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I agree with Randolph I think. Only time will tell if Reed made the right call here, but this has obviously been his vision and his wish for sometime. Heck go back and review the comments here for the past year. Lots of folks could see this coming. There has been a definite shift in focus away from the discs and towards streaming for awhile now. We can debate all day long how we individually feel about it (personally I'm dumping discs and going streaming only---Hollywood only averages about one good movie every three months anyway).
NF took a gamble when it formed over a decade ago, and now they're doing it again trying to reinvent themselves. I hope it works because I like streaming and hope to see more and more content available this way. It seems they're signing as many deals as they lost recently so apparently there are plenty in the industry who see this as the future too. And nobody has even mentioned the original content they are planning to produce. If that idea takes off it adds a whole other dimension to the mix. The only wild card I'm keeping my eye on is pricing. There is a point at which I would no longer pay for a subscription service providing mostly old(er) content. For now I'm onboard and looking forward to what the next 18 to 24 months brings.
Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph Comments on the Decision to Spin Off Qwikster
Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph, though long gone from the company, has decided to comment on recent decision to spin off the DVD business, Did Netflix Screw Up? I Don't Think So. Randolph describes a very similar move Netflix made in the early days: When Reed and I launched Netflix in 1998, i...
@Cindy: I read on here once that you will always have two streams available w/ NF even if you only subscribe to one DVD or none (it's true; I've tested it). Something about latent streams and other techie talk I don't understand.
As for taking a corporate decision personally that's not the right way to phrase it. Everyone has to weigh dollars spent vs. value received and decide if it's worth it. NF does offer cheap entertainment when compared to cable, theaters or PPV true enough. However taken on it's own, 1 disc plus streaming for $18/mo is not a good bargain in my opinion. Everyone just has to make up their own mind what the service is worth. My fees are going to go up $6/mo. If they really beef up their streaming content then it might be worth it, but they're not indicating that yet. I'm stepping down to streaming only and then reevaluate in 6 mos or so.
Netflix Announces New DVD-Only Plans & Pricing for Combined Plans
On the Netflix blog Jessie Becker announced several important changes for subscribers and new customers: Official announcement of the DVD-only plans: $7.99 for one-out and $11.99 for 2-out, unlimited (dvd.netflix.com). The DVD & streaming unlimited plans are now separated into two $7.99 plans, ...
This price hike is a bit extreme if you ask me. With tax you're looking at $18/mo for one disc and streaming. That's too much. I used to pay right around that for three out at a time. Depending on how much streaming you do, the best you can call this value for your dollar is "average". In my opinion most new release movies have sucked over the past two years anyway so I think I'll be dropping to streaming only and augment discs w/ Redbox when I must. I think Blockbuster still has a store open down the road too if push comes to shove. I fully expect streaming only prices to eventually increase someday as well and if they go too far I guess NF and me will be over. And I say all this being a fan of the service.
Netflix Announces New DVD-Only Plans & Pricing for Combined Plans
On the Netflix blog Jessie Becker announced several important changes for subscribers and new customers: Official announcement of the DVD-only plans: $7.99 for one-out and $11.99 for 2-out, unlimited (dvd.netflix.com). The DVD & streaming unlimited plans are now separated into two $7.99 plans, ...
Like they blew Microsoft away? Like they blew Google/Android away? I think not. Apple comes up w/ cool new toys and packages and markets them well. Lots of people buy them making Apple rich. All this is true. But those toys are then copied and improved upon by others often times making them better and usually cheaper. And in the case of NF they aren't copying anything; they were first. Apple will not be blowing NF away anytime soon if ever. Pure hyperbole.
Apple TV Rumors Resurface Again; "Apple Plans to Blow Netflix & Other Guys Away"
DailyTech reports that rumors of an Apple TV are floating around again: The former Apple executive, speaking with us on condition of anonymity, told us that that the company's biggest upcoming product launch will be one that hasn't been made official yet -- Apple has plans to enter the TV busin...
