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I think I was happier before streaming TV/movie services

Mossybrew

Member
Yup OP, there is something soothing about old school TV, even commercials. As you say, cable is generally just too expensive these days and I'm happy with my variety of streaming services, but cable does still have its merits, even if some of that is just nostalgia.
 

Mattyp

Gold Member
The social aspect people arguing about right now is weird. We’re being social even as we speak, all talking to people 10s of thousands of kms away spread across the world instantly. When you stop and think about that it’s actually mind blowing. Just because I’m not standing in front of the person makes it anymore social.

As someone who does go out a lot to drink / eat. I haven’t been to the theatre in years, and can comfortably say I’ll never go again.

Every benefit they had has now been counted once we did our newest built and put in my own personal theatre.
 

-Minsc-

Member
It's probably the binge-ness of streaming that sucks the life out of people. Going back to TV can take an adjustment but it's doable. When I have access to a TV service I do sometimes watch something random. The thing about TV is there's not pressure to start at the beginning. Movie half over? No problem. Just start watching anyway. Commercials are annoying but, for some reason, I tolerate them more than ads on YouTube. Might have something to do with TV being a part of my childhood.

Streaming definitely takes a lot of discipline to manage properly. My brain tends to want to overdose.

Life pre-internet was pretty boring, but i still think it was better that way overall
Start farming. I promise, life won't be boring.

The social aspect people arguing about right now is weird. We’re being social even as we speak, all talking to people 10s of thousands of kms away spread across the world instantly. When you stop and think about that it’s actually mind blowing. Just because I’m not standing in front of the person makes it anymore social.

As someone who does go out a lot to drink / eat. I haven’t been to the theatre in years, and can comfortably say I’ll never go again.

Every benefit they had has now been counted once we did our newest built and put in my own personal theatre.

It is a type of socializing. I do believe face to face socializing is very important, though I don't do it as much as I should. Face to face better helps us get out of our own heads. More likely to be red faced embarrassed at an in person conversation. That's a good thing.
 
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- Traffic
- Showing up early to get good seats
- Waiting in line for tickets
- Pay outrageous prices for simple snacks and drinks
- Sit in seats that have seen a million sweaty asses with arm rests that have seen a million unwashed hands
- Hope everyone else is on time so I don't have to play the "saving a seat game" with complete strangers
- Hope I don't need to piss/shit or get an important call during a key moment of the movie
- Hope I don't get sat next to some asshole who talks during the movie, has a baby, is on their phone, or is obnoxious in any number of other ways.

VS

- The comfort of my own home and my own couch
- Getting to choose my own food for my own price
- Do not have to spend money on insane gas prices
- Do not have to worry about weekend traffic
- Do not have to worry about showing up early to get good seats
- Everyone can show up when they want so if someone is running late for whatever reason its no big deal
- We can pause the show/film when someone needs a break to piss or take a call
- Don't have to worry about keeping quiet and can joke/speculate with friends on the fly
- Don't have to worry about obnoxious assholes ruining the experience.


AND ALL OF THAT IS DONE REPEATEDLY FOR LESS COST THAN IT TAKES FOR THE SAME GROUP TO GO TO THE THEATER ONE TIME



Explain to me how the theater is better here. Please.
Agreed 100 PERCENT
 

Alfen Dave

Member
Don't watch TV then? I honestly cannot imagine where TV would beat a good book.
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Karmic Raze

Member
I find that I watched stuff a lot more when I bought it on physical media and on cable than when I had streaming services/digital media. I always feel like I have too many options and never end up following through with what I want to watch because there’s just an overwhelming amount of shit that I can watch. It’s a staggering and stupid problem, though, I had a free trial of Hulu for 2 months and didn’t use it once. 😐
 

Cohetedor

Member
- Traffic
- Showing up early to get good seats
- Waiting in line for tickets
- Pay outrageous prices for simple snacks and drinks
- Sit in seats that have seen a million sweaty asses with arm rests that have seen a million unwashed hands
- Hope everyone else is on time so I don't have to play the "saving a seat game" with complete strangers
- Hope I don't need to piss/shit or get an important call during a key moment of the movie
- Hope I don't get sat next to some asshole who talks during the movie, has a baby, is on their phone, or is obnoxious in any number of other ways.

VS

- The comfort of my own home and my own couch
- Getting to choose my own food for my own price
- Do not have to spend money on insane gas prices
- Do not have to worry about weekend traffic
- Do not have to worry about showing up early to get good seats
- Everyone can show up when they want so if someone is running late for whatever reason its no big deal
- We can pause the show/film when someone needs a break to piss or take a call
- Don't have to worry about keeping quiet and can joke/speculate with friends on the fly
- Don't have to worry about obnoxious assholes ruining the experience.


