# Netflix Blu-ray question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 30, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080 "2009-12-30T19:54:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/1 "2009-12-30T19:54:12Z")
If you pay the extra to get Blu-ray discs from Netflix do you have to select the format for a given movie in the queue or can you say “first available”? If not, can you put the same movie in your queue in two different formats? There are some movies I’d definitely want in the high def format and some I just want to see as quickly as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/2 "2009-12-30T20:02:42Z")
I just tested it with my account. No, you cannot have the same movie listed twice in your queue. If you try to select the DVD version, it just changes your Blu-Ray version currently in queue to DVD. I don’t believe a first available option exists. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/3 "2009-12-30T20:04:19Z")
For me … a) I don’t pay extra for Blu-Ray and b) there’s some option you set that basically says, if it’s available in Blu-Ray, give it to me in Blu-Ray, but also c) there’s also a little drop-down box once a movie is on your list where you can specify Blu-Ray or not. Edit: Actually … maybe I do pay extra for Blu-Ray, but I could’ve sworn it just showed up as an added feature one day. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/4 "2009-12-30T20:07:42Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > For me … a) I don’t pay extra for Blu-Ray and b) there’s some option you set that basically says, if it’s available in Blu-Ray, give it to me in Blu-Ray, but also c) there’s also a little drop-down box once a movie is on your list where you can specify Blu-Ray or not. > Edit: Actually … maybe I do pay extra for Blu-Ray, but I could’ve sworn it just showed up as an added feature one day. I think when they originally instituted HD movies (both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray), it was a free offer, but I know for certain that if you sign up for BR now, it’s an extra $2 a month. You might be grandfathered in. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/5 "2009-12-30T20:17:41Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I think when they originally instituted HD movies (both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray), it was a free offer, but I know for certain that if you sign up for BR now, it’s an extra $2 a month. You might be grandfathered in. Actually, the additional cost for BluRay titles [varies](http://www.netflix.com/HowItWorks): > [@](#): > > The Blu-ray access charge varies by plan: > > - 1 DVD out at-a-time (exchange each DVD as often as you want) > – additional $2 a month > - 2 DVDs out at-a-time (exchange each DVD as often as you want) > – additional $3 a month > - 3 DVDs out at-a-time (exchange each DVD as often as you want) > – additional $4 a month > - 1 DVD out at-a-time (limit 2 per month) > – additional $1 a month ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/6 "2009-12-30T20:18:34Z")
Ah, sorry, thanks for the info. I didn’t look deep enough. I just know that when I signed up for BR on my plan, it was $2. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/7 "2009-12-30T20:31:52Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > There are some movies I’d definitely want in the high def format and some I just want to see as quickly as possible. I’d be surprised if there’s a meaningfully long wait between the two formats. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/8 "2009-12-30T20:56:28Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’d be surprised if there’s a meaningfully long wait between the two formats. Back in the day when Netflix provided HD-DVD I encountered cases where there was a difference - at least from the perspective of the wait time descriptor. I encountered at least one case where switching format from HD-DVD to DVD shifted the choice to the save portion of the queue. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-blu-ray-question/523080/9 "2009-12-30T21:02:37Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Back in the day when Netflix provided HD-DVD I encountered cases where there was a difference - at least from the perspective of the wait time descriptor. I encountered at least one case where switching format from HD-DVD to DVD shifted the choice to the save portion of the queue. To be fair, when HD-DVD was around the kinks were still getting worked out of the system, both because it was a newly available technology and because the two formats were still having their war. Now that it’s Blu-Ray all the way, regular DVDs and Blu-Ray DVDs get released simultaneously. Netflix also has enough info now to know how much of their customer base has Blu-Ray and can plan their supply accordingly. So I wouldn’t worry too much about which one is available sooner; it’s not like the people without BR players will be able to get your BR discs.