PS3 To Utilize Netflix By Next Month

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

Are you aware that the vast majority of PS3 users don't watch blu-ray, don't care about HD all that much, and streaming SD Netflix movies are something might try and no doubt like?

Are you aware that this is the same installed base that Sony and the movie studios *WERE* trying to woo into trying and perhaps liking blu-ray? Are you aware that they may NEVER try blu-ray after they start streaming with Netflix?

And are you aware that Netflix doesn't have a streaming-only plan?

And hence that any PS3 owner that is attracted to Netflix will at the same time be subscribing to the disc rental service?

And that a significant part of those new subscribers may decide that, since their paying for the disc end of the deal, they might as well use it to rent BDs, since they already, y'know, paid for them?

[Pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

Just so we get it out of the way - now Netflix matters.

No, sorry, never did, and still does not. Similar to all of the other streaming services, Netflix is nothing but an added bonus (to those who might be interested in it).

I could see, however, why this announcement might annoy PS3 detractors/supporters of rivaling consoles that do not offer Blu-ray playback and streaming.

Pro-B

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

Are you aware that the vast majority of PS3 users don't watch blu-ray, don't care about HD all that much, and streaming SD Netflix movies are something might try and no doubt like?

Actually that is not true:

According to the report, 87% of PS3 owners play Blu-ray movies on their console.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news...ay_Movies/3018

Are you aware that this is the same installed base that Sony and the movie studios *WERE* trying to woo into trying and perhaps liking blu-ray? Are you aware that they may NEVER try blu-ray after they start streaming with Netflix?

And this is where you fall flat on your face. Netflix streaming does not offer the latest and greatest new release blockbuster titles via streaming. You know, the most popular movies that are being rented? So if a PS3 owner wants to watch "Wolverine", "Transformers 2", "Star Trek", etc etc, they are going to rent the disc (most likely the Blu-Ray).

And you completely missed the fact that Netflix does not offer a streaming only package. Why would any PS3 owner who enjoys watching movies pay $9 a month to stream only and not get access to many of their favorite movies, and TV shows via Blu-Ray? That makes no sense. If you ask me, including this service may actually help Blu-Ray rentals pick up for Netflix if more PS3 owners jump onto Netflix.

I have used it. I do not have it. But it works fine and lots of people obviously love it.

Well, I have been using it for over a year. I have streamed a number of obscure documentaries and a few movies that I have not seen in years that are not on Blu-Ray. The quality (PQ/AQ) is hit and miss. Some titles look close to DVD and some titles look much worse to me. AQ is pretty bad too. It is not even close to the same ballpark as Blu-Ray. Again why would somebody stream The Dark Knight (oh wait, that is still not available for streaming) in SD with 2 channel audio when they can simply add the title to their Netflix queue and watch it in glorious hidef with 5.1 channel sound?

Do you even realize that Netflix has 17000 titles (15,100 more than blu-ray) for unlimited streaming at $9 per month???

Yes, I have the plan and a PS3. I will surely have more hands on experience with the service than you ever will.

Chalk up a few million more Netflix streamers.

Yes, and chalk up a few more million folks renting Blu-Ray's as well

The fact is Mike, Netflix is not positioning streaming to replace disc rentals. It is a complementary service. You can pretend it is not until you are blue in the face but the facts are that Netflix does not even offer a streaming only package, nor do they allow access to the new release blockbusters via streaming? In the future? They probably will. But even Netflix recently stated that disc rentals will most likely be around for another 30 years.

[mikemorel]

Originally Posted by Grubert

And are you aware that Netflix doesn't have a streaming-only plan?

And hence that any PS3 owner that is attracted to Netflix will at the same time be subscribing to the disc rental service?

And that a significant part of those new subscribers may decide that, since their paying for the disc end of the deal, they might as well use it to rent BDs, since they already, y'know, paid for them?

Oh, brother.

Are you aware that normal people (you know, people with jobs, families, obligations, and responsibilities) have only a limited number of free hours to sit around and watch movies?

And that movie watching free-time is being shrunk by gaming, internet use, and other diversions of modern life? Have you been hearing what Bob Iger was saying, or do you think he is wrong as well?

Now PS3 owners have yet another choice when it comes to movie watching. A very convenient one at that. They no longer have to wait for a disc to come by mail.

Netflix instant streaming is one of the primary reasons that optical disc sales are plummeting.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by Pro-bassoonist

I could see, however, why this announcement might annoy PS3 detractors/supporters of rivaling consoles that do not offer Blu-ray playback and streaming.

Pro-B

Or the consoles that do offer Netflix streaming (Xbox 360) and make you pay $50 a year for a Live Gold Membership.

This is a one-up for Sony and may force Microsoft to waive the Gold membership requirement.

I am sure Netflix is sitting back and smiling right about now...

[vikingfan]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

How many movies at a time are you getting on Netflix? I am not having a long wait time at all for either new releases or catalog titles on Blu-Ray, but I know from experience that they throttle people who rent more movies out at time. This happened to me when I was using both the 2 and 3 out at a time plans. Now that I am on the 1 at a time plan, I get movies super fast with no delay.

