Netflix rant

[ian]

Totally random Netflix rant for anyone that is bothered!

Having suffered from extremely slow broadband in our area, we are due to arrive in the 21st century with fibre very soon.

With this, I can finally consider subscribing to a monthly film service such as Netflix, but I'm amazed by just how poor the information is.

Without an account, simply going to the Netflix site tells you absolutely zero about what films and tv programmes they have available; no list, no 'coming soon', so how can I gauge whether the service is right for me if I can't see whether they pick up newly released films I like or not!

I searched everywhere and couldn't find a way of looking without signing up (and possibly starting the free trial), so went to their Twitter page, only to find very little mention of anything apart from fricking bettercallsaul.

Are Netflix possibly too big to actually consider what potential new customers need to know prior to signing up!

I must be missing something here!

 

[dazc]

I know what you mean but just sign up for a free trial because there is no friction whatsoever if you don't want to continue after the first month.

By the way, aside from what you already know is on there, there isn't that much Using a proxy such as Hola gives you access to the better US catalogue although it isn't brilliant.

I cancel for odd months at a time until there is more stuff added.

 

[Admin]

I have Netflix and my kids love it. The content is not so current and you won't see all the latest blockbusters but if you have a day off and want to find something worth watching it's a good library.

What I like?

• It runs on any of my devices, phone, ipad, PC
• Quality is OK, if you have streaming problems make sure you are not running the HD mode
• each of my kids has their own profile, means the content is driven towards what they watch

For the money it is worthwhile but you might want to pay more to get the latest blockbusters (on SKY Movies for example)

A little trick, I have a VPN software, if I connect to the US and then run Netflix the content is different to the UK version so you might find more content this way

Have a look here too: http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/New-Movies-Netflix-April-2015-37108308#photo-37108308

Admin

 

[dazc]

Netflix is shit as are all the other. The quality on offer is poor and you're better off renting the latest releases from Amazon, Google or Apple whenever you're in the mood. IMHO

I just checked and I've only subscribed for 4 months out of the last 12. If I'd paid per view for just a couple of series via amazon, etc I'd be a lot worse off.

 

[dazc]

Like someone else pointed out, you get a month for free so take that and make your own mind up.

Which goes to the original point that you have to sign up to see what there is. I can understand why this puts people off.

For instance I was thinking about trying timesonline for bit to see if it was worth paying for since the free alternatives (guardian, telegraph, etc.) are going downhill quickly.

It isn't until after you've entered all your details (including credit card) that you find out to end your free trial you have to phone a call centre. It's this kind of practice that gives the term 'free trial' a bad name.

At least with netflix you just tick a box and that's it.

 

[ian]

Indeed, this is my point, why do I have to register an account, and possibly enter cc details just to see whether the service offers the range of films I want to watch! Odd approach from Netflix.

From what you guys have said though, this won't be for me. I don't have free time at all, so would never be browsing for something to watch to fill time. For me it is all about watching the latest blockbusters I've wrote down, as soon as they are released, allocated time within my schedule (sad I know!).

So the question then is, apart from downloading torrent files which I'm trying to avoid (but the films are always there seconds after release), or accessing via Sky (who likely have contractual agreements for first release in the UK), what are the options?

Having suffered from slow broadband for, well forever, I've never been able to enjoy streaming services and I only started using Steam (for games) in the last year, though finding out that downloading 59GB of GTA5 is a very long process on my line, but hopefully won't be in a month or two!

 

[martin-s]

Netflix is awesome. It might not have everything ever released, but for £6 a month, you can hardly beat the value. We always find something we want to watch.

 

[Skinner]

I don't know if anyon saw the T&C update recently, its all over reddit and others, but Netflix have included an clause with the aim to banning users for using VPN's or watching programs not intended for their geo-specific area.

So it shouldn't be used as a pro for subscribing.

 

[ian]

I should qualify my own thoughts by saying that we rarely have the TV switched on whereas a lot of families seem to enjoy watching TV from morning till night. We like to sit down late evening and relax with a good film and for us the best, albeit most expensive way to do that is to rent with the biggest and best choice being via Amazon, Apple and Google.

It obviously comes down to habits and choice.

I'm the same, if I get chance, I like to watch a film in the evening, and always a specific one that maybe has just been released. I never browse for something to watch as I rarely get time to be in that position.

So looking at 'Interstellar' on Amazon Instant Video, it costs £4.49 to rent (not sure how long for) and £11.99 to buy! To buy is more expensive than a physical Blu-ray which is madness given the reduced costs involved; it is no wonder so many download from torrent sites!!!

