    Veevee wrote: »
    Watched the Fyre Festival documentary on Netflix, and my only question from it is what the fuck was Chuck Schumer's press secretary doing meeting with the scam artist behind the the whole thing while he was on fucking bail and running another scam?

    I have the same question!!


    The way it was presented sure made it seem like he wasn't supposed to be on camera. It looked super shady, but that could be the power of editing.

    Looked like they heard Stringer Bell's advice and went "He didn't say anything about video taping the criminal conspiracy, did he?"

  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products regular
    Watching the Netflix Fyre festival retrospective taught me that there was originally an App!

    And the sad, sad part about it to me: that app looked really interesting and feasible, and the team, minus the scam artist and the marketing director guy, came across as very talented and genuine.

    Yeah... they probably could have found some low level success if they never tried to throw the party, and instead got all the influencers to promote the app instead as a means to increase their own engagements and bookings.

    Like, there was a right turn they could have taken with that burnt orange logo campaign that would have made them a success... but the dude was just waaaaaay too into the whole grift thing and he didn't know what to do with a legit good business right under his nose.

    SW-4158-3990-6116
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  • ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    I'm two episodes into Homecoming on Amazon Prime, by Sam Esmail, and it's about as great as you would expect coming from the Mr. Robot guy.

    Julia Roberts is actually acting and everything!

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  • TaminTamin Registered User regular
    Carmen Sandiego

    this character just called out sayonara mon amigos, which is both amazing and terrible

    and there's a Dr Sara Bellum

  • AlphaRomeroAlphaRomero Registered User regular
    I watched that with my niece last night, it's pretty interesting. It's also got some darkness in it, like that one person almost bear hugging her to death.

  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    Watched that final Godzilla and the whole series was pretty lackluster BUT there were some cool ideas in there and
    Everything about the visual design and style around Ghidorah was great.

    PSN: Honkalot
This discussion has been closed.