Posted on 01/18/2011 6:20:18 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
When Netflix started up more than 10 years ago, its sales pitch was pretty simple: Hey, subscribe to us, and we'll mail you DVDs that you can then mail back to us without worrying about any late fees. But as the rental market moves toward online and on-demand models, Netflix's iconic red envelopes may eventually become as antiquated as VHS tapes. Beefing up their streaming business, Netflix has predicted that in about two years their economics will be geared more toward their "Watch Instantly" service than through physical discs. For that to happen, Netflix will have to nudge their DVD-loyal customers to the new platform. And on Monday, the company learned just how hard that may be.
In a seemingly innocent 109-word blog post, Netflix director of product management Jamie Odell announced, "We're removing the 'Add to DVD Queue' option from streaming devices," suggesting that it was being done so that the company "can concentrate on offering you the titles that are available to watch instantly." Granted, the Netflix website still allows DVD queue updating, but this post, dropped on the morning of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, created an immediate firestorm of comments -- most of them very, very angry.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.movies.yahoo.com ...
Haven't cut me off yet though.
That I could live with.
I bought two new LG DVD players in December that have Netflix Streaming capability — similar to Wii......... now all I have to do is figure out how to hook them up on my office and bedroom big screen TVs... if my husband was still alive it would have been done the first day they came into the house ~LOL~....now I am trying to decide before I pay someone to come hook them up if I need to upgrade my Linksys to a newer wireless device before I do anything.......
The “new” state of the art big screen TV’s have netflix built in.
How did you hook it up? I purchased two Netflix capable Blue Ray players and have no clue what to do so they are still in the box.
I believe that only about 10% of the Netflix inventory is available for streaming.
I have a relative in care home and Netflix is how they get a variety of movies for the residents to watch. Unfortunately they are not wired in to do this through cable or internet. I guess I will need to look for used DVD’s to buy for them.
“I expect DVDs, including Blu-Ray, to go the way of the 8-track within 5-7 years”
I’m kind of mixed on this opinion. Part of me thinks there will be physical media in the future, but I really can’t deny that the industry is shifting to a “download only” method of distribution. There will be higher resolutions, uncompressed audio tracks, 3D video, etc. Even with higher bandwidth in the future, it’d still take significant time for your average user to complete 40 or 80GB downloads.
Games are another form of entertainment that would require some fat pipes to download rather quickly. I recently waited a little over 2 hours for a demo of that new DC Online universe (16GB download) ... I have a 20Mbps connection. If it were something I could buy at a local Gamestop on disc, I would have ran there (not like I would buy that particular title ... it was impressive, but not my type of game).
It’ll be interesting to see how all of this unfolds :-)!
And I’m sayin, that if Netflix wants to go “all download”, that’s not good enough.
You can get more online for free than you can from Netflix.
And don't give megauploads any money either.
There are usually dozens of links for any given show. When one maxes out, try another.
I'm with you on this one. I signed up for Netflix in December in preparation for dumping DirecTV. I've found Netflix's streaming option to be quite good. Picture quality is excellent, streaming the video's to any of the TV's in my house starts in less than 3 seconds and within 10 seconds I'm watching what I want. That's faster than changing the channel on DirecTV!
What I've found I do not like is I'm limited to 1 DVD at a time, and all the newer content is DVD only. I'd happily give up the DVD's and take a 'stream only' option.
BTW, I really do like the Streaming content on NetFlix. Where else can one find every episode of the old "Fawlty Towers", every season of 24 (I missed seasons 1-3) the oringal episodes of BBC's Top Gear (whch is a riot!) and a whole slew of older movies I've not seen yet.
I've had Netflix about 3 weeks now and we stream far more content than we watch on DirecTV or OTA. I've streamed to up to 3 devices at a time on my broadband internet connection without any problems whatsoever.
Try checking out Half.com
I have a wireless router for my computers which is on my desk in my office. I saw a device yesterday at Staples that is supposed to boost the wireless in every room in your house and considered if i needed it for my bedroom? and do I need a wireless router with X number of options — like more than 4? If that makes sense?
But I don't know what you mean by "X number of options." I am just guessing since you used the number 4 that you are talking about the ethernet ports.
I watch movies/shows on my computer as well as my television via Roku.
I wish all their offerings were available via streaming.
It's fantastic. I just now finished watching four seasons of a British TV series, (Doc Martin), at my leisure. Having to wait for DVDs to arrive would be bothersome, imho.
Yes, my wireless is a Lynksys and it can be either or, I have both by desktop and main laptop connected to my DSL through it, but when I am in the kitchen I can browse on my notebook in wireless mode.....
Give me the make and model of what you have and I will find the user manual and tell you what you need to do.
Too busy churning butter and making lye soap?
It is the LG Blue Ray DVD BD550 I got two of them on sale in December. Both are still in their boxes.
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