long waits on Netflix

Discussion in 'TV & Media' started by Temis the Vorta, Mar 27, 2010.

  1. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I think for me it's that I mostly use Netflix to watch seasons of TV shows, so it takes me several days to get through a disc anyway.
     
  2. Morfius

    Morfius Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Feb 5, 2005
    Like to hear the cool suround sound and see images that don't stop every 5 seconds. So if anyone knows of a netflix compeditor in Europe. I'd love to be able to use them. Amazon won't deliver to DVD's this country.
     
  3. Smiley

    Smiley Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Is the slowdown that some of you are reporting due to being on a higher number of discs at a time, watching everything you get in a day, or a combination? How long were you on Netflix before they started it?

    During normal months, I average a little better than one movie every two days on my two at a time plan, and my service has remained the same as when I started. I get a new disc two days after I mail the old one. I've had the service about a year. I'm hoping that I never do get throttled at this pace.
     
  4. RobertScorpio

    RobertScorpio Pariah

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    San Diego
    We stream more from NETFLIX than actually getting the DVDs. And we never have had issues with it stopping or pixels or whatever. The HD movies always look good, and for the price, BLOCKBUSTER can't come close...and the selection, especially with older stuff, is unbeatable. I know I sound like a product whore, but I LOVE MY NETFLIX!!!
    Rob
     
  5. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    The only times I have had these problems were when it was obviously a fault with my own personal internet connection.

    However, I have occasionally streamed films on Netflix where the picture didn't sync up with the sound, and that WAS Netflix's fault.
     
  6. RobertScorpio

    RobertScorpio Pariah

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    I just wish NETFLIX would offer Porn for 5$ more a month..

    Rob
     
  7. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I doubt they will, but it wouldn't surprise me if a spin-off company showed up somewhere down the line.
     
  8. John Picard

    John Picard Vice Admiral Admiral

    Contrary to the misconceptions of many people on this board (particularly of the US variety), not everyone in the US has access to broadband Internet, and not everyone who *could* access the Internet via broadband chooses to do so. The last stats I read (about 2 years ago) still put dial-up as the leading means of connecting to the Internet for Americans.
     
  9. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Less than two years ago 40% of Americans didn't have cable TV never mind internet. Most people don't have blu-ray either (Why do you buy DVDs?!?!), or an HD TV or anything of the kind. People online don't seem to see how lucky they are to have what they have.

    I have cable internet but it it not hooked up to a TV so I don't really watch anything from Netflix online.
     
  10. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I have a feeling a lot of those internet-less Americans are super old.
     
  11. PKerr

    PKerr Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    First off let me say I absolutely love Netflix, for the $8.99 I pay per month I think it’s one of the best values around.

    That said there are some things I don’t like about it.

    1. I wish they had a streaming only package for like $5.99 - $6.99 a month.
    This may sound strange but I find it kind of a hassle to go the mail route as I always feel like I have to get the most for my money and in doing so I feel like I have to get my 2 movies a week so I HAVE TO sit down and watch my Wednesday movie and have it back in the mail by Thursday so I get my Saturday movie.
    I don’t really have enough disk wise I really want to see so I feel like I’m just watching SOMETHING so I get my money’s worth, does that make sense?

    2. I wish they would offer a better variety of movies on the streaming service.
    Sure they have a ton of movies but a lot of them are just crap “B” or indie movies.
    I realize what is good to me might suck for you and vice versa but if a movie rates a 1 by your user base, why waste online/HD space with that crappy movie?
    Make room for better movies.

    3. I think their Webpage is kind of hard to navigate for newer movies.
    For instance, you click on the new releases tab and the first thing you see is a movie that was released 2-3 months ago
    The first movie on my list is “The informant!” release date February 23rd 2010 next is “District 9” release date 2010. WTF?!?
    Where are all the movies released in the last few weeks? Oh wait, you have to look them up by name…. *Sigh*
     
  12. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Birmingham, AL
    I'm glad that worked for you Temis. No harm in cheating the system. :lol:
     
  13. Professor Zoom

    Professor Zoom Admiral Admiral

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    Our internet isn't hooked up to the TV either, we stream through our Xbox...which does use the wireless connection in the apartment.
     
  14. RobertScorpio

    RobertScorpio Pariah

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    ^^ we use wireless too, which is amazing when you think about it..

    Rob
     
  15. Spaceman Spiff

    Spaceman Spiff Intrepid Explorer Administrator

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    Jun 21, 2001
    It was the streaming option that caused me to sign up for Netflix in the first place. There have been several DVDs that I've avoided purchasing, simply because I can stream them anytime I want, anyway.

    I don't usually use it for new releases, especially if there's a wait. There's a local video place I use for all of those.
     
  16. John Picard

    John Picard Vice Admiral Admiral

    Have you gone through your profile and set your preferences for the types of movies you like to view? That may have something to do with how Netflix is setting your delivery schedule.
     
  17. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Yes because 40% of the country is super old. :rolleyes:

    It has to do with the fact that 25% of American live in poverty and many live in the middle of nowhere.
     
  18. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    I got my copy of Where the Wild Things Are today. I hope that wasn't in your que Termis. ;)
     
  19. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    It was in mine!!!
     
  20. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Location:
    Tatoinne
    VICTORY! :rommie:

    Inglourious Basterds has been shipped. :bolian:

    So now we know how to game the system: start a new profile and put all the "long wait" videos in that queue. Netflix has to ship something, since they think you're a different person than your original profile, you know, that bad person who they don't make any money off of because you send the videos back too fast, the new profile won't be throttled.

    I'm sure profile #2 will soon get a bad rap as well...but that's okay because oddly enough, my cats have now expressed interest in renting Netflix videos. I guess they'll soon need their own profiles as well.

    Kudos to Starbreaker for the suggestion. So much for Netflix's dumbass "business model."

    My little experiment has verified my suspicions that the true reason behind not being able to get high demand DVDs for months is that Netflix places a priority on sending out DVDs to people when there's nothing else available in their queue. The way to force the DVD to be sent it to place nothing but wait-listed DVDs in your queue. And since the new profile (who they assume is a new person) doesn't have the bad rap of being a power user, they don't get throttled.

    People who do have available titles in their queue don't get as high priority and will end up waiting forever for anything. The best approach is to have a profile where you list everything you want to see and assign zero DVDs to that profile. Move wait-listed titles to your active profiles that have DVDs assigned to them.

    And I haven't been returning DVDs any faster than usual lately. If anything, I've slowed down. I've had my account since 2004. It's been a problem for a long time but lately it's gotten worse.

    No it wasn't, Nermys Muck. ;) But that sounds like a movie my cats would just love, doesn't it?
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2010