Leaked Screenshots Show Netflix Downloads

Mike1024 writes "US DVDs-by-post company Netflix appears to be planning a service that will let users download movies over the internet. Hackingnetflix.com has some accidentally-revealed screenshots, and the Netflix jobs page includes a product manager position, saying "The Electronic Delivery Service (EDS) will augment Netflix's current DVD delivery model with high quality movies delivered to consumers' home TVs through the Internet, on a subscription basis". Apple's iTunes demonstrated many people are willing to live with some DRM and hardware/vendor lock-in."

Comments

Hopefully not overzealous

[jasonhamilton]

The problem with efforts like this is that they tend to be overzealous with the copyright efforts to make sure nothing is copied. Ultimately their efforts sabotage the product and no one buys.

What is interesting is that they are claiming internet downloads to be watched on TV - which is quite different than internet downloads to be watched on a computer.

That's a Lot Of Bits

[DanielMarkham]

Downloading movies seems like a lot of bits to push over the average consumer's pipe. Tie in a pre-constructed box for it (and who exactly wants to buy yet another home appliance when the computer will do?) and it sounds like an infrastructure mess.
I wonder if consumers will be happy waiting for hours while their movie is delivered? Especially if the Blockbuster is just around the corner. Of course, it beats going out, but at what price? Something about the business model just doesn't add up to me.

Night Of The Living Parrots

Re:That's a Lot Of Bits

[BioCS.Nerd]

I don't think there's a problem with bandwidth. What does your computer do all day with the bandwidth? Nothing. Most everyone has plenty of bandwidth to spare.

Especially if the Blockbuster is just around the corner. Of course, it beats going out, but at what price? Something about the business model just doesn't add up to me.

As another poster mentioned, Netflix is in cahoots with Tivo. As such, I'd expect TV and movie delivery over the 'net. I'm intrigued to see how they'll price it out. I'm not sure how much I'd be willing to pay to rent a show or movie via this mechanism. I would, however, be interested in purchasing movies and TV shows.

O/T Addendum: it just occurred to me that the Xscale processor would be more than able to handle video playback on a PSP-like device. Could this be further impetus for Apple's IBM -> Intel switch? i.e. a forth coming "Apple PSP", if you will, with ensuing iTMS service for movies/TV/games?

Re:That's a Lot Of Bits

[iainl]

For a full Dual-Layer disc (and I really can't remember the last time I saw a retail movie come on a single layer) it's 9Gb, not 4, so the numbers are even worse.

Besides, basic broadband packages in the UK usually have monthly download limits in the ~3Gb range. So it's not the 24-hour wait for the download, it's the 30-day wait until your ISP will let you have the next one.

Re:That's a Lot Of Bits

[stienman]

Using mpeg4 and supply barely broadcast quality (not even DVD quality, nevermind HDTV) means a typical 90 minute movie would run between 1/2 and 2 GB. At today's brodband speeds this will range from 40 minutes (500M @ 3Mbps) to 5 hours(2G @ 768Kbps).

The sweet spot will likely be right around 1.5Mbps broadband and under 1GB movie size. Delivery would take less time than watching the movie, and so you order the movie, let it buffer for 10-15 minutes while you pop popcorn, etc, then start streaming the movie.

Delivery isn't a concern as long as the bit rate of the movie is about half your download rate, and a 300Kbps bit rate is bearable, a 768Kbps stream is about what you expect for ok cable TV.

While they won't be delivering at great quality, they will be getting consumers by the ability to get content on demand, for low cost, with a huge selection. Even home theater buffs will use the service simply because it's more convenient than waiting for the disc in the mail or leaving the house to pick it up - especially if the local video store is out of copies. Further, it'll probably be similar to the current system, but limited somewhat since the mailing delay is not built in. Pay $17.99/mo to get 12 movies per month (about 3/week). You can only have up to three movies on your player at a time, and can watch them at any time until you fill the slot with another movie.

What would be really nice is if one could select the quality and trade off downlaod time for quality, as well as queuing up movies so they are available on the player at the time of release (new movies are released on tuesday - download starts at high quality monday afternoon and unlocks at midnight).

And if they get large enough to push at the movie studios they may even be able to get movies before video store release dates, and possibly simultaneous with theater release. But these are very unlikely, due to the huge video store market.

But the biggest change for NetFlix will be that they can (if they work out licensing correctly) get around the limitation of their current list system. Right now you won't necessarily get the movies you want in the order you prioritized them. With downloads there's no limit - you can get the movie you want, when you want it.

-Adam

Re:That's a Lot Of Bits

[Rude Turnip]

"That and they'd have 9000 copies of "Adam Sandler Acts Like A Total Fuckhead, And Women Still Spead Their Legs For Him" and one copy [MAYBE] of that obscure independent film I'd been looking for."

I've noticed that different Blockbusters will stock different titles based upon the neighborhood they're in. In my general area, there are three Blockbusters, one in each socioeconomic area: one in the upper class area, one in the middle class area and one in the lower class area. Having been to all three, it was very evident to me that the quality of selections slides downhill as you go down the economic ladder.

The "good" store has tons and tons of indie films, as well as all the popular and standard catalog titles. Large foreign, special interest and anime sections. Virtually all titles are DVD and widescreen-only. Only a small handful of VHS titles for much older and obscure films.

The "middle" store has a smaller selection of indie films. There are some foreign titles intermingled among the catalog stuff by genre (how it really should be, IMO). There is a greater emphasis on new release, pop culture titles and there are both widescreen (16:9) and full screen (4:3) DVDs. Most titles are on DVD only, but there is a visible amount of stuff on VHS still.

The "bottom" store has a significant focus on new release pop titles, with very little in the way of independent films. Good luck finding foreign films, regardless of quality or genre. Most of the older catalog titles are VHS, whereas the same titles are on DVD at the better stores.

The question is, does Blockbuster cater to the demands of the neighborhood they're in, or do they simply follow socioeconomic demographics (ie stereotypes) when they stock a store with videos?

BTW, the "middle" store recently shut its doors for good, which signals to me the widening gap between rich and poor in this country, but that's another discussion :)