Renting movies online has become popular, with companies like Netflix offering subscription-based services that allow movies to be delivered by mail or streamed directly to computers. However, some people prefer physical copies of movies and TV shows, and online rentals may have limitations such as smaller screens and limited viewing time. Additionally, some movies may not be available for online rental at the same time as DVD releases. Some TV shows offer free streams of live episodes shortly after they air.
There are certainly many ways to rent movies online – this is a growing field that will no doubt undergo change in the coming years. For several decades now, the video rental (or DVD rental) store has reigned supreme. People who wanted to rent a movie headed to their local store and competed with others to get the latest releases. While there is still some appeal to using these stores, especially the mom and pop ones that offer a diverse selection, many would rather skip the hassle of an outdoor trip and rent movies online.
Early internet rental companies like Netflix® charged a subscription fee which allowed people to receive the movies they wanted by mail. One of this company’s selling points was that there were no late fees, and when the borrowers were done with a film, they simply sent it back so they could rent more. The demand to watch movies online rather than waiting for one to be delivered in the mail led Netflix® to introduce movies that were available to watch online or even instantly sent to a TV (with the purchase of an approved device).
When people discuss renting movies online, they usually mean that they want the movie streamed from the rental location directly to their computer (or something like an iPod). This is now possible too, with a number of companies creating ways to do it. Not everyone will be able to this form of rental, however, and renting movies online may limit the viewing potential for those with small computer screens or no connections to TVs that can plug into computer screens.
The different online movie rental companies usually stream movies directly to your computer, and people who want this option will need to look closely at their computer’s system requirements to see if the movies will play properly. Like Netflix®, some of these companies charge monthly subscription fees, while others charge per movie. Rentals may be limited in time.
Companies like Apple® only allow 24 hours of access to a streamed movie after it starts playing, although in total they will allow people to hold their rental for about 30 days. However, once the movie starts, borrowers have only one day to watch it. There may be fewer restrictions if people choose to buy a DVD format of the movie instead of just renting it.
One reason many people don’t rent movies online is because they don’t have a way to move the online picture onto a television where more people can watch. It’s not that comfortable or convenient to gather around the laptop to watch movies. There are ways to convert or send pictures from your computer to your TV, but these can be expensive and most people haven’t found them a particularly necessary investment. It’s still easy enough to get DVDs, and a DVD player plus a TV is usually cheaper.
Another complaint about being able to rent movies online is that some Internet movies are not released at the same time as DVD copies. This is changing, but the change has not yet been complete. Companies like Apple® have acquired the rights to release new movies on the same day as DVD releases, but companies like Comcast, which streams movies directly to your TV with their On Demand® service, may have to wait a few months before they can get new releases. Many customers are not willing to wait and will still go to DVD or Blu-Ray® rental stores or subscribe to services that allow them to watch the latest releases on release day.
Not only is it possible to rent movies online. Plenty of TV shows have free streams of live TV shows within a day or two after they air. People who have missed their favorite shows can catch up, and one of the benefits of these free broadcasts is that the commercials tend to be minimal and much less than the amount of commercial breaks on TV. Some companies, such as iTunes®, charge for this service, especially if they are downloaded to iPod®, but most major networks allow customers to watch these programs directly on their computer without charging.
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