so hey

[seventhe]

Who has Netflix? Do you like it? Dislike it? Advantages/disadvantages?

If you watch shows on TV (like, let's say, Criminal Minds >.> ) can you keep up with it through Netflix or do you need to find another site with episodes? If you want to watch older shows that you're behind on (like, say, Supernatural) but you really don't want to shell out the money to own them all, will Netflix work for that?

Is it better for movies? SOMEBODY HELP MY DUMB ASS

Comments

[wallwalker]

Are you looking at streaming or mailed DVDs?

My experience lately has been that streaming is really nice for catching up on old episodes of a variety of TV shows, but if you want the newer episodes you probably need to look at another service, like Hulu. Also it's a good idea to search and make sure that the shows you want are actually on Netflix (if you can't do that without an account, I can help you with that.) Mailed DVDs tend to be updated more quickly than the streaming as a rule, or at least they were when I got them regularly, and they have more available on DVD.

That's my two cents.

[wallwalker]

Oh! And I did forget to mention this: For the most part I haven't had any major quality issues. At most, there will be an episode or two with sound that's just slightly out of sync with the visuals - half a second at most. And I don't even see that now as often as I used to.

[traxits]

I use Netflix primarily for older shows and old seasons of current shows. For example, Law and Order: Criminal Intent has nine seasons out, but only the first five of those are available for streaming. I don't do the mailed DVDs, so I might not really be the best of help there, but what I do like about Netflix is that as you rate TV shows and movies that you like, it will begin to recommend other movies and TV shows that it thinks you'll enjoy based on your past ratings. (If you get Netflix, it will show movies and TV shows with little gold stars under them; those are not the 'rating' of the show, but how much Netflix is guessing that you will rate it based on previously recorded ratings.) I've found a lot of shows that I might not have otherwise looked at through it's suggestion box. Admittedly, we don't have live TV in my house, so Netflix and Hulu are my primary means of watching... anything really, and since we watch TV through the computer mostly, it helps to be able to turn on the Wii to Netflix and let my mother's technologically-impaired boyfriend flip through the different choices with the Wii-mote. ... Yeah, he really misses having a remote in his hand. XD

As for your examples, Supernatural and Criminal Minds both are DVD only (not available for instant streaming).

[darcenciel]

We have Netflix streaming and it's better for catching up on older shows or past seasons. Streaming Netflix usually has entire past seasons of shows that you can just watch at once (we're catching up on Doctor Who right now). The streaming service doesn't add new show content regularly though; I'm not sure how the schedule works but it looks like shows get updated very slowly. They may wait until an entire season is out and complete before they try to get the rights to stream it; I don't know.

Streaming Netflix has a lot of shows but not all of them. The ones it doesn't have available streaming you have to get mailed to you.

We used to get the mailed DVDs but I don't watch movies enough to use it so we cancelled it. Now we just use Redbox.

Hulu is better for streaming current seasons of shows.

[lindorie]

I agree with previous comments saying that Hulu is better for streaming current seasons. I personally use Netflix to catch up on older seasons.

In most cases, they're pretty good about keeping up to date with show seasons. If it's out on DVD/Blueray, it'll probably be on Netflix. That's even if they have the show available for streaming in the first place :P I've been really lucky with Doctor Who.

Right now my subscription plan entails 1 movie out at a time (unlimited) and unlimited streaming. It used to be something like $8 a month but they're hiking up the price to the tune of $15ish effective later this month. Their mailed DVDs ship in and out quick enough for me, but lately I haven't been using it as much as I should. *lazy*

If you go the unlimited instant streaming route, it used to be that the movies they had available were crap, but it's been getting better.

Am I rambling? I must be rambling. Uh. WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS SAYING, YES. THEY SPEAKETH THE TRUTH.

[lindorie]

oh oh oh i forgot to add, I'm a total Netflix fangirl, mostly because I'm lazy and I have a mountain of stuff people say I need to watch/catch up on. I used to watch the bulk of my queue on my laptop, but just recently me and The Boy went halfsies on a PS3. So we've been watching off of that (instead of gaming like two gamers should, huh).

I've run into a few quality issues while watching Doctor Who on the PS3, but right now I'm chalking that up to my current settings. (Note to self: get that figured out.) Things play right as rain on my laptop, soooo...

Okay, shutting up now. Chatty Lin is chatty and rambly.

[lassarina]

My understanding is that Netflix has old seasons, but not current ones. I don't have it myself, because i don't really stream enough to be bothered paying for it.

[novel_machinist]

I adore all that is netflix. It's much cheaper than cable and I watch all the shows that I feel like watching on it. I only stream off my Xbox and my computer and have had no major issues. Plus they have a wonderful gay and lesbian selection and it's hard to find elsewhere.

[albijuli]

Netflix is really good for nostalgia purposes- they have a lot of old shows for streaming. The selection changes around a bit, though, but not too rapidly.

New movies also pop up there, but it could take a bit after they've been out on DVD.

[ifotismeni]

i have netflix instant and i love it but i don't use it to keep up with current shows. it generally runs stuff once it's a year old or so, and their catalog is kind of mixed.

advantages - for people like me who don't follow current shows, it lets me watch series that i've always meant to see (and discover new ones!) on my own time. and movies too.

disadvantages - IMO people who are current culture vultures tend to be a bit unsatisfied with the selection. i hear hulu plus can be better for this.

[salarta.livejournal.com]

I've only been using hulu (not hulu plus) for streaming movies and TV show episodes. It's been pretty good, only a few ads here and there. I got to watch the original Bubblegum Crisis, part of Fist of the North Star, and Occult Academy series through it, all anime, and I know there's a lot more there I've seen that I can't remember.

[irish-ais.livejournal.com]

If you want to try it, do the streaming portion-- I NEVER EVER get the DVDs, because I never watch them, because that's EFFORT and MAILING and WAITING, and I'm against those sorts of things.

Steve cancelled our Netflix streaming today, which makes me sad in my pants, so I am going to have to reup the account in my name. I kind of have an obsession with watching terrible anime in huge marathons on it, but I do use it a lot for movies and regular TV, too.

TL;DR, NETFLIX IS BOSS.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

We use Netflix instant here which works out well for us because we mostly watch older TV shows (lots of British sketch comedy, and Netflix is FULL of it) and documentary type movies. They do have a lot of recent movies on streaming, too. It's a great resource if you're interested in watching film festival movies that don't necessarily show in stateside theaters and that are hard to find on DVD.

For current-running TV shows, I tend to use Hulu.

[darkscarab.livejournal.com]

I love my Netflix, I'm addicted....for real. You can ALWAYS find something to watch.