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article last updated on
10.24.2010
Overview: What is it?
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On-demand, instant streaming for about 20,000
TV programming and movie titles, but subscription based
as part of Netflix "Unlimited"
plans
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You can watch on your computer (PC or Mac),
iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and numerous Netflix
enabled devices such as your Netlix-enabled internet-ready
HDTV, gaming consoles (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or Wii), Roku, and the
newest Blu-ray disc players. Read
more.
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The streaming service is included in your
Netflix free trial and the "unlimited"
DVD rentals-by-mail price plans starting at
$9.99/month, with no additional cost. Netflix also just
introduced the "unlimited" streaming plan (with no DVD
rentals-by-mail service) for $7.99/mo.
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You will need a broadband / high-speed
internet connection.
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Pros:
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Instant gratification
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"Unlimited" subscription plans allow you to
watch as much as you want. For "unlimited" DVD
rental-by-mail plans, this is "what to do" when
waiting for your Netflix DVD & Blu-ray rentals to arrive by
mail. Warning: watching streaming content can be
addicting.
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Video quality is generally good. Some
content available in high definition (which is better or equal
to DVD, but not quite as good as Blu-ray). Picture quality
ultimately depends of available bandwidth. Test your bandwidth
here.
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Resume feature allows you to resume streaming
based on where you left off. This works across Netflix
streaming platforms.
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Cons:
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Limited movie & TV programming:
20,000 streaming titles vs. 100,000 DVD titles
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Limited new releases: Depending on the studio, some movies that have
the streaming option are not available day and date with the DVD
or Blu-ray release.
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Streaming quality depends on
available bandwidth: during peak periods, the picture would
degrade momentarily to as bad as YouTube home video quality, or
playback would be interrupted with buffering delays.
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Streaming does not have the convenience of Blu-ray disc or DVD
media: there are no chapter selections, no slow motion playback, and no alternate audio
options.
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Very few titles have subtitle
options, and even then only available on computers.
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Streaming does not include extra or bonus features content that
usually comes with many Blu-ray disc or DVD movies.
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Audio quality is good, but not
quite as good as DVD or Blu-ray Disc media.
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Instant gratification of
streaming is highly addictive
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Netflix enabled platforms
There are a number of ways to get the Netflix streaming service.
These include:
Streaming to a Netflix-enabled HDTV: Many
new LCD and plasma flat-panel HDTVs now feature Netflix streaming
support. These include major brand-name manufacturers such as
Samsung, LG, Sony.
Netflix streaming directly
onto your internet-ready and Netflix-enabled HDTV
Streaming to a game console: The Microsoft
Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 3, and the Nintendo Wii support Netflix
streaming.
Netflix streaming to Xbox 360
Streaming to a Netflix-enabled Blu-ray disc player: Most
new units feature Netflix streaming. We do not recommend
buying a Blu-ray disc player without this feature!
Netflix streaming to a Netflix-ready
Blu-ray Disc player
Streaming to a
Roku
set top device: Roku comes in three models:
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Roku
HD ($59.99): works with any standard definition
TV or HDTV; capable of playing
720p HD format; built-in WiFi
and wired Ethernet; and HDMI connectivity to HDTVs.
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Roku
XD ($79.99): adds
1080p Full HD; Instant Replay
button; and WiFi 802.11n.
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Roku
XD|S ($99.99): adds component video and optical
audio outputs; USB port for playback of photos, videos, and
music on a USB flash drive; and dual-band WiFi n.
Netflix streaming to a
Roku set
top device (3 models to choose from)
Streaming to a TiVo
Digitial Video Recorder
Netflix streaming to a Netflix-ready
Blu-ray disc player
Streaming to smartphones and handheld devices:
including the iPhone & iPod touch.
Netflix streaming available on Apple iPhone
& iPod touch (as of August 2010)
Streaming to an Apple iPad
Netflix streaming available on
the Apple iPad (upon launch in April 2010)
What TV programming are available for streaming?