I have discussed this Sony issue on and off here for several months now. We have two Sony's (The S570 and a BDP-???). Both have streaming issues. It's weird because they will seem to work great for a period of time and then they start buffering. Or one program will stream fine while another buffers. I have tried them hardwired and in the case of the 570 wireless. I have double checked the Comcast bitrate which is always good. Finally I just came to the conclusion that Sony's NF software stinks. I now have an LG LCDTV that streams NF great. It too has buffered, but very infrequently and for short periods of time when it does. The Sonys' are also buggy when playing BR discs too so I think they just need to head back to the drawing board.
Reader Experiencing Strange Netflix Streaming Device Quality Problem
Reader Chris writes, "I was wondering if any of the other Hackingnetflix users have reported significant quality differences in their streaming devices lately. I have a sony Blu-ray (s570) and an Xbox 360 hooked up to my TV for streaming; The quality of streams with the Blu-ray has been worse th...
I have an LG LED/LCD TV w/ NF that I primarily use to stream. Very solid software w/ few instances of buffering or freezing. The three BluRay and one Roku players I had/have all suffer(ed) from this. No 5.1 yet so there's that but hopefully down the road. I like the new queue interface too. Many more user options and search now. The Sony BluRays also upgraded this feature as well.
Dan Rayburn Compares Top Netflix Streaming Devices
Dan Rayburn from The Business of Online Video posted his seminar on Netflix-ready devices from the Streaming Media Conference. Rayburn compares the Apple TV, Roku, Xbox, Boxee, Google TV, and more. The takeaway from my presentation is that Apple TV is the weakest box on the market today and the...
I thought 3D Avatar was visually quite stunning. Maybe the story wasn't the best ever written, but certainly far from the worst either.
I assume the point he is making is that NF doesn't have the resources to deliver Avatar they way it was intended: 3D, 5.1/7.1 sound and Blu Ray quality. But that's true for all streaming content currently. To say it will never happen is foolish. Who knows what infrastructure and deals NF may come up with in the future. I think Hastings wants to make NF a dominant entertainment destination. Heck he's already part way there.
Fox President: Avatar on Neflix? "Not in my Lifetime"
Eric Savitz from Forbes spoke with Fox president Mike Dunn about movies, Netflix, 3D, Coinstar, Blu-ray and more: Avatar Coming to Netflix Streaming... The Day After Never. On the question of the role Netflix plays in the movie distribution business, Dunn has mixed feelings. “They’ve made digi...
I have experienced lost/stolen discs almost from the beginning of my NF account living in two different states. It has been sporadic and not the norm but over the years I've reported over a dozen discs. Sometimes they showed up weeks or months later and I just returned them. There have been three or four that never did show up at either end however. I attribute those to corrupt postal employees as I always use a secured postal drop. Since moving to my current location I attribute most of it to an incompetent local postal staff. I rarely mail from my home lock box anymore. Whenever I drop them at work I have no problems. Through all of this NF has never suspended me or even threatened to do so.
Have you Experienced a Lost Netflix DVD Recently?
Janet writes, "I know your site has tackled the subject from time to time, but I was wondering if anyone had ever had a problem with discs being lost when being shipped back to Netflix. I had that problem for over a year and Netflix ended up canceling my account." Have you experienced a lost or...
This "newer titles to streaming" argument always makes me laugh. Nobody offers what NF offers at this price point. They have a massive and eclectic library of movies ranging from the older up to the fairly recent. In addition to movies they offer several TV series. We would all like to have new and brand new titles go directly to NF with no delay, but we're not living in that world yet. In the meantime this is a pretty good alternative at a super cheap price. Plus which you can always order the DVD's if you so desire. And using cable or premium channels as a comparison is a joke. You might get one or two of those titles to air in a given month subject to their schedule and in the case of cable with commercials all for a big subscription fee. For nine bucks a month NF offers all available titles at your fingertips, on your time table w/out interuptions. It's not even a contest. This Miramax deal only further adds to an already great service.
