Podcast #957: Sony A8H OLED TV Review RTINGS.com

How Will Streaming Services Retain Subscribers Gained During COVID-19?

Customers are showing an increased lack of loyalty when it comes to streaming, so instead of focusing solely on attracting new customers, many services are pivoting and focusing on keeping the subscribers they have.

Production has been shut down across the globe, so there's not a lot of new content to roll out except what was already finished. That means services are either scrambling to secure the rights to already published content or moving release dates forward as Disney+ has done with a filmed version of Broadway smash hit Hamilton (dropping a full 15 months earlier than planned).

A July 10 – 12 survey panel of 1,315 Americans on their current streaming and cable subscriptions found that 50% of respondents cite Netflix as their favorite service, with 8% signing up for the first time in the past 90 days. Analysts believe Netflix could report net sub additions of 15 million worldwide. Analysts also believe the likely giant spike in new subscribers increases pressure on Netflix for retention. More consumption of content suggests even greater need to replace content with something new.

Questions -

• Have you started a new streaming service in the last few months?
• Have you canceled a new streaming service in the last few months?
• What would get you to leave?
• If new content stopped being released would you keep your service?
• Have your views changed in any way regarding streaming services over the past few months?

Top 20 Movies by sales for Week Ended 7-4-20 Source: NPD VideoScan First Alert (based on unit sales from reporting retailers)

Here are the Top Ten in reverse order:

10 Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn 6.1 out of 10 at IMDB - After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.

9 Jumanji: The Next Level 6.7 - In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world's most dangerous game.

8 The Call of the Wild 6.8 - A sled dog struggles for survival in the wilds of the Yukon.

7 The Invisible Man (2020) 7.1 - When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

6 Jaws 8.0 - When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.

5 The Mule 7.0 - A ninety-year-old horticulturist and Korean War veteran turns drug mule for a Mexican cartel.

4 Onward 7.5 - Two elven brothers embark on a quest to bring their father back for one day.

3 Top Gun 6.9 - As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.

2 Sonic the Hedgehog 6.6 - After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog, a small-town police officer must help him defeat an evil genius who wants to do experiments on him.

1 Force of Nature Rated 4.4 - A gang of thieves plan a heist during a hurricane and encounter trouble when a cop tries to force everyone in the building to evacuate.

Sony A8H OLED TV Review RTINGS.com

The Sony A8H ($2800 65") is an excellent OLED TV that delivers incredible picture quality for any type of content and is a fairly decent upgrade over its predecessor, the Sony A8G OLED. It produces perfect blacks with its infinite contrast ratio, which is great for those who like to watch in a dark room. It handles reflections exceptionally well, and its decent peak brightness is enough to fight glare in brighter lighting conditions. It has wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate even if you're sitting off to the side. Its response time is almost instantaneous and it has a low input lag; however, gamers might find the lack of variable refresh rate (VRR) support a bit disappointing. As always, there's a risk of permanent burn-in with OLED panels, although it shouldn't be an issue for most. Its Android TV platform is user-friendly, it runs smoothly, and you should have no problems finding what you need from the immense Google Play Store. Full Review

8.7 Mixed Usage

9.4 Movies

8.2 TV Shows

8.6 Sports

8.5 Video Games

8.8 HDR Movies

8.3 HDR Gaming

8.2 PC Monitor

PROS

• Perfect black levels.
• Low input lag.
• Near-instantaneous response time.
• Decent HDR peak brightness.

CONS

• No VRR support.

The article says that the TV is beaten by the LG E9 (2019) model which sells for $2750 for a 65"

8.8 Mixed Usage

9.4 Movies

8.3 TV Shows

8.7 Sports

9.1 Video Games

8.7 HDR Movies

8.8 HDR Gaming

8.7 PC Monitor