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Tell me about Netflix. As in, do you use it? What is so great about it?

What shortcomings does it have?

Can you watch all your favorite shows the night they come out? Can you tape them to watch them later?

How does it work?

How about sports?

I never watch live TV (other than Walking Dead) so Netflix is how I catch up on shows I'm interested in. Zero commercials is nice. I also use it to watch Stand-Up comedy specials I never would even know about otherwise.

As for movies? It's kind of lacking as anything I'm interested in watching I usually watch before I ever see it on Netflix.

Netflix streaming has a lot of licensed content. It doesn't get most movies until they've been out on disc for awhile, though, and licensing prevents them from getting certain properties. For instance, nickjr was on there for years, then they didn't sign them again, so now they're not.

You can view netflix streaming using most internet connected devices. Lots of bluray players have it built in, roku, google TV, etc. Tablets, phones, computers. Chances are it'll work.

For TV they most frequently only get shows as complete seasons, so they can't be used to replace Hulu or your TV channel's streaming service.

They don't carry much, if any, sports.

The best way to think of netflix streaming is a way to access DVD and bluray available videos over the internet. If a show/sport/etc didn't show up on DVD in the market, it probably won't be streamed from netflix.

They do have good quality HD over decent internet connections.

Best thing to do is try a free trial. See how it fits, if at all, into your entertainment. We can almost always find something interesting to watch. They have a very large selection of Anime, foreign and independant films, along with Disney and major films. There will always be some films that won't be there, and lots of them will only be on there for short periods of time. For instance the avengers, first two iron man films, and thor are on there right now, primarily to promote, it seems, the newer films, but I don't expect them to stay on there for long after the next avenger's film comes out. Some will, but not all.

Netflix still has a DVD/Bluray by mail business, where their selection is much larger because they are not bound by licensing problems, but you can't get things instantly. They don't have discounts if you subscribe to both services, though, so you can see them as essentially separate services.

Netflix streaming only allows two streams at once. So while it probably isn't an issue for you now, we can have the kids watch something in the playroom, and we can watch something different elsewhere.

It's a nice service, but it's not the end-all-be-all for online entertainment.

I'm currently watching Arrow, which I've never seen before. It's nice for not having to buy a whole season just to watch something you missed. I don't know about sports stuff on it, but it's nice to catch stuff I hadn't seen before when I do catch it.

Shortcomings are pretty obvious. You never know when shows or movies will disappear from instant watch. If you have discs, remembering to send them off or change up your cue can be irritating.

I also want to note that it's amazing with Chromecast. I load up Netflix on my smartphone, take the chromecast to any TV in the house and instant Netflix.

I do not have Netflix. Kati gives me a hard time about it, but there you go.
She does subscribe to Amazon Prime, though.

--Patrick

I guess the biggest thing to keep in mind is that Netflix isn't like Hulu. It's more of a digital streaming video store. If something isn't out on DVD it's not on Netflix because what they basically do is transfer DVD copies into a streaming digital format. I have on very rare occasions run into movies where they haven't ripped them properly but that was, like, 2 out of literally thousands. This doesn't apply to their original series, of course.

So, that means that shows aren't available on Netflix until they're out on DVD/Blu-ray. This is the reason that they dump entire seasons on there at once.

We use Netflix as our primary source of t.v. entertainment. There's a relatively good selection of international films. Not everything is in both streaming and DVD formats. So, we have a disc and streaming plan. It's only like $16 a month which is way cheap. We've burned through a number of full series of a few t.v. shows with absolutely no commercials, which is amazing and probably going to go away at some point (hopefully not).

If you like Korean and/or Chinese cinema, Netflix has a ton of it. That's what I watch on Netflix half the time.

Netflix also differs by region. Content in Canada is different than in the U.S., different again in the U.K., etc.

If you are streaming from a console (Xbox/PS) it's very easy to change your DNS settings and get say, American Netflix in Canada.

If you want to watch the latest episodes of shows or new release movies, then Netflix will not appeal to you much. However, if there are TV shows that you know and love, or a lot of shows/movies that you never got around to watching, then it's useful. My wife and I have watched the entirety of some shows that are no longer on the air (like Private Practice) and I finally got around to watching Serenity (I know, shameful). Netflix uploads seasons at a time (I think someone mentioned that), so I'm whole season behind in shows like The Walking Dead. Our tastes are pretty broad, so we can always find something to watch. Honestly, we never watch cable at home. Netflix comes on as soon as we get home, most days.

Netflix is a very VERY finnicky service. They add and take off things on a heart beat, and you will never know when they will do so. Whatever you put in your instant quease(or list or whatever the hell were calling it) keep in mind they could take it off at any time. If you get the mail service you can get whatever you want, but if you put off watching it your basically paying for a service to rent one movie for several months. All up to you hombre.

My house doesn't have cable or satellite and solely use Netflix as our means or accessing media, save for a few things downloaded. We do use American Netflix 90% of the time but have been known to switch to Canadian to access things that are there but not on the states version. Same goes for occasionally switching to the UK version. For the price, that it is, it's almost a no brainer for us.

Netflix is great for catching up on old seasons of a show and the occasional random movie. Hulu Plus is great for watching the episode that was on last night.

It's also worth mentioning that Netflix is currently producing original content. Ones that i can remember...

- Hemlock Grove: Werewolf stuff
- Orange is the New Black: House wife does time

It's also getting a bunch of original Marvel shows within the next year. Luke Cage, Iron Hand, Daredevil, and one more.

House of Cards as well, which was pretty good.

Fun Size said:

House of Cards as well, which was pretty good.

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And they made a new season of Arrested Development!

AshburnerX said:

It's also getting a bunch of original Marvel shows within the next year. Luke Cage, Iron Hand, Daredevil, and one more.

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--Patrick

PatrThom said:

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--Patrick

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Ugh... and it's especially grievous because I actually LIKE Iron Fist.

Love Netflix.

AshburnerX said:

Ugh... and it's especially grievous because I actually LIKE Iron Fist.

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Danny Rand is going to put his Iron Fist up your butthole for that

AshburnerX said:

It's also getting a bunch of original Marvel shows within the next year. Luke Cage, Iron Hand, Daredevil, and one more.

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"one more" would be Jessica Jones, if I'm not mistaken.

Wouldn't Jessica Jones just be in Luke Cage?

Bowielee said:

Wouldn't Jessica Jones just be in Luke Cage?

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...
Not gonna say it.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

...
Not gonna say it.

--Patrick

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"No, it'd be the other way around." There I said it for you

Bowielee said:

Wouldn't Jessica Jones just be in Luke Cage?

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I think it'll be an Alias series, they just can't call it that.

Frank said:

I think it'll be an Alias series, they just can't call it that.

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I'd just hate to see them not have the two as a couple. I love their relationship and how hard it is to make a marriage work between two superheroes without it being idealized like Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman or totally strained like Peter and Mary Jane.