Netflix last week confirmed its plans for a price hike in its streaming services that will impact its users for the second time in a year.
It wasn’t a surprise. The US-based firm had indicated a price hike was on the cards for new customers a few weeks ago; last week, it just confirmed exactly what form that price hike would take.
From now on, new customers can choose from a budget package that will allow them to watch standard definition films on one device at a time for just under €8 per month, or for an extra euro, add a second device and high-definition video. A third price plan allows customers to watch on up to four devices simultaneously; that will set you back €12 per month.
Existing customers are being given a reprieve until early 2016, but if you were planning on signing up for the service, you will have to fork out the extra cash every month.
So what are the (legal) alternatives? In Ireland, it's limited. Amazon Prime's Instant Video is only available if you have an IP address in the UK and a geographically correct billing address. Hulu is only for US customers, and services such as LoveFilm don't offer streaming to Irish customers.
So unless you want to opt for DVD rentals from the likes of Screenclick or Xtravision, where DVDs are posted to you for a monthly fee, there are only a few options open to you.
Mubi
Mubi offers a curated film service, with a new title added every day chosen by the site. They are then available for 30 days to watch as you please. It's got everything from Chaplin classics to more contemporary films, and everything in between. Subscription is done on a monthly, six-monthly or annual basis, with discounts for signing up for longer periods. And there are apps too: Android has just been launched, but you can also access the service through PC or Mac, iOS devices, Samsung smart TVs and the PS3.
Volta
Named after the first cinema in Ireland (and the Italian physicist who gave his name to arguably the first battery) , Volta offers independent Irish and international films online. Films are offered for rent for 48 hours, costing about €3.99, or for a little more you can download certain titles. Downloads are only available for PCs though, meaning Mac owners will have to be content with streaming films. If you want to save a bit of cash, you can buy a CinePass, which gives you credits towards renting films, and a discount of up to 25 per cent into the bargain.
BBC iPlayer
The regular version of iPlayer is not available to Irish users; instead, we get the subscription based Global iPlayer service. It's not a live or catch-up service as such. There's about 2,000 hours of content available to viewers, which includes shows made by BBC along with content it has bought the rights to from other providers. Available on iPad and iPhone/iPod, you can download shows to your device and watch them offline, which is a handy feature.
And as long as you are in one of the countries where BBC Global iPlayer is available, you can still watch content – it just might differ in what’s available from country to country. And if your subscription lapses, your downloaded videos are unavailable too.
4OD
By far the best breadth of content, 4OD's service offers Channel 4's content to stream. That covers the homegrown stuff as well as programmes the channel shows such as Agents of Shield. But not everything is available to Irish viewers permanently, with some of the syndicated content ditched from the service a few days after broadcast on the TV channel. Channel 4's archived content – documentary series for example – can be accessed by registering with the service. There are also ads to sit through before the programmes begin, which you don't have with paid-for services.
Xbox Video
Similar to iTunes, Microsoft's video service offers you the chance to rent or buy movies and TV. The downloads vary in price, depending on how new the film is.
They can be watched on any device with the Xbox Video service on it – Xbox One or 360, Windows 8.1 devices, Windows Phone 8 or online at XboxVideo.com. All you have to do is sign in with your Microsoft account that you bought the video on, and your purchases are there for viewing. There's also the option of Season Pass, which allows you to save money if you want to buy episodes of specific TV series.
iTunes
Apple's on demand video service offers everything from movies to TV shows. Sadly, only movies are available in Ireland; you need a billing address and iTunes account in the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, France or the UK to download TV shows.
For movies, you can buy new releases to download to your devices or rent them for a cheaper price, which gives you 30 days to watch them or 48 hours from the time you first hit play. You can watch a film as many times as you like within that window.
The videos can be played on laptops or mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPad or iPod, depending on whether the films are high definition or standard definition. You can also use Apple TV to watch them on your TV.
Pay TV
Both Sky and UPC offer on-demand content to subscribers, although the offerings vary dramatically. That's mainly due to licensing issues.
Sky’s On Demand offers content from its entertainment, sports, movie and news channels, which you can download to your set top box if you have an active subscription for that channel. You can use an app to start the content downloading before you get home, which is handy. But it requires downloading the content over your broadband line, so make sure you have broadband with a generous download allowance.
UPC’s content is more limited, offering box sets of TV series’ and a selection of content covering entertainment, documentaries and kids content.
Both allow you to pay to rent new-release movies from their services. The two providers also offer Irish catch-up TV services such as RTÉ Player and TV3's 3Player, which offer on-demand content from the Irish channels for a number of days after it is broadcast on the respective channels.
