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DVDs By Mail?
scubacuda asks: "DVD mail rentals are hot right now. Netflix, perhaps the most popular one, costs only $19/month (with free shipping). Since then, a whole new batch of similar DVD rental services have cropped up. What do Slashdot readers look for? Which ones are most reliable, have the best selections, provide free shipping and makes the best movie suggestions?"
Netflix now has a local return address (Tacoma, WA) , so I experiance a very fast turnaround, and I've never run across a DVD out of stock. For the 1 1/2 years I've used them, only one disk has arrived damaged, and one has been lost in the mail. Very satisfactory, overall. I don't know what else I could ask of them.
I find it difficult to deal with the peons at Blockbuster and elsewhere so I try to live as a recluse in the safe confines of my home. I want to watch DVDs, but I don't want to come into contact with other human beings. Can any other antisocial misfit recluses help me find a decent DVD rent-by-mail shop?
I liked the idea of as many DVD's as you want for $20/month", but I never felt I could watch enough DVD's to get my $20 worth. If I didn't watch about 6 in a month (Blockuster chaged about $4 per DVD), then it would be cheeper to rent at a video store. Plus, there are all the times where didn't have the time/desire/money to watch a movie; but I still paid for the right to rent them from Netflix. For the most part, when I rent DVD's; I'm hanging out with friends, and decide I'm gonna watch a movie a few hours before I do. It's damn impossable to get a DVD by mail the same day.
Granted, the selection was great, but I couldn't justify the cost in my mind. Since I rent only 1~3 DVD's a month.
You know who I think is crazy? All my ex-girlfriends!
My wife is a movie junkie, and so far she really likes NetFlix.
The really nice thing about them is that instead of standing around in a rental store trying to decide what to rent, you can sit at your PC and make your list. She already has a 22-item list, so she'll be busy watching movies for awhile.
Also, if you are bad about forgetting to return rentals on time, you won't get tagged for late fees. I turned in a movie to Blockbuster about 20 minutes late due to a snow storm, and they wouldn't wave the late fee. Ever since, I've rented from someone else if I had a choice.
NetFlix aparently have several shipping centers around the U.S. I initially signed up for their 10-day trial to see how long it would take for DVDs to get to us. Our DVD's come out of Houston, and take about 2 days.
If I had this service, I'd rent the DVD,and rip it to DivX form on my hard drive. I've gotten the procedure down relatively well, to where it only takes me about 8 hours to produce a 640x480 square with MP3 sound. It scales up well to being displayed on a TV_Out and a good stereo system. Takes about 900 megs.
I've encoded a few DVDs I've borrowed from my friends, cuz I like to watch them later. I haven't distributed many of them, only one that I ripped myself did I distribute, and it was a pain to get the size right to fit onto a CD...
A hardcore pirate would LOVE this kind of service, I'm sure.
Yes, your local video store is probably cheaper, but only if you return your movies on time. I was habitually late. Again, with netflix, no late fees. I'm actually saving money.
Your reality is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever. - Baron Munchausen
If a DVD is $19/month, why are you not just buying it? That is like renting a movie for 15bucks a month--you could just own the film.
If you didn't want to keep the DVDs-which appears to be the only way this differs from purchasing a DVD-why not just bundle them together and sell on eBay?
I just don't understand renting a DVD for $19 to keep it a month when you can pay not usually more than $22 to keep one. Unless, and here is where I am ignorant, you can get boxed sets for $19 a month.
I've been waiting around for my job to start for the past six months, so I've gone on a dvd renting spree. I have tried NetFlix.com, NumberSlate.com, and DVDBarn.com.
I started out with NetFlix and have had good experiences with them. However, I started getting into anime and NetFlix only had partial sets of various anime series. So, I went to other services to look for the remaining disks, in this case it was just Gundam Wing, but later others came into the fray.
I tried DVD Barn. They purported to have loads of DVDs, but once you signed up for an account you saw that nearly all of them were unavailable, and after 1.5 months on my queue there was no progress.
Then I tried NumberSlate, like DVD Barn it seems that they have a lot of titles. The few that I was interested in were out but having only subscribed to them for 1 month I have seen a few of the unavailable titles get to my door.
To sum this up ... DVD Barn sucks, Netflix and NumberSlate are decent.
