Netflix Signs Deal With Disney-ABC

tekgoblin writes "Netflix announced today that they have brokered a deal with Disney-ABC to add their content to the Netflix library. The deal should add a substantial number of new TV shows and Movies to instant watch. The episodes will be added rather quickly to instant watch only 15 days after initial telecast."

Comments

Can't Wait

[citoxE]

Suite Life of Zack and Cody, here I come!

Wow surprising

[grapeape]

Thats kind of a huge deal if it includes streaming. Just yesterday there was an article about how Netflix was non-sustainable because its deals were not direct with the content providers but rather mostly 3rd party like Starz. Guess they are working to pre-emptively fix that issue.

Re:Wow surprising

[Anonymous Coward]

Streaming will make all the difference...

Re:Wow surprising

[omnibit]

Er what? I think you misread what the CEO was saying (assuming the article you don't cite mentions it). Netflix was saying that third-party content providers were not essential to its success. At the end of the day, Netflix has the subscriber base and the cash rolling in to negotiate with whomever they want. It doesn't matter if they go direct or via some third-party route.

At the end of the day, it's in the studios' or brokers' best interest to receive large slabs of money because content providers can double dip as much as they want. First the air it on TV (money), host it on their sites (more money), make it available to iTunes and other pay-per-view services (the dollars continue to flow), then sign up as many streaming services as those companies can afford (ooooh, they're getting richer) before releasing to DVD and syndication.

Direct or indirect - Netflix doesn't care because someone will agree to those handsome checks.

Re:Wow surprising

[afidel]

Yeah but Fox or CBS would have been much bigger wins since they have a significantly better lineups (personal opinion but backed by Nielson numbers).

Re:Wow surprising

[grapeape]

No actually you just assumed the wrong article. What I was referring to was this...

http://gawker.com/5471943/why-netflix-wont-be-the-hbo-of-the-21st-century

Several others have been posted recently as well, mainly pointing out that the current deals allowing streaming to piggyback on existing licensing will be mostly dried up by 2012 causing netflix to have to compete with the big boys like hbo and showtime on a more equal footing as far as costs go. The current deal with Starz for instance was signed for an amount that is barely more than what HBO pays for a handful of films from the major studios.

Re:Wow surprising

[Anonymous Coward]

Didn't you hear? The FCC (after doing so well with the public spectrum) has decided it's the decider of the internet, and as it asserts it's newly stolen authority, users will pay for netflix's bandwidth problems with brand spanking new data caps at $200 a month. You'll pay more for less because big corporations don't give a crap.

Re:Wow surprising

[Phoghat]

+1 insightful

Re:Wow surprising

[Anonymous Coward]

I 100% agree. This is very much like an outsourcing agreement between Netflix and the content providers. The content providers all have the cash to build their own content delivery system (the equivalent to keeping an in-house built and supported app) or they can add their content to Netflix service and not need to maintain a damn thing. Partnering with Netflix makes the most dollars and cents.

Re:Wow surprising

[gknoy]

On the other hand, there are a huge number of parents who might sign up if it means they can instant-queue the Little Mermaid or Aladdin or Bolt or Monsters Inc or Toy Story over and over again for their kids without worrying about scratching up a DVD.

The convenience factor is such that I'll use it even when I own the DVD, sometimes. Skipping menus and commercials and "don't steal this" BS is wonderful.

Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

15 days after air ?

Pfft

I can get them on torrents after 1 or 2 days

unless its the next day, I am still not interested.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[omnichad]

How does that matter? Well - that is, except for the biggest shows. If you just delay the start of your season by 15 days, you can have weekly episodes coming in. Are your shows really that important to yourself and the water cooler talk that goes with it?

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[h4rr4r]

Why do you care?
$7.99, no commercials, no lawsuits, no hunting through torrent sites or setting up rss downloaders.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Gothic_Walrus]

Believe it or not, some people prefer obtaining their content legally.

Or just don't want to risk getting sued, or in trouble with their ISP.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

You're missing the biggie: Streaming. You click 'play' and a moment later you're watching it, even to your cell phone or blu-ray player if you like.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[BradleyUffner]

15 days after air ?

Pfft

I can get them on torrents after 1 or 2 days

unless its the next day, I am still not interested.

One or 2 days? If you know the right sites you can get them 5 to 10 minutes after they air.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[h4rr4r]

Works on my blu-ray player(PS3) but due to netflix's relationship with MS not on my phone or computer.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

One or 2 days? If you know the right sites you can get them 5 to 10 minutes after they air.

If you know the right sites, you can get them BEFORE they air.

Why wait to see it when it's in the can already?

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

Why not on your computer?

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[camperdave]

It's not how soon after air you can get them, but how long after air. Torrents fail for unpopular content. Try fetching Quincy vs CSI Miami.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

That's the cue when you go to McDonalds for the wifi. You don't just work there... you live your second life there.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[bigstrat2003]

Right. Or you could wait a whole 15 fucking days, and not be a douchebag leeching off the work of artists.

I understand this complaint when it's a length of time spanning months or years, but two weeks is hardly unreasonable.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

Doesn't work on my computer either.

Not trying to put words in his mouth, but good chance it's because netflix chose a highly non-standard mechanism to deliver the video content. They could have chosen any number of platform independent technologies, but instead they chose a proprietary one that only works in a few kinds of environments.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

They definitely use some proprietary stuff, but what I was curious about was the 'deal with MS' he referred to. Netflix works just fine on my Mac and PC. The only 'MS agreement' I know about was the reason the Wii version of Netflix required a disc, and that expired a couple of months ago.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Rockoon]

My biggest objection to pirating movies/television is the toil of hunting around for it.

