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- Pros and Cons of Streaming TV Shows and Movies Via Your iOS Device
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Pros and Cons of Streaming TV Shows and Movies Via Your iOS Device
There are several important differences between purchasing a TV show episode or movie via iTunes, renting a movie via iTunes, and watching programming using one of the free cable television provider or television/cable network apps.
When you purchase content via iTunes, you own it and can watch it as often as you’d like on any compatible device. When you rent a movie on iTunes, it remains stored on your computer or device for up to 30 days. However, once you begin watching the rented movie, you have 24 hours to watch it as often as you’d like before the movie automatically erases from your computer, Apple TV, or iOS device.
Content that’s streamed from the Internet using a proprietary app from a cable service provider or television/cable network requires a constant Internet connection to watch and is never actually stored on your computer or iOS device. In some cases, a 3G Internet connection will work; however, some of the apps require a Wi-Fi Internet connection to stream programming.
Also, content you purchase from iTunes is commercial-free. However, some of the same TV shows that you can stream for free using one of the television/cable network apps include commercials as part of the programming.
While anyone can download a television network app (from ABC or NBC, for example) and begin streaming full-length episodes of popular and current TV shows, to gain access to premium cable network programming from HBO, Showtime, or Cinemax, for example, you must already be a paid subscriber to that cable network.
These television/cable network apps should not be confused with program-specific apps that feature video and audio clips, photos, and other content pertaining to one specific television series. A variety of show-specific apps are also available from the App Store.
The benefit to purchasing television shows or movies via iTunes, or watching programming by streaming it to your iOS device is that you can watch what you want, when you want, on an on-demand basis. Plus, some of the networks are making shows available via their iPhone/iPad apps before the same shows actually air on television. This makes it possible to get ahead when it comes to watching your favorite TV series, or allows you to preview pilot episodes for brand-new shows before most traditional television viewers.
Yet another option for watching TV shows and movies on your iPhone or iPad requires a monthly subscription to a video streaming service, such as Netflix or Hulu Plus. Both offer a vast selection of recent and classic television show episodes and movies, which you can stream to your computer, some compatible TV sets and/or DVRs, as well as your iPhone or iPad.
By subscribing to either Netflix or Hulu Plus, you can watch as much content as you want from that service, as often as you’d like, for a flat monthly fee of $7.99. This commercial-free content is streamed, not downloaded, to your computer(s), television(s), and/or iOS devices, so a constant Internet connection is required.
What you’ll discover when you begin exploring your various options for watching television shows and movies on your iPhone or iPad is that each proprietary app offers its own selection of features. Plus, each service has its own selection of constantly changing programming, based on agreements made with various television and movie studios.
While there is a strong overlap in programming that’s available using these various apps and services, you’ll need to decide if you want to own the commercial-free content and pay for it outright on a per-episode or movie basis, rent the content for a pre-determined period, pay a flat fee to stream and watch unlimited content from a particular service, or simply watch free streamed programming that typically includes commercials.
Your decision will also be impacted based on where you want to experience the programming, and whether or not a constant 3G or Wi-Fi Internet connection is available to you. Ideally, if your iPhone or iPad has constant access to a Wi-Fi network, you can access the most free streamed programming once you acquire and install the appropriate apps.