Netflix Watch Instantly = Liquid Crack

[paxromana]

I've just discovered the joys of Netflix Watch Instantly service. I've been a subscriber to Netflix for a little over two years and I've found myself going into phases where I'll keep three or four movies for weeks at a time without ever removing them from their little red envelopes. Usually this has to do with me not having enough time or maybe it's a movie that I thought was interesting when I added it to my queue but when it finally arrives I wuss out. This has made it difficult to put a dent in my 449 movie queue. However, the watch instantly service is totally rad. See a movie that looks interesting? Boom! You're watching it. How about that TV series Dexter the guys took a dump on last episode? Boom, you're slicing and dicing with Dexter without having to wait two days for Disc 3 to finally frakking arrive already. If I didn't need money to pay for the internet connection to get my streaming movies I probably wouldn't leave my room. Sad, I know. But I have an addiction. And admitting that you have an addiction is the first step to pawning off loved-ones valuables to pay for said addiction.

The movies look great and the streaming is fast and reliable. I think that maybe these types of services are going to make the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD war look laughable in a few years. I mean, really, physical media? Hope you don't scratch it sucker.

So a question (or a couple of questions): Does anyone have any experience with this service or services like it? And why don't the TRS guys talk more about this totally rad service on the show?

[hoodedrobin]

Thats probably the best comment on the forums...
Never used netflix or blockbuster online service. I use bittorrent.

However this is still a pretty damn cool service and it has stuff i cant download as quickly, my question is how fast is it.

[bobgoblin]

I have used netflix watch instantly service. The service itself is great and i have had no problems in watching any of the movies and the download times. The quality is great. I watched ghostbusters 1&2 the other day just cause i was bored. So its a good feature for that. But i feel the selection at the moment is lackluster at best. Filled with alot of classics yes, but it seems nothing that is new and enjoyable to watch from the past 5 years is on there. If you want lots of B-Rate crap. Well then your in for alot of it. Just my 2 cents. Well atleast thats how it was when i used it a few weeks ago. I hope they upgrade the movie selection. Now i just go and get HD movies on XBL... Don't get me wrong its a good service but they need to really upgrade their movies to appeal to a mass market if they wanna get this thing big. So until then ill just keep my netflix queue filled up.

-Bobgoblin

[WizMaster]

I have used netflix watch instantly service. The service itself is great and i have had no problems in watching any of the movies and the download times. The quality is great. I watched ghostbusters 1&2 the other day just cause i was bored. So its a good feature for that. But i feel the selection at the moment is lackluster at best. Filled with alot of classics yes, but it seems nothing that is new and enjoyable to watch from the past 5 years is on there. If you want lots of B-Rate crap. Well then your in for alot of it. Just my 2 cents. Well atleast thats how it was when i used it a few weeks ago. I hope they upgrade the movie selection. Now i just go and get HD movies on XBL... Don't get me wrong its a good service but they need to really upgrade their movies to appeal to a mass market if they wanna get this thing big. So until then ill just keep my netflix queue filled up.

-Bobgoblin

I don't have the link with me but I remember seeing an article on how Netflix (online watching) and Itunes renting aren't catering to the same crowds. Netflix has more classics and older stuff but not the newest releases. Itunes OTOH has the freshest releases but it's not really big on the older stuff.

It'll be interesting to see if they both pick up where they are slacking and compete head to head.

[Serenity]

I don't think it works for me since I have a Mac. :(

[actionsreaction]

this service is the only thing I ever boot my PC up for nowadays, they really do need to get a mac client working...

[nextgenxbox]

I like it because it is free. You don't have to pay extra. If this was Blockbuster they would charge you... and then raise the prices again two months later.

[Bassguitar115]

I too am in LOVE with this feature.

I just got done wathcing, "Pink FLoyd The Wall". . . What an amazing and beautiful movie! If you haven't seen it go watch it!

I hope they keep adding to the movies you can watch online. . .

J.C.

[p2a1x7]

I'm on Clearwire so I have to wait sometimes for it to buffer, but I watch it quite a bit. I watched the first 3 seasons of the Office, into Sliders right now, and when I miss an episode of Heros, I can catch it on Netflix which is awesome. When I went home for break my brother and his wife wanted to see the Office so I put an episode on my 22'' monitor and they both couldn't believe the quality (highest quality since Comcast>Clearwire).

I don't think that this is a huge selling point for Netflix, but it sure is awesome.

[Heyseuss]

I've just discovered the joys of Netflix Watch Instantly service. I've been a subscriber to Netflix for a little over two years and I've found myself going into phases where I'll keep three or four movies for weeks at a time without ever removing them from their little red envelopes. Usually this has to do with me not having enough time or maybe it's a movie that I thought was interesting when I added it to my queue but when it finally arrives I wuss out. This has made it difficult to put a dent in my 449 movie queue.

I hate ppl like you. (not really). I watch and return at least 12 movies a week from netflix. I'm lucky I have a mac and don't run windows otherwise I'd be 'watching now' constantly. I can't imagine having the netflix 'watch now' feature hooked up to my tv like Steve does.

The way for you to avoid being uninterested in the movie you get sent is to change the top of your queue based on your moods, right before they send, and give yourself a choice of variety to view when they come.