Hulu essentially delivers my subscriptions to me without me having to hunt for them.

The pirate alternative is to hit the torrent sites or (gasp) IRC and hunt down the latest episodes... then start downloading them with the hopes that the download will complete at some point convenient..

I subscribe to 8 or 9 shows on Hulu, so the pirate method is performing a hunt 8 or 9 times per week.. vs streaming immediately with hulu whenever I have some free time.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[nizo]

I recently bought a standard def roku box on ebay that I use to watch Netflix streaming through my tv capture card on linux; works like a charm!

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

Astraweb $10/month.
SickBeard

Hour long TV shows are done in under 10 minutes. So they're usually available to watch in XBMC in $endtime + 15.

No commercials, no lawsuits, no hunting sites, I guess sickbeard does technically count as a rss downloader, but setup is near trivial.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[JackieBrown]

He probably means them using silverlight

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[0100010001010011]

What's this "hunting" of which you speak?
SickBeard

Does Torrents & NZB files. I've NEVER had it miss a show. It aggregates like 6 different search providers so there is a lot of overlap.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

eztv.it

Sometimes it borks up, but generally the shows are up within a few hours, and certainly the next morning. Lists all the shows by episode, include back episodes.

There's RSS feeds to track specific seasons and download when the new torrent is put up.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[h4rr4r]

They lack a linux client, which means it does not work on my computer nor my phone.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[h4rr4r]

The MS deal I refer to was their choice of silverlight for non-tech reasons. It was chosen since the owner of netflix sits on the MS board.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anachragnome]

"He probably means them using silverlight"

I am sure he does.

I found myself in the same predicament--trust Microsoft and Silverlight(only god herself knows what MS is actually doing with it), or give up Netflix Instant View.

After a little rationalization, I came to the conclusion that Netflix itself could be trusted to make sure Microsoft wasn't jerking me around. So far, Netflix has been a relatively trustworthy company, IMHO. A decent product at a decent price and zero complaints from me. I can't say that about too many companies I have done business with.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[PopeRatzo]

Believe it or not, some people prefer obtaining their content legally.

And some people prefer not seeing Disney get a single thin dime of their money.

I'm a long-time Netflix subscriber, and this deal makes Netflix less attractive to me. I understand that it's not possible to be alive in the US in 2010 and not have a certain percentage of your income transfer directly to Disney, but I'm not really comfortable voluntarily giving them more.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[PopeRatzo]

and not be a douchebag leeching off the work of artists.

Ah, so it's a hostage situation. Disney is saying, "Pay us or the artists starve."

I don't negotiate with terrorists.

Anyway, we're not talking about artists, we're talking about Disney

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[PopeRatzo]

and not be a douchebag leeching off the work of artists.

So if I want to watch Pinocchio or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I should pay Disney for the artists sake? Even though "the artists" are all dead?

I've decided that 15 years is when public domain kicks in. I understand that's not the law, but that's as far as I'm willing to go.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[tompaulco]

Yeah, like the IP address of my DVR.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

You forget the /. mantra... "respecting creators wishes is stupid, unless the creation is code and it's under GPL".

Disney copyright usage... bad
GPL copyright usage... good
Download a pirated torrent... acceptable
Copy code from a GPL'd project... sacrilege

Most of the people here seem to be whiny bitches. The type who don't think twice about dropping $20 on drinks at happy-hour, but then claim that $10 is too much to 'buy' digital content through legitimate sites and further justify this by saying it's a moral decision because they're really buying a conditional license. As if the money they spent on alcohol somehow purchased a permanent high simply because the original good was a physical object...

Though slowly, the entertainment industry has been ticking off the check-list of old justifications for piracy. The only thing that will never go away is payment of some sort. For that reason alone, piracy will always remain and the kiddies will keep thinking up excuses.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[zach_the_lizard]

You could also get a box that just does Netflix; take a look at the offerings from Roku. I've been pretty happy with that myself. I kind of have to be; with Linux on my desktop, that's about all I get. Plus, there's no need to train your wife/girlfriend/friends/kids/etc. on how to use it; it is pretty much self explanatory.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[zach_the_lizard]

It is kind of sad, isn't it. Our grandparents paid to watch the old Disney movies when they first came out, and maybe bought them on tape. Our parents bought them on tape, and maybe even got them again on DVD. Now, to access the same WW2 and 50s era content (e.g. Bambi, Cinderella, Snow White), we have to pay (directly or indirectly) to stream it.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[zach_the_lizard]

Snow White even came out in the 30s; my grandparents weren't even *alive* at that point in time! Not only are the artists probably all dead, but the management is probably dead as well.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[hedwards]

Yes, but 2 weeks isn't a particularly compelling argument for going legal. Personally, it doesn't bother me, but the studios when they engage in this sort of thing aren't doing themselves any favors. It's far too common for material to be available prior to the release. For things like Lost and the Sopranos when they were still on, not seeing it the same day pretty much assured that you would have it spoiled before you got to watch it.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[PopeRatzo]

Try fetching Quincy vs CSI Miami.

I'd sooner drink lye.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[The End Of Days]

Oh well, when you make your choices based on ideology, sometimes you lose.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[hal2814]

I can watch ABC and ABC Family shows the day after the original airing on Hulu. Why a different model with Netflix?

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

Hulu has an advertising model that Netflix doesn't have.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

Ah so you don't want Disney to get your money, you just want to watch the work they produce... now I get it. You're mentally 14.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

Works on my blu-ray player(PS3) but due to netflix's relationship with MS not on my phone or computer.

