What’s new in video on demand? Aside from Netflix spinning off its DVD rentals into a new brand called Qwikster, Blockbuster and Dish Network have teamed up for its own competing offering of both streaming content and DVD rentals. Meanwhile, earlier in September, Hulu extended its international footprint by launching in Japan. Take a closer look at how each of these offerings differ in our chart below:
|
Amazon Instant Video |
Amazon Prime |
Blockbuster |
Hulu |
Hulu Plus |
Netflix |
Qwikster |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
LINK |
|||||||
|
PRICING |
Rent or purchase new release titles starting at $3.99. Amazon Daily Deals offer titles to rent for as little as $0.99. Purchase fees are $15 or less |
$79/year for Amazon Prime, unlimited instant video included |
Starts at $10/month in addition to Dish Network programming and equipment fees.* |
Free; Ads |
$8/month; Ads |
$8/month |
$8/month |
|
WHO SUPPLIES |
ABC, CBS, NBCUniversal, Fox, WB, HBO, Sony Pictures Television, Disney, Paramount, MTV Networks, BBC, PBS, National Geographic, Magnolia Pictures, IFC Films, Egami Media, Vivendi Entertainment, New Video Group, Fred Rogers Company, Strand Releasing, Music Box Films, Film Movement, Reel Media, Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon. |
CBS, NBCUniversal, Fox, Sony Pictures Television, BBC, PBS, National Geographic, Magnolia Pictures, IFC Films, Egami Media, Vivendi Entertainment, New Video Group, Fred Rogers Company, Strand Releasing, Music Box Films, Film Movement, Reel Media, Sesame Workshop |
Streaming content includes Dish Network content such as Discovery Channel, AMC, TNT, TBS, Food Network, Fox and more; movies from Starz, Sundance, Epix, Encore and more; TV Everywhere |
Current and back season TV shows from more than 260 networks and studios like ABC, A&E, Comedy Central, FOX, Lionsgate, MGM, MTV, National Geographic, NBC, Paramount, and VH-1; movies from Miramax and Criterion Collection |
Current and back season TV shows from networks and studios like ABC, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, NBC, and VH-1; hundreds of movies from both Miramax and the Criterion Collection. Includes faster, deeper access to Fox primetime. |
Movies and TV shows (including past seasons of current shows) from Paramount Pictures, MGM, Lions Gate Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Disney, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment, NBCU, 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures Disney-ABC, expanded deal with Discovery, select WB shows, Starz Play with 1,000 titles |
TV shows and movies from Warner Bros., Universal Studios, Twentieth Century Fox |
|
TITLES/EPISODES |
Over 100,000 movies and TV shows, with over 15,000 of those titles in HD. (Doesn’t break it out by titles.) |
Will have over 11,000 movies and TV show episodes when Fox content is available this fall, with over 2,000 of those titles in HD. (Doesn’t break it out by titles.) Now has every season of every Star Trek show. |
3,000 movies streamed to TV; 4,000 movies streamed to computer. Hundreds of streaming TV shows. Plus, 100,000 movies and TV shows by mail. Dish comes with access to some authenticated TV programming. |
Over 1,720 TV titles and 1,470 movie titles |
More than 16,000 hours, which includes 2,180 TV titles and 1,450 movie titles |
Over 20,000 episodes |
Over 100,000 episodes |
|
TV CONTENT WINDOW |
Day after |
Library titles |
N/A |
Day after broadcast for current season, back season library of hundreds of popular TV shows |
Day after and limited viewing window |
Library titles |
Library titles |
|
MOVIE CONTENT WINDOW |
Same day as DVD release |
Library titles |
N/A |
Varies by movie |
Varies by movie |
28 days after DVD release; smaller selection than DVD offerings |
28 days after DVD release |
|
ADS |
No |
No |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
RENT OR OWN |
Rent and/or own |
Rent and/or own |
Rent |
Rent |
Rent |
Rent |
Rent |
|
HD |
Yes (720p) |
Yes (720p) |
Yes |
No |
Yes, when available |
Yes (720p) (Sony PlayStation 3 offers 1080p) |
Select Blu-ray titles available |
|
DEVICES |
PC, Mac, connected TV, Blu-ray, Set-Top-Boxes |
PC, Mac, connected TV, Blu-ray players, Set-Top-Boxes |
HD DVR; Facebook integration |
PC, Mac |
Computers, game consoles, streaming players, Blu-ray players, set top boxes, HDTV, DVRs, mobile devices (including iOS and Android) |
Computers, set top boxes, game consoles, streaming players, Blu-ray players, HDTV, DVRs, mobile devices (including iOS and Android) |
DVD and Blu-ray |
|
VIDEO GAMES |
No |
No |
3,000 games by mail (for Nintendo Wii, Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360). |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
* Users must have a Dish Network HD DVR and be a Dish subscriber. New subscribers who commit to a two-year plan for the America’s Top 200 package or higher before Jan. 31, 2012, get the first year of Blockbuster Movie Pass included. New subscribers who get the America’s Top 120 package, which runs $30/$45, get three months free. The HD DVR usually comes with a new subscription; the cost of using the DVR is $6 per month. The fee is waived for the first DVR.
Source: Based on company information, additional reporting. Information from Amazon, Hulu, Netflix is from August 18, 2011.
Produced by: Amanda Natividad
Edited by: Staci D. Kramer
Published: September 26, 2011
We’ll update the chart as warranted.








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