The Netflix Thread

[Mara]

Seems like a great way to push people back towards piracy.

Yeah, I'm wondering when Netflix is going to remember that the service they provide is available for free. All they have is convenience and legality.

I'll probably keep streaming and dump DVDs, but if the selection gets worse or stagnates, I may switch.

[number8]

Yeah, I'm wondering when Netflix is going to remember that the service they provide is available for free. All they have is convenience and legality.

But can't you say that about anything?

"Well, Kay's should realize that their jewelries are available for free. If it wasn't illegal and I didn't have to learn how to cut through glass, they don't offer anything."

[D_Davis]

If streaming goes over $20 a month, or enough of the studios pull their content, I'll just stop watching movies and television.

:shrug:

I simply won't play Hollywood's game. Screw 'em.

[Mara]

But can't you say that about anything?

"Well, Kay's should realize that their jewelries are available for free. If it wasn't illegal and I didn't have to learn how to cut through glass, they don't offer anything."

But piracy takes zero skills and know-how, and you can do it from home while eating potato chips. It is the ultimate American endeavor.

[Mara]

Also, while I have ethical problems with piracy, it's nothing to my ethical problems with diamonds. Don't even get me started.

[origami_mustache]

Netflix has been dirt cheap for the amount of content offered. I've been a member since 2004 and started with the 3 disc plan and was essentially paying more then for less content before streaming was incorporated. Now as Netflix has began producing their own exclusive show(s?) and are making more content available for streaming on almost any device, the service becomes even more valuable. It is also becoming more expensive for the company to maintain as they have more members, using more bandwidth, and are paying more money for licensing. Before Netflix existed I probably spent $30+ a month at the video store. So the price increases make a lot of sense to me and I'm not complaining because I think the service is about the best bargain out there.

[Irish]

But can't you say that about anything?

No, because smash and grabs were never an acceptable alternative to shopping.

An online service like Netflix directly competes with piracy. As Mara points out, what Netflix is really selling is convenience.

[Irish]

It is also becoming more expensive for the company to maintain as they have more members, using more bandwidth, and are paying more money for licensing.

It's the licensing. What cost Netflix $10MM years ago, the studios are asking upwards of $400MM now.

The bandwidth is nothing. Netflix pays about 5 cents for every movie they stream. HD movies are a few pennies more.

[Lucky]

Origami, I can't help but change the subject and ask why the hell you're wasting your time with the Harry Potter series when you've apparently only mildly enjoyed one out of seven. Those movies are long ass movies to be hoping that one will suddenly click for you.

[Spun Lepton]

I like the Consumerist, generally, but their readers' reaction to this news is pretty overreactionary.

"This is the first evil thing I've seen Netflix do!"

:|

http://consumerist.com/2011/07/want-...w-be-1598.html

[Ezee E]

Hmm... Not sure what I'd do. I would prefer new releases, so if streaming does a better job at getting those on quick, I'd switch. Otherwise, I think I'd stick to the mailing system.

[Yxklyx]

I've done very little streaming - I'm not really set up for it and I'm happy with DVDs - so I'll be paying less now.

[number8]

I've actually been using the $9.99 unlimited streaming + 1 DVD plan, but I've kept the same DVD for over 6 months now. So this switch will pretty much make my plan cheaper.

[DavidSeven]

Probably part of the plan to completely phase out shipping as they've been hoping to do for a while now. It's such a drastic hike (in relative terms) that I'm guessing most casual users are going to opt for the streaming-only service. Netflix's revenues stays roughly the same, and they spend less money buying stamps and more money buying licensing agreements.

[Yxklyx]

Between cables and hardware it's like at least $150 to set up Netflix streaming. I don't have a router or wireless - just one computer and off of DSL no less.

Are all the streamed movies DVD or Blu Ray quality?

[Irish]

I like the Consumerist, generally, but their readers' reaction to this news is pretty overreactionary.

"This is the first evil thing I've seen Netflix do!"

:|

http://consumerist.com/2011/07/want-...w-be-1598.html

You mean this?

So now that Blockbuster is gone, their true persona comes out... This is the first Crappy thing I've seen them do.

60% price hike, same service, no grandfathering.

It's crappy.

[DavidSeven]

Are all the streamed movies DVD or Blu Ray quality?

Newer movies are streamed in HD. It's never worse than DVD quality.

[Spun Lepton]

You mean this?

60% price hike, same service, no grandfathering.

It's crappy.

No, somebody actually said, "evil" in their post.

[origami_mustache]

Origami, I can't help but change the subject and ask why the hell you're wasting your time with the Harry Potter series when you've apparently only mildly enjoyed one out of seven. Those movies are long ass movies to be hoping that one will suddenly click for you.

haha...I agreed to watch all 7 and make a drinking game out of it and then go see the new one with my friend who is into them and has read all the books, (although he doesn't even like the movies much himself). I looked at it as a David Blaine-esque endurance challenge.

[Derek]

My plan was $19.99/month for 3 discs plus unlimited streaming. With the new plan, I could still keep this for $23.98/month. I'll probably move down to 1 or 2 discs since with streaming, I usually won't watch more than 1 physical DVD in a 2-3 day period, so this enormous, evil, unfair price hike really isn't a big deal to me.

[eternity]

It's clearly a part of Netflix's plan to faze out physical media entirely in their business plan. It will be cheaper to have streaming exclusively, alluring more customers, allowing them to invest more in building their streaming catalog. They probably plan to provide *everything* in the future, like how Zune and Rhapsody allow just about every song for a subscription fee.

And I'm going to do what I'm thinking they want me to do. It will now be cheaper for me to rent from Redbox than pay for discs from Netflix each month, so I'll stick to streaming exclusively.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Looks like it's time to finally abandon my 3 disc plan.

[D_Davis]

haha...I agreed to watch all 7 and make a drinking game out of it and then go see the new one with my friend who is into them and has read all the books, (although he doesn't even like the movies much himself). I looked at it as a David Blaine-esque endurance challenge.

I made a drinking game out of them too. I would take a drink every time I was enjoying myself.

Never opened the bottle.

[Lazlo]

I know eventually I'll have to wrap my head around streaming since physical media will go away at some point but I just can't yet.

I spent ~$1500.00 on my AV setup so I would always rather have the best possible media quality and Blu-Ray is fantastic. Until most things on streaming are 1080p and HD audio AND the correct aspect ratio, streaming is just a novelty at best.

Also, I don't have the impetus to watch something on streaming like I do with a disc sitting on my shelf. It's sitting there. Looking at me. Wanting to be watched. Streaming is just out there somewhere, there's no deadline or reward (getting the next disc) for watching it, it's just there whenever you want or never because I have my head wired to play the Netflix game of getting the disc, organizing the queue, sending it back, blah, blah, blah. So I never end up watching anything on streaming, except for re-watching TV shows I've already seen whenever the mood strikes.

But major new releases are my general viewing material and those are never streamed. So whatever, take my streaming away. Blu-Ray is beautiful.

[number8]

Netflix are clearly assholes. I was browsing the streaming titles, not knowing what to watch, and on impulse put on Dear Zachary. Now I can't turn it off. Why the fuck am I rewatching this?