So what do you get with the £11.99 purchase? I assume a restriction on devices you can watch from to prevent copying. Similar with renting.

 

[Edwin]

Here's what's on Netflix UK. It's a third party site, but it always seems accurate enough...
http://netflix.maft.uk/catalogue.php

(I know it's still not brilliant, but at least you can see what's available without signing up to Netflix itself)

BTW, if you're not familiar with Netflix, it's also worth noting that they add and delete stuff all the time, so any particular film may or may not remain available in the future.

 

[boxfish]

So what do you get with the £11.99 purchase? I assume a restriction on devices you can watch from to prevent copying. Similar with renting.

Also, once bought, you have to keep up with your Amazon Prime subscription in order to watch in the future. The more you buy, the more reason to keep paying, year after year, after year. A good model for them but I am going back to buying hard copies.

 

[davedevelopment]

Indeed, this is my point, why do I have to register an account, and possibly enter cc details just to see whether the service offers the range of films I want to watch! Odd approach from Netflix.

I don't think this approach is odd at all and it's very common. Capturing your email address is the only concern of their landing page and a significant amount of people are clearly happy to give it up for a free trial to browse around.

Do you not think it a little naive to think that someone as big as Netflix haven't tested and optimised their funnel to the point where they make a decision like hiding their catalogue etc?

 

[ian]

Do you not think it a little naive to think that someone as big as Netflix haven't tested and optimised their funnel to the point where they make a decision like hiding their catalogue etc?

Maybe so, and it clearly works for them, but don't be fooled into thinking that a large corporation doesn't miss fundamentally important areas. I find their approach to be both arrogant, and more crucially unhelpful to a prospective customer not to at least provide them with some level of information on what I'd actually be able to access with an account. Why are they so secretive? Possibly because they don't have as much to shout about as others! I just find it bizarre, that's all.

Does anyone know if the Amazon Prime service which offers one day delivery and prime video at £79/year include access to all their 'video' services, or just some (i.e. no new releases) and is that only to rent the SD versions, not HD? (again another service making it hide to clarify, but not as bad as Netflix).

 

[UncleBob]

well i guess i am truly old school, as i don't do any of the above.

i purely buy discs, and have them all sat there in boxes or folders when i want to watch them.

i'm reluctant about these streaming services, in particular Netflix, because no matter how wide and formidable their range of titles is, they drop stuff from time to time. rather than sifting through thousands of titles that i might want to watch, quite happy to have a stuff that i actually want to watch, ready to be played when the time or mood takes me.

it depends how much of a rush you are to see films, i suppose. about 10 years ago i got to a point where i said "actually, as exciting as this movie / TV series sounds, i will watch whenever".

that said, Mad Max will see me return to the cinema for the first time since, i think, Dark Knight Rises.

 

[Edwin]

Does anyone know if the Amazon Prime service which offers one day delivery and prime video at £79/year include access to all their 'video' services, or just some (i.e. no new releases) and is that only to rent the SD versions, not HD? (again another service making it hide to clarify, but not as bad as Netflix).

It's only a small subset of all instant video titles that's included in Prime, about 3,500 in all. Here's the list...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_ex...1&sort=popularity-rank&ie=UTF8&qid=1428498534

 

[dazc]

So the question then is, apart from downloading torrent files which I'm trying to avoid (but the films are always there seconds after release), or accessing via Sky (who likely have contractual agreements for first release in the UK), what are the options?

You're not going to get up to minute releases anywhere but Blinkbox is probably your best bet. £3.49 for a stream of a movie is a bit much in my opinion which is why I always use the opening offer with a dummy email address. You can use the same payment method every time. It gets you a decent film for £1 or usually 2 episodes of a TV series.

 

[xblink]

The best way would be to just sign up to the free trail and see for yourself wouldn't it? instead of searching around

 

[fresh79]

anyone who is really hacked off with netflix, amazon etc can you wait until 06/05 and cancel it on that day, specifically cancel because you disagree with DRM - it might make a difference..
More info here....
http://www.defectivebydesign.org/no-drm-in-html5

 

[ian]

One of the nice benefits of the £79 Amazon Prime annual subscription is the Prime delivery benefit feature can be shared with up to four other Amazon users. They don't have to live at the same address.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_left_v4_sib?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201277270


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for this, didn't know you could share it so just signed up (as I order enough to make it worthwhile).

 

[xblink]

This rant still going on lol, just get the free trail. This thread is totally pointless