A number of different companies offer online video streaming services. Many times a subscription allows customers to watch as many videos as they would like for an allotted time period. Videos are available instantly for streaming, so customers don't have to leave their houses to pick up movies. However, videos available via the Internet are often older films -- not new releases. Therefore, if you're looking to watch the newest blockbuster, or even a recently released film, it may not be available online until many months after its release.
Despite efforts to enhance streaming videos, there are significant variations in the quality of Internet movies. Internet movie quality depends on a number of factors including the type and speed of Internet connection, the bandwidth of the site hosting the video, the compression and encoding settings of the movie and the size of the screen used to view the film. The issue of streaming quality is eliminated in instances where the movie is first downloaded and then played. However, it can take hours to download a full video, which cuts into the benefit of instantaneous movie watching.
Popular sites like YouTube broadcast user-generated video content. While content is often entertaining, comical or even incendiary, the information found on Internet movies is not always accurate. Oftentimes, Internet videos are designed by political or special interest groups with the intention of influencing people's views on certain issues. Additionally, a type of film called "viral videos" has also emerged. On the surface, they are designed to look like user-generated videos that give viewers a favorable impression of certain products. However, these videos are often part of marketing campaigns and they are actually a form of advertising designed to reach millions of viewers through online social networks.
Consumers often can save large amounts of money by purchasing or watching movies online. Monthly subscriptions can be far cheaper than purchasing or renting the physical DVDs. However, when watching online movies, there is the additional cost of purchasing Internet service with a speed fast enough to stream videos. Additionally, if you would like to watch movies on your television, you must purchase a proper cable connector or a box that gives you the ability to stream the videos from your computer to the your television set.
The availability of Internet distribution has had a significant effect on filmmakers. Channels such as YouTube and certain niche sites allow emerging and indie filmmakers to distribute their work to mass audiences at a level not possible before the advent of Internet film. However, with the availability of online distribution, movie piracy has grown. It is often possible to download full versions of feature films. When videos are pirated, the owners of the film are not getting paid, which in the long run can lead to increased cost for consumers.