CaP'N GRuNGe Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We watch a ton of streamed content, great for kids stuff and going back and watching series we missed. The one at time dvd option is hardly ever used which is pretty dumb because there are a whole bunch of movies out there we've never seen, just a matter of finding the time. I could easily drop the dvd option. Then again the increased cost is still a HUGH bargain compared to two of us going to the theater and dropping $25 for a movie and popcorn. I'm guessing Netflix will evolve to a streaming only model eventually. Would be nice to have access to everything online at a flat rate per month unlimited. Guessing they do this at first and then thanks to bandwidth issues follow the cell carriers lead and limit the amount of usage per month in tiers or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montster Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Do you do this through iTunes or do you have some fandangled program I have read about but never downloaded? I currently us my Apple TV as an iPod for my receiver. Its cool and all but I know there is more I can do with it. It's actually the Apple TV 2. I had one of the original ones, but the fan inside broke and the thing would overheat all the time. The new one has no storage, just streaming-only. I have it connected to iTunes so I can also stream music and movies from my iMac, and it does have Netflix on it so I can stream Netflix through it. It's not the end-all, be-all, but for our purposes it works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 We'll go to streaming only I'll be doing the same thing Opie is doing and get my DVDs from the library. I'm going to do the opposite and eliminate the streaming. According to the Netflix blurb about this, they didn't realize how enormous the demand for DVDs remains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 it seems like folks with cable/satellite use the DVD/bluray aspect of netflix more, and the folks like egret use the streaming more. I'd never stream, for example, a kids show, 'cause it's easier to just DVR the ones my kid likes off PBS/sprout/nick jr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yo mama Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 So I was paying $24 a month and now I'll be paying $28 a month? BFD. That's still a way better deal than going to the movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SayItAintSoJoe Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I received an e-mail over the weekend from Netflix. They will now use a different brand name (Qwikster) for the DVD portion of their business and keep Netflix for the streaming portion. I guess they felt that the only way us dumb customers could differentiate between the two services, so that the new prices will make sense, was to give it a completely different brand name. I, for one, appreciate it. Now I can just tell them I want to cancel Qwikster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Yeah, I got it too. After I thought about it, I was ok with the price increase. I didn't like it, but I could deal with it. Having a separate site for the DVDs doesn't fit for me. They will also have separate ratings for movies. Netflix's recommendation engine is usually pretty good, I don't really want to re-rate the couple of thousand movies and TV shows that I've rated over the past eight years. I canceled my DVD subscription today. I had the two at a time plan. One of the DVDs has been at my house for over a month. I guess that shows that I'm not really using that too often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 if they don't carry over ratings and such to "qwikster" , I will probably just cancel the whole thing. at least until netflix and/or other streaming services offer somewhat serious content. the streaming content now is a total f'ing joke, maybe worthwhile for people with an antenna and a roku, but basically a complete waste for anyone with cable/satellite and a DVR. they are severing their dvd-by-mail business to die a slow death. maybe that is where the market is going, but it ain't there now. they needed to seriously beef up their streaming content before they tried something like this. netflix has made this move too soon, and, IMO, it is going to hurt them badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 if they don't carry over ratings and such to "qwikster" , I will probably just cancel the whole thing. at least until netflix and/or other streaming services offer somewhat serious content. the streaming content now is a total f'ing joke, maybe worthwhile for people with an antenna and a roku, but basically a complete waste for anyone with cable/satellite and a DVR. they are severing their dvd-by-mail business to die a slow death. maybe that is where the market is going, but it ain't there now. they needed to seriously beef up their streaming content before they tried something like this. netflix has made this move too soon, and, IMO, it is going to hurt them badly. Yeah, I can't wait for the next letter in December... "We seriously f'd up. Qwikster...what were we thinking" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 man, they have the industry by the balls and then they intentionally manage it down the toilet ... sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 they are severing their dvd-by-mail business to die a slow death. maybe that is where the market is going, but it ain't there now. they needed to seriously beef up their streaming content before they tried something like this. netflix has made this move too soon, and, IMO, it is going to hurt them badly. I actually retained the DVD option while canceling the streaming option. DVDs still provide a hundred times more content options than Netflix's piddling stream options, all of which are stuff I would never rent on DVD because it sucks. Pretty much all their stream content never made it to a theater. FWIW, the recent price rise cost them 600,000 customers. Yes, really - 600,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Qwickster. Great corporate strategy there. Create a new company and name to confuse your customers after pissing them off with an arrogant price increase. This will cost them even more customers IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 This will cost them even more customers IMO. that's what's so baffling here. which of the customers they pissed off with their last move do they think this will appease? I just don't see how this benefits them any way whatsoever PR-wise. and of course they came up with the stupidest f'ing name ever. qwikster? maybe