Netflix's Watch Instanly

[Shack]

Because of what I have read from Dtro and others on here and some face to face talk up at work from co-workers, I decided to give the 30day free trial a work over today.

All I can say is "What the bejeebies was I thinking" when passing this up (not only in the mail order DVD's-but!) when my kids talked about it when they got their Xbox last year.

I know I am only on the free run, but it is a full deal type trial program. The movies are one thing, but the TV shows offered are another. I watched Monti Python stuff, Trailer Park Boys junk, and even Mystery Science Theater 3000 today. At $8.99 a month, I am wondering what is holding me to satellite still. I mean you have fairly current movies at the click of a button to Caddy Shack. I also like the fact you can watch movies and TV shows in a party with other people you know. Short of them sitting in the room, you can enjoy the feeling of watching it with them still.

This is very cool in my book and I could see this expanding and becoming the "new" way TV is viewed? With the monthly rate so cheap, I hope so!

[LMITOUT]

I signed up for Netflix a couple of months ago to try it out using the XBOX but I was very disappointed in the movie selection. In fact, I never did watch a movie because what was offered on there wasn't of much interest. I guess if you want to watch older movies or TV shows it's nice, but a fair amount of movies on there you can catch on cable/dish one night of the week or another. I was hoping to catch up on some more recent flicks but they just aren't up to date with their "on-demand" offerings.

My folks do the mail-order option and they really enjoy it over the long winters, but they don't have cable/dish so there isn't much to watch on the five channels they do get either!

[DTro]

FYI, the available programming menu on the XBOX is limited, if you go the Netflix HSOforum, you can find additional stuff to add to your instant queue.

I love Netflix.

[LwnmwnMan2]

As I maintain the properties for 2 Blockbusters, I HATE Netflix. Especially from the news the other night that Blockbuster is probably going to declare bankruptcy.

[Shack]

FYI, the available programming menu on the XBOX is limited, if you go the Netflix website, you can find additional stuff to add to your instant queue.

I love Netflix.

Ya, I forgot to mention that. You find out about it when you sign up.

I pay about $60 (+ or-) a month for my "basic" satellite service. I have no premium channels and this monthly amount does not include "any" pay-per-view. It is DishNetwork and does not even offer on-demand. You want to watch it (does not include a DVR either or any HD channels besides the local and basic) you have to catch it. The way I see it is, I think I am getting the shaft with DishNetwork.

The old standard when having cable was a clear reception, no commercials, and shows ran all night. Now you have just as many (if not more) commercials than the "free" networks and after 10:00pm the cable channels are filled with either a re-run from earlier that day or some stupid infomercial. Oh!!! and at one time MTV actually showed a music video and Nick At Night had great old shows.

Now for $8.99 per month, not $60, I get a large majority of what is on cable pretty much (I am not aware of any channel running new-releases that is included in my standard package) and the ability to watch them when ever I want. As far as I can find with Netflix no contract (unlike cable or satellite ) so you can shut-er down when ever.

I guess it might not be for everyone, but the 30day trial is free and I have liked what I have seen so far.

The nice thing also is I can have a movie and TV selection down in my basement now. I do not want to sign up and be under another contract to get another satellite receiver or pay $400-$500 (could buy used on-line I guess) for a new one I own. Do not want to sink myself into something I can not get out of. I might switch to Direct for awhile since I have been with DN since about 03/04. Now our Xbox is down stairs and picks up a WiFi signal great. Problem solved in my book. I would be paying around $8.99 a month just to have the privilege of using a receiver DN owns for around 2 years anyways.

[pushbutton]

the mrs. has found foreign chickflicks on the watch instantly, and while watching love stories with subtitles, for me, is like sticking a pencil in your ear; it always seems to make her much more "aggreeable" if ya know what i mean. the best 9 bucks a month i have ever spent!

[B. Amish]

I've got it and love it. it made me realize that we should drop our cable package down a tier.

we watch a lot of shows from showtime. dexter and weeds are great.

you would think that their instant streaming selection would only get better and better. it sure seems like it has since we've had it.

[Chnginthhofl]

As I maintain the properties for 2 Blockbusters, I HATE Netflix. Especially from the news the other night that Blockbuster is probably going to declare bankruptcy.

$5 for a new release, not surprised.

[LMITOUT]

FYI, the available programming menu on the XBOX is limited, if you go the Netflix HSOforum, you can find additional stuff to add to your instant queue.

That was something I wasn't clear on. So the movies listed online can be watched on the XBOX as well, or just on your PC? I had the impression that the movies listed in the XBOX guide could only be watched via the XBOX and that's why I lost interest.

It just seemed strange that there was a difference in the catalogs online and on XBOX, so I assumed there were limitations on what was offered through the XBOX.

[B. Amish]

yep anything on the netflix site that is available to watch instantly can be added to your instant queue and then you can watch it through your xbox.

[DTro]

yep yep

[LMITOUT]

Thanks for the clarification!

