Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with
Prime Video Ultra.

Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month
for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the
$14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the
United States to access the streaming service.

What is changing with Prime Video?
Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing
Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month,
meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139
figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which
is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the
ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only
three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing
(previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD
streaming.

Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with
premium features requires significant investment, and this
structure aligns with other major streaming services while
ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to
watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video
benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional
cost with their Prime membership."

The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit
on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had
deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video
unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in
July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's
introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a
'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber
agreements."

Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of
Power, and many more.



<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>






--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price
ÿÿ -----------------------------------------------------------------
ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with
ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month
ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the
ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the
ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing
ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month,
ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139
ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video
again, even for a month!

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which
ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the
ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only
ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing
ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD
ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with
ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this
ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while
ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to
ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video
ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional
ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit
ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had
ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video
ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in
ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's
ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a
ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber
ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law.

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of
ÿÿ Power, and many more.

<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing- beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price
ÿÿ -----------------------------------------------------------------
ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with
ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month
ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the
ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the
ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing
ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month,
ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139
ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video
again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which
ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the
ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only
ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing
ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD
ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with
ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this
ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while
ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to
ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video
ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional
ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit
ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had
ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video
ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in
ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's
ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a
ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber
ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law.

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features
unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of
ÿÿ Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-
beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price
ÿÿ -----------------------------------------------------------------
ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with
ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month
ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the
ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the
ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing
ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month,
ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139
ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video
again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which
ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the
ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only
ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing
ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD
ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with
ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this
ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while
ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to
ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video
ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional
ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit
ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had
ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video
ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in
ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's
ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a >>> ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber
ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law.

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features
unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys, >>> ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of
ÿÿ Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-
beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price >>>> ÿÿ ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with
ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month >>>> ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the >>>> ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the
ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing >>>> ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month,
ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139
ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video
again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which >>>> ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the >>>> ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only
ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing
ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD >>>> ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k. >>>
A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with
ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this
ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while
ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to >>>> ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video >>>> ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional >>>> ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit >>>> ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had
ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video
ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in >>>> ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's >>>> ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a >>>> ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber
ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law.

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features
unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys, >>>> ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of >>>> ÿÿ Power, and many more.



<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me in ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five minutes of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make them go away.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>> wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price >>>>> ÿÿ ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month >>>>> ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the >>>>> ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>> ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing >>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month,
ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>> ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video
again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which >>>>> ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the >>>>> ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>> ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing
ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD >>>>> ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>> ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this
ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while
ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to >>>>> ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video >>>>> ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional >>>>> ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit >>>>> ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>> ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>> ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in >>>>> ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's >>>>> ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a
ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber >>>>> ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law.

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features >>> unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of >>>>> ÿÿ Power, and many more.

<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me in ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make them go away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

I hope it doesn't happen, but I expect it will at some point.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote: >>> On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>>> wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price
ÿÿ -----------------------------------------------------------------
ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month >>>>>> ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the
ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>>> ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing
ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month, >>>>>> ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>>> ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video >>>>> again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which
ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the >>>>>> ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>>> ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing >>>>>> ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD
ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>>> ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this >>>>>> ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while >>>>>> ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to
ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video >>>>>> ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional >>>>>> ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit >>>>>> ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>>> ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>>> ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in
ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's
ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a
ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber >>>>>> ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law. >>>>

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features >>>> unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of
ÿÿ Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me >> in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five
minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy >> things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make them go >> away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. We'll be totally screwed with streaming.

I hope it doesn't happen, but I expect it will at some point.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:46:31 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid> >wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote: >>>> On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>>>> wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price
ÿÿ -----------------------------------------------------------------
ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month
ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the
ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>>>> ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing
ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month, >>>>>>> ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>>>> ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video >>>>>> again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which
ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the
ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>>>> ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing >>>>>>> ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD
ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>>>> ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this >>>>>>> ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while >>>>>>> ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to
ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video
ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional
ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit
ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>>>> ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>>>> ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in
ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's
ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a
ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber >>>>>>> ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law. >>>>>

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features >>>>> unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of
ÿÿ Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me >>> in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five
minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy >>> things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make them go
away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels
eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. We'll >be totally screwed with streaming.

What ever do you mean? You don't like the idea of five minutes of a
show and then two minutes of ads?

