# What's the deal with Netflix?



## Pinster56 (Dec 16, 2007)

What's the deal with Netflix? I may be interested in signing up, but I want more information first. Tivo only let's me start a "free trial"--I just want to know how it works first! Do I have to pay a montly fee like when you do the mail Netflix thing? I just want to rent as I go--no monthly subscription bullcrap.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

It's a monthly subscription. That model makes sense for some, while others prefer to stick to individual rentals from Amazon etc.


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## westside_guy (Mar 13, 2005)

Pinster56 said:


> Do I have to pay a montly fee like when you do the mail Netflix thing?


Yeah, basically the streaming service is a free add-on to the "mail Netflix thing". So the monthly fee is what you pay - but there are no rental charges above that.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

FYI: The cheapest plan, the one for $4.95/mo, does NOT work with TiVo.* The minimum plan needed to watch streaming content on a TiVo is the $8.99 unlimited plan.

Dan

* The streaming feature of the limited plan does not work with any 3rd party Netflix enabled device, it only works with the PC based player. Plus you're limited to just two hours of streaming per month, so you may not even be able to watch an entire movie with that plan


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

so for 9$ you could watch 4 movies and stream unlimited as well.

a little over 2$ a DVD before any streaming. if the OP likes to pay as he goes then most likely it is not his habit to watch that many movies in one month. I would suggest the kiosk machines to him you find in places like Grocery stores now, those are typically 99 cents for a one night rental and pretty darn cool for the occasional movie.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Dan203 said:


> FYI: The cheapest plan, the one for $4.95/mo, does NOT work with TiVo.* The minimum plan needed to watch streaming content on a TiVo is the $8.99 unlimited plan.
> 
> Dan
> 
> * The streaming feature of the limited plan does not work with any 3rd party Netflix enabled device, it only works with the PC based player. Plus you're limited to just two hours of streaming per month, so you may not even be able to watch an entire movie with that plan


Actually, the cheapest Netflix plan is $7.99 with NO DVDs and unlimited streaming. Its there when you are viewing the plans and click a link near the bottom 'See additional plans'.



> Starz Play Only (no DVDs)
> Only includes access to Starz Play and live Starz Play TV channel.
> No DVD rentals are included. Unlimited streaming of Starz Play for a flat monthly fee of $7.99.


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## Pinster56 (Dec 16, 2007)

ggieseke said:


> It's a monthly subscription. That model makes sense for some, while others prefer to stick to individual rentals from Amazon etc.


So if I was only going to watch one or two movies a month, I should go with the Amazon Unbox service instead of Netflix? I am looking for something like Comcast's On Demand where I can just watch an occasional movie whenever I want to.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Pinster56 said:


> So if I was only going to watch one or two movies a month, I should go with the Amazon Unbox service instead of Netflix? I am looking for something like Comcast's On Demand where I can just watch an occasional movie whenever I want to.


Amazon VOD charges by the individual movie, whether rent or purchase. Some movies are only available to purchase.


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## wgary (Nov 22, 2003)

Another issue is that NetFlix streaming has a limited assortment of movies which does not include the latest releases. That being said, I did the trial and plan to keep it. I have found plenty to watch -- including full seasons of a number of TV shows. I would not consider this a complete replacement for Amazon. If you want to see the very latest, you will need to use Amazon or go to a Kiosk... or have NetFlix mail the DVD to you. I always thought that was a corny idea, but it actually works very well.


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## westside_guy (Mar 13, 2005)

If you have no idea what movie(s) you want to watch until the mood hits you - Netflix is not a good choice. For me, though, it's great. You can even add current theatrical releases to your "saved" queue, if you wish. When they get released to DVD, they're already in your queue.

Of course I've despaired of ever making it through my entire queue...


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## mikeyts (Jul 10, 2004)

ThAbtO said:


> Actually, the cheapest Netflix plan is $7.99 with NO DVDs and unlimited streaming. Its there when you are viewing the plans and click a link near the bottom 'See additional plans'.


The definition of the plan that you quote limits you to the Starz Play stuff, currently 1097 of the over 12,000 Watch Instantly titles, and none of it, I think, is in HD (could be more--the genre lists are sometimes non-all-inclusive). Also, some titles have expiration dates, just like things offered in the Starz VOD channel on cable. That plan also allows you to watch "the Starz Play channel" on your PC, which seems to be an online realtime stream of whatever's on the east coast feed of the main Starz cable channel (it's difficult to find the link to this--I know that I tried it once).


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## wgw (May 16, 2007)

westside_guy said:


> If you have no idea what movie(s) you want to watch until the mood hits you - Netflix is not a good choice. For me, though, it's great. You can even add current theatrical releases to your "saved" queue, if you wish. When they get released to DVD, they're already in your queue.
> 
> Of course I've despaired of ever making it through my entire queue...


lol, I feel your pain. I started culling my queue the other day but I still have hundreds. I'm considering deleting the entire queue and starting over.


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## jbcumming (Jun 11, 2009)

I tried NetFlix and it didn't work on my Series 3 DVD. It would display a message reporting that the equipment was not compatible... or something like that. Then, I had to phone to cancel. NetFlix doesn't do e-mail. Now that I have the new Tivo, NetFlix won't allow a free trial to see if it works. NetFlix seems like a rogue outfit from here, so buyer beware.


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

jbcumming said:


> I tried NetFlix and it didn't work on my Series 3 DVD. It would display a message reporting that the equipment was not compatible... or something like that. Then, I had to phone to cancel. NetFlix doesn't do e-mail. Now that I have the new Tivo, NetFlix won't allow a free trial to see if it works. NetFlix seems like a rogue outfit from here, so buyer beware.


Never heard of a "Series 3 DVD". And what model are you calling the "new TiVo"? On a newly purchased Series 3 TiVo (including the TiVo HD model) you have to wait till the software updates to the latest version before Netflix is supported. This may not be true of the Premiere.

Have you tried reasoning with Netflix via phone on getting a free trial?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There is no such thing as a "Series 3 DVD". The units with built in DVD players/recorders were all Series 2 units. The only units capable of playing Netflix are the units capable of recording HD (i.e. The Series 3 and the TiVo HD) because they have a special chip in them that allows them to decode the VC-1 video format Netflix uses for this service. The Series 2 units could only decode MPEG-2 video, which is why the are not compatible with the service.

Dan


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