I Compared British and American Streaming Services. Here's What I Found.

[@LostinthePond]

Odoo is an all-in-one solution for businesses like mine. Click the link to get started: www.odoo.com/r/u9a

[@lisapop5219]

Laurence has grown his winter fur

[@pacmon5285]

I wonder how many millions of years until media companies realize that all this splitting and segregating of content just angers people and drives them to piracy.

[@gaspump]

Almost like sovereign countries have their own rules! Imagine that! UK is definitely the worst though.

[@Jamie_D]

Some times there are legit reasons, such as rights issues releasing in other countries, but most of the time, yes it is ignorant dumbassery by them

[@bettyir4302]

Psst, change your vpn.

[@Hrafnskald]

KZbin does :D Most of my favorite British shows are only available on KZbin. I'd like to pay BBC money to see more of Dara O'Briain's big giant head, but KZbin is the only option for us poor, deprived Americans. Likewise for every British documentary set after 1945...

[@Shatterverse]

Growing up I was taught not to use the Oxford, but as an adult I changed my mind for the very simple reason that a meme suggested it. And that meme was basically to the effect of the difference between: I invited the strippers, Lincoln and Washington I invited the strippers, Lincoln, and Washington. Anyway English is a mess and we have enough exceptions so it's easier to just not bother over complicating it.

[@onesunnyday5699]

I started paying for ad free KZbin & couldn't be happier. I was trapped in the shower, listening to ads longer than the podcast. "That's it!" Never going back.

[@misspat7555]

Given an “ad” can be longer than the video it is in, this is understandable if you have money you aren’t using… 🤔

[@danielduncan6806]

So, they put ads in your way, to make you pay. And then like a good little girl, you did it.

[@AC-ni4gt]

@@misspat7555Like shoving a full episode of a TV cartoon? I actually had that happen to me before.

[@bettyir4302]

Reach around the shower curtain and hit the skip button.

[@erakfishfishfish]

Yeah, ad-free YT is one of the never-going-back things for me. It’s annoyingly pricy, but well worth it. (For those saying “hit the skip button”, you would still have to watch at least 5 seconds of the ad, and there are also a lot of 15-second forced-view ads out there. Plus, even at 5 seconds, hearing the same ad over and over and over again, often in the same video, gets annoying fast.

[@DavidEckard]

The thing about library size is that Netflix for example has many tens of thousands of titles. But they've learned that they get more money when they don't make all of them available all at the same time. So the number of titles you see show is just what's visible, not the entire library.

[@foogod4237]

True, but this isn't necessarily as nefarious as it sounds. There is a not-insignificant infrastructure cost involved in having each movie actually available in a datacenter in a format that is ready to stream to anyone on demand, plus it costs money in data transfer fees and computing hardware costs every time somebody actually does stream it, and it also generally costs more money in licensing rights to actually stream it to people than it does to simply possess it. On the other hand, they _don't actually make any money_ when they stream these movies/etc to people (it just costs them money to do it). They only make money from the monthly subscription (which they still get if you stream 1 movie or 100 movies), so if having those additional titles available isn't going to get a lot of new people to sign up (or keep a bunch of people from leaving), then it's actually financially _a net loss_ for them to make them available. They need to pay significant additional costs in infrastructure and licensing fees to do it, and they get no additional income out of it as a result. And this isn't new with services like Netflix. TV stations and cable channels have been doing exactly the same thing since the beginning of (recorded) TV programs, really. It just wasn't as obvious because so many titles weren't all concentrated all in one place (and controlled by a single entity) as they are nowadays.

[@jeffkleist9679]

they don't keep the licenses for everything year-round, for example they usually license back to the future for three months a year. They want you to stay subscribed and by shifting the availability of things they maximize their investment as well as keep you more entertained

[@margf.6773]

Good video, L.B. (Instead of streaming service, I recommend coloring books).

[@aniE1869]

I still just use an antenna. But I don't watch enough tv to pay for a subscription.