Uhhh... sorry, but MS has nothing to do with your phone or computer not getting Netflix streaming. Talk to your platform vendors who don't provide a secure channel for Netflix content (and I assume you're on Linux/Android).

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[slugicide]

GNU/Linux?

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

It was likely chosen because it allows them to tell the content producers that users can't save the streams. No matter what Netflix's preference might have been, if they'd chosen HTML5 or flash as the delivery mechanism, content producers could have said no to streaming their content.

The open source community may look at Silverlight as something to be wary about, but in the corporate world Windows Media has a good track record of delivering on what it promises, so I'd be surprised if Microsoft's reputation with content producers wasn't a major factor in the decision.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Opportunist]

No, but do you want to end your social life just to avoid "oh, have you seen $show yesterday, who would have thought that $surprising_twist"?

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[AvitarX]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PlaysForSure

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[AvitarX]

Um, owning devices that it won't stream to is hardly ideology.

Also, G5 Macs are still viable(ish), and not supported too.

I know I'm disappointed by the situation as it won't stream to my HTPC, but I do have a Wii, so it's not so bad.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[AvitarX]

And if you like streaming, Megavideo is a good source too.

It's like hulu, but more like hulu when it started and had full seasons, but even more shows.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[westlake]

Believe it or not, some people prefer obtaining their content legally. Or just don't want to risk getting sued, or in trouble with their ISP.

The Netflix client is built into your HDTV, DVD and Blu-Ray player, your video game console. You don't need to nurse a P2P download. You don't need to maintain a media server. You don't need the amateur's DVD rip.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[PopeRatzo]

Snow White even came out in the 30s; my grandparents weren't even *alive* at that point in time! Not only are the artists probably all dead, but the management is probably dead as well.

And yet, we're expected to pay "for the artists sake".

That should be a hint that the whole setup is bogus.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[drinkypoo]

There are x86-based, linux-based systems that can show Netflix, yet there is no netflix for Linux, that is bullshit.

If you can name a box that does netflix that doesn't have a minuscule amount of cache so that any time you have internet congestion and have to buffer you don't have to do it every minute and thirty seconds, I'm interested.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[kevorkian]

Where are you getting this information ?? There is NOTHING in the article that states it will be ad free.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[OldeTimeGeek]

Not that past history is gives an exact indication of the future, but Netflix doesn't show commercials in its streaming content now...

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[c0d3g33k]

Most of the Linux-based appliances that can stream Netflix do so because they contain hardware based DRM support (Western Digital Live Plus contains a Sigma 8654 chip, for example.) Most desktop hardware running Linux has no such support, hence no Netflix. Most Linux users wouldn't tolerate software-based DRM either, so again no Netflix. An unpleasant reality, for sure, but wrong-headed or not, the content owners require it. Not that Netflix is exactly being arm-twisted into requiring DRM, since they don't support DRM-free streaming even when the content owners request it: http://boingboing.net/2010/04/25/nina-paley-passes-ne.html

Personally I can live with this for now, because at least I can buy reasonably priced hardware (probably in part because they contain Linux rather than a more expensive proprietary OS) that does what I (and more importantly my family) want - stream Netflix to my TV. I don't really watch video on my computers much, so I don't miss the lack of streaming content from the web. For those that don't mind, there's always the option of running a Windows instance in a VM which streams Netflix just fine, so I hear.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[c0d3g33k]

As a Netflix subscriber, I will state that ALL their streaming content is ad-free. It's not a great leap to conclude that new content will also be. That's where people are getting this information.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[kevorkian]

The point is that with everyone else throwing in ad's. I would think that "ad free" would be right in BOLD and blinking ... if it were indeed true.

This is disney remember, the ones that have so many ads on dvds that they needed to give you a "quick play" button on discs so that you only have to watch half of the ad's ..

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[kevorkian]

Correct , it may not be a great leap to 'asume' .. But as I asked .. Where is the comment from anyone @ netflix about it being ad free ??

Perhaps it is just the netflix point of view , and ad free can be safely assumed ( I hope ).. But this is disney.

Have you watched any Disney dvds lately ??

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

You really are an asshole, aren't you? Only an asshole assumes a choice is made purely on ideology.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Missing.Matter]

"oh, have you seen $show yesterday, who would have thought that $surprising_twist"?

Speaking of ending your social life...

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[c0d3g33k]

Have you watched any Disney dvds lately ??

No, I ran out of time before the 30 minutes of unskippable trailers finished playing. :-)

Correct , it may not be a great leap to 'assume' .. But as I asked .. Where is the comment from anyone @ netflix about it being ad free ??

Perhaps it is just the netflix point of view , and ad free can be safely assumed ( I hope ).

I don't think they need to feel obligated to comment about it unless it represents a change in current policy, regardless of the history of an unaffiliated company. Unless they are stupid, ads won't appear because to be honest, that is a big part of the appeal of Netflix streaming. Whenever they do start forcing ads on people, it will be a big f'ing deal and they will lose a lot of subscribers. I'm not sure they are ready to take that step and I'm pretty sure they are smart enough to know it would have a huge impact.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[h4rr4r]

What ideology?
Is it ideology to prefer one thing over the other?

My car will not go 200mph, is it ideology that I prefer cheaper and safer cars?

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[h4rr4r]

Then why does everyone else use flash?
Hulu plays TV and movies and gets away with it, so does crackle and abc.com, fox.com, the list goes on and on.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[Anonymous Coward]

To your isp, it's all bitstreams. If you go over your bandwidth cap, they don't care if its because of streaming netflix, downloading windows isos, or posting 250 gigs of youtube comments. It's all bits.