[LightningBG]

I pay about $60 (+ or-) a month for my "basic" satellite service. I have no premium channels and this monthly amount does not include "any" pay-per-view. It is DishNetwork and does not even offer on-demand. You want to watch it (does not include a DVR either or any HD channels besides the local and basic) you have to catch it. The way I see it is, I think I am getting the shaft with DishNetwork.

Shack, your right, you are getting screwed by dish.

My Dish:

I have 3 TV's hooked up, all HD (with the HD packages), all with DVR.

HBO and showtime were free for 3 months

Cinemax free for a year.

Current price is about $25 a month (for the first 12 months)

Once the 12mo is up it will be about 60/mo (but still HD and DVR for 3 TVS)

I haven't watched a live show in 9 months. I'll set it up to record 2 shows at once while I watch one i recorded the night before. The DVR holds 80+ hours of HD programming or 220hrs of standard def.

[LMITOUT]

Dish has Video On Demand.

No, it is not the equivalent of Netflix in price or library, but it is available.

The one thing it does have over Netflix is that the movies are in 1080p format.

[gonefishing70]

I have a ? we have netflix and do the mail order. Watch alot of the new releases, Is it possible for me to watch instant movies on the wii.

[bgreen82]

I heard that's coming for Wii or you could order a roku(spelling). Its a portable Netflix device.

[jwhjr]

It's supposed to be coming soon for the Wii. You have to get a disc from Netflix to insert in order to watch them like with the PS3. It's supposed to be available this spring, you can reserve the disc now.

[gonefishing70]

Thanks. I will check for the disk.

[Surface Tension]

We've been subscribed to Netflix for the purpose to rent DVDs for a couple years.

Recently we started the watch instantly using a blu-ray player which costs nothing if you have an account. We don't have cable or dish so for us the Netflix watch instantly is great.

[Shack]

I do admit that Netflix's on-line site is somewhat confusing at first. I (hat in hand ) screwed up and moved a DVD instead of a watch Instantly movie in my queue menu. I got an e-mail that is will be here today. The way I read it is that watch instantly stuff is unlimited and DVD orders are "one out at a time" under the $8.99 plan? So if you order one new release on DVD, watch it, return it, you can order another one right away I think. I was under the impression that it was only one DVD order a month.

Thanks Limit & LightningBG

On the surface DN's "on demand" service is a fancy name for pay-per-view (wow what is going right now for a one time view of $64.00 ), but their websites says something about channel 501 and TV shows, but I do not have a channel 501. It sends you to either 500 or 502 which is the pay-per-view I have always know? When I think of "On-Demand", I think of Comcast on demand. My parents have this and from what I have seen is it is very similar to Netflix, but applies to almost everything on regular TV and cable channels. No need to DVR anything unless you want to keep it for some reason.

LightningBG, to clarify I do have 3 TV's going with Satellite service. The main one in the living-room is an HD receiver (TV in LR is HD). The receiver for my TV(s) in my garage is not HD (TV's are not HD), but sends a signal to the TV in the bedroom (set the TV to channel 72 and use a DN remote). Yes, no DV recording at all . I get pretty much every regular channel but not one premium channel. I am under no contract at this point. I am currently evaluating my options as we speak!

[LightningBG]

Go into to one of the dish stores and wheel and deal with them. If nothing else get an upgraded box that has DVR for multiple tvs. Threaten to cancel. works most times.

[LightningBG]

Here is what we have/pay, off topic but will give you an idea.

And for clarification.

we have 3 tv's connected. 1 box. but 2 of the Tv's are mirrored. All of them have a remote, but the TVs in the office & bedroom always show the same thing. But can record from and on all of the TV's and watch anything that has been recorded on any tv from any tv.

Once the promo period is over it will jump by $15 and we'll ditch the service plan.

[Shack]

Ya, that is how I got the one (true HD receiver and one upgrade) for my living room. At the time I was paying for the first HD package (back in 05) offered by DN, that had some of the first HD channels to even be available ever. I had bought a true HD TV (not a HD "ready" tv) to enjoy watching HD satellite TV. This package only included about 13 channels at the time. They were mostly 9000+ channels and included channels like Monster Vision, Discovery HD, and a couple others. This about $20 more a month than the current $60.00. Well one day I go to switch on the HD channels and half are gone and the other half are not coming in HD. I make a call and sure enough the package was split up and they wanted more money (which meant more HD channels though) and my HD receiver was outdated and no longer would pick up HD DN channel signals correctly (this on an HD true TV "not a HD ready" tv ). I was not in a contract at that time and they wanted $700-$800 for the new receiver. Well, long drawn out story short, I was polite, but said "well then I have to cancel today" (I did mean it, not a threat) and sure enough they found an extra one in the back room

Yes, I know change is a-coming around the bend.

[Shack]

We do have the AMERICA'S TOP 250 package, but now I see they have an Everything Pak (includes premium channels & 120 HD channels) for $84.95

I say $60, but I know if I looked at my bill it is closer $69.95 .

Thanks

[LMITOUT]

OK, so I checked out the Netflix HSOforum again after reading there were more movies available "instantly" but I still see a lack of options compared to the mail-order selection and that's what I thought I saw when I first signed up. I guess I'm going back to disappointed status once again.