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View Full Version : To netflix or not to netflix...that is the question



98cwitr
May 5th, 2010, 07:58 PM
I've got my NAS setup to stream to my PS3...but if could skip the nas and for $9 a month stream all the movies I want straight to the PS3, why wouldnt I?

0. Do you use NetFlix? If yes:

1. How is the quality?

2. How is the connectivity? (I have a 30M down connection btw).

mamamia88
May 5th, 2010, 08:09 PM
i used to have it and i just have a 1.5mb connection. the quality was pretty bad but still watchable. when i watched it on campus with 30mb connection it looked great. you should be good.

Shakz
May 5th, 2010, 08:10 PM
0. Do you use NetFlix? If yes: Hellz to the yeah! All the time. I watch movies in HD (to my eyes it looks darn near as good as a blueray.) I am able to queue up kid shows for my son to watch on the wii in his playroom....I dont bother dvring some shows anymore as they are available on netflix. Sparticus blood and sand was the last series I watched. Was awesome.

1. How is the quality?
As stated...flippen awesome on the newer stuff. Some of the older stuff can look a bit crappy sometimes but thats the original material. Most everything is beautiful quality especially some of the later tv shows/movies shot with hd cameras.

Once in a great while the audio will get out of sync with the video. This isnt a problem though as you just need to restart whatever your watching on and navigate your way back to the show you were watching. Netflix autosaves everwhere you stop a show so you always go back to the exact same spot....even on different machines....even after watching several different shows then coming back to the one you started with.

2. How is the connectivity? (I have a 30M down connection btw).
I have 15 down and its wonderful. I can stream on my sons wii, my wife can stream in the living room in HD on the blueray player and I can stream in the bedroom in HD on the PS3...none of us ever get so much as a hiccup.

All this plus 1 blueray disk in the mail for 9 bucks a month! (I use the one disk for super new releases)

I love the service. What a drag its not available on linux yet. Stupid DRM.

ebro173
May 5th, 2010, 08:18 PM
Yes
Great
Great I guess. I don't know what my spec is.

The replies above made me think I could start watching in Ubuntu. All the way up to the last line of Shakz post. I've got to use windows or apple to watch netflix streams, which stinks.

Shakz
May 5th, 2010, 08:23 PM
Yes
Great
Great I guess. I don't know what my spec is.

The replies above made me think I could start watching in Ubuntu. All the way up to the last line of Shakz post. I've got to use windows or apple to watch netflix streams, which stinks.

Or wii, most blueray players, ps3, xbox......
sorry I got your hopes up. I got all excited when I read moonlight was gonna support it...then read further bout DRM and was bummed again.

Ewingo401
May 5th, 2010, 09:05 PM
Been a netflix user for almost 5 years now.

The quality on Watch Instantly varies. I also stream through my PS3. Most of the time the HD content is noticeably better than DVD, but not as good as blu ray. The SD content ranges from VHS to DVD quality. Usually closer to the high end, but during high traffic times of day it tends to decrease. My connection is 12megs down.

I would recommend netflix to anybody. Especially if you have the ability to stream to your TV. Even if you take the blu ray option you're still only paying 10.99 a month (before tax) for unlimited discs one at a time, and all the streaming you can handle. Can't beat it.

nahrees
May 5th, 2010, 09:10 PM
Hi. (my first post! Weee!)

I love netflix, personally. It actually replaced cable in my home. I'm never left wanting, but then again, I don't watch a ton of Television. The On-Demand library is -huge-. The quality is just fine for me, and unless you're a video quality afficianado, I'm sure it will be fine for you, too.

And for 10 :P bucks a month, you can't beat it. I recieved four one month free passes in the mail today, meant to be shared, and I've got no one to give them to... ;)

Frak
May 5th, 2010, 09:37 PM
Yes
Great
Great on 10Mb Down

forrestcupp
May 5th, 2010, 10:03 PM
How quickly do they update the shows? For shows like 24 or Lost, do they get the new episodes on right away like Hulu does? And is the quality as good as Hulu's high quality video?

