# DVD-by-Mail Services are now a status symbol, it seems **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877 "2009-03-26T16:18:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877/61 "2009-03-30T19:22:50Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Neither Netfilx nor BB is free to watch DVDs. The OP said it was impossible to watch Nexflix streaming on his old TV. I pointed out that it was possible if he bought the box. I didn’t say he had to, just that it was an option. An option that would give him more reason to go with Netflix should he decide to buy the box. I use the streaming all the time and it doesn’t cost me any extra. > > You seem to think that the streaming costs more and is worthless. Neither is true for me. For the OP an initial $100 investment would let him stream. That decision is his to make. You say it doesn’t cost anymore. Then in the very next sentence talk about “$100 investment”. Which is it? Free or not? If you have to buy equipment to do it then it isn’t free. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877/62 "2009-03-30T19:33:40Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > You say it doesn’t cost anymore. Then in the very next sentence talk about “$100 investment”. Which is it? Free or not? If you have to buy equipment to do it then it isn’t free. It was free to me.\* If you already have a PS3, Xbox 360, or HP Mediasmart TV, it would be free to you too. You don’t need to buy the $100 player from Netflix. \*Okay, I did pay $40 for third-party software. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877/63 "2009-03-30T20:21:25Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > You say it doesn’t cost anymore. Then in the very next sentence talk about “$100 investment”. Which is it? Free or not? If you have to buy equipment to do it then it isn’t free. Unlimited streaming to your computer is free with all but the cheapest Netflix subscriptions. If you’ve got your computer hooked to your TV, you can also stream Netflix content on the TV for free. Or you can stream Netflix content, for free, to a $100 Roku Digital Video Player, HD Tivo DVR, certain LG and Samsung Blu-Ray player or an Xbox 360 (assuming you have a Xbox Gold LIVE membership). In other words, streaming of Netflix content is free, but if you want to stream it to your TV, you _might_ need to spend some money. ---
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877/64 "2009-03-30T20:31:34Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Unlimited streaming to your computer is free with all but the cheapest Netflix subscriptions. If you’ve got your computer hooked to your TV, you can also stream Netflix content on the TV for free. Or you can stream Netflix content, for free, to a $100 Roku Digital Video Player, HD Tivo DVR, certain LG and Samsung Blu-Ray player or an Xbox 360 (assuming you have a Xbox Gold LIVE membership). > > In other words, streaming of Netflix content is free, but if you want to stream it to your TV, you _might_ need to spend some money. Things seem to be getting just a little bit circular. So, in the interest of getting out of the rut, let’s review. There is **no dispute whatsoever** about the following facts: [ul] [li]Netflix streaming is free with a membership[/li][li]You can watch streaming movies for free on your laptop.[/li][li]Options exist to watch streaming movies on your television. Some of them cost money. Others do not (or cost less).[/li][/ul]Again, there’s no issue about any of that. There has never been any issue. All of those points were addressed on the first page of the thread (many of them in the first _post_), as were the reasons why **none of those things made streaming of any use to me**. I don’t want to spend more money, I don’t want to make an “initial investment,” I don’t want to watch on my laptop. I don’t have enough movie-watching time to justify any of it. I don’t need streaming in a house, I don’t need streaming with a mouse. All of these things are currently non-negotiable, immutable facts for me. Perhaps they’ll change in a month or two, and if they do, whatever. I’ll reassess. For now, Blockbuster is what works best for me. And the thread is about people who refuse to accept that, for whatever reason. I love a good hijack as much as anybody, but the streaming horse is beyond dead. ---
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877/65 "2009-04-07T20:36:55Z")
My timing, it seems is impeccable. [Blockbuster May Be Going Bust](http://kotaku.com/5202360/blockbuster-may-be-going-bust) I did it, everyone. I have felled the Evil Empire, from within! 'Twas all part of the plan, I assure you. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877/66 "2009-04-07T23:47:19Z")
> [@](#): > > I have considered all these things. I have also considered that Netflix is the company that fucking invented the technique of slowing down delivery of DVDs in order to maximize profits. Nah, we were studying those algorithms 30 years ago in college. The name of the product is incidental to the nature of the algorithm. BB stores came soon after that though, and their original competitive advantage was having the right number of copies of each movie in each store at each point in the lifecycle of a movie. I am sure there must be lots of patents about that… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-by-mail-services-are-now-a-status-symbol-it-seems/490877.md?page=3)