You can rent 3 at a time during the month, and as many as you want during that month as long as you don't have more than three out at any given time during the month.
I've been using Netflix for about 6 months and been pretty satisfied. My average cost per movie is about $2.29 (under the $19.95/month plan). That's not too bad, considering I live in semi-rural Alaska (shipping each way is usually about 3 days).
I don't care for them splitting up two disk sets though. If a movie comes on two disks (such as The Godfather, Part II), you have to rent each one seperatly.
I like Netflix-- under the '3 movies out' plan it means we always have 1 in transit, 1 for the kiddies, 1 for me and my spouse. And the fact that we never have to worry about late fees is great.
I just ran the numbers, we averaged just under $3.50 per DVD rented. Given that some we watched the day they arrived (then returned), others we didn't get to for a week, this is pretty great.
You can actually calculate your min cost, based on latency. Assuming a 5-day turnaround (i.e. from when you drop it in your box, to when they receive it and process it [typically within 24 hrs] and mail it back. We have around 2 day's travel each way), it's easy to figure out the min and most likely price.
Each 'slot' can cycle at most 30/turnaround_time, so for a 5-day turnaround that's 6 rentals a month. So the 2-DVD program at $15 is $1.25/CD (assuming you're rabid and watch each movie instantly!). 3-DVD at $21 is $1.66.
But that misses the point-- you're going for convenience and lifestyle. The main selling point isn't cost. It's a) no late fees, watch when you want and b) the Queue.
The Queue rules. You can list any movie you're interested in, and they just ship 'em in order. You can change the order at any time. Interested in Farscape episodes? Add 'em to your queue and you'll get them in order. Never got around to seeing "The Godfather"? Toss it in the queue. I'm up to 124 items in my queue, and anytime someone recommend a movie, I can add it (and prioritize it).
So I like Netflix. Alas, they do have aggressive email marketing-- not quite SPAM, but darn close. They partner with a lot of other sites so you sometimes get Netflix junk for unrelated reasons. This I hate, and it's the one thing that makes me feel guilty about using them. [If they started spoofing headers or such, I'd drop them in an instant. Right now, they're just being pushy.]
A.
Netflix has had its ups and downs as far as availability is concerend but I am happy with them and I put my money where my mouth is (I am a subscriber of their $40/mo option).
I've noticed that movie availablility drops around Xmas time (gift certificates?) but last Xmas, they seemed to beef up their inventory quickly.
I often get newly released movies the week they are released.
Since they opened their distribution center in Tacoma, WA my turnaround times have dropped a couple days (I live in Portland, OR).
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I'm looking for an operating system that is used widely in corporations and by individuals. Something preferable written under the GPL and similar to Unix. Can anyone on Slashdot offer a suggestion?
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Erutangis ym si siht.
pretty much says it all. anybody know any?
I will happily jump on the,"I'm happy with Netflix," bandwagon. I see some posters saying that the number of movies per month doesn't work for them -- Netflix actually has quite a few different plans, 3 at a time for $20 is just the main one they push marketing-wise (no, I don't work for them/own stock):
Netflix Service Ultimate (8 out)
For the ultimate at-home selection of DVDs at an incredible value, choose our Ultimate Program. It lets you have 8 movies out at a time for a flat monthly fee of $39.95.
Netflix Service Plus (5 out)
Ideal for members who want a larger selection of DVDs at home, our Plus Program lets you have 5 movies out at a time for a flat monthly fee of $29.95.
Netflix Service Bonus (4 out)
With variety, value and an extra movie, our Bonus Program lets you have 4 movies out at a time for a flat monthly fee of $24.95.
Netflix Service Standard (3 out)
Enjoyed by the majority of our members, our popular Standard Program lets you have 3 movies out at a time for a flat monthly fee of $19.95.
Netflix Service Lite (2 out)
Affordable, convenient and perfect for the occasional renter, our Lite Program lets you have 2 movies out at a time for a flat monthly fee of $13.95.
I just had a discussion about netflix with my grandmother the other day. She lives in Hawaii on the island of Kauai. One thing that she was frustrated with was the total lack of movie rental places over in the area. The one place that was possible to rent from only had a selection of about 50 movies and they were all very old movies (it was their condo's lobby rental store). They have been using netflix for a few months now and completely rave about it. The shipping time between the continental us and hawaii is rather annoying to them, but they can see the newer movies coming out without having to buy the actual dvd and spend 20-30 dollars on it.