I've heard they don't stream 5.1 Dolby Digital, and that it's just in stereo.

mamamia88
May 5th, 2010, 11:40 PM
dude to be honest if you want shows right away download them from the psn video store. they have great upscaling on the sd versions

forrestcupp
May 6th, 2010, 01:53 AM
dude to be honest if you want shows right away download them from the psn video store. they have great upscaling on the sd versions

That doesn't do me any good if I have an Xbox 360. It also doesn't do me any good if I don't want to pay for everything I want to watch.

So can anyone tell me if the Netflix shows get updated as quickly as Hulu? I'd check myself, but they don't let you browse their selections without a membership, and I don't want a membership if I don't know what their selection is like.

mamamia88
May 6th, 2010, 03:02 AM
That doesn't do me any good if I have an Xbox 360. It also doesn't do me any good if I don't want to pay for everything I want to watch.

So can anyone tell me if the Netflix shows get updated as quickly as Hulu? I'd check myself, but they don't let you browse their selections without a membership, and I don't want a membership if I don't know what their selection is like.

i thought the op said he had a ps3. i for one am addicted to buying the sd versions of shows on the playstation network. they look so beautiful upscaled. better than any streaming service or torrent

Frak
May 6th, 2010, 03:16 AM
That doesn't do me any good if I have an Xbox 360. It also doesn't do me any good if I don't want to pay for everything I want to watch.

So can anyone tell me if the Netflix shows get updated as quickly as Hulu? I'd check myself, but they don't let you browse their selections without a membership, and I don't want a membership if I don't know what their selection is like.
It's usually on the same day as Hulu or, at max, a day later.

00ber n00b
May 6th, 2010, 03:23 AM
It's usually on the same day as Hulu or, at max, a day later.

No it's not.

00ber n00b
May 6th, 2010, 03:25 AM
Netflix is kinda hit or miss. Random seasons(tv shows) will be available via instant watch. The same with movies. And they will change on you at any given time. List a show or movie and I'll tell you if it's available.

Frak
May 6th, 2010, 03:46 AM
No it's not.
Don't know which Netflix you're using. Affiliated shows show up fairly quickly. For instance, the IT crowd episodes were up on the season list one day after release on Channel 4.

yester64
May 6th, 2010, 04:48 AM
I've got my NAS setup to stream to my PS3...but if could skip the nas and for $9 a month stream all the movies I want straight to the PS3, why wouldnt I?

0. Do you use NetFlix? If yes:

1. How is the quality?

2. How is the connectivity? (I have a 30M down connection btw).

> 0 yes
> 1 good
> 2 good.. with 30m you certainly have no problems. I have DSL and i can watch their HD too.

Netflix is good for people who like older stuff. New DVD releases take sometimes a little time to get.
I like older movies and thats why i choose Netflix. Altough i recently discovered that they don't have Arizona Dreaming.
And you can't contact them regarding dvd questions, only if you had problems, but its not a direct contact.

yester64
May 6th, 2010, 04:50 AM
Netflix is kinda hit or miss. Random seasons(tv shows) will be available via instant watch. The same with movies. And they will change on you at any given time. List a show or movie and I'll tell you if it's available.

Well, that has to do with the agreements they have with Stars etc... Lost as an example was available for all seasons. Other shows only partly with not all episodes from a season.
But you still can order them.

toupeiro
May 6th, 2010, 07:10 AM
I only have netflix streaming through the Wii. Its very convenient, but I have to say, overall, that I was expecting more for waiting this long to get it on the Wii. Some of the movies are overly dark, and I have a 30Mbit+ connection. I tried to watch Bubba-Hotep the other day and some of the scenes were almost black, you couldn't make anything out. Other recordings without dark settings are acceptable.

Frak
May 6th, 2010, 07:48 AM
I only have netflix streaming through the Wii. Its very convenient, but I have to say, overall, that I was expecting more for waiting this long to get it on the Wii. Some of the movies are overly dark, and I have a 30Mbit+ connection. I tried to watch Bubba-Hotep the other day and some of the scenes were almost black, you couldn't make anything out. Other recordings without dark settings are acceptable.
Bubba Hotep is a dark movie. I have the physical DVD, and playing in my DVD Player is overly dark. I haven't had an issue with the dark issues on my wii, at least. My TV has been set to auto-adjust brightness.

milehigh
May 6th, 2010, 11:25 PM
I have the following:
1.5m EarthlinkDSL
Wireless router
Roku SD Digital Video Player
34" Widescreen TV

As the stream buffers there is a picture quality indicator; I consistently get 3 on a scale of 4. The picture quality is generally comparable to DVD's.

