Reasons to keep Amazon Prime?

[MoodyBlues]

If I watch one Prime movie a month, it pays for itself.

That makes sense.

But, honestly, I like the expedited shipping convenience more than anything else.

Yes, its fast shipping is a solid plus--but it's no longer the only company doing that.

I don't use Prime for any TV, but then again, I don't use TV for much TV anymore .

Oh, goodness, I do! My bedroom TV is usually on 24/7. I already had a long history of insomnia, which became aggravated by Post-Sepsis Syndrome. I DVR anything I think I might want to watch (so I can skip the ads!), and then have the TV on all day. At first, after getting out of the hospital, watching TV was the ONLY thing I could do; now it's just sort of there while I'm doing other stuff--like posting on AF.

I'm sure as soon as your membership expires you'll be inundated with deals to come back. Maybe they'll do a year for $50, just to lure you back?

You know, I really don't think that would matter. Unless my 'addiction' ever returns, where I find myself *cough* NEEDING *cough* something every other day, I don't see it happening.

 

[mikedt]

Is that somehow related to living in China, or something else?

I have to say, even though I'm ending my Prime account, Amazon is THE place to go for even the most obscure items. Plus, at least in my experience, their customer service is outstanding--and that's saying a lot, these days!

Mainly yes. Even when I was in the UK, I never had one. We do have amazon.cn but i don't think that many use it. Most use taobao.com which is run by Alibaba.

 

[olbriar]

I'm a Prime subscriber. I watch a few movies a month and enjoy the shipping. I don't consider the package a bargain but it seems square enough.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I'm a Prime subscriber. I watch a few movies a month and enjoy the shipping. I don't consider the package a bargain but it seems square enough.

Are you using any of its other features that maybe I'm not aware of? It's admittedly been awhile since I explored its features, so you never know!

I like Amazon Photos a lot, primarily for its "this day" feature--it notifies you to view pictures taken on that date in years past--which means practically every day I see old pics of Joy Noelle . It's a fun feature, but I can live without it.

I don't NEED its storage, as I already have unlimited file storage on Dropbox, plus unlimited photo storage on Flickr.

Maybe there are other 'hidden' gems like that in some of Amazon's other products or services. Anyone know of any?

 

[NightAngel79]

Plus since I got a Roku I actually have an easy way to navigate Amazon's terrible video layout, so I watch a few shows.

It is awful

So awful, especially when I compare it to Netflix.

And my number 1 HUGE complaint. You have to LOOK for the UHD versions of the shows that have UHD. I watched half a season of something this past weekend before I remembered it was an original and probably has a 4k version. Why or WHY do they need separate entries for that?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

I'm a Prime subscriber. I watch a few movies a month and enjoy the shipping. I don't consider the package a bargain but it seems square enough.

In the grand scheme of things, cheaper than netflix, and you get free fast shipping, though Netlix is light years better. Content, UI, etc etc....

There are other perks, none I find very useful. Music selection is decent (better than Google) without getting the upgraded version.

 

[Dude905]

I'm not too much on Prime TV stuff but others might ... Here’s what else is coming to Amazon Prime Video this January:

January 11
Informer
January 15
Will & Grace (1992) — Season 1-8
Will & Grace (2018) — Season 1
January 18
The Grand Tour — Season 3
Once you’re finished watching these new additions, make sure to check out the following titles:
Family-Friendly Sitcoms
Hot in Cleveland
The Nanny
3rd Rock from the Sun
Married…With Children
Modern Favourites
Parks and Recreation
Community
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Reality TV
The Simple Life
Rock of Love
Total Wipeout
Rich Bride, Poor Bride
Dark-ish Humour
Forever
Jean Claude van Johnson
The Big C
Shameless (UK)
House
For the Nostalgic
The Honeymooners
Mr. Bean
The Best of the Three Stooges
Here’s Lucy
Gidget

 

[MoodyBlues]

I'm not too much on Prime TV stuff but others might ... Here’s what else is coming to Amazon Prime Video this January:

January 11
Informer
January 15
Will & Grace (1992) — Season 1-8
Will & Grace (2018) — Season 1
January 18
The Grand Tour — Season 3
Once you’re finished watching these new additions, make sure to check out the following titles:
Family-Friendly Sitcoms
Hot in Cleveland
The Nanny
3rd Rock from the Sun
Married…With Children
Modern Favourites
Parks and Recreation
Community
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Reality TV
The Simple Life
Rock of Love
Total Wipeout
Rich Bride, Poor Bride
Dark-ish Humour
Forever
Jean Claude van Johnson
The Big C
Shameless (UK)
House
For the Nostalgic
The Honeymooners
Mr. Bean
The Best of the Three Stooges
Here’s Lucy
Gidget

There are quite a few things on that list I'd like to watch, but as previously noted, I don't like watching shows/movies on devices, not even my biggest laptop.

Since all my TVs are hooked up to DirecTV devices, and they're all 'smart' TVs, can someone explain the logistics of watching Amazon content on them?

 

[olbriar]

I use a Roku to stream Amazon, Netflix, and whatever to my smart TV. Just change the input of the TV from Direct TV to the Roku and viola!

