Over the last 40 years, the way we have consumed media has evolved to the point where many claim that streaming is the new cable. Streaming Innovation Alliance has released a “Video Then and Now” infographic that looks back at how home video has changed over the last few decades.
From the days of synchronous viewing, and recording shows with VCRs, to finding what to watch on-demand with a click of a button, here’s a stroll down memory lane.
1984: When Watching TV Was Basically a Commitment
4o years ago in the ‘80s, TV was a family affair. You gathered in front of your giant, boxy television to catch one of three major networks. Cable was still finding its groove, but if you were lucky, you could watch a few channels like ESPN and CNN, or superstations like TBS. Movie lovers would have to wait until a film was available on VHS or hope it’s the “Movie of the Week” on a network.
With nothing available on-demand, programming was limited, commercials were non-negotiable, and your entertainment options were served up like a fixed menu or a take-it-or-leave-it deal.
2004: More Channels, More Problems
Fast forward 20 years later to 2004, and things are starting to get interesting. Cable TV now has hundreds of channels, which sounds awesome but viewers realized they were paying for 99% of channels they would never watch. DVRs like TiVo provided some relief from the tyranny of live TV, but finding recorded shows was like solving a digital treasure hunt with a clunky remote.
DVDs were a revolution compared to their VHS counterparts. Gone were the days of “Be kind, rewind,” as people were excited about picking out a movie from Blockbuster or other neighborhood video rental stores. However, DVDs could cause heartbreak when you arrive home to find it was too scratched to play. This made returning it to a brick-and-mortar store another hurdle.
2024: Total TV Freedom
Today, streaming has made watching TV effortless. Whether you want to watch the newest blockbuster, catch an international sporting event, check out a niche documentary, or rewatch a show from yesteryear; you can do it all whenever and wherever. Streaming services offer endless options, kid-safe profiles, multiple languages, and recommendations that are surprisingly spot-on. If you missed the beginning of an event or live broadcast, you can tap a button and start from the beginning, which is why the convenience of streaming is unmatched.
Gone are the days of bulky cable boxes and tangled remote controls. The future has arrived with voice commands, flat-screen TVs, smartphones, tablets, and laptops that are all ready to stream at the push of a button.
Convenience & Affordability at Its Finest
Perhaps the biggest game-changer is how ridiculously easy it is to watch what you want. There’s no more rushing home to catch the start of your favorite show or flipping through a TV guide to figure out what’s on. Now you can search for exactly what you want, start a show when it’s convenient for you, and forget about storage space for tapes and discs.
As technology has evolved, streaming devices have become more affordable as well. A VCR in the 1980s could set you back a cool $1,000 (in today’s dollars), and by the turn of the century, cable plans charged you a premium for mediocre content. Long-term contracts and late fees for rentals didn’t help either.
But now? Streaming is perfect for those on a budget. With free ad-supported options like Plex, Tubi, Pluto, Sling Freestream, MyFree DIRECTV, and Prime Video, you can watch thousands of hours of content without spending a penny. Even finding on-demand content is simple, with Hulu, ESPN+, Prime Video, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Peacock, Starz, Disney+, and Max, you can binge as much as you want, cancel at any time and avoid all those surprise fees.
You can see the full Video Then & Now Graphic here:
The future has arrived and we’re living in an era where we can watch whatever we want, whenever we want, on almost any device. Viewing technology has advanced so far that there are no more headaches from clunky devices or following rigid programming schedules. With ad-supported streaming continuing to rise, finding what to watch next will not break the bank like decades past.