"Well kids, you tried your best, and you failed. The lesson is, never try." -Homer Simpson
I live in Brooklyn and now my discs get shipped from and to Flushing NY. Great turnaround.
I'm on their $24.95/mo plan. It's great.
Another benefit: I find that if I go to the video store in certain moods (long day, bad weather) I always go for the schlocky movies. It's a guilty pleasure and I like them as much as the next person.
However, with the Netflix queue, I'm putting in higher quality movies that, in certain moods, seem too "good for you" but which always leave me happier having watched them.
You might find that with Netflix, you're going for a broader range of movies because, well, once they show up in your mail box you're more likely to just watch them.
One feature I wish they would offer is randomizing of the queue after a certain entry. I tend to browse and add to my queue by genre, and then my list is ordered too much by genre. That would be a killer addition to their offerings, but for now it's manageable simply by manually ordering the next 5 items in the queue. It's easy enough.
As far as I know, hard porn is only banned from being produced and sold in Utah, not from out of state. Since IANAL, the relavent laws can be found here. If any legal types wish to throw interpretations into the mix, feel free.
Sounds like there's a "chilling effect" going on (but I may be mis-using that term, not being a lawyer and all), and it's pissing me off. If I had the resources, and if I had a case to sue, I might take it up. As it stands now, I must slink off to the Wyoming or Neveda borders to get my fix.
Yes, I live in a state where a 40-year-old virgin morman woman is setting the bar for community standards in decency. Search for "Paula Huston" or "Utah porn czar". Sheesh! Yeah, like she is the typical resident of Utah.
i'll jump on the bandwagon & say that i really like the netflix service, especially now that they have a delivery center near me and can turn around a dvd within a week (between when i return a dvd and when i get a new one back). i'm on the "lite" plan that i signed up for several years ago so i only pay $12/month to have two dvd's at a time. amoung the tings i love about the service:
- ability to maintain an ongoing list of movies i want to see, and change the order at any time. whenever i think of a movie i just log on & add it to the list, at home or work!
- no more drives to the video store with the wife & kids & 30 minutes plus browsing ALL the titles to find the perfect one for tonight, while trying to keep the kids (ages 3 & 5) in line.
- no more worrying about late fees. just keep it 'til you're done using it!
- easy return - no extra trip to the store, just drop it in the mail.
with a delivery center nearby we can watch two movies/week, or 8/month, which is $1.50/movie for ANY title - a way better deal than the store, and far superior selection. of course we don't often watch that many movies so the cost/movie goes up, but given the savings in time & hastle i think it's well worth the cost!
Selection, selection, and selection. If it's on DVD (and it's not pr0n) NetFlix probably has it. Sure, not having to traipse to Blockbuster is a plus, but being able to see the movies I want to see is a bigger one. BTW, in my first 12 months with NetFlix, I wound up renting 76 movies. Some I turned around in a day, others I kept for weeks. In the end, I'm looking at around $3.15 per rental, which ain't too shabby. Now that I've upped to 4 out at a time, and now that my movies go to Duluth, GA instead of all the way over to San Jose, I'll easily top 100 for the second year. I don't think Blockbuster has even 50 DVDs I'd want to see.
I've been using Netflix since late 2000 and I've enjoyed it tremendously. My queue is usually in the 180+ range, even though my turnover rate is quite slow. My record for holding on to a disc from them is 15 months. Try that with anybody else!
The major video chains have annoying censorship policies, like not carrying anything rated NC-17, or carrying an R edit of it. Sometimes the edited versions are clearly labeled (Requiem for a Dream leaps to mind) and some are not. They also tend to carry only pan'n'scan versions of movies, even on DVD. As a movie buff, neither of these limitations is acceptable. The only local store (Rochester NY USA) that has a decent selection also has very short rental periods, lousy hours, and no after-hours dropbox. I used it exactly once. Netflix has none of these problems.
Another big plus for me is that I'm not the only Netflixer in my workplace. There are four of us totalling 14 discs of rental, so we amortize over the lousy mail transit times by trading our discs with each other. The part of the outer cover that doesn't get mailed back is perfect for marking who has and hasn't seen that disc yet.
