Netflix and Other Home-Video Vendors [was: DVD-by-Mail]

[Darryl A. Armstrong]

Anyone using the Netflix Friends program?

[Andrew]

Well, I'm planning to head back to Netflix after this month's billing period is over at Blockbuster - I've just had an 11 day turnover for 2 different DVD's, which I find unacceptable.

[Persona]

What I don't like about Peerflix so far: 1. Having to look thru page after page where only 12 DVDs are listed at a time as available; 2. Continually browsing, being encouraged to add films to my queue, and finding that they are unavailable. This is already frustrating and I've only been at it a week.

-s.

[BethR]

Anyone using the Netflix Friends program?

←

I tried, but apparently if one's "friends" don't actually visit their netflix pages/queues within a certain timeframe in order to be notified that they have been "friended," the request expires.

[Persona]

Hah! I suckered you, too, Stef?

I'm offended at that, Alan. I considered myself a sucker LONG before you came along!

They're strickly a California shop right now, and juuuuust getting started, so I can cut them some slack, and hey if it means swapping DVDs I don't particularly care for, that's FWM.

←

Yeah. I think I'll just get rid of a bunch of junk DVDs that have been laying around and then keep only something extremely rare in my "What I Want" queue. That way, some day out of the blue I'll end up with a Brakhage or something.

-s.

[Russ]

That way, some day out of the blue I'll end up with a Brakhage or something.

-s.

←

I know how this one ends! Stef finds himself inadvertantly receiving multiple copies of The Brak Show.

[Persona]

Never heard of it.

-s.

[Russ]

Edited January 31, 2005 by Russ

[Persona]

Scaaaawwy.

-s.

[Jason Bortz]

At least Juliette Lewis isn't in it...

[BethR]

Anyone using the Netflix Friends program?

←

I tried, but apparently if one's "friends" don't actually visit their netflix pages/queues within a certain timeframe in order to be notified that they have been "friended," the request expires.

←

I can now report on Netflix Friends. My co-worker Donna, who first told me about Netflix, is on my friend list.

Clicking on the "Friends" tab at your Netflix website shows DVDs your friend(s) recently viewed & the ratings they gave, lists one or more films pending (near the top, I presume) in the friend(s) queue, and lists several films your friend(s) liked "much more than the average Netflix customer," some of their "top favorites," and those they "hated."

Kinda fun, though now I'll be a little more thoughtful about my ratings!

[M. Leary]

Bummer. That sounds like fun. One of the things I miss most about the States is Netflix and their quick turnaround. I use a service here called Screenselect (screenselect.co.uk), but the selection is fairly sparse.

And my wife keeps sneaking in a selecting Dawson's Creek episodes.

[MattPage]

Mike - there seem to be a few other services that have sprung up sice we spoke about it a while ago. Amazon are puching theirs fairly hard & I believe Tesco have one as well./ And Blockbuster do one now too.. I Imagine that Amazon have a pretty full range whereas Tesco will be fairly mainstream. Blockbusters sounds like it won't be great but I think its the one my brother has gone for and a condsidration for them was that my sister in law lectures in Argentininan cinema and was able to find a significant percentage of the titles she was after.

Matt

[BethR]

Kinda fun, though now I'll be a little more thoughtful about my ratings!

←

Beth:

Are we--gasp--admitting that our critical ratings/views (awards?) are driven as much by what we want others to think about us and our tastes as by what we actually like or think is good/bad?

←

I hadn't thought of it exactly like that. More that I don't always think that deeply about my netflix stars. But I know you know what you like!

[Jazzaloha]

I have a question regarding Netflix and Blockbuster. How do you know if they actually have the film (versus just information about the film)?

[Husker4theSpurs]

In Netflix ... if you search and they don't have a film it won't even come up.

[Jazzaloha]

Thanks, husker.

[Husker4theSpurs]

You're welcome ... I can only say this about Netflix ... I haven't regretted having it one bit. It helps to keep up with watching and sending them ASAP of course, however for $19.24 with the taxes and all Netflix has really seemed worth it to me. They have a lot of films I'm unable to find around here ... especially documentaries. I find the recommendations quite accurate as well.

[Jazzaloha]

Netflix has gone down to $18, so I'm considering trying them out (especially since there's a return center in my state). I'm also considering blockbuster as they're a bit cheaper ($14). I don't know what the turn around time would be for them, though.

[Husker4theSpurs]

It's generally 5-6 days for me ... from the day I put it in the mailbox until getting another movie.

[JennyLynne]

I just switched from Blockbuster to Netflix. I had

good turnaround time with Blockbuster, but it

seemed any of the less popular movies in my

queue were always "very long wait."

So far so good with Netflix. I'm finding the

selection is better.

Blockbuster's inhouse coupons really didn't

mean much to me because the nearest

Blockbuster is about 45 minutes from my

apartment. If I were going to take the time

to drive there, I would settle for a Hollywood

Video VIP membership.

[Clint M]

In Netflix ... if you search and they don't have a film it won't even come up.

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And if they don't have it, you can put in a request that they should purchase the title. I just did it with "Do The Right Thing" (they have the Universal version, but not the superior Criterion Collection version.)

[Diane]

And if they don't have it, you can put in a request that they should purchase the title. 

←

A question for Netflix users who have requested a purchase: Has Netflix been responsive? I've put in a couple of requests, but I'm sure it takes a while.

[Russ]

Netflix's new right margin drag-and-drop feature for queue management: Awesome.

[Russ]

I've just had my first regrettable Netflix experience. I ordered Herzog's Heart of Glass at the suggestion of some guy in Scotland, and they shipped a disc of glass. The DVD was cracked the entire way through with the sort of precision that can't be achieved by human hands. So I report it as damaged, and they send out another copy of the same thing. This one has two cracks going all the way through the center. The involvement of a human being who actually looked at the things would have stopped this.

I'd like to read/write an article about how a Netflix distribution center works.