Amazon adds Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, and Science channels to Prime Instant

[lokiju]

With Amazon today announcing adding Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, and Science channels to the included with Prime membership instant video streams, I think I'm just about ready to finally cut my monthly subscription to Dish Network or any other traditional TV provider.

I already have a prior gen Roku HD that I use in my office and let guest use in my guest room when we have some. Since that's one of the few streaming devices out there currently that supports just about every single streaming service including Amazon Instant, I think I might just hook it up in my living room on my main TV and see if I can "get by" (1st world problems!) with it.

Who here has actually cut the cord (dish in this case) and gone streaming only? How has the transition been? Is there things that you miss or just do not workout as you wanted by doing this?

Update 3-16-12:
Wanted to update that I did try this at home yesterday on my Roku and was disappointed to see that while they do have the Discovery stuff added, the most recent 3 seasons of what I checked were NOT free/included at no additional cost over Prime membership.

Shows like Mythbusters, currently at 11 seasons. Season 1 through 8 are no extra cost. Seasons 9 through 11 have a per episode streaming cost. Total shit and a big let down for me.

 

[Train]

Prime Instant? eh? what is this?

 

[mvbighead]

With Amazon today announcing adding Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, and Science channels to the included with Prime membership instant video streams, I think I'm just about ready to finally cut my monthly subscription to Dish Network or any other traditional TV provider.

I already have a prior gen Roku HD that I use in my office and let guest use in my guest room when we have some. Since that's one of the few streaming devices out there currently that supports just about every single streaming service including Amazon Instant, I think I might just hook it up in my living room on my main TV and see if I can "get by" (1st world problems!) with it.

Who here has actually cut the cord (dish in this case) and gone streaming only? How has the transition been? Is there things that you miss or just do not workout as you wanted by doing this?

I have. I don't miss cable that much really. Only real issue is things like ESPN. I can always get the info in sports on the web though, so not a big deal. Just have to hit bars if the game I want to watch is on cable, which I've been doing anyway.

In any case, I find it to be very nice. You get to watch shows start to finish, and it costs much less than any satellite or cable membership.

$8/month Netflix
$12/month Hulu
$79/year Amazon

And I have yet to run out of things to watch.

 

[Nintendesert]

Sweet, more stuff to watch. SHAARK WEEEEK!!!

 

[zerogear]

Why do I need Netflix again?

 

[terry107]

Amazon Prime keeps getting better and better.

 

[Pardus]

prime is still $80 per year, too expensive in my opinion.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

prime is still $80 per year, too expensive in my opinion.

Cheaper than Netflix and you get free 2 day shipping and $4/item overnight shipping. It is a bargain at $80/year if you order lots of stuff from Amazon.

 

[FoBoT]

very awesome, thank you amazon

as far as the cost, since i got prime, i have started using amazon to buy certain types of items that i used to drive to many stores either to find the item or to get a better price. with gasoline getting closer to $4/gal (i live 20 miles from the nearest walmart/shopping centers and 50 miles from 'the city') i will be using amazon prime more and more. and my wife loves her kindle fire

and we still have netflix instant streaming. we like more choices

 

[mvbighead]

prime is still $80 per year, too expensive in my opinion.

While I use their streaming service very little, if one were to make good use of it, it is a better value than Netflix due to the bonus of 2 day shipping.

So, for you, it may be too expensive, but for others...

 

[slayer202]

prime is still $80 per year, too expensive in my opinion.

maybe if you're homeless

the selection still sucks. it's mostly crappy TV shows

netflix > all

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Amazon Prime keeps getting better and better.

My wife completely dropped Netflix last week. She was getting pissed at the lack of new stuff on streaming, and I don't blame her. The fact that Netflix thought it was ready to split the DVD business off really makes me question their sanity.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

netflix > all

Netflix is only good for TV shows, and Amazon is rapidly catching them on that.

 

[mnewsham]

prime is still $80 per year, too expensive in my opinion.

Amazon prime is cheaper then netflix being only $6.67 per month while netflix is at $7.99.

Also amazon gets you free 2 day shipping on most items as well as the kindle stuff and shit.

And if you are a student like me you get amazon prime 50% off ($3.34 per month. $40 per year)

 

[ponyo]

Hulu is the best since it's free.

 

[Arcadio]

Live sports is the only reason to keep satellite/cable tv.

 

[Alienwho]

I'm streaming and OTA only. I love Amazon Prime and am really stoked for them adding Discovery Networks today. These are the only channels I ever watched on cable anyway.

 

[ponyo]

Live sports is the only reason to keep satellite/cable tv.

If you can deal with lousy SD like picture quality, you can watch all the live sports you want via stream. Your satellite/cable can't match the sports selection.

 

[dfuze]

Thanks for the heads up OP!

 

[Ns1]

any boxes support Amazon besides Roku?

 

[ultimatebob]

Grr... why isn't all of this content on Netflix as well?? I wish that all of the online TV watching services could share this content, so I could finally drop my cable subscription.

Of course, it will probably never happen just for that very reason. The cable companies simply own too many channels of their own, and they want to protect their revenue streams.

 

[ponyo]

any boxes support Amazon besides Roku?

Logitech Revue GoogleTV (discontinued), JB AppleTV2 w/ XBMC.

 

[SirStev0]

If Amazon, Google, and Netflix were a political party, I'd vote for them.

 

[lokiju]

any boxes support Amazon besides Roku?

Compatible device list http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Video-Electronics/b/ref=amb_link_359851522_3?ie=UTF8&node=2233263011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=1Q06WER17H6VMQVK5DBP&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1346703202&pf_rd_i=1000663511

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Grr... why isn't all of this content on Netflix as well??

Netflix is in big trouble. Amazon is gunning for them and Amazon will win. I'm still amazed the Reed Hastings was dumb enough to think that splitting the DVD and streaming business now was a good idea; the selection on Netflix streaming in terms of movies is still pretty bad. It is great for TV shows and documentaries but Amazon is quickly making up that ground.