Posted on 01/18/2011 6:20:18 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
When Netflix started up more than 10 years ago, its sales pitch was pretty simple: Hey, subscribe to us, and we'll mail you DVDs that you can then mail back to us without worrying about any late fees. But as the rental market moves toward online and on-demand models, Netflix's iconic red envelopes may eventually become as antiquated as VHS tapes. Beefing up their streaming business, Netflix has predicted that in about two years their economics will be geared more toward their "Watch Instantly" service than through physical discs. For that to happen, Netflix will have to nudge their DVD-loyal customers to the new platform. And on Monday, the company learned just how hard that may be.
In a seemingly innocent 109-word blog post, Netflix director of product management Jamie Odell announced, "We're removing the 'Add to DVD Queue' option from streaming devices," suggesting that it was being done so that the company "can concentrate on offering you the titles that are available to watch instantly." Granted, the Netflix website still allows DVD queue updating, but this post, dropped on the morning of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, created an immediate firestorm of comments -- most of them very, very angry.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.movies.yahoo.com ...
It's worse than that - Netflix is shaping their future business model around a free ride on the infrastructure of others. This won't end well for them.
NFLX: Now We're Cooking (The Business Model)
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=172990
Netflix days numbered riding the free bandwidth wagon
You might want to buy one, see how it works out, then buy the second wants you have it all working.
My other thought is, how will cable companies and video stores still be around in the future?
HULU is out there and many more options.
Wow - ours is only a year old, I guess I should read the manual...
Nah...I’ll just keep pushing buttons till I find it or blow it up! Thanks for the info, I wasn’t aware of that feature.
Colonel, USAFR
OK, this thread is a wee bit too long to read, so someone MIGHT have already pointed this out... but.....
I don't see how they're ENDING DVD delivery, they're ONLY taking out QUEUE MANAGEMENT from their streaming devices. We're still going to be able to get any title on a disc. Why all the hullabaloo?
My husband did all the electronic in our house and I just knew what buttons to push.... he would have this figured out long ago, but yes I am going to return these and get one wireless and see how it goes.
It’s not that hard. Usually just one HDMI cable running to the TV and then the power cable, unless you have some kind of home theater setup. The manuals show you how. I have the LG wifi bluray player. Supports Netflix, Youtube, Picasa, DivX TV from internet, CinemaNow, and has an AccuWeather app installed.
The BD570 is on sale. I got it a few weeks ago for $150, but it's back up to $175. It supports wireless.
Nah the BD550 is 3 models back. It doesn’t support wireless. BD570 supports wireless, and the newest model they released after that supports 3D.
They will lose me as a customer. I have a 768 Kb/sec connection. Nowhere near fast enough to play on their stupid player. Besides, I’d rather watch on a real DVD player and a real TV than on the computer. And I don’t have, and never will have, all those other gizmos.
Anybody have an e-mail address for Netflix? Like most gigantic, faceless corporations, they make it near impossible to communicate with them.
Thanks. I didn’t know her models numbers initially. Just assumed since they were a new purchase. Assuming is never a good thing.
I don’t see the attraction for 3d though. Sure it sounds like a neat gimmick, but I have to wear glasses anyway, and I don’t relish having to wear a set over the ones I already have to wear.
Well, the writing is on the wall. They do want to go to a streaming model eventually. Not gonna happen for some time though. Still, as an iPad user, I love being able to grab the pad from the coffee table and go to the netlix app when I see a movie is being released on DVD (since i dont go to the theater anymore) and put it in the queue. I think they’re stupid for making me go the the website when their app does it quicker.
iTunes.
I was unfair to say that it’s hard to communicate with Netflix.
I called them last night. The guy was nice, and helpful. He said it will be many years before DVDs disappear. He said there have been thousands of calls about the article. He even linked my comments with my account.
Easy: innovative greed. Our ability to want more than what can be provided is insatiable. Until Netflix Instant caught on, average internet users had no need for gigabytes-per-day service; now some 20% of internet traffic is Netflix content and rising fast. The infrastructure was built, the concept of streaming video became viable, and now EVERYBODY wants on that freeway.
Countries behind the curve have the advantage of cheaper and better technology to build their infrastructure with than we did when we built ours. Don't worry, we'll catch up and race ahead once we sort things out.
I haven’t even open the boxes, I plan to return them tomorrow and get wireless.
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