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"But the decision can be tricky, especially if you need something to keep the\nentire family entertained. In fact, with kids having different tastes to their\nparents and couples arguing over what to watch over takeout, it’s a potential\nminefield. \n\nWith this in mind, we’ve rounded up our top 10 tips for choosing a service that\nshould keep you and your loved ones happy.\n\n\n1. ASK YOUR FAMILY ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE SHOWS\n\nWhen you’re selecting a new streaming service for your family, the first step\nshould be to have an open conversation about the type of shows you all enjoy\nwatching. Also consider whether there is any content that could help certain\nindividuals with school or work. \n\nOnce you’re armed with this information, you’ll be in a much stronger position\nto begin comparing streaming services. If you all have different tastes, Amazon\nPrime Video could be the right choice for your household. The service has\ncontracts with networks such as HBO, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon, which\nmeans it has a great variety of shows that should offer something for everyone. \n\nMeanwhile, Disney Plus could be a good fit for fans of lifestyle and\nentertainment viewing as it has an ample supply of content from studios such as\nPixar, Disney, and National Geographic.\n\n\n2. DECIDE ON THE CHANNEL LINE-UP YOU NEED\n\nIf you’re looking for a live streaming service, it makes sense to select a\nprovider that offers as many of the channels and networks you want as possible. \n\nAgain, this should be a decision for the entire family. If you don’t choose a\nstreaming service that suits everyone’s tastes you might end up paying for\nmultiple services, which will increase your household bills.\n\nBut which provider is best for live TV? Sling TV could be an excellent choice\nfor sports fans as it provides access to channels such as ESPN, NFL, RedZone,\nand the Pac-12 networks. Alternatively, fuboTV’s live streaming service offers a\nwide range of channels for viewers with more eclectic tastes, including CBS,\nFox, NBC, and BBC America.\n\n\n3. CONSIDER A SERVICE WITH MULTIPLE STREAMS\n\nIn any family, it’s unlikely that everyone will always want to watch the same\nshow at the same time. If this sounds familiar, make sure you choose a streaming\nservice that allows you to view multiple streams through a single account at any\ngiven time. Otherwise, one member of your household will need to stop watching\nbefore another can start using the service.\n\nAlthough the number of streams available for simultaneous viewing will depend on\nthe plan you choose, services such as Netflix and Disney Plus allow you to watch\nup to 4 streams concurrently.\n\n\n4. CHECK SPEED REQUIREMENTS\n\nWhen you’re searching for a streaming service, it’s always wise to double check\nthe provider’s specs on internet speed.\n\nNetflix, for example, recommends having a minimum connection speed of 3MBPS if\nyou’re watching a standard-definition file and 5MBPS for high-definition\nviewing. If you’re watching 4K/Ultra HD shows (which have an extremely high\nresolution), you’ll need a speed of 25MBPS.\n\nAlthough these figures are fairly standard, it’s worth checking the requirements\nfor any new provider you’re considering. This way, you can make sure your\nconnection is up to scratch. Be aware that you may need an even faster speed if\nyou’re planning to use the internet to perform other tasks while streaming.\n\n\n5. CONSULT AN ONLINE CATALOG\n\nThe sheer volume of content available through streaming services is one of the\nmajor attractions of watching TV online. But having so much choice can also make\nit difficult to keep track of which services are currently offering your\nfavorite shows and movies.\n\nTools such as ReelGood and JustWatch allow you to search for your preferred\nshows and movies, and then see a list of the services where you can watch them.\nBoth these platforms are free to use and cover all the major streaming services.\n\n\n6. CONSIDER EASE OF USE\n\nWhen you’re streaming TV online, there’s nothing more frustrating than not being\nable to pull up the information for the episode you’re watching or being unable\nto find a new episode in the menu. \n\nThus, it’s essential that you choose a service with a clear, intuitive\ninterface. As a general rule of thumb, more established players tend to be a\nsafe bet when it comes to usability. Unlike some smaller companies, larger\nstreaming services have typically spent many millions of dollars on honing their\ninterfaces in response to viewer feedback. If you like to stream TV on the go,\nit would also make sense to opt for a service that offers an intuitive mobile\napp. \n\nThere is, however, no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to finding the most\nuser-friendly service as we all have our own unique habits when it comes to\ntechnology.\n\n\n7. MAKE THE MOST OF FREE TRIALS\n\nIn an attempt to lure new customers, several streaming services offer free\ntrials for a limited period. Signing up for a free trial can be a great way to\nget a taste of everything a service has to offer. What’s more, you can also make\nsure you’d actually watch enough TV to get your money’s worth before committing\nto a permanent membership. Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, and fuboTV all currently\noffer 7-day free trials.\n\nRemember, free trials don’t carry any obligation so there’s nothing to stop you\nfrom signing up to as many as you like until you find the right provider.\n\n\n8. FIND THE RIGHT PLAN FOR YOU\n\nOnce you’ve selected a streaming service, your task isn’t necessarily complete,\nalthough you’re nearly there. Before making any final decisions, you should\ncompare all the plans offered by the company you’ve chosen, and then decide\nwhich is right for your family.\n\nAt the more expensive end of the spectrum, most streaming services offer premium\nplans that allow you to stream high-definition content on multiple devices. If\nyou’re looking for a more affordable option, however, a basic plan could be a\nbetter choice. Although these plans will normally only allow you to stream via a\nsingle device and may be limited to standard-definition content, you may find it\nmore than enough to suit your requirements.\n\nAlternatively, you could investigate free streaming options if your viewing\nneeds are limited or your budget is tight. Netflix, for example, allows access\nto a selection of free content for both TV and movies. \n\n\n9. CONSIDER ROTATING YOUR PLANS\n\nIf your viewing habits change on a fairly regular basis, you may find that the\nright streaming service for your needs is subject to change. In this case, you\ncould simply cancel one provider and sign up for another.\n\nSay there are a few football or boxing matches you’re desperate to watch on one\nservice—you could subscribe to this service for as long as it offers the\nbroadcasts that interest you. Once this period is up, you could then switch to\nanother service that has your favorite period dramas, for example. \n\nIf you’re planning on adopting this strategy, it could be a good idea to time\nyour switches around the releases of any upcoming shows you'd like to catch. But\nmake sure you cancel any direct debits as soon as possible for services you no\nlonger need. Otherwise, you could end up paying for unused subscriptions.\n\n\n10. REGULARLY REVIEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION\n\nAs with any household bill, it’s essential that you routinely review your\nstreaming service to ensure you’re still getting the most competitive deal.\n\nStart by taking an honest look at your plan and asking yourself whether it still\ncarries shows you find informative or entertaining. And don’t forget to check\nfor any new or upcoming releases that might appeal to you or other family\nmembers.\n\nIf you’re no longer happy, try shopping around to see if any other services are\na better fit. Remember, you can always look for another provider that offers a\nfree trial so you can get a flavor of its suitability before committing yourself\nto a new deal.\n\n\nTHAT’S A WRAP\n\nWhile finding the right streaming service can be a great way to keep the entire\nfamily entertained, there are many factors you’ll need to consider before making\na decision, which can feel daunting. \n\nBy following the tips in this article, however, you should be able to choose a\nservice that not only carries the shows you love but also meets your technical\nrequirements and stays within your budget. All you’ll need to do then is sit\nback, relax, and enjoy the show."
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