We do see a shift in the entertainment industry that was once dominated by cable companies. Now we see people cutting the cord and switching to streaming services. You will find people who are obsessed with their Spectrum channel line up and love exploring them while some find streaming as an immediate method of accessing never-ending content. Netflix is considered to be one of the pioneers of the streaming industry and has millions of subscribers globally. No doubt streaming has its advantages but let’s not forget that it has certain disadvantages too. With the advancing technology, there has been a lot of changes. Even with the convenience and flexibility that comes along with the streaming services, several issues must be brought into account of those who are considering cutting the cord and switching to any of the streaming platforms. So without any further ado, let’s have a look at the downsides of streaming:
All Programs are not Available
Do not expect to find the same programs via streaming as you find on cable TV or satellite TV. Or else you will end up being disappointed. Most of the cable TV programs are not available on streaming services so make sure you check any of your favorite cable TV shows if they are available on the streaming service you are planning to subscribe to.
This applies particularly to those programs that are very popular among the masses and are exclusively aired on a particular channel such as the HBO exclusives. This is usually because they charge more for content licensing and not all streaming services have the authority to air those hit shows.
Multiple Streaming Platforms often Required
Since every streaming platform has its own set of originals so you are often required to subscribe to more than one streaming service. So no doubt, the streaming platforms have much cheaper packages as compared to cable TV, but you might need multiple subscriptions to enjoy a wider range of exclusive content. For instance, Downton Abbey was initially available on both Netflix and Amazon services but as the show gained more popularity, Netflix could no longer stream it. Moreover, keep in mind that more often streaming services get programs that have already been aired on the cable channels.
Wait Time
You should be prepared to wait for the next season or a series to be available for streaming. In fact, in the case of Netflix or Amazon, they usually wait until a certain series is no longer available on a television channel. Thus you might have to wait for a year for watching a show on Netflix. The same goes for the movies. There are long waiting periods to watch a movie on Netflix or Hulu. In fact, bBig blockbusters might not be available for a whole year and the wait time might also add some spoilers for you and ruin the experience. .
Ads Might be There
More and more streaming services seem to be turning towards ads. People who are paying for any of the streaming services, expect no ads to be interrupting your streaming session. So you start watching any of your much-anticipated shows on any of the streaming services and suddenly an ad pops out, or a promotion video starts playing.
Licensing Agreements
One of the main issues with the streaming platforms is the contracts of the service providers with the content creators or channels. As a result of any contradictions, there can be situations where the content might be dropped from a certain streaming platform to no longer e available for streaming.
Limitations of Multiple Streaming Streams
Every provider has a certain limitation to the number of devices that can stream simultaneously on a single account. Many do not even allow concurrent streaming via a single account. This does become problematic for a family to enjoy streaming at the same time on diffe3rent devices.
Wrapping Up,
While there are certain limitations and downsides of online streaming in comparison to cable TV, it has its benefits too. Having a clear understanding of both its upsides and downsides can help you make a more informed decision.