TV programming available for instant streaming include:
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ABC:
Lost,
Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives
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Discovery Channel: Myth Busters
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Disney: Hannah Montana, Crime Scene
Investigation (CSI), Numb3rs, NCIS, Wizards
of Waverly Place, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,
The Suite Life on Deck, MacGyver, Family Ties,
and
Star Trek TV series
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Fox network: prior seasons of 24; Bones,
Lie to Me, King of the Hill
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NBC network (starting on 10/1/2010):
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day after broadcast: Saturday Night Live
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last season episodes of: 30 Rock,
The Office, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and
Friday Night Lights
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current first-runs strip syndicated
programming: Access Hollywood, Access Hollywood Live,
The Jerry Springer Show, Maury, The Steve
Wilkos Show, The Chris Matthews Show, The Wall Street
Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo
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off-network distribution of: House;
Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent; and The
Real Housewives
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Nickelodeon channel: SpongeBob
SquarePants and Dora the Explorer
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Syfy channel (starting on 10/1/2010):
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USA channel (starting on 10/1/2010):
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Warner Brothers: Nip/Tuck, Veronica
Mars, Pushing Daisies, Terminator: The Sarah
Conner Chronicles
Note: The list above is subject to change, as
Netflix negotiates new deals for streaming content or when an
existing license agreement ends without renewal.
What movies are available for streaming?
While Netflix has some 100,000 titles on DVD, only a small fraction
is available for instant streaming. Netflix is expected to add
more movies and TV programming for instant streaming over time, as
they negotiate deals with content providers.
Generally speaking, movies from the following studios are available
for streaming:
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DreamWorks
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Lionsgate (newly added in September 2010)
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MGM (newly added in September 2010)
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Paramount (newly added in September 2010):
includes movies such as G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, The Pink Panther
2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Godfather
movies; Iron Man; and Star Trek
(2010).
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Relativity Media: includes movies such as
Robin Hood (2010), Get Him to the Greek, and Grown
Up.
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Twentieth Century Fox: Aliens, The
Thin Red Line, Romancing the Stone, Patton
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Warner Brothers
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Universal Studios
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Independent studios such as The Criterion
Collection, Gravitas Ventures, Kino Lorber, Music Box Films,
Oscilloscope Laboratories, and Regent Releasing.
Note: The list above is subject to change, as
Netflix negotiates new deals for streaming content or when an
existing license agreement ends without renewal.
The majority of titles are available in standard
definition, only some are available in
high definition 720p.
Our First-Hand Experience
We have tried Netflix instant streaming on the number of platforms:
computers, Sony BDP-S570 Blu-ray player, Samsung BD-C5500 Blu-ray
player, Vizio VBR231 Blu-ray player, and Xbox 360 gaming console.
Browsing for streaming titles: Most
non-computer platforms (none of the Blu-ray players we mention
above) do not allow full access to Netflix browsing capabilities.
You would have to use your computer to browse for streaming titles,
by looking for the "Play" button. Once your hover over the
"Play" button until you see the "Add to Instant Queue" button.
Once it is in your Instant Queue, you can re-order it for
convenience, as it is displayed on your Blu-ray Disc player in
Instant Queue order. Unlike the Rental Queue, the Instant
Queue does not preclude your ability to randomly view any
title no matter what position it is in your Instant Queue.
How does it look? Standard definition titles are almost as
good as DVD, while
high definition in 720p can be better than DVD
quality. "Can be" because actual results will depend on available bandwidth. In our experience,
when bandwidth is high (for us, about 3 Mbps), 720p HD looks great. For us, the best
available bandwidth usually is available during the middle of the
day. During evening "prime time" hours, bandwidth degrades
(for us, about 2 Mbps) as
more households are streaming, and the picture quality begins to
degrade as the bandwidth is reduced. The Netflix instant
streaming software automatically detects changes in bandwidth and
adjusts the streaming quality dynamically. During periods of
low bandwidth, playback can suspend momentarily (with the red
Netflix screen) while the streaming software makes adjustments to
picture quality or waits for data to fill its playback buffer.