[aerodash84]

I like the instant watching, but I can't figure out why it runs better on my laptop over wireless then my desktop on wired connection. I got hooked watching 30 Rock and both versions of the Office. I'd like to see more movies become available, even older good movies. The biggest plus I think they did was make the online watching unlimited no matter what membership you have. Although for my upcoming trip, I'll be checking out the iTunes rental for my 12 hour bus ride.

[silentsignals]

I don't think it works for me since I have a Mac. :(

As a fellow OS X user I feel your pain. But this is an encouraging sign...

http://www.appscout.com/2008/01/netflix_to_introduce_mac_strea_1.php

[wolfnotes]

Two words: Cane Toads (http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Cane_Toads_An_Unnatural_History/70000977?trkid=222336&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=2124054170_0_0).

[tsmith15]

So how does the pricing for this work?

[truebullfan]

The one reason I have netflix is b/c now that i have a ps3 i want to take full advantage of it b/c of the blu-ray player. But anyone else pissed that firefox cant be used by the instant now feature? I mean come on! netflix get your act together.

[burkhartmj]

The one reason I have netflix is b/c now that i have a ps3 i want to take full advantage of it b/c of the blu-ray player. But anyone else pissed that firefox cant be used by the instant now feature? I mean come on! netflix get your act together.

I believe I've played in IE Tab in Firefox before, though it was on a friend's account not mine, so I haven't done it recently enough to be sure.

[k4ng]

I'm actually watching An Evening with Kevin Smith on Netflix right now :D The service rocks but I wish they had the more recent movies D:

[Heyseuss]

I'm actually watching An Evening with Kevin Smith on Netflix right now :D The service rocks but I wish they had the more recent movies D:

If you hadn't seen AEWKS yet, then why are you worried about new releases ? Rheotrical question to make you appreciate older stuff more.

Evening Harder is not as good, but still a must see.

[k4ng]

Evening Harder is not as good, but still a must see.

I'm watching Evening Harder right now. God, I love Kevin Smith. I can't wait till Zack and Miri Make a Porno comes out :D

[Heyseuss]

I'm watching Evening Harder right now. God, I love Kevin Smith. I can't wait till Zack and Miri Make a Porno comes out :D

I re-watched Clerks2 the other night....I really think it's as good as his any of his good ones. Funny and a good story.

[trivialnobvious]

I've been using the new Netflix Roku player for a few weeks now and I've fallen in love. If you haven't see the reviews (norton gives a nice one on an earlier episode of tekzilla) it's 100 bones, hooks up to your tv via standard a/v, composite or HDMI and hooks up to the internet via ethernet or wifi. This syncs with your account and allows you to use your 'watch instantly' queue right from the box to stream the content to your tv. It's all covered under whatever netflix plan you have so for 10/month I have unlimited viewing. This was a cheaper option than buying XP or Vista (since I already use netflix) and watching on my tv is a more enjoyable experience.

Now there are a few minor flaws people will gripe about. Picture quality is limited but for the stuff I've been watching I haven't wanted much more. And still the streaming selection isn't that great but there are enough tv shows to last me quite a while.

The only other thing I could want right now is for the box to have a way to watch my rev3 shows (either streaming or add on a hdd) :)

These are the sort of devices that really open up the content delivery market. I hope that more folks start to realize this.

[wolfnotes]

If you have an xbox 360 and a Vista PC, you don't need the Roku box. You can use a free windows media center plugin to stream the watch instantly flicks to your xbox. See this post at lifehacker (http://lifehacker.com/396881/turn-your-xbox-360-into-a-streaming-netflix-player).

I just set it up and it works! Enjoy.

[Bruce Leroy]

I have a Netflix Watch Instantly recommendation: Action!, a TV show starring Jay Mohr? There's only 10 or so episodes but it's really good so far. It's kind of like if the Robert Altman's The Player was a one-camera half-hour comedy.

[Bruce Leroy]

I've been using the new Netflix Roku player for a few weeks now and I've fallen in love. If you haven't see the reviews (norton gives a nice one on an earlier episode of tekzilla) it's 100 bones, hooks up to your tv via standard a/v, composite or HDMI and hooks up to the internet via ethernet or wifi. This syncs with your account and allows you to use your 'watch instantly' queue right from the box to stream the content to your tv. It's all covered under whatever netflix plan you have so for 10/month I have unlimited viewing. This was a cheaper option than buying XP or Vista (since I already use netflix) and watching on my tv is a more enjoyable experience.

Now there are a few minor flaws people will gripe about. Picture quality is limited but for the stuff I've been watching I haven't wanted much more. And still the streaming selection isn't that great but there are enough tv shows to last me quite a while.

The only other thing I could want right now is for the box to have a way to watch my rev3 shows (either streaming or add on a hdd) :)

These are the sort of devices that really open up the content delivery market. I hope that more folks start to realize this.

Get an HD TV with a VGA input, homie and hook that shiznit up to your desktop. Then you can watch everything on your TV. You can get real pimp like myself and get a wireless laptop and mouse and put that on your coffee table. Boom goes the dynamite.

Changed my life, man.

[Anoesis]

the netflix instant watch feature is great. I have watched so many tv shows that i would never think of renting or watch, but have since i was bored and saw that they were available to watch instantly and ended up watching every episode and renting the rest that were not available to watch instantly. To date I watched of Dexter, 30 Rock, the office(US), Dr. Who, weeds and I am re-watching episodes of sliders.

Its RAD

[Talleyrand]

I am waiting for a Mac client also. I hope someone also releases a Connect 360 like client also so I can stream to the TV