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Disc-Free Netflix Streaming Arrives For the PS3 and Wii
tkdog writes "Netflix has added Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii to the list of devices that can stream their catalog's content without the need for a disc. On the Netflix blog, VP Greg Peters adds, 'In addition to removing the need for discs, we've developed a new user interface on both applications that significantly improves the experience. The new applications will allow you to search for content directly from the device and you'll also be able to view an increasing portion of our content library with subtitles or alternate audio tracks.'"
What I love most about Netflix is the ability to watch movies online as well as have them send me DVDs in the mail.
But everything seems to play fine on my PS3. One thing that's awesome is that you can push and hold the left and right and scroll continuously through the lists. Also, it shows 2 horizontal lists instead of one list. Nothing wrong with it, but I'd prefer to be able to choose how it's displayed.
Give a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. But light a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
Canada has had this technology for weeks now!
God, I've always wanted to say that.
This is my signature. There are many signatures like it, but this one is mine.
Well, given I haven't updated my 3.15 PS3, but also have a 3.41 update firmware on my hard drive. And given all updates beyond 3.41 were more of ways to stamp out jailbreaks than actual features (well, there's the crippled 3D Blu-Ray support... but anyone with 3DTVs would probably want a better 3D Blu-Ray player that what the PS3 gives you).
This might be the only real reason to lose the jailbreak...
Anyhow, I wonder what Microsoft has to counter this - their Fall Update is due soon. They need to give Netflix out for free at the minimum, but the 5.1/1080p support is also required. Fun times.
Engadget is reporting that the disks will stop working after 31 days, however it's not clear if that's all disks or just those that downloaded the update.
Anyone know for sure for those of us that are holding out for OtherOS?
Summary is missing out the biggest benefits - 1080p streaming (not all, but I guess almost all HD movies will be 1080p now - from 720p of the disk days IIRC), and Dolby Surround 5.1 (compared to Stereo with the disk).
And from what I have read, there will be more content available now (compared to the disk), but of course not all. My guess is that they are adding content every day, but it's nowhere near their full movie library.
Losing the disk for the Wii is great, and the search function is something I've pined after for many an evening. However, Netflix has yet to address my biggest concern: Bandwidth usage.
I'd like it if I had more control over how much of my pipes Netflix gets to use. Yes, I know I can diddle my router/modem to fix this, but it needs to be in the interface. Y'see, I play multiplayer FPS games (mostly TF2) during my downtime, which is co-incidentally the same time other people in the house have downtime. They'll load up the Netflix streaming player on their laptops, and my latency will double for thirty seconds. Which wouldn't be so bad, if Netflix didn't continue to hog the entire pipe for three quarters of a second every five seconds after the main load to update its buffer. Mix in the weird lag compensation Valve uses for TF2 and the relatively high latency values I get on my favorite server, and trying to use any strategy but sentry-humping turtling becomes impossible.
Needless to say, this kinda ruins my entertainment. I've come a cease-fire agreement with the other parties in the house about usage periods and times, but the truce remains uneasy.
You should turn signatures off.
On the XBox 360 I'd simply take a client was a bit more stable. Heck, I'd probably even be willing to put in a disk. When I use the Netflix application, trying to fast forward or reverse more than a few seconds leads to probably about a 30% chance of being kicked out of the movie and back to the screen you were on when you selected it. What's more, it seems that most of the time this happens the software loses all record of where you were in the movie.
I'm shocked that the player could have such a basic usability problem on known (locked down) hardware used by so many people. Hardware, I might add, where you have to be signed up for an extra pay service (XBox Live gold) in addition to your Netflix subscription and Internet service just to be able to watch the streaming movies.
"You call it a new way of thinking; I call it regression to ignorance!" -- Operation Ivy
Sorry, it's still a piece of crap. It's better than the BD-Live disc implementation, but not by very much. The 360 interface is still much nicer and more usable IMHO. Of course it currently lacks 1080p/DD5.1 support, but the PS3 version doesn't tell you what movies have that anyway so it's not really that useful.
Low, which means it will actually hurt perceived resolution because it will be wasting bitrate on pixels that will be blurred in the next frame anyways. It's the same reason I always use joint stereo in LAME, why waste bitrate on stereo difference that the brain can't hear 99% of the time when it can go to improving the mid and high end resolution instead (does not apply to all encoders but I find the LAME JS psychoacustics to be quite good).
There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
The Xbox is getting it in the november update, if i remember the reviews correctly.
Netflix USA and Netflix Canada are two very different things, as far as content goes.
First, let me say that what Netflix is doing is really great. They offer their services on a lot of devices and their streaming-only service in Canada is only 8$CAD per month. I'm sure all the competition is scared of Netflix, especially the cables companies. I can't wait to see them try to lower our already-low monthly caps to try and stop Netflix from gaining ground. I even bet the CRTC will stay silent and do nothing when it happens.
Second, a quick comment about their use of SilverLight for their computer streaming. A lot of people switched to Mac to stop using Microsoft software. A non-Silverlight native program for Mac OS X would solve that problem. It doesn't have to be in a damn browser window. But since I own an iPod touch, a Wii and the new Apple TV, I still have plenty of choices for viewing Netflix, so that SilverLight problem is easy to go around. Not everyone has that many choices though, so the sooner they can drop SilverLight, the better. Linux users are completely left out for now.
Third, the major problem with Netflix Canada is the selection itself. I don't know if it's the CRTC, the Canadian television networks or some other legal thing but the choice of content is extremely limited. And when I say extremely, I'm not kidding.
How about current TV shows? Not only are these not available, but even the previous years:
- American Dad, Chuck, The Cleveland Show, Doctor Who (except the classic series), Eureka, Family Guy, Futurama, Robot Chicken, The Simpsons, South Park, Stargate Universe, V (original and new series), Warehouse 13.
Would I be happy with older TV shows? Sure, if the list was good enough.
- Better Off Ted, Cheers, Corner Gas, Seinfeld, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis are not available.
The only TV series I was happy to see in the list was Heroes. Too bad NBC cancelled it before we had a proper ending.
What about old movies? A quick search gave me these results:
- 12 Monkeys, Coneheads, Dark City, Dune, Gattaca, Lord of War, Lost in Space, Pitch Black, Shaun of the Dead are available
- Ace Ventura, Aliens, Army of Darkness, Blade Runner, Galaxy Quest, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Mars Attacks!, Men in Black, The Naked Gun, Office Space, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Predator, Soylent Green, Stargate, Terminator (except T2) and Spaceballs are not available.
So what is available, exactly? Not a lot. Forget recent box-office movies. If it's recent you most probably never even heard of it and if it's old it's really, really old. Go ahead, try to search your favorite movies and TV shows. You'll be disappointed.
As things are now, I cancelled my free one-month membership before it was even over. But as soon as Netflix Canada gets a half-decent selection, I'm restarting my membership.