Netflix & Miramax Sign Multi-year Deal to Bring Hundreds of Popular Films to Netflix Streaming
Netflix & Miramax have signed a multi-year deal that brings hundreds of Miramax titles to Netflix streaming starting in June. From the press release: “From day one, we’ve been very clear about the importance of digital and our desire to respond to the significant pent-up demand for our films...
I'll say it and say it again over and over. There have been very few movies produced over the past couple years that are worth owning. I know tastes vary but overall movies have sucked lately. I would attribute this as a top reason DVD sales are in the toilet.
DVD Shipments Dropped 44% in 2010
A SNL Kagan study of DVD shipments in 2010 found a huge drop in DVD Sales, not yet offset by Blu-ray, Netflix and VOD. We tracked 415 titles in our database that were released on DVD in 2010, and among those titles, wholesale revenue dropped a shocking 43.9% from $7.97 billion in 2009 to $4.47...
Wow, that came out of the blue. Wasn't expecting to hear this; I thought only newly manufactured phones would support this app. I've got a year old Evo upgraded to 2.2 and downloaded it tonight. Streams flawlessly from what I can tell so far. I can sympathize with the disapointment if your phone isn't on the list though. As long as Sprint keeps unlimited data plans in effect this should be a nice app. Probably won't use it a lot but nice to have for those times I'm out and about with time to kill.
Netflix Launches Android App For Select Phones
Update: Netflix's Roma De on the Netflix blog: "We are aggressively qualifying phones and look forward to expanding the list of phones on which the Netflix app will be supported. We anticipate that many of these technical challenges will be resolved in the coming months and that we will be able ...
I'm finding I use the BluRay player less and less these days. A combination of poor new movie selections and plenty to keep me busy on streaming/live TV. This is a complete 180 from where I was at say five years ago when I almost soley watched DVD's. Heck I hardly even turn the player on to access NF since I got a new NF ready TV. Go figure.
Blu-ray Player Prices Still Dropping - $198 Blu-ray Home Theater System
I know that a new (not refurbished) $198 Netflix-ready Phillips Blu-ray home theater system at Wal-Mart isn't a high-end system, but it's an indicator of how fast full-featured Blu-ray player prices have dropped. via Rick Broida at CNET.
I'm not sure it will stop the crew that likes to come in and bash the company financials or the service itself. They (he) seem a pretty dedicated bunch to me, and I've never really noticed much in the way of spam here. But if we need to log in now so be it.
-Formerly 'ts'.
You'll Now Have to Log In To Comment [Hacking Netflix Site News]
Due to continued complaints, you'll now have to sign in to comment. I will also be enforcing the new comment policy by banning and blocking people, something I hoped I would not need to do. I will also close comments on stories that are more than a week old to help cut down on spam.
I agree with Lonny. During the past 15 or so years HBO has produced very good original content. I have enjoyed watching much of it as well as their boxing coverage and Inside the NFL when it aired. However I too discontinued my HBO sub. last year. It's just not worth $12/mo. to me when the original programming is all I was watching. Lately the boxing has sucked, they canned INFL and I don't care about their endless loop of old movies. In fact movies is the least reason for having HBO, and HBO-GO is a non factor. Couple that w/ a satellite bill already near 100 bucks and it just didn't make sense anymore. I still appreciate their original content and will continue to watch it elsewhere at a much cheaper price. I don't care about waiting for it. I wish NF could get HBO content, but I understand why HBO resists even if I don't like it.
Bewkes Confirms that Netflix is Not Getting HBO Shows
Erik Gruenwedel from Home Media Magazine covered a panel discussion at the Jeffries Global Technology, Internet, Media and Telecom Conference in New York where Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes said, "We Don’t Understand’ an HBO-Netflix Content Deal." Bewkes concurred, saying Netflix has done a good...
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