 

[KBU2]

I'm thinking at some point Amazon prime is going to play itself out because Amazon now has its own delivery service.

 

[NightAngel79]

There are quite a few things on that list I'd like to watch, but as previously noted, I don't like watching shows/movies on devices, not even my biggest laptop.

Since all my TVs are hooked up to DirecTV devices, and they're all 'smart' TVs, can someone explain the logistics of watching Amazon content on them?

Essentially your TV controller should have a smart hub, or 'Home' menu with pre-installed apps. Just open Amazon Video, sign in with your account, and start navigating their horrible UI, lol.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Not what Comcast/Xfinity is advertising @NightAngel79

 

[NightAngel79]

Not what Comcast/Xfinity is advertising @NightAngel79

How can they deny built in TV functionality? That makes no sense. You have a smart TV, or a game console plugged into TV all you need to do it switch to that input or service. Comcast/etc *cannot* block that, they get ass sued off.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Essentially your TV controller should have a smart hub, or 'Home' menu with pre-installed apps. Just open Amazon Video, sign in with your account, and start navigating their horrible UI, lol.

Yeah...no...I don't even know what you're talking about.

By "TV controller" are we talking about its remote, or a separate device? Ditto for "smart hub" and "home" menu.

FWIW, I don't know where any of my TVs' remotes are. Once I programmed each one's DirecTV remote to control its functions (volume, etc.)...they went...somewhere in this house. I'm sure(?) we could find them if necessary.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I use a Roku to stream Amazon, Netflix, and whatever to my smart TV. Just change the input of the TV from Direct TV to the Roku and viola!

So I'd have to plug/unplug DirecTV each time? That's not practical for me right now. I need a seamless way of being able to switch back and forth.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I'm thinking at some point Amazon prime is going to play itself out because Amazon now has its own delivery service.

I disagree. After all, everything comes with a price.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Ginuwine's "Pony" video is there.

 

[NightAngel79]

Yeah...no...I don't even know what you're talking about.

By "TV controller" are we talking about its remote, or a separate device? Ditto for "smart hub" and "home" menu.

FWIW, I don't know where any of my TVs' remotes are. Once I programmed each one's DirecTV remote to control its functions (volume, etc.)...they went...somewhere in this house. I'm sure(?) we could find them if necessary.

There may be other ways, but *if* your TV is a smart TV, then you pretty much have to have it's controller to access those apps/etc. Not all TV's are, though pretty much every 4k TV is *smart*.

No unplugging, just using the controller to switch from cable to smart functions. What brand and model TV do you have?

 

[MoodyBlues]

There may be other ways, but *if* your TV is a smart TV, then you pretty much have to have its controller to access those apps/etc.

Okay, so finding them would be objective #1!

Not all TV's are, though pretty much every 4k TV is *smart*.

Mine are definitely all 'smart.'

No unplugging, just using the controller to switch from cable to smart functions. What brand and model TV do you have?

Offhand, I don't know. Here in my bedroom it's an LG, but I couldn't tell you its model number without some digging. I think the one in the living room is Philips, no idea of its model #, and no clue about the one in my helper's room.

 

[lunatic59]

then you pretty much have to have it's controller to access those apps/etc.

With Logitech's Harmony remote, all I do is enter the model of TV in the app and it programs the remote to access the smart features. This remote is on it's third TV and has yet to meat a function it couldn't handle.

 

[NightAngel79]

Okay, so finding them would be objective #1!

Mine are definitely all 'smart.'

Offhand, I don't know. Here in my bedroom it's an LG, but I couldn't tell you its model number without some digging. I think the one in the living room is Philips, no idea of its model #, and no clue about the one in my helper's room.

Def need the controller, or the Logitech Luna mentions below. The only reason I ask about the TV is each manufacturer will run a different OS. Samsung has their own (tizen), Sony uses Android, LG used to be WebOs, Insignia used Roku (now amazon I think), etc....

With Logitech's Harmony remote, all I do is enter the model of TV in the app and it programs the remote to access the smart features. This remote is on it's third TV and has yet to meat a function it couldn't handle.

That would be useful, though I have had house calls to troubleshoot those before, of course, this guy wanted to control all kinds of stereo stuff that was installed outside and I think the sunlight was interfering with the IR.

 

[MoodyBlues]

This just popped into my head (and I haven't asked Amazon yet): will they close my "Amazon Prime Store Card" when my Prime membership expires?

 

[Clementine_3]

The Chase credit card? If that's what you mean, no. It's a regular cc but with an Amazon benefit, so you'll just lose the Amazon 5%.

 

[MoodyBlues]

The Chase credit card? If that's what you mean, no. It's a regular cc but with an Amazon benefit, so you'll just lose the Amazon 5%.

Mine has "Amazon Prime Store Card" on it; its statements come from Amazon.

 

[Clementine_3]

Oh, that sounds very different from mine then. So yeah, ignore what I said

 

[MoodyBlues]

Oh, that sounds very different from mine then. So yeah, ignore what I said

It has the 5% cash back thing, but, yeah, I think we have different accounts.