What’s on Amazon Prime Video?
We’re no fans of buying audio equipment online — we recommend local hi-fi shops every time. But with Amazon now offering Australians two levels of ‘Prime’ service including video streaming, Adam Turner assesses the value on offer versus rival streaming services, and finds that while Aussies pay less for Amazon’s streaming video service than Netflix or Stan, but in return there’s less to keep you entertained.
An Australian Amazon Prime Video subscription will set you back $4.99 per month, rising to $6.99 in January 2019. Alternatively you can access Amazon’s video library as part of the new $12.99 per month Australian Prime service. Either way, you can use three different devices simultaneously, with the option to download and watch offline.
Meanwhile, Netflix and Stan start at $10 per month in Australia for a single standarddef stream, with the price rising if you want a sharper picture and more simultaneous viewers. All three video services offer Ultra HD content on compatible devices (mostly apps built into smart TVs), but Stan doesn’t offer the benefit of High Dynamic Range.
Amazon also sells Fire TV streaming players to plug into your television, to rival Google’s Chromecast. Unfortunately Australians can only purchase the $69 Fire TV Stick Basic Edition. We miss out on US models which support faster Wi-Fi, pack more grunt, play Ultra HD video and work with the talkative Alexa smart assistant. Amazon Prime Video doesn’t work with Google’s Chromecast, due to an ongoing feud between the two tech giants, but it does work with Apple TVs.
So what do Australians get from Amazon for their money? Prime Video has a growing library of original content including The Grand Tour, American Gods, The Man in the High Castle, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Bosch. Meanwhile, the streaming newcomer is still hampered by existing local rights deals, with Amazon Originals such as Mozart in the Jungle and Transparent Season 1 available on both Amazon and Stan.
Netflix clearly leads the way when it comes to original content, constantly dropping new shows, particularly thanks to its deal with Marvel Studios. This could change if Disney’s plans to launch its own streaming service reach Australia, keeping in mind it now owns Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and Pixar. The local launch of CBS All Access will also fragment the streaming landscape.
Meanwhile, Stan has dipped its toe in the water with a handful of titles like Wolf Creek, Romper Stomper, No Activity, Plonk and The Other Guy. Stan also snapped up the Australian rights to Philip K. Dick’s Electric
Dreams, which ran on Amazon in the US. It’s more of an even playing field when it comes to the back catalogue. While Netflix wins out in the pure number of shows, all three services offer hidden gems.
You’ll find about 1000 television shows on Amazon, which is more than Stan but less than Netflix. As on any streaming service, only a small amount of what’s on offer is likely to float your boat. Rather than search for your favourites, which almost always ends in disappointment, it’s best to browse until something catches your eye.
The highlights when reminiscing on Amazon in Australia include Seinfeld, Married...With Children, The Office and Mr. Bean. The line up of current comedies is pretty thin once you get past Parks And Recreation.
Things look more promising if you’re into drama, with Amazon offering the likes of Blue Bloods, NCIS, CSI, Cracker, House and Law & Order.
When it comes to movies, Amazon comes out ahead of its rivals in terms of raw numbers, but once again it’s a mixed bag. When you flick through Amazon’s list of top movies, the decent ones are all at least six years old. Meanwhile, you’ll find plenty of 2017 blockbuster movies on Netflix and a few on Stan.