Re:Pffft *dismissive hand wave*

[kevorkian]

I sure do hope that is the case. I also hope that someone from netflix will respond to the fears. from the look of the official announcement thread , there os more then one comment about possible addition of ad's ..

15 days is quickly?

[Yossarian45793]

15 days after initial telecast doesn't seem that "quickly" to me when they're competing against the Scene which releases new episodes within a few hours of initial telecast -- sometimes even 15 minutes after. If they're asking for money they better think about same day releases.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[vux984]

Why exactly do I care to get a scene download when I can get a legit download a couple weeks later?

Re:15 days is quickly?

[Sonny Yatsen]

I agree with your general sentiment, but you aren't getting a legit download. You're getting a legit stream.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[vux984]

Fair point. But for a TV show (and most movies for that matter), the odds I care to watch it twice are pretty low. And I can always stream it again.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[moonbender]

Might not be a factor for you, but it is for many people. This is why the DRM of a game is already somewhat of a success if it keeps the pirates (arr) at bay for even a couple of days or a week: many people want to play the game on day 1, and if they can afford it they will pay for the privilege even if they wouldn't, otherwise. Or so the theory goes. I think the same applies to TV series, particularly the popular, water-cooler-talk ones.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[timeOday]

But look at what netflix is charging (even after their recent rate increase) - $7.99 for the streaming-only plan. Isn't Apple's service $1 for every single episode? (They're going to get blown away unless the reconsider that.)

$7.99 is the same price as Hulu plus, which doesn't have any movies and still has commercials.

Come to think of it, I bet Netflix will introduce ads with this deal... I sure hope not, but I have a bad feeling. It's Disney after all. They make you watch ads at the start of DVD's, for pete's sake.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[h4rr4r]

If they do any advertising I will cancel and let them know why.

I will go to blockbuster or redbox. Any advertising would make the streaming dead to me.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[aztracker1]

Honestly, I have a few shows I watch the night of, or next night.. wouldn't take much to get used to watching a couple weeks out... Though sometimes discovering a series that's been on a while, and catching up on a few seasons is really nice.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[LoverOfJoy]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is "the Scene"? I did a google search but I guess scene is too generic to narrow it down to what you're talking about.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[tompaulco]

Goes to show how we see what our mind expects to see. When I first read the article, I thought it said 15 minutes, and that made perfect sense to me. I even thought it was kind of fast, as I figured that licensing would make them wait an hour or two. But then when someone said 15 days is not that fast, I almost replied and told him "no, it's 15 minutes you idiot." Luckily I reread the summary before making a fool of myself. But having done that now...15 days? Really? It's available on my DVR practically without commercials 10 minutes into the program, 20 for an hour episode.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[tompaulco]

Come to think of it, I bet Netflix will introduce ads with this deal.
Of course they will. It's Disney. The shows themselves ARE commercials, for the videos, appearances, concerts, movies, etc. of the talentless hacks in the programs.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[bemymonkey]

Watch it again? I'd say streaming is about watching it once, just not on TV, but on a device of your choosing - and being able to do that immediately is just essential these days...

Re:15 days is quickly?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's the ad-hoc group who rip re-encode and release TV shows on usenet. (I think)

Re:15 days is quickly?

[GNious]

Is probably to replicate that "Disney Staleness" that is visible when watching Disney channels and I which also experienced at a Disney Hotel last summer - how they'll replicate the food-poisoning, I'm not sure though.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[An ominous Cow art]

I'm with you, for what it's worth.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[Z1NG]

15 days? Really? It's available on my DVR practically without commercials 10 minutes into the program, 20 for an hour episode.

Right, so don't use it for shows that you can save on your DVR. Use it for movies, or shows you don't have access too.
I have a basic cable package that is practically just a replacment for an antennae and no DVR. I'm used to waiting a year for the season box set of a tv show to come out so I can watch it in a few sittings. So 15 days (while slow), is certainly less than I'm willing to wait. Sure hulu offers stuff sooner, but it doesn't offer nearly the same selection as netflix.
Yeah, if you have access to the material quicker through a different venue - use it. For people like me, Netflix is pretty great.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[bill_mcgonigle]

15 days after initial telecast doesn't seem that "quickly" to me when they're competing against the Scene which releases new episodes within a few hours of initial telecast -- sometimes even 15 minutes after. If they're asking for money they better think about same day releases.

Different audience. People are regularly DVR'ing shows and watching them two weeks later - it's fine for a large subset of the viewership. If somebody has to talk about the new episode of whatever at the office the next day, those people can both get a life and pay for cable.

Re:15 days is quickly?

[Anonymous Coward]

Because a couple of weeks is a lot of time to have a show spoiled for you.

Additionally, as another commenter pointed out, these are streams and not downloads. It's not just a mattter of re-watching, since you could re-stream just as easily, but its the fact that with a scene download you can download a couple hours of tv before traveling and have something to watch on your laptop.

Or if you live somewhere with awful latency and packet loss, like on a microwave tower connection like my parents have.. Netflix streaming would be out of the question since it would break up all the time. Bulk downloading is a different story, since you can resume it and it doesnt matter if a few packets drop for a minute or two.

You also are stuck with whatever netflix currently has on instant queue. I don't know how much they rotate their TV shows, but I know a lot of movies go off of instant queue all the time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad there are legit streams. It helps get me a .WEB-DL. release sooner.

Hmm

[Quiet_Desperation]

How about all those cool Disney Afternoon series? Duck Tales. That Jungle Book one. Darkwing Duck.