[@TheSolidSnakeOil]

The good thing about OTA TV is the in between channels. I never watch the real networks but I'll watch the one with nothing but westerns. I blame my grandfather for that. He'd if he was watching TV, we had to watch westerns (classic TBS ftw). Now that I'm older, I love them too.

[@aniE1869]

@@TheSolidSnakeOil my kids discovered the ME TV cartoon channel. The best place for Saturday morning cartoons.

[@doltsbane]

Given that the per capital income of the United States is 30 percent higher than that of the United Kingdom, the fact that the UK pays 3 percent less for Netflix is not really much of a bargain for the British.

[@bettyir4302]

We were given Netflix for free for a year or whatever. Blah, it was unwatchable. After a while we forgot we had it. Still didn't watch it. Too many weird foreign movies and sicko freaky movies. No thanks.

[@CarolannBrendel]

That was great in spite of all the math. Yes, I have great spite for math.

[@Deborah-so8mv]

I was told…

[@cynthiaalver]

Anybody remember when TV was free? Yes, I know. We only had 3 network channels and PBS. It was a whole lot simpler to just pick a channel and let it play. I also remember when we actually had to pry our backsides up off the couch and manually change the channel. For all of you 21st century people, that means NO REMOTE CONTROL 😮 ! I prefer to read a book, except for that time I got to watch a movie about Chief Joseph and the Nez Purse native Americans and my brother DIDN'T get to watch a basketball game. Our mom said it was because my movie was "history". Sorry, brother. Okay, not really sorry. Life for us kids was certainly more interesting with only 4 channels. No video games meant we played outside, too. Seems like a long time ago. I remember catching a passing stegosaurus on the way to school...

[@bettyir4302]

Channels were always blurry and snowy or you had to go outside and turn the antenna. Some days, you'd only get bullfights out of Mexico. But it was free. Today, basic cable is ridiculous.

[@erakfishfishfish]

The first good TV wireless remote controls came out in 1956. They used ultrasound to control the TV and clicked when you hit the buttons, which is why remotes are sometimes called “clickers”.

[@jmcg6189]

Also, one person usually had to serve as an antenna.

[@user-pb2ww4jx6t]

The net thing and the blue wall behind Lawrence are oddly satisfying.

[@penultimateh766]

Britain has "television" now?? Will wonders never cease....

[@goheen1701]

On the other hand, the UK has a requirement to own a 'TV License' if you watch ANY 'Live Streaming' or 'Live TV'. The annual cost (according to Google) is 169.50 pounds (sorry- no symbol for pounds on my keyboard) or $218.90. THAT is a heck of a lot for the right to watch live broadcasts- and it's ANNUAL???

[@carlbeaver7112]

Now you might understand all of the whack brand names on Amazon - it's because of all the copyrighted names around the world. In order to avoid issues many retailers use a program that generates random letters in sequence to create names not used in specific markets. This saves the marketer the expense of hiring a firm of lawyers to research if a name is 'clean' and fulfills Amazon's requirement in order to sell under their umbrella and avoid expensive legal entanglements.

[@boroblueyes]

I use an IPTV service. It has every licensed TV station around the world, access to all of the movie channels, televised live events, almost 60K movies, 18,000 TV shows and 15 second delayed live sports. The program guide needs some work, but other than that it's alright. Programming can be recorded as well.

[@jamesmetzler2031]

Listen! And understand! That terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear. And it absolutely will not stop. EVER! Until you are dead! KZbin: This is not a threat against Laurence (or anyone else). It's a quote from a movie, intended for entertainment purposes only!

[@AC-ni4gt]

Cencoring is the thing I often can never keep up with. It changes from country to country.

[@bettyir4302]

Change your vpn to another country.

[@bugtracker152]

It was the funny one. I regret I didn’t try prime while visiting the UK a month ago. Was actually too busy sightseeing and returning dead to the hotel. I cancelled my Netflix subscription after they banned my daughter from watching it. I wouldn’t get salty over it if I was watching it. But it happens that I watched everything I wanted there and since there were no major updates I didn’t watch Netflix for over a year while still paying for it because my daughter was watching some shows there. Now I ultimately switched to Prime which I already had and HBO Max. Good riddance, Netflix!