I hope it doesn't happen, but I expect it will at some point.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 3/14/2026 3:46 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid> wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote: >>>> On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price
ÿÿ -----------------------------------------------------------------
ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month
ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the
ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>>>> ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing
ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month, >>>>>>> ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>>>> ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video >>>>>> again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which
ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the
ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>>>> ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing >>>>>>> ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD
ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>>>> ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this >>>>>>> ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while >>>>>>> ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to
ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video
ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional
ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit
ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>>>> ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>>>> ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in
ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's
ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a
ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber
ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law. >>>>>

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features
unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of
ÿÿ Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me
in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five >>> minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy >>> things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make them go
away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels
eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.
...

I wonder if that'll noticeably increase viewership of broadcast (i.e., ffwd-able) TV. Surely there's hardcore anti-ad populace out there.

(Don't let it go to your head, but... years ago I posted here about the insufferably long ad-breaks put in CHILDHOOD'S END, and you posted back
about simply breezing past them. I got my DVR the next day.)



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026-03-14 21:02:29 +0000, moviePig said:

On 3/14/2026 3:46 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote: >>>>> On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>>>>> wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

?? Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price >>>>>>>> ?? ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>>>>> ?? Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>>>>> ?? Prime Video Ultra.

?? Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month >>>>>>>> ?? for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the >>>>>>>> ?? $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>>>>> ?? United States to access the streaming service.

?? What is changing with Prime Video?
?? Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing >>>>>>>> ?? Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month, >>>>>>>> ?? meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>>>>> ?? figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video >>>>>>> again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

?? There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which >>>>>>>> ?? is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the >>>>>>>> ?? ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>>>>> ?? three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing >>>>>>>> ?? (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD >>>>>>>> ?? streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

?? Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>>>>> ?? premium features requires significant investment, and this
?? structure aligns with other major streaming services while
?? ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to >>>>>>>> ?? watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video >>>>>>>> ?? benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional >>>>>>>> ?? cost with their Prime membership."

?? The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit >>>>>>>> ?? on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>>>>> ?? deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>>>>> ?? unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in >>>>>>>> ?? July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's >>>>>>>> ?? introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a >>>>>>>> ?? 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber >>>>>>>> ?? agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law. >>>>>>

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features >>>>>> unless you pay more?

?? Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
?? Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of >>>>>>>> ?? Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me >>>> in ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five >>>> minutes of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to >>>> throw heavy things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame >>>> to make them go away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels
eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.
...

I wonder if that'll noticeably increase viewership of broadcast (i.e., ffwd-able) TV. Surely there's hardcore anti-ad populace out there.

(Don't let it go to your head, but... years ago I posted here about the insufferably long ad-breaks put in CHILDHOOD'S END, and you posted back about simply breezing past them. I got my DVR the next day.)

We record all our shows on the Sky TV box so we can fast-forward
through the advert breaks. :-)

I've also got a ad blocker app on my computer, so see far fewer adverts
than I do when I occasionally use the iPad without an ad blocker
(simply haven't gotten around to installing on on it). YouTube tries
hard to shovel out adverts before and in videos, but an update to the
ad blocker usually gets rid of them again.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 3/14/2026 5:44 PM, Your Name wrote:

On 2026-03-14 21:02:29 +0000, moviePig said:

On 3/14/2026 3:46 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>> wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com>
wrote:

On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
<ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a >>>>>>>>> Price

----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per >>>>>>>>> month
ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top >>>>>>>>> of the
ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of
accessing
ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month, >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video >>>>>>>> again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, >>>>>>>>> which
ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes >>>>>>>>> the
ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to >>>>>>>>> 4K/UHD
ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people >>>>>>>> out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they >>>>>>>>> want to
ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime >>>>>>>>> Video
ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no
additional
ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action >>>>>>>>> lawsuit
ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the >>>>>>>>> suit in
ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that >>>>>>>>> Amazon's
ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price
increase' but a
ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber >>>>>>>>> ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law. >>>>>>>

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away
features
unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include >>>>>>>>> The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The >>>>>>>>> Rings of
ÿÿ Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-
removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the >>>>>> exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us.ÿ I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take
advantage of me
in ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing
but five
minutes of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want
to throw heavy things at the TV and I just throw my money at them
in shame to make them go away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels
eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the
ads. We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.
...

