What Are Movie Download Services?
Remember when video rental establishments first hit the scene? Instead of having to go to the movies to watch the films you'd been wanting to see, you could wait for them to come out on video and watch them from the comfort of your home. Back then our parents were saying, "What will they think of next?" The answer to that question is movie download services.
Movie download services allow you to download movies right from the Internet to your computer. Some charge monthly subscriptions and others charge rental fees, some have modern mainstream movies and others obscure indie films, but all of them offer thousands of downloads for your viewing pleasure.
To determine which movie download service is best for you, the following review summaries will help you find the best of the best.
Navigation
When it comes to movie download services, being able to find what you're looking for is critical.
1st Place:
For the best navigation, we selected Vongo. Vongo not only broke movies down into easy-to-browse categories, but the product also recommends movies based on your download history.
2nd place:
In second place we have CinemaNow. Like Vongo, this movie download service also offered easy-to-navigate categories and recommendations based on your previous downloads.
Application
The application of a movie download service is a critical element in how easy it is to use. These are the two we found to be the best in this aspect.
1st Place:
In first place we have iTunes. Not only was application very streamlined and organized, but download times were half of what we experienced with some of the competitors.
2nd Place:
For second place, we chose Movielink due to the fact that you can begin watching movies before the download is complete.
Features Selection
While the basic features of the various movie download services are all somewhat similar to one another, there are always a few that seem to stand out on top.
1st place:
Again, iTunes comes in first place due to the fact that its software offers an abundance of features and really helps organize your movie and music files.
2nd place:
TotalVid comes in second for its ability to watch movies during the download process and not having to wait for the entire download to complete. However, unlike some of the other movie download services that offer this feature, TotalVid allows you to choose when you begin viewing and the movie does not begin automatically.
Pricing
Movie download services are anything but standardized when it comes to pricing. Some offer subscriptions while others require you to pay per download. These two services offered the most bang for the buck.
1st place:
Total Vid came in first place. At only $9.95 per month, the subscription price doesn't get much better.
2nd place:
Movielink is structured around a pay-per-movie pricing scheme. At 1.99 or less per movie, they may be more cost effective if you are only doing a handful of downloads a month.
Customer Support
Customer service is always important (especially in today's day and age when it seems to be on the decline). These two companies came in on top.
1st place:
iTunes came in at number one mainly due to the fact that it offers email, phone and database help support. In fact, iTunes was the only movie download service to offer any phone support at all.
2nd place:
Movielink came in at number two because of their instant chat support. Not only did we not have to wait hours to get a live response from someone, but the response we received was knowledgeable and friendly.
In Closing
While movie download services are a newer concept, there are some companies who are obviously ahead of the curb. Use these movie download reviews to help determine which service is the best for you.