[@bdickeniii1]

This is, by far, one of my favorite videos that you have ever posted! Bravo!

[@Rgtg3grvtvt2f3g4]

Gas is cheaper in the US. However, UK vehicles are more fuel efficient than American ones.

[@nickboon1235]

I don’t even have subscriptions to any streaming services, nor do I care about their prices or what they stream. I’m just here for your fun accent

[@bettyir4302]

Plenty of free ones.

[@Lee_H9]

Oooh, Laurence, you (or your editor) used the pound symbol instead of dollar at the 3:35 mark for $139. Was that force of habit?

[@kevinbarry71]

As an American I do not like using the Oxford comma. However, as an American attorney, I use it in order to prevent confusion among the stupid

[@Hrafnskald]

One other MAJOR advantage British viewers have is access to the BBC streaming library. In the US, for example, I can pay to access only the final three seasons of Mock the Week, and I can only legally view British crime dramas if they are set in bizarrely depopulated parts of the Highland Moors, with max fog settings. ;) While viewers in the UK, from what I understand, can access a much wider library of BBC content. And yes, tv fees are a thing, but the BBC does not *allow* Americans to buy access to many of its best programmes. They should at least let us pay for it...

[@Rgtg3grvtvt2f3g4]

It boggles my mind how much cheaper internet and TV service is in the UK and you get the newest movies sooner and often for free, whereas the US we have to rent them most of the time.

[@davideboos]

In 2015, I visited London and brought my iPad. When I was there, I accidentally click on my Netflix app. While it didn't work, it did display the home page. When I looked at it, there was different movies and shows displayed and thought the US version got more British stuff.

[@JonTripp115]

I was shocked to learn that this treatise on streaming services was not brought to me by Britbox!

[@vipergtsmre]

Heck yeah Mr. Lawrence, also great to see your uploads

[@jimonthecoast3234]

I noticed the title of US show, in French, forgive my spelling "Le agence' Risque" which translates to. "The Risk Agency". And was a show about soldiers wrongly convicted, so now they put their services up for hire.. THE A Team of course.

[@mwolkove]

How was this, of all the videos I've watched on KZbin, NOT sponsored by a VPN? I can't imagine a more relevant topic for a VPN to sponsor.

[@davidpumpkinsjr.5108]

It took them 42 years to make nine episodes of Star Wars. I didn't realize it was a British TV show.

[@jeffkleist9679]

oooh lawrence, media rights for the UK are far cheaper than America on average. For example I could have a TV on Blu-ray box set shipped to America for less than half the price it would cost me in America with free shipping. You'll find that pop songs are used far more often in far cheaper programs because it is far cheaper to get them. The smaller the population the cheaper it is to buy things to play for them. They pay almost nothing for the Super Bowl in Canada for example. also the Wizard of Oz is not black-and-white it's sepia tone

[@maka3329]

Your definition of a streaming service fails to address it's primary appeal. Namely the ability to watch what you want without having to endure the rest of the family! Hello from the UK.

[@jack_T3579]

Happy Halloween 🎃 ❤

[@richardpetty9159]

I prefer the Oxfords comma but that’s not what you’re seeing. You’re seeing two independent clauses connected with conjunctions like “and,” “or,“ or “but.” In that case, the comma is superfluous and absolutely unnecessary. I think the reason that those commas are showing up so much in the US is that people are composing on electronic devices that automatically insert the damn things.

[@Ubique2927]

$4.28 for the basic Netflix in the Philippines. For less than half the US videos.

[@vannjunkin8041]

A decent vpn you can watch US, Australia. UK, New Zealand.. You can sign into any of them using you sign in and or password.

[@contrail33]

5000 views in one hour. I'm impressed

[@bagheerab278]

Streaming, especially Prime, is not nearly the deal it used to be. Way more stuff behind yet another paywall, and the only movies "included with prime" are getting to be old junk.

[@erakfishfishfish]

I can’t imagine too many people sign up for Prime for the streaming. I would think most are doing it for the shipping benefits and the streaming service is just a bonus.

[@TheZzzleep...]