I wonder if that'll noticeably increase viewership of broadcast (i.e.,
ffwd-able) TV.ÿ Surely there's hardcore anti-ad populace out there.

(Don't let it go to your head, but... years ago I posted here about
the insufferably long ad-breaks put in CHILDHOOD'S END, and you posted
back about simply breezing past them.ÿ I got my DVR the next day.)

We record all our shows on the Sky TV box so we can fast-forward through
the advert breaks.ÿ :-)

I've also got a ad blocker app on my computer, so see far fewer adverts
than I do when I occasionally use the iPad without an ad blocker (simply haven't gotten around to installing on on it). YouTube tries hard to
shovel out adverts before and in videos, but an update to the ad blocker usually gets rid of them again.

Alas, afaik, there's no non-nuclear way to record Amazon, Apple, etc. ...though I won't be surprised at a black-market option now or later.




--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026-03-14 19:46:31 +0000, BTR1701 said:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid> wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote: >>>> On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>>>> wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

?? Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price >>>>>>> ?? ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>>>> ?? Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>>>> ?? Prime Video Ultra.

?? Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month >>>>>>> ?? for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the >>>>>>> ?? $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>>>> ?? United States to access the streaming service.

?? What is changing with Prime Video?
?? Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing >>>>>>> ?? Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month,
?? meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>>>> ?? figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video >>>>>> again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

?? There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which >>>>>>> ?? is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the >>>>>>> ?? ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>>>> ?? three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing
?? (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD >>>>>>> ?? streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

?? Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>>>> ?? premium features requires significant investment, and this
?? structure aligns with other major streaming services while
?? ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to >>>>>>> ?? watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video >>>>>>> ?? benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional >>>>>>> ?? cost with their Prime membership."

?? The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit >>>>>>> ?? on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>>>> ?? deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>>>> ?? unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in >>>>>>> ?? July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's >>>>>>> ?? introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a >>>>>>> ?? 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber >>>>>>> ?? agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law. >>>>>

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features >>>>> unless you pay more?

?? Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys, >>>>>>> ?? Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of >>>>>>> ?? Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me >>> in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five
minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy >>> things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make them go >>> away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels
eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.

One of my TVs (an RCA) allows me to freeze the frame. That way I can
freeze the frame and mute the TV for a couple of minutes. It's a hassle
but gives me a little satisfaction.

An older CRT TV I used to own (also an RCA) had this "commercial skip" function where you could set a timer that would pop up on the screen in increments of 30 seconds, up to about 4 minutes I think. Then surf
around on other channels until the timer elapsed to zero. That would be
useful on modern TVs. Of course when you're streaming it isn't as
convenient to surf around as when you did it with linear TV.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026-03-14 22:28:13 +0000, moviePig said:

On 3/14/2026 5:44 PM, Your Name wrote:

On 2026-03-14 21:02:29 +0000, moviePig said:

On 3/14/2026 3:46 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>>> wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

<snip>

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of >>>>>> me in ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but >>>>>> five minutes of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want >>>>>> to throw heavy things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in >>>>>> shame to make them go away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels >>>>> eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the
ads. We'll be totally screwed with streaming.
...

I wonder if that'll noticeably increase viewership of broadcast (i.e.,
ffwd-able) TV.? Surely there's hardcore anti-ad populace out there.

(Don't let it go to your head, but... years ago I posted here about the >>> insufferably long ad-breaks put in CHILDHOOD'S END, and you posted back >>> about simply breezing past them.? I got my DVR the next day.)

We record all our shows on the Sky TV box so we can fast-forward
through the advert breaks.? :-)

I've also got a ad blocker app on my computer, so see far fewer adverts
than I do when I occasionally use the iPad without an ad blocker
(simply haven't gotten around to installing on on it). YouTube tries
hard to shovel out adverts before and in videos, but an update to the
ad blocker usually gets rid of them again.

Alas, afaik, there's no non-nuclear way to record Amazon, Apple, etc. ...though I won't be surprised at a black-market option now or later.

Amazon, Apple, iPlayer, and some of the others do have an option to
download shows for offline watching through their apps, which means it
*might* be possible fast-forward through any adverts (if the adverts
even appear without an internet connection) ... although I don't have
any streaming subscriptions to check.