they can buy chester cheetah from frito lay to be their mascot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I almost wonder if this new quickster development was an alternative option they explored before the price hike and now they are falling back to it. I can see how mail vs. streaming are two different business models and could be separated, but why not keep the Netflix name? Is the name so tainted now? I said taint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 streaming vs. discs are different business models, but the whole value in netflix was in integrating the two. you look for a movie, ok I can add it to my DVD queue, or I can watch it now, great! or this one's not available streaming, so I'll get the dvd. this one is coming out on bluray so I'll wait for that. and some night if I don't have anything on tv or any discs I want to watch, I can see what's available from my dvd queue to watch instantly. they had that integration, and they had good customer loyalty and brand ID. now they separate all that. and what are they left with? two companies; one is their original business model from 12 years ago which they are resigned to letting die, the other is a big player in a small but growing industry where all the real content is still waiting to be bought up and your competition has much deeper pockets than you do. I have the same feeling watching netflix self-immolate as I did watching the kansas city chiefs yesterday, getting throttled by the lions and losing their best player. oh the hughmanity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 streaming vs. discs are different business models, but the whole value in netflix was in integrating the two. you look for a movie, ok I can add it to my DVD queue, or I can watch it now, great! or this one's not available streaming, so I'll get the dvd. this one is coming out on bluray so I'll wait for that. and some night if I don't have anything on tv or any discs I want to watch, I can see what's available from my dvd queue to watch instantly. they had that integration, and they had good customer loyalty and brand ID. now they separate all that. and what are they left with? two companies; one is their original business model from 12 years ago which they are resigned to letting die, the other is a big player in a small but growing industry where all the real content is still waiting to be bought up and your competition has much deeper pockets than you do. I have the same feeling watching netflix self-immolate as I did watching the kansas city chiefs yesterday, getting throttled by the lions and losing their best player. oh the hughmanity Can't disagree with any of this but it's worth pointing out that sites like Hulu for instance are ridiculously expensive, IMO, so you have to think that Netflix streaming content is so piss poor because anything worth watching would bust their monthly fee structure - Hulu charges by the view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Agree with Az that the value ad of discs and streaming in one place was terrific. Hopefully they continue to integrate the two companies on one website, but with the way things are going - who knows? Can't disagree with any of this but it's worth pointing out that sites like Hulu for instance are ridiculously expensive, IMO, so you have to think that Netflix streaming content is so piss poor because anything worth watching would bust their monthly fee structure - Hulu charges by the view. Yeah, and with Starz threatening to pull their streaming content from Netflix, Netflix is in an even tighter spot for revenue to support streaming variety. Edited September 19, 2011 by The Irish Doggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Best part about this whole name change - they didn't do their due diligence when researching all avenues of promotion and some stoner has/had the @Qwickster twitter handle locked up. I believe Netflix is in the process of securing it but last night the guy went from a few followers to over 500 by this morning. His tweets have also been removed which were all centered around getting high. I'm sure that cost Netflix a pretty penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Best part about this whole name change - they didn't do their due diligence when researching all avenues of promotion and some stoner has/had the @Qwickster twitter handle locked up. I believe Netflix is in the process of securing it but last night the guy went from a few followers to over 500 by this morning. His tweets have also been removed which were all centered around getting high. I'm sure that cost Netflix a pretty penny. @Qwikster is the account with the stoner. Still there. Now he's posting about negotiations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 @Qwikster is the account with the stoner. Still there. Now he's posting about negotiations. I think I looked up the wrong account initially. It's all still there. 6,350 followers now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roller Coasters Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Our local news reported 1,000,000 subscriptions cancelled because of the rate hike. I am keeping the DVDs and cancelling the streaming, much to chagrin of my 6 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGrunt Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Netflix has peaked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiley Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I'll probably cancel the disc service. I stream for the kids and redbox has pretty much the same new releases as Netflix if we want to get a movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Wish I had some startup money...I see a big hole in a very profitable market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggieFries Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 One thing I never understood was why couldn't netflix stream even the new releases? Once they had the physical dvd they could rent it out all they want as long as it was just one at a time. Why couldn't they do that with the streaming? Buy 100,000 "licenses" (or just buy the dvds and then have a bonfire in the parking lot after making a copy) burn a copy and make sure they only stream the amount of licenses they have on hand. Allow quarterly "audits" to keep themselves out of court and voila! Streaming new releases! They can currently keep track of what is being watched and where people left off so they should be able to keep track of licenses without too much of a hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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