AND ALL OF THAT IS DONE REPEATEDLY FOR LESS COST THAN IT TAKES FOR THE SAME GROUP TO GO TO THE THEATER ONE TIME



Explain to me how the theater is better here. Please.
Even with a 100" screen at home I still prefer going to the movies.Went to see Top Gun and it was awesome.

I live a block away so it's a five minute walk, tickets for the matinee are 2 for $8, 2 drinks for $4, and my large refillable popcorn is only a buck. And I get the pleasure of the social experience of a full theater.

Gotta love small town theaters.
 

Tams

Gold Member
- Traffic
- Showing up early to get good seats
- Waiting in line for tickets
- Pay outrageous prices for simple snacks and drinks
- Sit in seats that have seen a million sweaty asses with arm rests that have seen a million unwashed hands
- Hope everyone else is on time so I don't have to play the "saving a seat game" with complete strangers
- Hope I don't need to piss/shit or get an important call during a key moment of the movie
- Hope I don't get sat next to some asshole who talks during the movie, has a baby, is on their phone, or is obnoxious in any number of other ways.

VS

- The comfort of my own home and my own couch
- Getting to choose my own food for my own price
- Do not have to spend money on insane gas prices
- Do not have to worry about weekend traffic
- Do not have to worry about showing up early to get good seats
- Everyone can show up when they want so if someone is running late for whatever reason its no big deal
- We can pause the show/film when someone needs a break to piss or take a call
- Don't have to worry about keeping quiet and can joke/speculate with friends on the fly
- Don't have to worry about obnoxious assholes ruining the experience.


AND ALL OF THAT IS DONE REPEATEDLY FOR LESS COST THAN IT TAKES FOR THE SAME GROUP TO GO TO THE THEATER ONE TIME



Explain to me how the theater is better here. Please.
Go to better cinemas at better times.

No one said you have to see anything on release day. Go watch an afternoon matinée.

And you can reserve seats if you care that much. You used to have to shock, call, or go in person (the horror, I know), but now you can do it on the bog without communicating with anyone.

Of course, if you prefer your home setup, well more.power to you. Just don't go shitting in other people's preferences.
 

nush

Gold Member
Go to better cinemas at better times.

No one said you have to see anything on release day. Go watch an afternoon matinée.

And you can reserve seats if you care that much. You used to have to shock, call, or go in person (the horror, I know), but now you can do it on the bog without communicating with anyone.

Of course, if you prefer your home setup, well more.power to you. Just don't go shitting in other people's preferences.

It's all a cope from these people convincing themselves that the 4K TV and off the shelf 5.1 system they brought on Black Friday and a 4K (Shitty bitrate) stream from Netflix is totally the same thing. I've seen some amazing home cinema setups, the people that invest in them are people that love the cinema experience.

The agenda is they want everything day one on streaming.
 

eddie4

Genuinely Generous
I prefer to watch movies at home but I go to the 21+ theaters for movies I really want to see on the big screen, no screaming kids. Reserved lounge seating so I don't have to worry about being there early. I don't eat or drink in the theater, just go out either after or before. I've never really had issues with people screaming or being annoying so, it works out.
 

lem0n

Member
It's not quite the same, but I feel like this is the same sort of feeling when you jump on Steam to your library of games and don't really find anything enticing.
 
Pluto TV is pretty good if you miss the classic switching channels experience. It's free to use and they've got some pretty good things on there.

I personally love streaming services. I can watch what I want with no ads and there's some pretty good stuff out there these days. I haven't watched regular TV in years and don't really miss it.
 

Drew1440

Member
I love streaming, screw tv adverts. While I was in the Philippines I felt like dying from their cable TV adverts. So many ads it's not funny.
Whenever I've used cable, I've spent more time channel surfing than actually watching something. With streaming, I can check the Justwatch app and see what is new over the past few days and decide on something to watch within 5-10 minutes.
I still prefer to watch TV through a DVR like a Tivo, I found it easier to set a series pass to record, then just binge way in my own time. I prefer it to watching adverts or having to doom scroll through various recommendations to find something to watch.
 

nemiroff

Gold Member
Not wanting to waste money and time just to sit in smelly ass seats next to annoying strangers eating overpriced popcorn instead of doing basically the same thing at home for far less far more comfortably is a "social anxiety" problem?


Get the fuck out 😂

Funnily enough I "had" social anxiety and that's exactly how I thought (over-thinking and over-analyzing) before I got a diagnosis and knew what it was (and thus fixing it with knowledge and a mental toolbox). With that said, I agree in the sense that in this day and age there's not much point watching movies at the cinema other than the social experience.
 

kurisu_1974

is on perm warning for being a low level troll
Back in the day this series was awesome on the BBC.

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Look at it, just look. It's an education in cinema and personally it introduced The Terminator to me AND told me to look at it beyond the surface level. So much stuff here that you'd never find in your local VHS rental store (UK).

Fuck yes this was on when I was 15 of something and really formed my taste for quality and cult cinema. Cox's introductions were amazing and he also made one of my all time favorite movies of all time with Repo Man.
 