Otherwise, try the naughty web to download shows instead.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sat, 14 Mar 2026 18:30:09 -0500, super70s
<super70s@super70s.invalid> wrote:

On 2026-03-14 19:46:31 +0000, BTR1701 said:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote: >>>>> On 3/14/2026 1:04 AM, shawn wrote:

On Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:30:00 -0700, "Ian J. Ball" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>>>>> wrote:

On 3/13/26 5:40 PM, Your Name wrote:

ÿÿ Prime Video Removing Beloved Tier, Adding New Features at a Price >>>>>>>> ÿÿ ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video is removing its ad-free tier and replacing it with >>>>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video Ultra.

ÿÿ Up until this point, Amazon shared an additional $2.99 per month >>>>>>>> ÿÿ for Prime Video without ads. That $2.99 per month is on top of the >>>>>>>> ÿÿ $14.99 per month, or $139 a year, that subscribers pay in the >>>>>>>> ÿÿ United States to access the streaming service.

ÿÿ What is changing with Prime Video?
ÿÿ Per Variety, Prime Video has announced that the cost of accessing >>>>>>>> ÿÿ Prime Video without ads is going up by two dollars a month, >>>>>>>> ÿÿ meaning it'll now be $4.99 per month on top of the $14.99/$139 >>>>>>>> ÿÿ figure. The change goes into effect on April 10, 2026.

Wow. They seemed determined to convince me to never do Prime Video >>>>>>> again, even for a month!

Seems to be quite a few people who agree with you.

ÿÿ There will be some new perks added to the new ad-free tier, which >>>>>>>> ÿÿ is now being referred to as Prime Video Ultra. This includes the >>>>>>>> ÿÿ ability to have up to five concurrent streams (previously only >>>>>>>> ÿÿ three were allowed), up to 100 downloads for offline viewing >>>>>>>> ÿÿ (previously only 25 were allowed), and exclusive access to 4K/UHD >>>>>>>> ÿÿ streaming.

Ah, and there it is - they are now screwing the ad-tier people out of 4k.

A**h***s.

Now everyone gets to pay more if they want 4K.

ÿÿ Amazon said in a statement, "Delivering ad-free streaming with >>>>>>>> ÿÿ premium features requires significant investment, and this
ÿÿ structure aligns with other major streaming services while
ÿÿ ensuring customers have the flexibility to choose how they want to >>>>>>>> ÿÿ watch. Prime members will continue to enjoy the core Prime Video >>>>>>>> ÿÿ benefit, including HD/HDR and now Dolby Vision, at no additional >>>>>>>> ÿÿ cost with their Prime membership."

ÿÿ The article also notes, "Amazon had faced a class-action lawsuit >>>>>>>> ÿÿ on behalf of disgruntled customers who alleged the company had >>>>>>>> ÿÿ deceived and cheated them by introducing ads into Prime Video >>>>>>>> ÿÿ unless they paid extra. But a federal judge threw out the suit in >>>>>>>> ÿÿ July 2025, citing in part a prior ruling concluding that Amazon's >>>>>>>> ÿÿ introduction of ads to Prime Video was 'not a price increase' but a >>>>>>>> ÿÿ 'benefit modification' that was authorized under its subscriber >>>>>>>> ÿÿ agreements."

Pathetic. And people wonder why no one has any respect for the law. >>>>>>

Is it really a "benefit modification" if they are taking away features >>>>>> unless you pay more?

ÿÿ Original titles available to stream on Prime Video include The Boys,
ÿÿ Invincible, Fallout, Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of >>>>>>>> ÿÿ Power, and many more.


<https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2107854-prime-video-removing-beloved-tier-adding-new-features-at-a-price>

F*** Y**, Amazon!!

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the
exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me >>>> in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five >>>> minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy >>>> things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make them go
away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels
eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.

One of my TVs (an RCA) allows me to freeze the frame. That way I can
freeze the frame and mute the TV for a couple of minutes. It's a hassle
but gives me a little satisfaction.

