Netflix Rant

[six_storm]

I've made a few changes in my life recently and one of them was to "go legit" on how I got my movies and home entertainment. So, I decided to sign back up for Netflix (it's been a few years) since it was the popular choice. I was real surprised at the selection Netflix had online, both what I could watch on my laptop/PC or order on DVD via mail.

Wifey wanted to watch a movie earlier today and we decided to watch it on the home theater.

First attempt: Watch on the HTPC. I currently run the latest version of XBMC Live but quickly found that there was no free way of watching Netflix movies on XBMC. The only real solution is PlayOn and that costs money. No go.

Second attempt: Sony Blu-Ray Player. We've never used this BR player to watch Netflix so I was expecting that we could surf the Netflix library and watch any movie available that we could on the PC. No. You have to get on your PC, add movies to the "Instant Queue", then play it on the BR player. WTF?

Is Netflix really this un-developed? I really like the selection of movies and TV shows available to stream on my laptop, but why can't I do the same on my HTPC or BR Player? Setting this on my my BR Player is a little complicated for my wife since she was used to using the HTPC (pick a movie poster and hit Select to play the movie).

Is there something I'm missing here?

[Redeemed]

Originally Posted by six_storm

I've made a few changes in my life recently and one of them was to "go legit" on how I got my movies and home entertainment. So, I decided to sign back up for Netflix (it's been a few years) since it was the popular choice. I was real surprised at the selection Netflix had online, both what I could watch on my laptop/PC or order on DVD via mail.

Wifey wanted to watch a movie earlier today and we decided to watch it on the home theater.

First attempt: Watch on the HTPC. I currently run the latest version of XBMC Live but quickly found that there was no free way of watching Netflix movies on XBMC. The only real solution is PlayOn and that costs money. No go.

Second attempt: Sony Blu-Ray Player. We've never used this BR player to watch Netflix so I was expecting that we could surf the Netflix library and watch any movie available that we could on the PC. No. You have to get on your PC, add movies to the "Instant Queue", then play it on the BR player. WTF?

Is Netflix really this un-developed? I really like the selection of movies and TV shows available to stream on my laptop, but why can't I do the same on my HTPC or BR Player? Setting this on my my BR Player is a little complicated for my wife since she was used to using the HTPC (pick a movie poster and hit Select to play the movie).

Is there something I'm missing here?

Never used XBMC, but I have no issues streaming netflix on my rig, not do my folks have a hard time streaming movies on their Wii.

Isn't there a native playing you can use on the Netflix website... Starzplay I think it is?

[nekrosoft13]

I'm a netflix subscriber and i hate using their streaming service. I wish they would offer cheaper disc only subscription.

what really gets me mad about netflix is lack of recent Blu-ray releases for some TV shows. they try to make it sound lack of BD can be substituted with "HD" streaming content but that is bull****.

Netflix HD streaming video looks like **** compared to actual BD release.

[six_storm]

Originally Posted by nekrosoft13

I'm a netflix subscriber and i hate using their streaming service. I wish they would offer cheaper disc only subscription.

what really gets me mad about netflix is lack of recent Blu-ray releases for some TV shows. they try to make it sound lack of BD can be substituted with "HD" streaming content but that is bull****.

Netflix HD streaming video looks like **** compared to actual BD release.

I just hate waiting for discs lol. I'd rather be able to select any movie or TV show I want from my HTPC or BR Player and watch it right then and there.

But meh, whatever floats your boat. I just wish there was an easy, user friendly way with XBMC.

[nekrosoft13]

i don't mind waiting for disc, at least i can watch it in good quality

My Sony blu ray player is the same way, you have to get on the computer and add movies to your queue then get back on the blu ray and bring up Netflix then you can watch it. Kind of a pain in the ass.
The Xbox 360 has a much superior way of doing it. It lets you search for movies, gives you suggestions, shows movies you recently watched, categories etc. Needless to say we almost always use the 360 to stream Netflix.

[nekrosoft13]

Originally Posted by betterdan

My Sony blu ray player is the same way, you have to get on the computer and add movies to your queue then get back on the blu ray and bring up Netflix then you can watch it. Kind of a pain in the ass.
The Xbox 360 has a much superior way of doing it. It lets you search for movies, gives you suggestions, shows movies you recently watched, categories etc. Needless to say we almost always use the 360 to stream Netflix.

I guess, but then microsoft forces you to buy Gold subscription to use netflix.

why do you need gold subscription to watch content that is NOT on MS servers, that is simply another 360 bull****

on PS3 you don't need premium account to watch netflix.

I have a gold subscription to XBOX Live because I like it for games, movies etc. I had a gold subscription before I even used Netflix on it.
I'm not so poor yet that $70, or whatever it is, a year for entertainment will make us have to eat ramen noodles.

I was just saying the Netflix capabilities are really nice on the 360. I also hear they are good on the PS3 but I don't have a PS3 and don't want one.

Wow, apparently I am in the minority. I LOVE streaming netflix. Only way I watch movies now.


@six - What BD player do you have? I have the option to browse the website content from mine...

What player do you have Bearclaw and I love streaming Netflix too. They have really increased the quality since just a year ago. They still need to get 5.1 sound although I heard some movies streamed through the PS3 have it now and 1080p too.

[Bman212121]

Originally Posted by six_storm

I've made a few changes in my life recently and one of them was to "go legit" on how I got my movies and home entertainment. So, I decided to sign back up for Netflix (it's been a few years) since it was the popular choice. I was real surprised at the selection Netflix had online, both what I could watch on my laptop/PC or order on DVD via mail.

Wifey wanted to watch a movie earlier today and we decided to watch it on the home theater.

First attempt: Watch on the HTPC. I currently run the latest version of XBMC Live but quickly found that there was no free way of watching Netflix movies on XBMC. The only real solution is PlayOn and that costs money. No go.

Second attempt: Sony Blu-Ray Player. We've never used this BR player to watch Netflix so I was expecting that we could surf the Netflix library and watch any movie available that we could on the PC. No. You have to get on your PC, add movies to the "Instant Queue", then play it on the BR player. WTF?

Is Netflix really this un-developed? I really like the selection of movies and TV shows available to stream on my laptop, but why can't I do the same on my HTPC or BR Player? Setting this on my my BR Player is a little complicated for my wife since she was used to using the HTPC (pick a movie poster and hit Select to play the movie).

Is there something I'm missing here?

Put a linux distro onto a thumb drive and plug that into your HTPC. I've always just ran a regular OS for HT so that you can play games, watch movies, and surf the web as expected.

As for your BR player I think any player is like that. Hard to say who's side that falls under. Netflix would probably just prefer to use their web page to do it, but your player doesn't have that functionality. It might take a lot of work for them to incorporate all of the things they want, and I'm wondering if things like search would work well on a player or not. Imagine having to try to type in the name of a movie with the arrows on your remote...

[Stoneyguy]

Netflix works like a champ on Xbox 360 and PS3. It works well on the PC. Everything else is really hit or miss. The TV app on my Samsung works well but like you mentioned, it only plays from the Q.