Obviously, Netflix is a necessity if you love films as much as I do and I know that nothing in life is fixed, much as we would wish it otherwise. 'Streaming direct to your computer or TV or whatnot' appears to be the wave of the Netflix future. They are shifting their focus from DVD home delivery to streaming, shifting their monthly plans as well. I now have a major decision to make.
I was notified that my current plan will end as of September, 2011. They're separating the DVD plans from the streaming and we'll now have to pay for each - rather than the all inclusive 9.99 a month for both that I'd been luxuriating in. So if I want to continue with DVD delivery - that will be 7.99. If I want to continue with steaming - that will be another 7.99. I can continue to have both for 15.98 a month. (You'd think they'd give a discount for both. Like, say, a buck off or something. Nah!)
My feeling is, pretty soon this will start costing as much as cable. This is the second price hike within the last year or so.
Honestly, I quit cable because I didn't want to keep paying the high fees. And I've been doing very well with Netflix. But now I'm not sure I want to pay 16 bucks a month. Not a huge amount in the great scheme of things, but big enough to annoy if you haven't got tons of money coming in every month.
So pipe up, let me hear from you. Should I go with the Streaming plan or the DVD delivery plan?
I'm only choosing one and I can't quite make up my mind. What do you think?
Netflix Streaming doesn't have ALL the films I want to watch. DVD Home Delivery doesn't have ALL the films I might want to watch either. There's the dilemma.
I'm torn.
For now, we decided on the DVDs. I don't think Netflix really offers enough streaming to pay for it as a separate fee. I'm not sure if the deal still exists, but if you become a prime member of Amazon, they offer free streaming for the year. However, the catch with this program is that you should make sure your DVD player or whatever is on their list of streaming equipment (ours wasn't but we discovered that after we bought the membership) - grrr.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say. I don't have Netflix but do pay the ransom for cable TV.
ReplyDeleteSo, if you prefer watching dvds to streaming, or if you think that the dvds offer more variety of what you watch, then do it.
It's what films you prefer and how you want to watch the movies that matters.
But I understand about the $7.99.
It covers a meal or two.
Hi Yvette! What a brou-ha-ha Netflix has caused. I'm putting in my own 5 cents (inflation, you know). I just couldn't keep cable anymore, except for the basic networks. So I went to Netflix Instant Streaming. I'm so glad to have it. I had disks too for a while, but even $2 extra was something I wanted to save. I've been pretty happy with Streaming. Oh there are lots of things I can't get there, but I've found a lot I like. Actually, I have 153 shows on my queue!
ReplyDeleteI'm saving about $38 by not having cable stations -- that's going to have to be my consolation!
Yvette,
ReplyDeleteCan you please mention again the used book source you utilize?
I'm trying to buy Outrage, the newest book by Arnaldur Indridason.
The Book Depository, which is in England, sent me an email saying that the publisher (Random House, Canada) has restricted that book from being sold to readers in the U.S.
It's Canada, right next door. So I can't buy the book from them. It's more expensive at Amazon. And not much better at Abe Books.
So I'm checking around. Of course, my library doesn't have it.
Yvette,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I don't watch TV, so I don't get cable. I use my TV set solely for watching DVDs I get from Netflix and the public library.
If any decent TV shows appear, they will eventually be available on DVD. I just keep a watch on Netflix and new arrivals at the
library.
I get three DVDs at a time--unlimited program. I'm still using a dialup modem, so streaming and any other method is not an option.
I changed my plan to 3 at-a-time DVDs only. My costs therefore dropped several dollars a month. I can't complain about that. I am now considering moving up to 4 DVDs a month, which would cost me about what I was paying for three DVDs and streaming, which I never used.
If I eventually upgrade my system so that streaming becomes possible, I still don't think I will switch. At present, DVDs provide many more titles than are available for streaming.
Secondly, I'd rather watch a film on my 32 inch flat screen, which is engineered to do this, than on my small computer monitor.
As you can see, because of my own particular situation, the recent change at Netflix has actually benefited me.
I don't know if this helps you make a decision, but this is my reaction to the recent change at Netflix.
My favorite and almost exclusive online source for used and frequently new books is abebooks.com. I will occasionally check out amazon.books, but I find it inadequate compared to abebooks.com for used books.
BookBelle: Thanks very much for your input. :) I'm inclined towards the DVDs myself but I keep thinking how convenient it is to view a film on my computer...Luckily I have a whole month to make up my mind. (Maybe not so lucky - gives me too much time to change my mind.)
ReplyDeleteKathy: Ransom. Yes, you got that right. :)
ReplyDeleteI felt as if I couldn't live without cable, but I find that I've lived without it very well.
ClassicBecky: Okay, so your vote is for Streaming. Thanks for commenting on my dilemma. :)
ReplyDelete153 shows? Do you mean TV shows? Or Movies? I'm assuming TV. See, that's the thing, Becky, I don't watch many TV shows, even on my computer. Can't say why not. Maybe I just haven't gotten into the habit. I still find it strange to watch things on the monitor. But I'm getting used to it. (I keep telling myself it's the same thing as a TV monitor/screen.)
Such a 'brave new world' - Gak!
Kathy: I use Better World Books, but I can't say if they'd have the book you're looking for or not. You could try. Also try Seattle Mystery Bookshop.
ReplyDeleteYou can link to both from the list on my blog in the upper left hand sideboard.