An older CRT TV I used to own (also an RCA) had this "commercial skip" >function where you could set a timer that would pop up on the screen in >increments of 30 seconds, up to about 4 minutes I think. Then surf
around on other channels until the timer elapsed to zero. That would be >useful on modern TVs. Of course when you're streaming it isn't as
convenient to surf around as when you did it with linear TV.

I have a cheap DVR (Mediasonic) that would allow me to skip
commercials if I hooked up a USB drive to the device. Haven't bother
since I don't record much off of broadcast.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Mar 14, 2026 at 2:02:29 PM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

On 3/14/2026 3:46 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid>
wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the >>>>> exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel
particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me
in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five >>>> minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy
things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make >>>> them go
away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels
eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads.
We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.
...

I wonder if that'll noticeably increase viewership of broadcast (i.e., ffwd-able) TV. Surely there's hardcore anti-ad populace out there.

(Don't let it go to your head, but... years ago I posted here about the insufferably long ad-breaks put in CHILDHOOD'S END, and you posted back about simply breezing past them. I got my DVR the next day.)

And beyond the ads, there's something fundamentally wrong with the fact that I have to pay $7.99 to rent a 30-year-old movie off Amazon when I already have a Prime subscription.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 3/15/2026 2:03 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 2:02:29 PM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

On 3/14/2026 3:46 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid> >>> wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the >>>>>> exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel >>>>>> particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me
in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five
minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy
things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make >>>>> them go
away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels >>>> eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. >>> We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.
...

I wonder if that'll noticeably increase viewership of broadcast (i.e.,
ffwd-able) TV. Surely there's hardcore anti-ad populace out there.

(Don't let it go to your head, but... years ago I posted here about the
insufferably long ad-breaks put in CHILDHOOD'S END, and you posted back
about simply breezing past them. I got my DVR the next day.)

And beyond the ads, there's something fundamentally wrong with the fact that I
have to pay $7.99 to rent a 30-year-old movie off Amazon when I already have a
Prime subscription.

What I'd find most annoying there is that (I'm guessing) you first have
to be a paying Amazon subscriber. I.e., they've bought the rights to a classic to force you into a quasi loyalty oath. For me, it resonates
loosely with Martin Shkreli.



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Verily, in article <10p6s8l$1a9g0$1@dont-email.me>, did atropos@mac.com deliver unto us this message:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 2:02:29 PM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

On 3/14/2026 3:46 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 12:31:42 PM PDT, ""Ian J. Ball"" <ijball@mac.invalid> >> wrote:

On 3/14/26 12:12 PM, BTR1701 wrote:

On Mar 14, 2026 at 8:40:33 AM PDT, "moviePig" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

What irks me is that we viewers are being "titrated" ...to find the >>>>> exact balance point that extracts the most $$$ from us. I feel >>>>> particularly vulnerable as I despise ads...

Same. My absolute refusal to watch ads allows them to take advantage of me
in
ways I would never allow otherwise. I know what they're doing but five
minutes
of watching any of these shows on the ad tier make me want to throw heavy
things at the TV and I just throw my money at them in shame to make >>>> them go
away.

My concern is that one day they will just eliminate the "premium"
ad-free tiers on the streamers in the same way that cable TV channels >>> eventually became overwhelmingly ad-supported.

At least then with VCRs and DVRs we had the ability to FFW past the ads. >> We'll
be totally screwed with streaming.
...

I wonder if that'll noticeably increase viewership of broadcast (i.e., ffwd-able) TV. Surely there's hardcore anti-ad populace out there.

(Don't let it go to your head, but... years ago I posted here about the insufferably long ad-breaks put in CHILDHOOD'S END, and you posted back about simply breezing past them. I got my DVR the next day.)

And beyond the ads, there's something fundamentally wrong with the fact that I
have to pay $7.99 to rent a 30-year-old movie off Amazon when I already have a
Prime subscription.

Amen.

Prime is, essentially, a rewards program for heavy Amazon shoppers. If I
buy Prime for the shipping benefits, this is a little something extra.

--
The True Melissa - Canal Winchester - Ohio
United States of America - North America - Earth
Solar System - Milky Way - Local Group
Virgo Cluster - Laniakea Supercluster - Cosmos

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)