Although the top US VOD Service companies have a bewildering array of subscription options, almost all use the same the same four-step process:

	1. Selection: First you pick the films or TV shows you want to rent or buy, from an online library, add them to your cart, and then pay and check out.
	2. Download or Stream: The download process usually then begins, often to your computer, but with some services, other mobile devices, set-top boxes, or game consoles can be used. You can often choose to download the entire film, or buffer just the start of it, so you can start watching within second or a few minutes "depending on your broadband speed).
	3. Watch: With rental, the industry standard is you must watch a film within 30 days after download, though once you start playing it, it disappears after 24 hours. Some films have different restrictions, often depending on the studio license. If you purchase content you can play it repeatedly, but there will be Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions preventing you from making copies and sharing on some other devices--check your site for their specific details.

VOD Service Packages: Most VOD service companies offer a pay-per-view/purchase menu, where you only pay for what you watch. Some, like Netflix, give you a certain number of hours per month of downloads. CinemaNow offers a cheap subscription to watch unlimited non-major studio content.

Free Trials: For the companies which do offer a subscription, you often get a free trial to try the service out. However, if you want to cancel, pay close attention to the terms and conditions, or the trial will end up not being free.

 

Advice On Choosing the Right VOD Service Company

Film Range: The overall catalogue size is important, but more important is whether the company has deals with the major studios to get the latest releases. Check to be sure a given company has a good inventory of the types of films you like.

Price: The costs for these VOD services are so similar (they practically all do $1.99 for a TV episode for instance) that we don't think price should be the critical factor. We'd look at range, customer service, etc. and weigh those in carefully before choosing.

Phone Support: Not many American VOD service companies offer phone support, and it can be very frustrating trying to contact them by email if you have problems. We've heard horror stories of waiting for days to respond, even calling phone companies to try to ferret them out.

DVD Rentals: You may also be interested in renting DVDs under the same VOD service program--in which case the combined, excellent value of Netflix is for you. Or see our DVD Rental Guide for reviews on all the American DVD rental companies.