The use of the optional comma is weird and not the norm for US English. If you can leave it out leave it out unless the sentence would become confusing.

[@MatthewIrvine]

The beard is coming in nicely...

[@leebrewer9145]

Loved the sweater!

[@josephfriend]

Also interesting, I live in Brazil but also watch Netflix in the US. If I connect to Atlanta, Miami, or Los Angeles I get different show offerings from each area. I may save a show connected to Atlanta but when I connect to Miami, it is not available. The price for Amazon Prime in Brazil is $5.85 per month. Of course I pay for Amazon Prime in the US also, because the US account does not work in Brazil. Netflix works fine in either country.

[@lynnleigha580]

We get Disney plus, paramount, and Netflix included in our cable but they come w ads 😢

[@darrellbedford4857]

Laurence as far as Netflix goes Meatloaf said it best. Two outa Three ain't bad. Love your chsnnel.

[@Deborah-so8mv]

But I won’t do that.

[@yondie491]

Oxford Comma means we win MURICA!!! Note: if you're curious, check out the Oakhurst Dairy lawsuit. Oxford Comma is legitimately a legal thing here, as it should be

[@Joe_Dirt82]

That's how I learned it. People my age (40s) don't even use commas n expect me to be able to understand their lists

[@raecrowe9514]

Eats shoots and leaves. Eats, shoots, and leaves

[@moochomo133]

Thanks for the research

[@randyherbrechtsmeier9769]

Please do your Vlogmas this Year!!!! I miss it Sooooo Much!!!!

[@LauraPatterson-kw8bl]

Yesss!

[@joermnyc]

Of course you could never watch all 15,000-20,000+ shows and films, just like you could never watch all the channels in your cable tv bundle (my family had Dish Network... so many strange channels and it was just the basic package that gave us local TV after the switch to HD (my family eventually got new tv's and a better antenna and ditched the dish... literally when they had the roof redone.)

[@Sawta]

If only there was much good to watch on any of them. Plex. ❤

[@cheriestl]

Just a question I’ve had: Do you watch Taskmaster?

[@andywindes4968]

Do people in the UK still have to pay for basic, broadcast TV? I've read stories about government vans driving through neighborhoods and pointing electronic devices at houses to determine if they were watching a TV without paying the fee for it. It seems hard to believe this could still be the case but who knows. I love British TV series and would love to subscribe to Brit Box, but one more subscription will tip my finances and send me down the road toward bankruptcy.

[@jwb52z9]

The van story is a lie, but if you watch using a TV, you're technically supposed to pay the license fee.

[@aniE1869]

Your beard is getting very thick. Are you hoping to get a job as a Santa impersonator when you turn fully grey?🎅

[@stitchitch7010]

He could always dye his beard and hair Santa white 🎅

[@maryvalentine9090]

😂😂😂

[@dwilborn1257]

He would probably first tell you that in the UK, it's Father Christmas, not Santa Claus. 😉

[@aniE1869]

@@dwilborn1257 younger generations don't generally use Father Christmas anymore. They've been too americanized thanks to the internet.

[@billbliss1518]

That is a very respectable beard. Keep it Lawrence!

[@CarlGorn]

I'd be interested to hear about free streaming services in either country. Here in the U.S., we have Pluto, Freevee, Tubi, and others. What about in the UK?

[@Ubique2927]

You have gone from 35 to 55 overnight!!!!!

[@seanpaula8924]

Ive had an antenna for 12-15 years. Pay tv wont get any more $ from me.

[@richardpetty9159]

But ”free” TV is sucking your life away.

[@TheSolidSnakeOil]

And not once have I got the full 4K from netflix I paid for. 1 gig internet and still only got 1080p video. Amazon does deliver on the 4K though.

[@erakfishfishfish]

Honest question: can you tell the difference between HD and 4K? I’ve never been able to (likely due to my astigmatisms), so it was never a selling point for me.

[@byron2521]

This is why you need a VPN....lol.

