Best digital (paid) streaming service in India.

[flat_listener]

Hi all,

I am planning to subscribe to a web-service for streaming television series and movies online... I am a binge-watcher and my main goal is to watch movies and soaps.
Online video streaming seems to be the order of the day, but since there are so many of them out there, I am spoiled for choice and really need recommendation, based on your watching history.

Thanks

 

[raghupb]

NetFlix - Great international content, growing Indian content, 4k/HDR video, Dolby Atmos and DD, pricey; up to 800/- pm
Amazon - Decent international content, decent Indian content, 4k/HDR video, mostly DD/+, comes with prime membership; 999/- pa
HotStar - Passable international content, good Indian content, Star Sports, HD video, mostly DD; 999/- pa
SonyLiv - Passable international content, good Indian content, Sony Sports, BBC Earth, HD video, mostly DD; 499/- pa

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[flat_listener]

Thanks Raghu,

Pricing is one of the most important things when it comes to subscriptions; nobody wants to get an expensive subscription if the advantages aren’t that great.

Amazon Prime here seems to be the most value for money option, as it has decent international and regional content, as well as a decent user interface, along with free Amazon Prime deliveries and it does all that at just Rs 999 for an entire year, making it an option really hard to miss.

 

[raghupb]

Oh. Prime membership has Amazon music too.
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[gowmara]

Amazon prime is the best in India with many films added regularly

 

[shibashis]

Netflix is far and away the best if you mostly watch Hollywood and international content, it is expensive yes but you can share your subscription with friends. That is what we do, for the 800/month subscription I think you can watch it on 4 devices simultaneously, 2 TVs and 2 mobile devices.

I have had Amazon prime from its very inception so it is just there and of unbeatable value with Prime benefits and Prime music, not paying anything extra while exploiting it to the fullest. Vodafone, Airtel and even BSNL is offering free Prime subscription for one year with some of their post dated plans, Amazon's great ploy to be on all urban households who can afford it.

Hotstar if you watch Premier League.....and GoT and Westworld of course!

 

[flat_listener]

Thanks guys for the inputs...
I have a 100mbps internet service available.
So, what piece of hardware is required to receive it on my TV?

 

[tapmal5]

Hotstar and Amazon prime are best vfm . You need Android TV or Xiomi Mi Box 3s(economical) or Nvidia Shield (Best but little expensive)

 

[raghupb]

Thanks guys for the inputs...
I have a 100mbps internet service available.
So, what piece of hardware is required to receive it on my TV?

Simplest solution is Chromecast or Firestick.
CC is cheaper (if you can source from USA, visit store.google.com/us for latest prices)
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[raghupb]

@flat_listener
You should ping FM @sam9s for streaming sites/solutions
He is the grand-daddy on HFV for advice on such matters
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[avgeek]

I have all 4 - Netflix, Prime, Hotsar, and Sony Liv, YMMV.

What I recommend is taking a trial, you get 7 days to 90 days and then decide. Of course with streaming your ISP becomes important too, so the trial will give you a good idea of everything including speed and FUP requirements.

 

[raghupb]

NetFlix - Great international content, growing Indian content, 4k/HDR video, Dolby Atmos and DD, pricey; up to 800/- pm
Amazon - Decent international content, decent Indian content, 4k/HDR video, mostly DD/+, comes with prime membership; 999/- pa
HotStar - Passable international content, good Indian content, Star Sports, HD video, mostly DD; 999/- pa
SonyLiv - Passable international content, good Indian content, Sony Sports, BBC Earth, HD video, mostly DD; 499/- pa

Cheers,
Raghu

This is what I have today. No cable/dth anymore. My boy also uses YouTube for football.
Data usage per month is between 450 - 700 GB depending on how much 4K content is in the mix.
I suspect a good part of the data usage is due to my presence on HFV

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[dillihifi]

HotStar - Passable international content, good Indian content, Star Sports, HD video, mostly DD; 999/- pa
SonyLiv - Passable international content, good Indian content, Sony Sports, BBC Earth, HD video, mostly DD; 499/- pa

Cheers,
Raghu

is there DD audio available on Hotstar and Sony Liv ? I only get a stereo stream. Have tried it via firestick

 

[sam9s]

Hotstar is DD but not 5.1 not sure about SonyLIV as I dont care about any content I would watch on Sony to be DD 5.1. I have taken subscription of all services and still landed up cheaper than Tata Sky per month cost. So dropped tatasky all together.

@flat_listener for you I would go with what avgeek said ... take a trial for all services and see what you like. By by my experience. APV, Netflix, Hotstar, SonyLive and Zee5 gives me what I would want to watch. On top of this, I have HOOQ, VOOT, and SPUUL (a very decent collection of Bollywood movies). And for now I am would not be running shot of any content ...

As far as streaming device goes..... Get Shield and be done with it ..else next easy option is FireStick 4K, which is as good as Shield when it comes to "streaming" 4K content (not local playback), however, firestick does not have HOOQ and a native yourtube app (even though I couldn't find any issue in playing the same via browser firestick provide), isnt there. Plus no chromecast support, that shield has and it does come very handy. You can sideload kodi as well (works perfect). Over very very satisfied by 4K stick.

 

[Avinash Pai]

If you like watching documentaries like I do, there is this app called curiosity. About $20 per year. Wonderful bunch of docs for doc lovers at a reasonable price. Other than this I have Netflix (most expensive but best titles and updated much faster now with new titles), Amazon Prime (Ok bunch of titles plus free Amazon music +shipping) and Hotstar(999 per year is a good deal). I also, unfortunately, have TATA SKY HD for which I have prepaid about 12k for the next year and I hardly watch this. Absolutely bad decision to go for this.

 

[sam9s]

Yes I can vouch for curiosity, I have taken a subscription for full HD for my Kid and documentaries are actually good .....

 

[dillihifi]

does curiosity work with the amazon Fire Stick and/or chromecast ?

 

[ItsMe]

I have netflix, prime, hotstar and sonyliv subscriptions and stream them through firetv stick as well as a chromecast. Netflix is the best for international content, quality and 5.1/atmos contents. Prime also stream 5.1 but will not match netflix when you compare content but has a fair desi mix, hotstar is more desi but has GOT and some major international contents, however it does not support surround sound, I took sony liv only for live sports streaming and that too is shaky at times , apart from sports other contents are pathetic...
All of them are available for free trial, give them all a shot and see what will fit you best

 

[Tintu Kuruvilla]

NetFlix - Great international content, growing Indian content, 4k/HDR video, Dolby Atmos and DD, pricey; up to 800/- pm
Amazon - Decent international content, decent Indian content, 4k/HDR video, mostly DD/+, comes with prime membership; 999/- pa
HotStar - Passable international content, good Indian content, Star Sports, HD video, mostly DD; 999/- pa
SonyLiv - Passable international content, good Indian content, Sony Sports, BBC Earth, HD video, mostly DD; 499/- pa

Cheers,
Raghu

In India currently only Netflix , Amazon Prime, SUNNxt (not all contents), SONY (Not sure) provides minimum 5.1 DD audios.
As mentioned above Hotstar doesnt provide 5.1 it's just 2.0 audio not even DD 2.0, for Hotstart after merger with Disney they have plan to upgrade to DD 5.1 but it's on the way for limited contents for future.

 

[mail2sumanth]

No content in Hotstar or other services except Netflix, Prime, sunnxt(HD movies) has DD5.1