As to content, I read somewhere (probably on the Roku forum (http://forums.roku.com/)) that they have to have broadcast rights in order to stream content. That's why the selection is much more limited than the DVD selection and titles disappear from you're queue before you get around to watching them.

So if you're looking for the latest blockbuster that was just released on DVD, it's not a good option. Personally I like older films, independent releases, foreign films, etc. so I'm very pleased with the selection. The selection of TV series isn't great, but I've found a few (News Radio, Coach, The Munsters, etc.) that I enjoy seeing again.

I'm on the three-DVD-at-a-time plan, so my biggest problem is finding time to watch it all. For $18 per month, it's the best bargain I know of.

donniezazen
May 7th, 2010, 01:26 AM
I've got my NAS setup to stream to my PS3...but if could skip the nas and for $9 a month stream all the movies I want straight to the PS3, why wouldnt I?

0. Do you use NetFlix? If yes:

1. How is the quality?

2. How is the connectivity? (I have a 30M down connection btw).

The quality and connectivity both are really good. Though they don't have all the movies available on watch instantly.

forrestcupp
May 7th, 2010, 01:42 PM
List a show or movie and I'll tell you if it's available.

Thank you. One show I watch is 24. I know they have that show on there, but I'm more interested to find out how quickly they update the new episodes.

The reason I'm asking is because on the 360, you can watch netflix, but there's no way of watching hulu without buying Playon and streaming it from another computer.

98cwitr
May 18th, 2010, 09:27 PM
Signed up last night...very disappointed that I've got to have a disk to stream instead of an app for the PS3 :(

disturbed1
May 18th, 2010, 10:00 PM
I've had a Netflix account for years. Long before they offered their streaming service.

The quality varies from OK to pretty good. Haven't seen anything horrible or not tolerable yet. Netflix has changed their encoding methods a few times, and you can tell which videos they used the older WMV3 algorithms on. None of it is spectacular. I would agree the quality is slightly less than SD DVD.

The streaming selection is up to your opinion. They have a decent number of TV series available (Heros, 24, Bones) but are missing somethings we'd like (Medium, CSI). Our queue has 234 selections currently in it, of which 6 are available for Instant Play. If you have a decent free VOD selection from your cable provider, and you've kept up with your TV series, Netflix streaming most likely won't offer you too much.

IMO if I had to pay extra for Netflix streaming access, I wouldn't. It just depends on if what they offer is not already available to you. For us, we already have Starz On Demand, the various network and cable syndication On Demand, and 21 other movies channels. MythTV with 4 tuners, and 2 cable co provided DVRs. Netflix + Hulu can't touch the catalog already available to us at our finger tips.

Between the 3 of us (Girlfriend, Room mate, myself) we stream no more than 4 hours a month from Netflix and Hulu combined. I guess we're lucky to be satisfied with the selection, features, quality, and price our cable company offers us.



but I'm more interested to find out how quickly they update the new episodes.
Once the DVD is released, and Netflix secures streaming rights, then encodes it, it becomes available. 24 season 8 (current season) is not currently available.

pwnst*r
May 18th, 2010, 10:00 PM
I've got my NAS setup to stream to my PS3...but if could skip the nas and for $9 a month stream all the movies I want straight to the PS3, why wouldnt I?

0. Do you use NetFlix? If yes:

1. How is the quality?

2. How is the connectivity? (I have a 30M down connection btw).

I use Netflix on:

PS3
Xbox 360 (but not since the PS3's been implemented)
Laptops
Workstation

1) The quality is excellent, especially on the PS3 (wireless mind you)
2) 30M down is plenty.


Do it.

pwnst*r
May 18th, 2010, 10:01 PM
Signed up last night...very disappointed that I've got to have a disk to stream instead of an app for the PS3 :(

That's getting addressed. Also, it's not a big deal. The interface is better than the 360's from what I recall.