Download and Streaming Video versus Physical Delivery
The video store has been around for a very long time. All an individual had to do was go to the local video store, rent a few videos, and take them home to enjoy them. However, they needed to be back within a certain amount of time. This still occurs, but individuals usually have about 5 days to return their videos. That is just enough time to forget about returning the videos to the store. In some cases, a video may need to be back in one day, especially if it is a new release.
But much of that has been solved through the offering of streaming video online and DVDs being delivered to your door. You don’t have to go to the video store and look for the movies you want anymore. You also don’t have to deal with your desired movie being gone and having to wait until it comes back to the store.
But which do you choose?
The question here, however, is which service do you use when you want to rent videos? Do you use streaming video online or do you have actual DVDs delivered to your door?
Well, let’s look at both of these:
• Streaming video – This is available through many outlets. Streaming video means that you’re streaming the videos online, directly from a website. You may have to download some sort of video player to stream it. Unfortunately, a lost Internet connection could result in disruption of the movie. A download can solve this problem because the download saves to your computer. It is important to assess this because you may want to use your computer for something else as you watch television. You also have to make sure your computer is capable of handling the videos and the streaming. Sometimes computers may not have the requirements to get through it.
• Physical delivery – Physical delivery consists of you choosing your DVDs online, subscribing to that service, and managing a queue of the movies you want to watch. The movies you want are hardly out of stock. If they are, you are given an availability date. In the meantime, you are able to have other movies you want to watch delivered to your home. You can watch the movies, send them back by placing them in your mailbox, and wait one or two days for your next batch to come in the mail. You never have to leave your home.
Companies that offer these services
Both Netflix and Blockbuster offer streaming videos online and physical delivery. Blockbuster offers downloads, whereas Netflix offers streaming through their movie player. If there is a movie that you would rather watch on your computer than DVD, you can choose to do that. If it isn’t available to stream, you can rent it on DVD.
So if you don’t know which you want, you have your choice of both when it comes to Netflix and Blockbuster. You’ll find that all services work the way you want and need them to work.