Dan Casltellana was a better Genie, IMHO.

I'm old. :-(

Re:Hmm

[Xaedalus]

I wish they'd open up the Disney vault for those shows. Darkwing Duck HELLZ YEAH!!!!! As for Duck Tales, bring that back, PLUS Duck Tales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (one of the most criminally underappreciated Disney movies EVER-waaay ahead of its time)

Re:Hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Duck Tales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp is available on DVD, sort of. This blog post explains what the deal is with it.

http://technohat.blogspot.com/2010/10/ducktales-movie-treasure-of-lost-lamp.html

Re:Hmm

[Quiet_Desperation]

And while we are wishing, I'd like seasons 1-4 of Reboot in a Criterion boxed set.

Re:Hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Tail Spin

Re:Hmm

[Xaedalus]

Dear FSM in heaven, whomever you are, may you be blessed with abundant Karma, you have just saved my ass this Christmas!!! Duck Tales the DVD is out and I'm snagging TWO copies!!!

15 Days?

[webdog314]

Forgive my ignorance, but why the delay? Is this "punishment" for not viewing it when it's broadcast? I mean, why wait more than 24 hours? If you are that much of a fan of a show, you're going to watch it when it airs, yes? And if you already have NetFlix, then offering it more quickly would just increase your chances of acquiring new viewers that might turn into fans who might just watch it when it airs. If you are already a fan, then it's just gravy in case you miss an episode. So where is the advantage to waiting?

Re:15 Days?

[phyrexianshaw.ca]

Though I am a fan of a number of TV shows,

I do not have a TV, or cable of any sort in my home.

being that I currently spend months waiting for the shows to come to DVD, this is a LOT better than nothing.

Re:15 Days?

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

Forgive my ignorance, but why the delay? Is this "punishment" for not viewing it when it's broadcast?

No. It's so Disney continues to make money from advertisers. If the show turns up 24 hours later on Netflix commercial free, then there's little incentive for somebody to purchase advertising time during its broadcast.

Re:15 Days?

[omnichad]

This wouldn't matter so much for Disney, but I assume that it's exactly that - punishment for not viewing when broadcast. I'm sure the content deal with Netflix brings in less money that same-day broadcast advertising sales.
 
For myself, there were just too many shows that started this fall, and half of them may be crap. I'm following half of that half weekly right now. When they're on break, I'll go back and catch up on the rest. Would be a whole lot easier if those were just all on Netflix. And if you wait, you just get to watch them all together as a continuous story - which can be nice.
 
I look at shows and follow the news to decide what's worth my time - I don't just sit and stare at the TV and hope something interesting comes on. Don't have enough time for that.

Re:15 Days?

[Anonymous Coward]

Pretty much. If it's delayed only 24 hours, then people will have an incentive not to watch the broadcast (and COMMERCIALS). That would canabalize their broadcast income.

Re:15 Days?

[alkad]

Forgive my ignorance, but why the delay? Is this "punishment" for not viewing it when it's broadcast? I mean, why wait more than 24 hours? If you are that much of a fan of a show, you're going to watch it when it airs, yes? And if you already have NetFlix, then offering it more quickly would just increase your chances of acquiring new viewers that might turn into fans who might just watch it when it airs. If you are already a fan, then it's just gravy in case you miss an episode. So where is the advantage to waiting?

Probably because they don't want Netflix to become a substitute for regular broadcast TV. If episodes were available on Netflix the day after they aired, why would I ever bother to watch the show live? Easier to do it on my own time and avoid ads. Ideally, these companies would rather you watch all their shows live, not on Netflix at some indeterminate point in the future. The 15 day waiting period is a compromise that lets Netflix subscribers view old shows and ones they've missed, but doesn't cut into the viewers who are wiling to work their schedules around live TV. It isn't "punishment" as much as they are trying to increase the total number of viewers without cannibalizing the broadcast TV market that they've leaned on for 50 years.

Re:15 Days?

[spazdor]

It's so they can continue to sell their content to "first-run" network broadcasters at an artificially high price, while doing a halfhearted bare minimum to be able to claim that they're playing nice with online distributors and trying to give their geeky customers an alternative to piracy.

Re:15 Days?

[Anonymous Coward]

The problem with this thinking is if someone misses an episode. Fox had a similar system with some of their shows for a while and the result was that once I had missed one episode, I stopped watching the broadcast for the rest of the season since I wanted the watch the previous episode before watching the next one. By providing it online 5-6 days later, people can catch up last weeks episode and still watch the broadcast for the current week.

Re:15 Days?

[dAzED1]

I don't have cable (like another commenter) but I do have a TV. It has a PS3 attached to it, and the PS3 has Netflix. I don't sit around talking about my favorite TV shows with people, so if I watch it a painful 15 days later - I won't care - especially since I only pop in to netflix every couple weeks anyway, when I've nothing else to do.
But then, I don't watch things like "Glee" or whatever it is people sit around talking about at the proverbial water cooler anyway.

Re:15 Days?

[c_jonescc]

It might have something to do with how long the average show sits on a Tivo, and how much ad value they feel there is for a show on Tivo vs. on Netflix.

I know everyone fast forwards through commercials with DVRs, but even seeing the existence must have more impact than not having them at all.

So, if people cycle through what's saved on their DVRs every two weeks on average, they make more in ad revenue if they delay the release beyond that window.

Re:15 Days?

[mattack2]

If you are that much of a fan of a show, you're going to watch it when it airs, yes?