PSYGN

Member
Vizios have a free feature "WatchFree". It's got many channels like Nick, MTV, etc. and the interface reminds me of cable TV. When me and my fiancee don't know what to watch we'll sometimes just surf on WatchFree like the old days, commercials and all.

 
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EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
- Traffic
- Showing up early to get good seats
- Waiting in line for tickets
- Pay outrageous prices for simple snacks and drinks
- Sit in seats that have seen a million sweaty asses with arm rests that have seen a million unwashed hands
- Hope everyone else is on time so I don't have to play the "saving a seat game" with complete strangers
- Hope I don't need to piss/shit or get an important call during a key moment of the movie
- Hope I don't get sat next to some asshole who talks during the movie, has a baby, is on their phone, or is obnoxious in any number of other ways.

VS

- The comfort of my own home and my own couch
- Getting to choose my own food for my own price
- Do not have to spend money on insane gas prices
- Do not have to worry about weekend traffic
- Do not have to worry about showing up early to get good seats
- Everyone can show up when they want so if someone is running late for whatever reason its no big deal
- We can pause the show/film when someone needs a break to piss or take a call
- Don't have to worry about keeping quiet and can joke/speculate with friends on the fly
- Don't have to worry about obnoxious assholes ruining the experience.


AND ALL OF THAT IS DONE REPEATEDLY FOR LESS COST THAN IT TAKES FOR THE SAME GROUP TO GO TO THE THEATER ONE TIME



Explain to me how the theater is better here. Please.
Alamo Drafthouse addresses most of those issues
 

Sygma

Member
- Traffic
- Showing up early to get good seats
- Waiting in line for tickets
- Pay outrageous prices for simple snacks and drinks
- Sit in seats that have seen a million sweaty asses with arm rests that have seen a million unwashed hands
- Hope everyone else is on time so I don't have to play the "saving a seat game" with complete strangers
- Hope I don't need to piss/shit or get an important call during a key moment of the movie
- Hope I don't get sat next to some asshole who talks during the movie, has a baby, is on their phone, or is obnoxious in any number of other ways.

VS

- The comfort of my own home and my own couch
- Getting to choose my own food for my own price
- Do not have to spend money on insane gas prices
- Do not have to worry about weekend traffic
- Do not have to worry about showing up early to get good seats
- Everyone can show up when they want so if someone is running late for whatever reason its no big deal
- We can pause the show/film when someone needs a break to piss or take a call
- Don't have to worry about keeping quiet and can joke/speculate with friends on the fly
- Don't have to worry about obnoxious assholes ruining the experience.


AND ALL OF THAT IS DONE REPEATEDLY FOR LESS COST THAN IT TAKES FOR THE SAME GROUP TO GO TO THE THEATER ONE TIME



Explain to me how the theater is better here. Please.

Sound system obliterating what you got at home
Way bigger screen than you'll ever get at home if you honestly talk about "outrageous prices of pop corn" or gas btw
Get to talk shit to rude people
Trailers for new movies before the main one plays out
In case of 3D movies shot with Red cameras, nothing will ever beat the Imax 3D experience on that
Get to play trashy arcade games after
 
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Although I recently got a tv with a built in recording device and some built in streaming options, I still live like in the 90s. I watch shows when they air, changing my schedule to match the tv. If I record something I'll never watch it because I never feel like "I want to watch -something-. " If the moment has passed I will play a game instead.

Structure gives purpose to people's lives which is why most people can't self study, do remote work well or do distance learning unless they are forced to be online at specific times. You need an anchor or you will just float around in nothingness.
 

Nobody_Important

“Aww, it’s so...average,” she said to him in a cold brick of passion
Alamo Drafthouse addresses most of those issues
It does, but money is king. I would rather just spend the money on having friends over and eating some good ass food in the comfort of my own home.

And by doing that everyone involved saves a small fortune. That's worth it to me.
 
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Porcile

Member
The problem I tend to have is that there is so much choice and yet the thing I actually want to watch is usually on a service I don't have. And I'm not paying for three of the damn things so I just cancelled all my subscriptions instead and stick to what I own or what I can access for free.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
can anyone else relate to this? I think traveling is really the only time I'm forced to watch TV like I did when I was younger. this could be nostalgia talking, but there is something special about it.
Nope. I stay in hotels a lot and I take a firetv stick with me so I don't have to suffer through crappy ass cable TV.
 
I like old school antannae TV where they have shows from the 70s. I don't care for most modern TV and would ratcher watch Three's Company or the Incredible Hulk or Hawaii Five O (70s version)
 

killatopak

Gold Member
I found one of my favorite movies while I stopped changing channels to buy ice cream.

Happened across A Knight’s Tale. As a teenager, I still adore the knight trope and wow. I fell in love with everything in the movie. I think this happened in the 2000’s. I vividly remember watching it on Star Movies channel.
 
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