Amazon is not only one of the largest online retailers in the world, but they also provide one of the best video and music streaming services around. I have been using Amazon video and music for a few years now. Amazon video has a large selection of movies and TV shows that is continuously being updated. Amazon’s music service is very impressive and does not get enough recognition. It has a large selection of music channels and albums available to stream or download. These services are all included when you become an Amazon Prime member. I have been using their streaming services on my iPhone, iPad, laptop, and Matricom G-Box Android box to supplement mine over the air antenna stations. I have been quite impressed. All you need is an internet connection. Let’s take a closer look at Amazon’s streaming services.

Amazon Prime Video and Music Review

Amazon Video

Amazon Video iPhone interface

Amazon Video has been around since 2006. It is essentially an online video service like Netflix or Hulu. It has evolved over the years into a nice video streaming service. They have a decent selection of movies, TV shows, and original content. All the videos are available on demand. Many are included in an Amazon prime account, but some do require extra purchasing fees to watch. Amazon’s video library keeps growing. They are adding new and old titles constantly.

Old School TV

I enjoy binge-watching old TV shows. Amazon Video has a growing number of old TV shows like Frasier, Cheers, Rosanne, Wings, Twin Peaks, and Family Ties.

Series Favorites

They also have many series favorites included with Prime like Sex in The City, The Good Wife, The Americans, Downtown Abbey, Entourage, OZ, American Horror Story, and more.

Kids

There is a decent selection of video content for kids like Sponge Bob, Dora, Barney, Caillou, Thomas and Friends, Wallace & Gromit, and Sesame Street. They also offer many kid-friendly movies.

Amazon Music

Amazon Music iPhone interface

Amazon Prime Music has a large selection of artists, albums, and stations. It is all commercial-free listening, similar to Pandora or Spotify. I often listen to stations like the best of the ’80s and ’90s. It’s a great way to listen to your favorite music from a particular decade or artist. You can also create custom playlists and download full albums to your device to enjoy later without a Wi-Fi connection.

Downloading and Using The Apps

Both the Amazon Video and Music apps are available for download from iTunes, the Google Play Store, or directly from Amazon.

Amazon Video Interface

For the most part, the interface is user-friendly. The search options are easy to use and effective. The interface gives you many selections by categories and recommends content based on your previous viewing. You can also download videos on your device for later consideration. This can save on cellular data fees by downloading from your home network.

Amazon Video User interface

Amazon Music Interface

The music interface works similarly to the video one. It’s easy to use and breaks down music by artists, albums, and many different categories. There is a search option and recommendation area to make finding an artist or album easy.

Playback

Video and music playback has been very quick with no buffering. I have a fast internet connection of about 60MB. Videos start right away and play continuously without issues. Pausing and resuming videos and music is easily done with no lag time. One nice feature is you can resume a video for later viewing. Once you stop the video it remembers where you left off. You can even power down your device and come back a day later and instantly resume a movie.

Amazon Prime Content

Amazon Video on the Matricom G-Box

Amazon has a large selection of movies and TV shows available for Amazon Prime members. You can distinguish the prime content by looking for a prime banner on each video. You can also sort videos by prime content only. Some TV shows and movies will require additional fees to watch.

Amazon also has a nice selection of original content like Transparent, Patriot, Sneaky Pete, Catastrophe, One Mississippi, Goliath, and The Last Tycoon.

Amazon Channels

Channels can also be added to your service. You can watch content from HBO, Showtime, Starz, and much more all on demand. They have over 100 channels to choose from, by adding a channel you get access to all of those channel’s signature shows. It is an inexpensive way to stay current on all your favorite premium shows.

Live Stream

Amazon video is starting to do some live streaming and I think you will start to see more of this in the future. They offer live streams of Thursday night NFL games. Amazon will broadcast 10 NFL Thursday night games exclusively to Amazon Prime members during the 2017 season. Companies like Sling TV, Direct TV Now, and Fubo TV are all offering live TV services. Amazon has talked about adding some of these services for an additional fee in the future.

Supported Devices

Amazon streaming services are supported on many devices. Most major streaming boxes, gaming consoles, phones, and smart TVs are supported. Check here to see if your device is supported.

Services and Fees

You can sign up for a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime to see if you like it and cancel anytime. A Prime membership costs $99 per year and gives you access to Amazon Video, Amazon Music, and unlimited photo storage. You also get free books, magazines, and audiobooks using their Kindle app on any device. Plus free two-day shipping on most items. It’s a pretty good deal. You can also just pay for the video service by itself for $8.99 a month. If you are a student, you can sign up for Amazon Prime Student and get a discounted rate until you graduate.

Conclusion

Amazon Prime Video is an excellent streaming service. It has a growing list of movies and TV shows. Amazon’s Music service has a great selection of songs and albums that will keep you listening for hours. Everyone should consider using Amazon Video to supplement their over the air antenna. I have been using Amazon Prime for a few years and think it is well worth the investment. This service is great for the whole family.