No, not necessarily. In fact, there have been cases where I have deleted my Tivoed recordings of a show that I liked _more_ because I knew it was more popular and would get on DVD eventually.. That was to make room for something else. Even for shows I like a lot, I often bank up MANY episodes and then watch them later. (Heck, I'm on 2007 episodes of Cold Case.) If more of the Netflix shows had captions (especially useful when watching while walking on a treadmill), I'd probably nuke some of my Tivo recordings and use the netflix streams instead.

Re:15 Days?

[Galestar]

So how about Netflix with commercials that you can get as soon as the show is aired?
If I miss an episode in a season, I will have to stop watching the television broadcast altogether, and start just watching Netflix (or, since neither of those solutions is optimal, pirate it)

Re:15 Days?

[colinnwn]

This has exactly happened to me watching Fringe and Glee. I've quit watching Fringe on air day, and been catching back up using (supposely less lucrative ad rates) Hulu. Glee I may watch a couple from the beginning on iTunes, but for most I'll probably wait until Netflix has on DVD.

Re:15 Days?

[Anonymous Coward]

"The problem with this thinking is if someone misses an episode."

If you miss an episode you miss the advertising. They do not care otherwise.

Re:15 Days?

[KhabaLox]

No. It's so Disney continues to make money from advertisers.

The kid's Disney channel (with MM Clubhouse, etc.) doesn't show commercials except between the shows.

Re:15 Days?

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

We're not talking about the Disney channel. Quoth the article:

Prior season episodes of current ABC hit series “Grey’s Anatomy,” ”Desperate Housewives” and, for the first time on Netflix, “Brothers & Sisters,” all of which are among the network’s most successful and popular TV franchises in recent years.
Every episode of recent ABC favorites “Lost” and “Ugly Betty,” the latter making its streaming debut at Netflix.
Each season of several hit series from ABC Studios, including “Scrubs” and “Reaper,” which are both new additions to Netflix.
A host of content from the Disney Channel, including the hits “Phineas and Ferb” and “Good Luck Charlie,” which are also new to Netflix; updated and expanded offerings of “The Suite Life on Deck” and “Wizards of Waverly Place;” and library offerings from the smash hits “Hannah Montana” and “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.”
A wide range of content from ABC Family, marking the introduction of ABC Family content streaming from Netflix. Included are the hit series “Greek,” “Make It or Break It,” “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and “Melissa & Joey.”

Re:15 Days?

[KhabaLox]

We're not talking about the Disney channel. Quoth the article:

A host of content from the Disney Channel, including the hits “Phineas and Ferb” and “Good Luck Charlie,” which are also new to Netflix;

We aren't? ;)

Re:15 Days?

[badboy_tw2002]

I don't think they care about you watching live so much as they care about the ratings for advertisers. I'm guessing they have all the data for Hulu, but maybe the ads aren't as lucrative?

Re:15 Days?

[h4rr4r]

No, then I will cancel.

Any commercials will lead to commercials in all programs.

Re:15 Days?

[repetty]

Written to by read aloud by Captain Kirk?

Re:15 Days?

[hedwards]

That can lead to awkwardness at times. I remember at a former job having somebody from the real NCIS show up and it was kind of awkward when I had to admit that I had no idea why anybody would comment on TV programming as a result.

Re:15 Days?

[bogjobber]

This will happen eventually I imagine, but right now ABC has to focus mainly on supporting their affiliates. That's where the majority of their revenue comes from. If they allowed Netflix to air shows 24 hours after the broadcast the affiliates would feel that they are being undercut.

Re:15 Days?

[mcfedr]

don't people pay to watch on netflix? so on the one hand they might get money from ads, and people get a poor viewing experience, the other people watch what they want, when they want, ad free, and disney gets garrenteed money for every watch

Re:15 Days?

[Anonymous Coward]

Try zero day torrents. It's better than nothing, too :)

Re:15 Days?

[base3]

I doubt Netflix will remain commercial-free. Both cable TV and satellite radio started out initially with reduced commercial interruption as part of the justification for their cost to the end customer relative to the free OTA broadcasts. Once OTA is pretty much dead, Netflix and the like won't be able to resist double dipping and there won't be a thing (aside from casual piracy, which in the US the DOJ is turning the screws on--next target, premium Usenet) the Kettles can do about it except fork over and shut up.

Re:15 Days?

[whoop]

What I don't understand, is if you miss an episode, they want nothing to do with you from here on out? Hulu has a similar delay, around eight days. So, if I miss one episode, I may as well give up on watching the show with advertisements for the rest of the year? Put it up in a day, and I don't mind Hulu's shorter commercials, and you can have the viewer ready to watch it broadcast the next week.

Re:15 Days?

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

Disney's only paid one time, at least that's what I gathered from a recent story about how much Netflix pays for shows.

Re:15 Days?

[orient]

Why the delay? In Canada, for instance, Supernatural was broadcasted by Space 7 or 8 days after being aired by CW.

Re:15 Days?

[Anonymous Coward]

I think this would be ideal if the commercials are only forced within the first 15 days after TV airetime. After 15 days, the show should go back to commercial free like everything else Netflix streams.

Re:15 Days?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's very true. Ideally they should open it to release within a week (or at least before the next episode airs).
On the other hand, Netflix with commercials is a slippery slope...probably better off the way it is now so they don't go the Hulu Plus route with commercials AND fees.

Finally, I can watch Tron again

[Anonymous Coward]

... hopefully before Legacy comes out next week? (I know I could get it from RedBox or Blockbuster, but that defeats the purpose of having Netflix)

Canada?

