Over the last four decades, the way we consume information has changed to the point where many argue that streaming is the new cable.
Streaming Innovation Alliance has developed a “Video Then and Now” infographic that examines how home video has evolved over the previous few decades.
Here’s a trip down memory lane, from simultaneous viewing and recording episodes with VCRs to picking what to watch on-demand with a single click.
READ MORE: The Benefits Of Ads For Streaming
1984: When Watching Television Was basically a commitment.
Television was a family affair forty years ago, in the 1980s. You gathered in front of your large, boxy television to watch one of the three major networks. Cable was still finding its footing, but if you were lucky, you could catch a few networks like ESPN and CNN, or superstations like TBS. Moviegoers would have to wait till a film became available on VHS or hope it was the “Movie of the Week” on a network.
With no on-demand content, programming was limited, advertising were non-negotiable, and entertainment alternatives were presented as a fixed menu or a take-it-or-leave-it bargain.
2004: More channels, more problems.
Fast forward 20 years to 2004, and things begin to get interesting. Cable TV now includes hundreds of channels, which sounds great, but customers soon discovered they were paying for 99% of stations they’d never see. DVRs like TiVo offered some respite from the tyranny of live TV, but accessing recorded shows was like solving a digital treasure hunt with a cumbersome remote control.
DVDs were a huge step forward from VHS. The days of “Be kind, rewind” were over, and many were looking forward to renting a movie from Blockbuster or another local video store. However, DVDs might cause grief if you reach home and discover that they are too scratched to play. As a result, returning it to a physical store became more difficult.
2024: Total Television Freedom
Streaming has simplified the experience of viewing television. Whether you want to watch the latest movie, witness an international sporting event, view a niche documentary, or relive an old show, you can do it all whenever and whenever. Streaming services provide limitless possibilities, kid-friendly profiles, numerous languages, and surprisingly accurate recommendations. If you missed the start of an event or live broadcast, you can just hit a button to restart, which is why streaming is so convenient.
Gone are the days of huge cable boxes and tangled remote controls. Voice commands, flat-screen TVs, cellphones, tablets, and laptops are all ready to stream at the touch of a button.
Convenience and affordability at their finest.
Perhaps the most significant game changer is how easy it is to view whatever you want. There’s no more rushing home to catch the beginning of your favorite show or scanning through a TV guide to see what’s on. You may now search for exactly what you’re looking for, start a show whenever it’s convenient for you, and forget about tape and disc storage.
As technology advanced, streaming devices became more inexpensive. In the 1980s, a VCR might cost up to $1,000 (in today’s currency), and at the turn of the century, cable plans charged a premium for substandard content. Long-term rental contracts and late fees also contributed to the problem.
What about now? Streaming is ideal for individuals on a budget. You may view thousands of hours of entertainment for free via ad-supported platforms such as Plex, Tubi, Pluto, Sling Freestream, MyFree DIRECTV, and Prime Video. Even discovering on-demand video is simple; with Hulu, ESPN+, Prime Video, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Peacock, Starz, Disney+, and Max, you can binge as much as you want, cancel at any time, and avoid any unexpected fees.
You can see the entire Video Then & Now Graphic here:
The future has arrived, and we now have the ability to watch whatever we want, when we want, on nearly any device. Viewing technology has improved to the point where clunky devices and rigid programming schedules no longer cause difficulties. With ad-supported streaming on the rise, deciding what to watch next will no longer cost a fortune, as it did decades ago.
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