[@johnblackdeuce]

If they have so many titles why do they show the same 10-15 movies for..every.... Single.... category

[@klimtkahlo]

You understand that everything is more expensive in Europe and the UK because salaries are way lower than US salaries and cars and houses and clothing and gas is more expensive in Europe.

[@Rgtg3grvtvt2f3g4]

UK minimum wage is higher than America's. British also doesn't have to pay for health insurance like Americans do, and the UK has outstanding public transportation, which means they don't need to buy a car to get around. Cars are cheaper in the UK than in the US though and more fuel efficient. Prices of groceries are cheaper than the US too, and are all organic non GMO

[@jwb52z9]

@@Rgtg3grvtvt2f3g4 I don't know where you get the idea that food is cheaper in the US, unless it's junk food.

[@DerekTrowbridge]

which one offers Coronation Street

[@frog1812]

Probably on brit box

[@LandenElodydy]

Il mio ragazzo pensa di essere un maestro del turpiloquio. Ieri sera mi ha sussurrato: "Sei pronta per la cavalcata della tua vita?". Poi si è prontamente addormentato sopra di me. Grazie per il brivido, tesoro😘

[@anthonycalbillo9376]

Sweater weather!!!

[@ehhjeep]

👍

[@NitKilroy]

Shave Lawrence. Shave.

[@redonk1740]

The US version of the Office is for NPCs.

[@QuantumParadox]

Can you explaine streaming service in British lango? I am talking about how they use charries and barriers for stairs or something like that. It's some weird lango within England. I don't know how to expline it. Britlanders are a funny people.

[@kenbrown2808]

that is cockney rhyming slang. a language quirk designed to amuse working folks by annoying posh folks.

[@Joe_Dirt82]

I vote for Laurence to go on the Unsubscribe podcast.

[@PR0monke]

I can and can't see that. That would be the last person I'd expect to go on there.

[@lisasmith7066]

I love the beard 😊

[@Brimoeris1]

Hello Hello Hello

[@joannunemaker6332]

I enjoyed this video. 😊❤

[@ShawnsSpot]

Santa Claus 🎅

[@garyi.1360]

Is this an ad?

[@jakeroberts3070]

Cancelled Netflix, unlikely to subscribe in the future.

[@erakfishfishfish]

I keep a list of shows I want to watch on a single service, and when it gets long enough, I sub to that service for 1 month and work my way through it.

[@merlinwizard1000]

83rd, 23 October 2024

[@martykitson3442]

🤠👍👍

[@markphillips8019]

Oi! Lawrence!! WTF with the incorrect Union Flags? Have you forgotten what one looks like? Did you think your viewers will not notice? Get it fixed. Now!!!!

[@kathyastrom1315]

Yay Oxford comma!!!

[@windwatcher11]

Early-ish!

[@j.kristineemmons]

Did anyone else get interrupted watching this video to the sound of a helicopter, only to look outside and see a police chase? Mmm, just me in Chicago? Okay then. Back to the video! I love the linguistics on this channel. I usually use an Oxford comma. I hear they were more common in the past. I usually only drop it if I'm talking about something that goes together, like, "For dinner, I had, milk, fish and chips," vs "For dinner, I had milk, steak, and asparagus".

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

That beard is getting out of control.

[@jamiekatz7591]

T M I

[@Noobsquaredgd]

First to say first!

[@paulthompson1562]

First to say, IDGAF!

[@RichardRichiuso]

Great show today great show

[@AlessandraEldonon]

Ho provato a usare delle candele profumate per creare l'atmosfera, ma alla fine sembravano più un incendio nella foresta che una serata romantica. Nota per me: la prossima volta scegliete candele non profumate😘

[@Old-Toby]

Whats the minimum wage of both countries?

[@erakfishfishfish]

Varied in both countries. In the UK, it’s £11.44 ($14.79) for people over 21, and £6.40-8.60 ($8.27-11.12) for anyone under 21 or over the age of 19 and in the first year of an apprenticeship. In the US, federal minimum wage is $7.25 (£5.61), but can be as low as $2.13 (£ 1.65) if it’s a tipped employee. However, lots of states and cities have higher minimum wages, like Washington DC, where it’s $17 (£13.15).