If bandwidth fluctuates frequently, the software will respond and
the quality of service adjustment interruptions can become really
annoying, like having commercial interruptions except all you see is
a red Netflix screen. Want to know your bandwidth? Test your bandwidth
here.
Note: We also suspect that the picture quality degradation we
experienced may also be related to the Netflix head-end equipment,
as demand increases during prime streaming hours put performance
pressure on Netflix's equipment. But we have no proof.
How does it sound? The Neflix instant streaming audio
quality is acceptable. It is available in as good as Dolby
Digital 5.1 surround sound, but the limited bandwidth means heavily
compressed soundtracks that lack the details and dynamics of the
same Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound on DVD or Dolby TrueHD on Blu-ray
Disc media. Fans of action films or films with a demanding
soundtrack who have a good surround sound system may want to request
the DVD or Blu-ray Disc media from Netflix and wait for its arrival
instead of going the instant streaming route. Otherwise, the
sound quality is sufficient.
Playback controls: Netflix instant streaming
allows you to fast forward/backward, pause, resume playback.
When you stop playback, it automatically bookmarks the movie or TV
program and you can resume later where you stopped. you can
even resume on a different device. However, there are no
chapter marks as in a DVD or Blu-ray Disc, so it is harder to access
specific scenes. You would have to fast forward/rewind to the
specific spot. Scanning is effectively implemented as a series
of multi-screen stills in storyboard format.
Can I choose alternate audio soundtracks? Netflix
instant streaming does not offer any choices in terms of alternate
audio soundtracks, like the Spanish, French, or audio commentary
options with a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc.
Can I turn on subtitles? Most Netflix
instant streaming content does not offer any choices in terms of
subtitle options. However, Netflix started implementing
subtitles for PC and Mac
computer playback for about 100 titles. Subtitles is not an
option for Blu-ray player instant streaming, yet.
Are there bonus materials that are found on DVDs and Blu-ray
Disc? No, unfortunately, Netflix instant streaming does not
offer any of these extras.
Tips to Maximize Your Netflix Streaming Experience
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For your free trial, Netflix offers three basic packages at the start: 1, 2, or 3 DVDs out at-a-time.
If you want the most DVD or Blu-ray Disc rentals by mail, chose
the 3 DVDs out-at-a time package free for two weeks. To
get the most out of instant streaming, chose the 1 DVD out-at-a
time package since the free trial period extends to 30 days.
Before your trial period ends, you can always
change the Netflix Pricing
Plan so you only pay for what you want. Netflix access
each month's subscription charge at the beginning of the month.
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If Netflix instant streaming works for you,
you may want to consider reducing your
Netflix Pricing Plan to
the "Unlimited" one disc out-at-time time to save money.
It is only $9.99/month for DVDs only, or $11.99/month with the
Blu-ray Disc option. Any of the "Unlimited" plans offers
"buffet style" instant streaming. That is, you can stream
movies as much as you want during the month.
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Or you can even go with the "unlimited"
streaming plan for only $7.99/mo, with no DVD rentals-by-mail
option.
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Browsing for streaming content titles is easiest on a
computer. Add the title to your Instant Queue and then
stream it onto your HDTV by choosing the title from your Instant
Queue.
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For the best picture quality, note when
bandwidth is best for your situation. It will vary with
days of the week and time of day. While this defeats the
purpose of instant gratification, it is a trade off if you are
particular about your picture quality. Test your bandwidth
here.
Ready to Give Netflix a Try?
Sign up here for a
free one-month trial. Warning: Netflix streaming can
be additive!
Tell a friend about this site:
send a link to this
page or this
site to a friend.
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