Although the aroma of fresh popped popcorn and a darkened theater with a towering wide screen lures us to new released films, most of us still view much more movies at home than at the theater. With the introduction of online movie rental and movie downloads nearly several years ago, the selections offered by the local video store are not the only options viewers have for their home entertainment.

Other than the improved affordability, movie fans enjoy watching movies at home due to convenience. With busy lives that keeps us at work and also on the road, time spent relaxing at home will be at a premium and any service which allows us to enjoy that time without additional complexity or effort is especially prized. With this in mind, which of these movie services provides the most value for the home viewer?

Traditional video stores can be convenient for some last second movie picks; or at least convenient if someone lives in a few blocks of the shop. If a person suddenly decides at 5:30 pm. that there is time for you to squeeze in a showing of the most recent Harry Potter flick with the kids, then it is certainly easy to get back and forth from the shop and expect to view within a half an hour. This assumes of-course that the shop shall have a copy of the Blu-ray obtainable in house at the time it really is being sought.

If Harry isn't at the local video store, then browsing throughout the remaining films and examining the Blu-ray cases may offer a hint as to exactly what the family might enjoy. After the film, the viewer will then have at least a couple of days to shuttle back to the store and return the film before incurring any late fees.

Movie downloads are one of the newer options. Certainly, downloading a film can allow viewers to determine at the very last minute to view Harry Potter, or some other movie, also. Just a quick 5 minute visit to the download site on line to select and initiate the download allows viewers to remain at home through the process. Most films require approximately per hour to download based on connection speed. The great news however is that many movie downloads are capable of allowing viewers to start watching the movie only a matter of minutes in to the download process.

There is absolutely no worry about returning rented movies that are downloaded or any late fees. Upon download, viewers have a particular time period through which to watch the film before it expires. Movielink for example allows movies to be stored for up to 30-days. Perhaps the one drawback for many movie downloads is the fact that they frequently has to be viewed on a PC rather than a television unless viewers have a connection between their PC and television. The future alternatively, may provide greater flexibility as legal movie download services could possibly be better positioned to allow burning movies to Blu-ray as several of the digital rights management issues are going to be addressed with see free movie studios.

Online movie rental services can certainly ease the process of selecting and obtaining movies. Users will go online and select from over 75,000 titles, nearly five times the range of titles offered in a local video store. Here users can create a list of movies in advance that can automatically arrive at their door. Movies requested generally arrive within 1 to 2 business days once they are requested. Users merely stick the Blu-rays within an envelope for the mailman to pick up once they are ready to return them; and only once they are ready to return them. You will find no due dates and no late fees either. The most evident drawback to this system is for anyone viewers who don't decide they have the time to view a movie until earlier that same day. Mail delivery isn't going to allow such last second decisions.