Did you try Partners and Crime? You must have. No luck?
Fred: Thanks for all your thoughts. Dial-up? I used to have that until my daughter decided otherwise. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, your decision was sort of taken out of your hands - wasn't it? I'm kind of headed towards the DVD only route myself.
But I'm still deciding.
I like Abe Books, don't like all the shipping charges.
Since I misunderstood and thought I had to pay the $16 just to get DVDs in the mail, I am not the one to ask. Libraries may be the answer.
ReplyDeleteYes, you heard me right, 153. The TV things I have are: cartoon series for the grandkids, like Sponge Bob; BBC series like Glenda Jackon's marvelous life of Elizabeth R and some Masterpiece Theatre shows; Alfred Hitchock Prsesents; Twilight Zone; and the original Star Trek episodes. Series like that count as 1 item. The rest are movies and documentaries.
ReplyDeleteI love the old Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto and James Wong detective movies. There are many film noirs of the 40's and 50's, just not a lot of the really famous ones. There may be more in Streaming than you think.
I watch mine on my TV because my son had a blu-ray player he didn't need, and you can use TV through that and other types of things. I do sit at my computer sometimes to watch the free Hulu -- they have wonderful old TV series like One Step Beyond, Night Gallery, stuff like that. You can see I'm not much for contemporary TV -- I love the ones I mention.
Anyway, DVDs are great too, but if I really want something classic or some new, I go to the library. For newer stuff, I go to a video store (we still have some) or the Red Box thing.
Kind of a long comment! Just wanted you to know my experience. Seriously, if you would like to get a look at the great stuff I've found, some of which you might love too, I'll send you a copy of my Streaming queue. I did that for my brother!
Patti: Libraries are a good source, but there's nothing like that little red envelope arriving in your mailbox. :)
ReplyDeleteI think I'm halfway convinced to go with the DVD plan...at least for now.
We just barely got high speed internet via time warner. We did not get the cable tv since we have DISH tv and love it. But still, I must have Netflix. I am so enjoying the ability to be able to watch their streaming movies on my tv. Oh, right- we got Apple tv too so we could do this. And we have music on it, and the ability to play our iTunes music there too. Whew. Pretty soon, I'll start having the groceries delivered, and I'll never leave home. :<) But we justify the money because we don't go out to movies and we don't travel. Our tv is our entertainment, in addition to books. So I shall buck up and get both the dvd and the streaming. Now all I need is ten more hours in the day to watch everything I want to. (sorry so long-winded!)
ReplyDeleteBecky: I'd like to see your streaming queue. I'm always eager to learn. It would be nice to stream on my tv. I'll have to investigate how to do that.
ReplyDeleteNow that I own a bunch of Charlie Chans - I don't have to rely on Netflix much for those. I've only evern seen one Mr. Moto, though.
Ah, the old Star Treks - sounds good.
Nan: Not long-winded at all, I like thoughtful comments. I see where the 'full' spectrum of entertainment is best for you, especially if this is your main source of viewing and 'traveling'.
ReplyDeleteI suppose if I could I've have everything too, but having to narrow it down - I MUST choose! :)
And, the truth is, I can always change my mind and add or subtract later...
I had to make the same decision and for now I've opted for the dvds. The streaming just doesn't have as much to offer. I've been looking at other options, too, including Hulu, but Netflix still seems to offer the most choices for viewing. I don't miss cable (except for TCM and football), but Netflix is really working my nerves.
ReplyDeleteWhichever you choose, streaming or dvds, at least it's easy to change your mind again. Until Netflix screws that up, too.
Naomi: I miss TCM, football and baseball. :) But I listen to the games online.
ReplyDeleteI laughed when you said, "...Netflix is really working my nerves." Me too.
I'm sliding in favor of the DVD plan.....For now. But I'm going to think about it for a bit.
Thanks for the input.
I started the netflix account for film club at school--once all the blockbusters near us closed, we could not get the older movies we wanted to see anywhere else. I tried streaming but the signal is erratic, so that was a no go at school. Also, we have been experimenting with canceling with cable at home--streaming is not 100% reliable to date.( my young adult children do not seem to mind waiting for movies to load,but it drives us insane) So it is DVDs for school at home, at least for a while longer
ReplyDeleteHealigan: I'm getting the impression that a lot of these plans are being chosen by default.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that's the way I'm going to choose as well.
But DVDs really can be a pain.
Oh well, I'm probably going to stick with them for awhile.
Thanks for chiming in. :)
This is leading me to think about cutting back on cable, but I don't want to drop MSNBC, CNN, IFC, Sundance and Bravo.
ReplyDeleteNow that Keith O. is on Current, I'd also miss that, too.
Not ready for that
Kathy: It's all about what you can stand to be without. :)
ReplyDeleteWe're staying with the DVD-in-the-mail option right now. Eventually, I'm sure, Netflix will discontinue that option (as my husband says, "It's called NET-flix, not MAIL-flix"), but for right now, we'll continue getting those red envelopes in the mail.
ReplyDeleteDeb: I think I'm going to choose the red envelopes for now as well. Maybe I'll change my mind later and switch around. But for now...
ReplyDeleteI agree that Netflix will eventually discontinue the envelopes. And won't the post office be unhappy - jeez. I think Netlix is probably their biggest client. At any rate, when they go to 'all streaming' then the choice will clearer. Ha!