Tell Me About Netflix

[Broomstick]

I don’t mind that Netflix isn’t perfect - I fully intend to keep using the local library system’s DVD collection, which is extremely impressive, as well as on-line sources like PBS.org and Hulu (but probably not Hulu plus). We really are looking at Netflix for the movies more than anything else, as the library has numerous complete runs of TV series both old and new. Redbox I’ve never tried, although I’ve certainly seen them.

So… tell me about Redbox?

[Munch]

@Broomstick

So… tell me about Redbox?

If you’re good at getting online and reserving a movie or game, it’s fantastic. If you’re not, you’re just setting yourself up to be disappointed and pissed off most times you go to pick out a movie. I get their weekly e-mail, so I know what new movies are available, which makes it a much better experience.

Also, you can’t have movies delivered to “your” redbox, but you can find where the nearest one is that has what you’re looking for, and reserve it there.

[Wesley_Clark]

@Broomstick

So… tell me about Redbox?

It is mostly for new releases or blockbusters, if a new movie comes out on DVD the redbox will usually have it (but like was said earlier, you should go onto redbox online and make sure that the kiosk you are going to will have it). There are also blockbuster kiosks popping up, usually they are located at speedway gas stations (vs redboxes which are usually at walmart, grocery stores and mcdonalds).

Rentals at redbox are $1.20 now. But not a big price hike. With netflix streaming you can get tons of movies and tv shows as well as new releases via the kiosk. But if you want dvds that are not on streaming (streaming dvds tend to lean towards less popular movies since the licensing fees are lower) you will need to use your library and video stores (if video stores are still around where you are, around me most have closed).

[Wesley_Clark]

@Voyager

We have DSL, and when we stream it works fine. But we seldom use streaming.
First. we watch some obscure British series which aren’t available. Second, we are both pretty busy, so having the DVD sitting by the TV is an incentive to watch it, while having everything always available means there is no reason to watch it today. We have a two DVD plan, with two queues, and we probably go through 3 - 4 DVDs a week.

As for mailboxes, we have a slot which leads to a box in our garage, so home delivery is fine. We always drop the finished DVD in a mailbox, though.

They compress their video, so I’ve never had problems with our DSL. We have about 2.5Mbps download speed (max) but with that we can have 2 people streaming 2 different shows in 2 rooms and both are still good quality, either 2 or 3 bars. Most of our TVs are still SD so I don’t really need the HD streaming version most of the time.