Netflix has apparently opened at least one East Coast location because my most recent rental arrived two days ahead of schedule. Woo hoo!
i too have been using netflix for about 7 months. the queue, the convenience of always having a few dvds sitting on top of my dvd player waiting to be watched, and no late fees adds up to an unbeatable service.
besides, now that blockbuster is no longer stocking the widescreen versions of new releases, renting at blockbuster is not an option.
my only gripe with netflix when i started was that they didn't have any east coast warehouses... so my turn-around time was long. but about 2 months ago they opened up a warehouse in new york, and now my turn-around time is great (i'm in nj).
a few times dvds didn't arrive. i simply went to their site and indicated it and they automatically sent a replacement. no problem. i think you would have to have an inordinate number of lost dvds before they even questioned it.
thumbs up for netflix.
I've been very satisfied with netflix for about the past 3 months. Before signing up, I looked around at someothers. The main visibly missing feature for all other ones I found was the lack of a rating and suggestion system. The reasons I'm a satisfied customer are:
1) Excellent selection w/ movies normally available. Many indy and non-mainstream titles. Blockbuster has about zero selection.
2) Convenience. No more wasted time wandering around the video store looking for something worthwhile. I have about 70 DVDs on my list currently. I would think that would last me for close to a year if it remained static. However, you constantly add more discs to your queue after rating movies you watch and getting more suggestions.
I saw someone post about getting a lot of email/spam from netflix after signing up. I have not received any email from them other than notification that they received movies I returned. Maybe they didn't opt-out.
If you rent a decent amount of movies a month it's well worth it. Even if you don't currently rent a lot, you may find that it's better to watch a movie that the shite that's currently on TV.
jason
jason
My wife and I have been netflix users for about 18 months. It really has changed what and how we watch movies. We used to only watch new releases. Now we're just as likely to watch an old film (Seven Samurai) or a completely independent film (Things to Do in Denver When Your Dead and The Tao of Steve) that we enjoy and would not have watched if not for netflix.
Other good things about using netflix is we don't always have to agree on movies to rent. I can rent movies she does not want to watch and vice versa and watch when I have time and she is doing something else. Also, we regularly were late returning movies to Blockbuster, so we figure we are saving money even if we only watch a few movies in a month. Our biggest month has been ~12 movies.
If you think mormons are weird, you should see their underwear!
I use dvdovernight.com. I sometimes get real busy and wouldn't rent enough to make NetFlix worth it. The dvdovernight rentals end up being $3.50/each, after you get the 8th one free. They also have an Adult section, if you want to rent those.
I haven't had a problem receiving DVDs or sending them back. Though, I'm not sure why they are called dvdovernight when they aren't sent overnight.
Does anyone know if NetFlix is available in Canada? I've tried searching the site to no answer yes or no...
Wiwi
"I trust in my abilities,
but I want more then they offer"
I have used netflix for the last six months, and have been generally happy with the service. The only negative is that since my credit card expires this month, they won't send me any discs until my new new card arrives and I can enter the new card. This sucks because 1.) I get no movies and 2.) I'm still paying for the service.
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Off to the troll-torture chambers wi' ye!
I've used netflix for over a year and a half now, and have been very satisfied with the service! However, looking at alternatives, I'm thinking about switching to DVDBarn.com, which rents console games as well as movies!
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My wife, however, doesn't like Netflix because she feels pressured to watch the movies as fast as possible to try to get her maximum money's worth out of it. When she sees the movies lying on the counter she feels like there's money going down the drain.
For the record, I don't really get my money's worth out of Netflix. Sometimes I watch the movies fast enough and sometimes I don't, but it gives me peace of mind not worrying about returning them.
The film selection overall is great. I kind of wish they had more selection on foreign language films, though. They have some, but it's not as extensive as I had hoped.
... but this is "news for nerds. stuff that matters"
I thought about using NetFlix for movie rental when they first "arrived" (pop-ups) but instead I looked around locally.
I found that the best place to get movies in fact isn't on-line and it's free.
I simply go down to my local library and get movies, nerdy ones for free and can re-new over the computer. If I am late at least on the return I know at least that my fee goes to the library.
"Pop" movies are there and better than ever DOCUMENTARIES
Of course I know I'm just lucky:
telnet://catalog.cincinnatilibrary.org/
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What moderator was so stupid as to mod the parent of this post as troll rather than realising that it was a response to the original post?!?!?