I had the 3 out at a time plan, would send things back on Fri or Sat so I would get new ones on Mon/Tues. Had films like Saturday Night Fever, Childs Play, About Last Night, St. Elmos Fire and other catalog titles released in the last 2-3 months sitting at short wait up until I cancelled. Then films that showed as "available now" when placed in my que ,would turn to short wait before the day was over. Think I got 2 BD's in my que for the month of Oct.

[Pahra puh Pahra]

A majority of my friends that I recommended Netflix are dropping them. This was less than a year of signing on. They NEVER get the movies on Bluray in a reasonable time frame. I switched my membership to dvd only after the price hike and was hoping that things would change. But obviously it hasn't.

My friends are disappointed but don't really have much options. They like watching on blurays, but Blockbuster closed down near-bye and they are not into streaming. They actually prefer in-store renting, because they never know what they want to rent till last minute. The state of the rental video system kind of sucks.

[DaveS1138]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

Now, at the risk of asking the obvious, wouldn't this put a serious dent in blu-ray sales? Especially if Netflix works a deal with studios to start streaming in HD? No doubt there would be a premium for an HD tier.

Originally Posted by mikemorel

Are you aware that the vast majority of PS3 users don't watch blu-ray, don't care about HD all that much, and streaming SD Netflix movies are something might try and no doubt like?

Dude........do you even bother to read what you type anymore before just hitting the anti Sony, anti Blu-ray, anti PS3 button?

Within the space of three posts you managed to go from

Blu-ray is doomed because PS3 can now stream Netflix and PS3 owners will no longer buy Blu-ray when they can just stream.......

to.....

PS3 owners never buy Blu-ray anyway......

(in which case to answer your own question.........no, then it would have no effect on Blu-ray sales. )


On the subject.......I used Netflix streaming on my Tivo HD back when I had Netflix (before cancelling it to protest their Blu-ray price gouging)........it was a pretty poor service. Certainly not something that would make me want Netflix to be able to use.

[luclin999]

Well I have had a Netflix account and a PS3 but I dropped the account because it would literally take weeks sometimes for a BD in my queue to arrive.

The last month before I dropped the service I had seem only three BDs over the course of the entire month despite having about eight in my queue.

It's easier to just drive half a mile over to Blockbuster and rent the BD in question for $2 than to put up with the delays from Netflix.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by luclin999

Well I have had a Netflix account and a PS3 but I dropped the account because it would literally take weeks sometimes for a BD in my queue to arrive.

The last month before I dropped the service I had seem only three BDs over the course of the entire month despite having about eight in my queue.

It's easier to just drive half a mile over to Blockbuster and rent the BD in question for $2 than to put up with the delays from Netflix.

Have you looked into Blockbusters online rental plan with in store rental exchange? Might save you some money every month if you are a frequent renter.

As for Netflix, I must be lucky. The most I have had to wait for on a Blu-Ray title has been about 2-3 days that I wanted.

[mikemorel]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

Or the consoles that do offer Netflix streaming (Xbox 360) and make you pay $50 a year for a Live Gold Membership.

I think we've stumbled on ack-bak's real motivation here.

This is a one-up for Sony and may force Microsoft to waive the Gold membership requirement.

I am sure Netflix is sitting back and smiling right about now...

It's all about XBox vs. PS3.

450 posts per month and all he REALLY cares about is game console wars.

[ack_bak]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

I think we've stumbled on ack-bak's real motivation here.

It's all about XBox vs. PS3.

450 posts per month and all he REALLY cares about is game console wars.

Awww. Somebody is getting rattled.. I can always tell because you start talking about my post count, versus what I actually post about.

And how about you Mike? Posting constantly about something you claim you have no interest in (Blu-Ray)? You sure seem to spend countless hours scouring the Internet for all things Blu-Ray and then take the time to open threads here on a hidef forum. Do you even care about hidef? Were you not the one that posted that Iron Man looked great upconverted on your DVD player? Perhaps you should post on the DVD forums at sites that are not as focused on highdefintion and quality.

[Pahra puh Pahra]

Originally Posted by ack_bak

Have you looked into Blockbusters online rental plan with in store rental exchange? Might save you some money every month if you are a frequent renter.

That seems like the best option out there. How's there online service? Is it fairly quick? I'm going to stick with Netflix due to there amount of stock, but I may recommend the Blockbuster to my friends. They watch the big mainstream films anyways.

I'm not on here much but I do read through these comments. Every once and a while there's a morsel of information needed to be relayed to the masses. Heh.

I've just been renting DVD's but they rent Blurays. I'm just hoping Netflix beefs up their BD's. I usually rent the DVD then purchase the BD if I like it enough.

[h0mi]

If this requires use of BD-Live, that's very, very interesting. Finally someone develops some use for BD live... kind of makes it unfortunate that BD-Live is more disc than player based. What I mean is that the BD-live code is stored on the disc, and is completely dependent upon what studios do for a given title instead of having "blu-ray player apps" that would be more useful and could work across all platforms.

[Mr. Cinema]

Originally Posted by mikemorel

I think we've stumbled on ack-bak's real motivation here.

Why don't you explain to all of us what your real motivation is for being here?