Netflix

[Razor X]

I'm still looking into some of my movie-streaming options and I'm trying to decide if I should take advantage of a free trial offer for Netflix.  I know they've been in the news a lot lately for an unpopular price increase and for wanting to split their streaming and DVD businesses into two separate units -- a decision they've since backed off on due to public outcry.

Their website currently downplays the DVD option and mainly talks about streaming, but streaming seems to be limited mostly to older and less popular titles.  I imagine that they can't get licensing for brand new releases under their all-you-can-watch-for-$7.99 business model.  But it looks like in order to have the option to receive DVDs, you have to pay an additional $7.99 per month.   So, I was just wondering what Netflix plans some of you may have, and if their streaming service is worth $7.99 a month or if I should just stick to the free titles I can get from Amazon.

[theebaldguy]

I'm on the $7.99 a month streaming only plan. Even though Netflix doesn't have the latest and greatest selection, I still think it's a bargain for unlimited streaming. It costs more than that to see one movie at the local theater, even if you bypass the concession stand. With the streaming, I can watch as much as I want, and don't have to endure the idiots talking or texting in the theater.

[tomgallagher]

Yes they decided to not split their service into 2 companies but the charges are still the same $8.00 apiece. I have the streaming option and find it useful. They have a good quantity of movies and I am catching up on years worth of TV series, Law and Order, Battlestar Galactica, all with the commercials removed.

[-Doug-]

I have the 7.99 streaming plan. It has a pretty decent selection IMO. It has a TON of TV series. It won't have the new releases right away but they usually show up after a few weeks or so. If there is a new release that I want to see really bad, I just get it from RedBox

[BillOnBass]

I think the $7.99 streaming-only plan is an incredible value for the amount of content they offer.  They don't have the latest new releases (though now and then you'll see a few) but there are so many slightly-aged and classic movie titles that it makes up for it.  They have a huge selection of TV series (commercial-free obviously) that I think is almost worth the monthly fee alone. 

[Arnie]

We get both the DVDs and Streaming...still a great deal regardless of the price increase.

[Tyler]

Netflix is a great deal!  I like documentaries and they have a TON of them.

[TheSlyBear]

While the 60% increase seems like a huge increase, it's still a good deal if you evaluate the prices on their own merit.

We have the 1-DVD at a time, plus the streaming option (which we use on 2 PS3's and an AppleTV).

It'll be even better as the streaming library (hopefully) increases.

[Chavster]

We dont have Netflix in the UK, but with a little tweaking on my Apple TV, I have Netflix I signed up for the 7.99 package. They wouldnt send DVD's to me anyway, although I wouldnt want them because I dont have a DVD player apart from on my computers. I think they have an amazing choice of tv programmes and films for 7.99. We have a similar service here called LoveFilm, which is owned by Amazon, but the choice is nowhere near as good.

All I need now is to find somewhere I can buy popcorn.

[Slynito]

I can't find the time for DVDz or Netflix....just ain't enough hours in the day...

[Chavster]

I dont watch tv much either but its nice to have access to some stuff I cant usually see here. I watched an episode of Cagney and Lacey this afternoon

[andrew]

We've recently cut back from the 3-at-a-time DVD and unlimited streaming to 2-at-a-time and no streaming.

While my preferred method of viewing is streaming, we go for new releases only and the streaming selections weren't cutting it. We accessed our account from 2 different houses, so that was very convenient.  But we found very little to watch, so that made the decision easy.

I'm sure that over the long term disks will be phased out and streaming will be the only option, but until the selections include newer releases, it's not for us.

[tomgallagher]

We've recently cut back from the 3-at-a-time DVD and unlimited streaming to 2-at-a-time and no streaming.

While my preferred method of viewing is streaming, we go for new releases only and the streaming selections weren't cutting it. We accessed our account from 2 different houses, so that was very convenient.  But we found very little to watch, so that made the decision easy.

I'm sure that over the long term disks will be phased out and streaming will be the only option, but until the selections include newer releases, it's not for us.

I have a hunch that you are correct regarding streaming but they are going to have to bump up their selection.

[Razor X]

We've recently cut back from the 3-at-a-time DVD and unlimited streaming to 2-at-a-time and no streaming.

While my preferred method of viewing is streaming, we go for new releases only and the streaming selections weren't cutting it. We accessed our account from 2 different houses, so that was very convenient.  But we found very little to watch, so that made the decision easy.

I'm sure that over the long term disks will be phased out and streaming will be the only option, but until the selections include newer releases, it's not for us.

I have a hunch that you are correct regarding streaming but they are going to have to bump up their selection.

It seems like they're trying to move in that direction, but you're never going to see brand new releases offered as part of an unlimited streaming package.  I imagine they might eventually offer a plan that lets you stream new releases on a pay-per-view basis like Amazon does, or they might let you watch 3 new releases a month for $7.99 or something like that.

$7.99 is not bad at all and they do have a much better selection than Amazon.  But I'm sure Amazon's library will expand in time, and since I have access to Amazon already, I'll probably stick with them until I run out of options there.  I'm trying not to add yet another monthly bill that I have to pay.

[andrew]

$7.99 is not bad at all and they do have a much better selection than Amazon.  But I'm sure Amazon's library will expand in time, and since I have access to Amazon already, I'll probably stick with them until I run out of options there.  I'm trying not to add yet another monthly bill that I have to pay.

$7.99 is a great deal.  If they had an option that offered newer releases through streaming, at a higher cost and perhaps with some limitations, we would likely subscribe to that.   Until that is offered, we may just stop the Netflix disk subscription and use pay-per-view through our cable company.