[Guspaz]

What territories did Netflix get these rights? Because I doubt that we'll ever see any of this on netflix.ca.

Re:Canada?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm a netflix.ca paid subscriber as well; I'm already p/o'd that we don't get any of the star trek content that's on netflix.com.

Re:Canada?

[h4rr4r]

Don't feel too bad no one gets STTNG anyway.

Re:Canada?

[Dave114]

Well, I'm seeing the press release listed in the Media Centre section of the Netflix.ca website. Not sure if that means anything or not. Has Netflix in the past limited the release of media announcements regarding US-only stuff to their US website or have they always cross-posted to netflix.ca?

Guess I'll have to wait and find out.

Re:Canada?

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder if it's something you could work around using a US proxy? I'm not sure... maybe not, if they also key it on your physical address. But if it's just an IP->geo map, you might be able to do it.

Re:Canada?

[camperdave]

...we don't get any of the star trek content that's on netflix.com

I was considering netflix, but if such content isn't there, no dice.

I just checked the site: None of the recent Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, V, Starlost, Space 1999, Hogan's Heroes, Gilligan's Island, Get Smart, Stargate, Bewitched (Well, they've got the movie, but not the series), Farscape, Breaking Bad, Junkyard Wars, Lost, Survivorman, Joan of Arcadia, Corner Gas...

Pretty pathetic.

Re:Canada?

[h4rr4r]

Proxies work, but you might also need a US address and credit card.

Re:Canada?

[Five Bucks!]

The licensing of content in Canada is more difficult, from what I have read. But even if this content is only for the US, surely there must be some amount of leveraging they can do to persuade whatever Canadian rights holder that keeps this content.

"Brokered" doesn't mean what you think it means...

[Anonymous Coward]

If there is no third party, then Netflix has in no way "brokered" a deal with Disney/ABC Please use this word properly in future.

I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[nebaz]

Having never seen Lost, it was in my instant queue for a while, untill one day it just became "unavailable". According to Netflix's FAQ page, some titles may become available/unavailable based on deals provided by the content providers. Lost will be available again (I think tomorrow), possibly due to this deal. On the other hand, some DVD items that I have wanted to watch have also become unavailable, and will probably remain so for the near future. Specifically out-of-print anime items that I am looking for. It is too bad, because I don't think some of those items will ever be available on streaming. Netflix is transitioning more toward a streaming company, but I hope they don't neglect their dvd market as well. I don't like being subject to the whims of the content provider in terms of streaming availability.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, you didn't miss anything. -1 Troll for LOST hating, but come ON people, it was the most pointless show.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[h4rr4r]

As part of this deal do not be surprised to see out of print disney stuff disappear from dvd as well.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[Adriax]

Oye, the Vault... Worst part about working the music shop in disneyland, having to explain to people why the best movies were not being sold anymore. Hell, we got all our info on vault locked titles not from corp HQ or anything official, we used a 3-ring binder filled with printouts from ultimatedisney.com

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[h4rr4r]

This is one of those things that makes me want copyright to be maybe 14 years max and surely void if you ever refuse to sell the material.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[hazem]

I've seen stuff disappear out of my "Instant queue" as well. In fact, I was just starting to watch Farscape for the first time and after only seeing 3 episodes, it was removed.

However, I think even with the stuff that's removed from their streaming service, it's still mostly available via DVD. While you can get the unlimited streaming service for I think $8.00, if you go up to $10/month, you can get unlimited streaming and 1 DVD at a time. You may be able to get those out-of-print programs that way (if they have them on DVD).

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[nebaz]

I do use the dvd service, quite often. The problem I have is that Netflix does not seem to be restocking their less popular DVD's, and since DVD's wear out after being mailed around and seen by so many people, inevitably some items will be unavailable. (Disk 1 of a series was unavailable but 2-6 were there. That's kind of tough to get around). I had just hoped streaming would not have that problem, since there is no disk to scratch, yet these items become unavailable because of contract stipulations, resulting in artificial scarcity. I just hope that since Netflix seems to be focusing more on streaming, that they don't ignore the DVD's that they already have and restock the "out of print" items more than they do.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[timeOday]

Netflix is transitioning more toward a streaming company, but I hope they don't neglect their dvd market as well.

I have noticed Netflix has fewer and fewer of the DVD's I want to watch; I have more in Saved than in my Queue. Am I the only one, or is netflix slowing down on DVDs?

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[the eric conspiracy]

This is why I prefer physical media. Streaming as a trap and I am sure the studios love pushing back towards subscriptions. The next step will be Netflix going to pay per view.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[npsimons]

I have noticed Netflix has fewer and fewer of the DVD's I want to watch; I have more in Saved than in my Queue. Am I the only one, or is netflix slowing down on DVDs?

You're not the only one; I've had several DVDs moved to my saved section, after being in my queue for years (I filled up my queue rather quick, then let it sit for a while; what can I say, I've been busy). For me, I currently don't have the bandwidth to stream, so I hope they don't neglect their DVD side.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[h4rr4r]

I do not think the customer base would go for that. The studios can only sell what folks will buy.

Either way, enjoy it while it lasts.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[maxume]

It's only a trap if it costs the same, if it costs 1/20 as much (an argument that could probably be made for Netflix), it doesn't have to provide the same value as the physical good in order to be worth it for many people.

If you mean that you think streaming leads to a world where people have no other choices, I don't think the demand for entertainments is really that inelastic (that is, at some point people really would start reading books or playing stickball rather than forking over for streamed video).

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[timeOday]

I upgraded to a faster Internet plan specifically to increase the quality of streaming and am very happy with the picture quality.

