Consumers Flooded With Streaming Entertainment Options

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Streaming video is the latest rage, but there are so many plans to choose from.

So which is the best one for you?  CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker offers a breakdown on the cost and the services to help you pick which one is right for your own personal preference.

Streaming a family TV show is the perfect daddy-daughter activity for web developer Tom Brown. Hulu Plus, at $7.99 a month, is his favorite because it offers some of the older shows but it also specializes in current shows.

"You have to sit through the commercials on the newer shows, but they're reasonable," Brown says.

Now, if you don't care for the latest TV shows, then Netflix, for the same price, is your best choice.

CNET's Senior Editor Scott Stein says you'll see a ton of old TV shows and complete season TV shows on Netflix. You'll also find a ton of older movies, but most streaming services offer thousands of those.

Stein also says you'll find recently released movies on Amazon Video OnDemand, iTunes, Vudu or Google Play. Most cost about $3.99 a rental.

"Apple iTunes is the leader, I think, still in terms of the overall collection of content that they have," he says.

Streaming media expert Dan Rayburn says Vudu is the better choice for those who really care about the video quality.

But if movies aren't your thing, for $300 or less a year the sports fanatic can subscribe to live streaming services for baseball, football or basketball.

"You can view what's going on in real time. Not just from the video feed, but also all the data that is associated with the game as well," Rayburn said.

When you're deciding which streaming service to choose, experts say you want to look at a company's library of movies or TV shows to make sure you like it. Then you pick one that works on the devices you use, such as your laptop, iPad, Roku box or game consoles.