Amazon has just launched their new add-on subscription service for Prime Video, which gives us the closest thing we’ve seen yet to a true à la carte TV channel service. The service is launching with 30 different content collections for Amazon Prime customers to pick and choose the media that appeals to them. Collections range from big network names like Showtime and Starz with thousands of movies and TV shows included, to much smaller niche collections like Smithsonian Earth which currently includes a few dozens episodes from 5 different shows. Prices range from $2.99 per month for something like Warriors & Gangsters, which unlocks 45 action movies distributed by FlixFling, to $8.99 for networks like Showtime and Starz, which include 600+ and 800+ TV shows and movies respectively, to $9.95 for Gaia, which includes over one thousand videos.
The service is currently only available to Amazon Prime subscribers as a way to unlock additional content not available through Prime Video. No content has been removed from the Prime Video library to create the subscription service. In-fact, there is a tiny bit of overlap with some of the subscription collections and Prime Video. For instance, Starz’s subscription library of 826 TV shows and movies includes 38 TV shows and movies that are already included with Prime Video. This is just a small fluke we’re bound to see, caused by overlapping deals that both Amazon and Starz have made for the same content.
Each individual subscription comes with a free trial, that ranges from 7 to 30 days, before Amazon begins charging the monthly subscription fee. There is currently no way to subscribe to any of the collections through a Fire TV. You can subscribe to a collection through Amazon’s website or mobile apps, at which point the content will become available to watch for free through the Fire TV. For the time being, you will have to use the Fire TV’s search to find your subscribed content, as there is currently no way to browse just the content you’ve subscribed through on the Fire TV. That ability, as well as the option to subscribe directly on the Fire TV, is coming to Fire TV devices in a software update early next year.
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“which gives us the closest thing we’ve seen yet to a true à la carte TV channel service”
What about Sling TV? They have more content, and actually give you access to live broadcasts.
Sling is a bundle, not a la carte.
Anyway, how can we see the regular prices? On the Amazon site everything just says free trial.
If you click on one of the networks/collections, then click on a movie or series inside that collection, you will see the price for the monthly subscription to that network in the top right corner. At least that worked for the things I clicked on.
Thanks!
I have listed them all here on one page: http://www.aftvnews.com/summary-of-all-30-new-amazon-prime-video-add-on-subscriptions-with-prices-and-content-count/
SlingTV is really bad. The software is buggy, especially on PC and Mac, and there are constant issues with big games and season finales overloading their network. I trust Amazon way more than SlingTV (aka Dish) – now all they need is to get HGTV on Amazon and I can forget SlingTV ever existed. :)
very important question…do these movies stream from amazon’ servers?
For example Guardians of the Galaxy normally would be $5.99 to rent from amazon and stream from their servers. if i signup for the starz is this movie going to stream from amazon’s video servers (which are awesome quality) or a separate starz app and server? i ask because i remember in the past starz play wasnt anywhere near the quality of netflix or amazon’s server quality.
I’m almost positive everything streams from Amazon. All of this content was already available from Amazon, just for rent/purchase. Now these subscriptions just “unlock” that content in one big bunch and make it as if that content was included with Prime Video. That’s why Amazon calls these “add-on” subscriptions.
Not everything was offered before on Amazon via rent or buy, they have added content
a small example
http://www.amazon.com/All-Access-Pass-Campbell-Columbus/dp/B017V7MO2G
You can not buy or rent this, it can only be watched if you have the conTV add-on. Plus it was not listed at all on Amazon last time I checked.
Add 3 services and you’re adding almost $30/month on top of what you pay for prime. A la ripoff.
30/month? Not sure how you got to that. I assume you are looking at the “premium” channels, that cable companys charge $15-$20 a month a piece for, like Showtime, Starz, etc, rather than the smaller cheaper channels.
I keep hearing “No content has been removed from the Prime Video library to create the subscription service” which is true, but this will cause Amazon to not add as much new content in the future (sans Amazon original programming). Why outbid Netflix & Hulu for TV shows & Movies when you can just sell add-on subscriptions which cost you nothing while they get a cut of the money they collect.
Amazon gets to spend less while advertising they now provide the largest streaming library on earth
They already offered this content for rent/purchase before this new service, so their library size hasn’t changed. Just how you pay for it: individually vs bundled.
This service is an extension of Prime. Without Prime being appealing on its own, there is no subscription service. I see this service as bridging the massive gap between subscription services like Prime/Netflix and buying/renting individual videos. Just looking at the Starz subscription shows the sheer number of videos that were only available by individual purchases/rentals prior to this service. Of the 800+ Starz movies and shows, only a few dozen were included in Prime. I’m not worried, for example, about Amazon removing those few dozen videos since it wouldn’t make a difference to the appeal of the Starz subscription.
Both, Showtime and StarZ have same rental rates.
Caveat Emptor!
Showtime – 720p / Stereo
StarZ – 1080p / DD 5.1
If I already pay for these channels via premium cable subscription, is there any way for me to take advantage of this? Of course good old Charter is not an available provider when using the native FTV apps. (Starz/Showtime)
I don’t think so, but yes, there definitely should be a way for people to connect with their cable companies. I believe that we get Starz for free and can watch via the stand-alone app, but I suppose that putting everything with Amazon would be nice, too.
Yeah, would be great if a Uverse or XFinity, etc TV account would unlock content within Amazon too… Instead of having to go thru an app… Without having to pay twice.. But doubt Amazon will allow it..
I have a Xfinity App which I sideloaded to the Fire TV – works great if you are fine with using a wireless keyboard to navigate.
If you can reduce your bill by $9 by dropping Starz from your cable provider – you can turn around and subscribe via Fire TV. Correct?
Does anyone know if the delivery “platforms/processes” have to be those listed above? In particular, we have a Samsung TV that “gets” Amazon Prime via our (external) Sony) Blu-ray player. Since we can get Amazon Prime on the Sony, can we also get an add-on subscription as well?
I was watching the Tudors through Amazon prime for free and now suddenly they’re asking me to pay for it. How is this an improvement?
Since I already get Starz via DirecTV, is Starz via Amazon something different?
So all B-movie Asian fighting flicks i could watch for free in the past. Now i have to pay $2.99 per month for Warriors & Gangsters package. LAME!!!!!
I want to stop Starz. Could you do that for me?
I wont too end my prime video, how do i stop subscription