However, a big part of the reason I signed up for Netflix was to copy shows onto the iPod my wife and I use at the gym. DVDs can be copied to it, but watch instantly shows cannot.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[zach_the_lizard]

It's available now--I just checked. Not only that, but it's in HD.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[zach_the_lizard]

If the content can be seen, there is a way to back it up. You could make your own physical media from the streams if you need it.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[zach_the_lizard]

What about this: Get a Roku box, and use the composite out to a capture card. Record that input, and you're good to go. HDMI may work, but I'm not up on what sorts of encryption it may or may not have.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[hedwards]

Admittedly, I've never seen lost, not even one episode, but it can't possibly be more pointless than a lot of that reality programming crap. Especially the ones where they follow around some rich folks doing stupid things. Or the ones where they make fun of hicks for not knowing about birth control and tubal ligation.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[hedwards]

I'm a little bit surpised that they don't have a deal worked out where they can just buy the discs they need from the owner.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[timeOday]

Ah yes, the "analog loophole." I do have lots of NTSC hardware, including a hardware MPEG2 encoder, but for now it's less work to copy 4 episodes at a time from DVD. The quality is also much better from a dvd copy of course, although that hardly matters for treadmill viewing.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[Five Bucks!]

Unlimited streaming is on of the reasons it's successful in Canada.

Cable has offered pay-per-view for years but there is little to no uptake amongst my friends and family. But plenty of friends and family have Netflix. I think ppv would be a big step backwards... I certainly would cancel!

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[ideonexus]

Agreed. I've been wanting to see "The Red Machine" for months now because Roger Ebert gave it four stars and its about the Japanese enigma machine, but Netflix doesn't even seem to know the movie exists so it doesn't even show up in their search results.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[c0d3g33k]

You are right to a degree in that some poor 'reality' programs such as the kind you mention are just as pointless as LOST. I consider many reality shows, particularly those that are contest oriented to be superior to LOST because they actually reach a satisfying conclusion, and the build up to said conclusion is actually relevant and makes sense.

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[suutar]

That assumes the owner is still pressing disks...

Re:I've become somewhat wary of streaming...

[hazem]

I wonder if they could get into agreements where they could make new copies of disks for cases like this. Then when an unavailable disk is damaged beyond use, they could replace it themselves; maybe paying a fee to the owner. That would ensure that they don't lose disks that are part of a series of disks.

Wholly owned subsidiary

[tepples]

As I imagine it, the third party is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, probably with "Buena Vista" in its corporate name. Such use of wholly owned subsidiaries is a common tactic in Hollywood accounting.

And around the world...

[Rooked_One]

the cry of netflix users is hear. I would hate to see disney policy in ANY way change netflix one bit.

Re:And around the world...

[Anonymous Coward]

Unless Disney/ABC also agreed to give Netflix more freaking Twin Peaks Season 1, Disc 1 DVDs. I think it's a conspiracy.

This is new?

[93 Escort Wagon]

I know the summary (and linked article) both mention "TV shows and movies" - but didn't Netflix already have an agreement with Disney regarding getting their movies quickly?

Re:This is new?

[KhabaLox]

None of the Toy Stories are available streaming, though Bolt and Up are.

Re:This is new?

[PRMan]

I believe that Bolt and Up are through Starz...

Step in the right direction...ish..

[grasshoppa]

I mean, besides Disney and all that.

I have netflix, and love the streaming capabilities. That said, it seems their streaming content is getting less rather than more. I had several titles in my queue that I was watching that are no longer available for streaming.

On top of that, none of what I want to watch seems to be available for streaming.

Re:Step in the right direction...ish..

[Xtifr]

That said, it seems their streaming content is getting less rather than more. I had several titles in my queue that I was watching that are no longer available for streaming.

Um, they add and remove titles all the time. To conclude that it's "getting less rather than more", you would have to show that the number they remove each month exceeds the number they add, which does not match what I see. In fact, I frequently have movies that were in my DVD queue magically appear in my streaming queue (which is nice of them to do).

On top of that, none of what I want to watch seems to be available for streaming.

That sounds like a personal problem. I'm sorry your tastes are so limited. :p

I actually felt a little like that at first, but I've become very pleased with the opportunity and encouragement to explore all the interesting indie and foreign films they offer, and have actually ended up enjoying that more than when my movie-watching time was spent on whatever new Hollywood Blockboiler had the advertising budget to make me interested.

Re:Step in the right direction...ish..

[Combatso]

For the sake of disclosure I have only had Netflix (.ca) for a few days now... and im generally pleased so far... but I can understand the point he is making in regards to removing content.. There are a few series I have never seen, as I don't subscribe to any TV service beyond basic network channels. The problem I forsee (but have nto yet experienced) is getting half way through a series, and suddenly the remaining episodes dissapear... This would be especially annoying on a dramatic serial where episodes end in a cliff-hanger.. Should this happen the only recourse I would take would be to immediately hit my friendly torrent site.. I would never buy a DVD set in this scenario, as in my mind, my money was alreaady spent to watch the show.. This could be a problem for me, as I don't watch 'marathon style', I'll watch one or two episodes a week.. so a 7 season show could take me a year or more to watch..

Re:Step in the right direction...ish..

[Xtifr]

If something disappears from streaming, you should still be able to get the DVDs sent so you can finish watching. It's no worse than the case where you finish streaming the last episode of season 3, and then discover that season 4 is DVD-only (Farscape is an example of this).

Anyway, my main point was that the streaming content is not decreasing. Yes, the items disappearing from the streaming catalog is annoying and stupid (and I'm sure Netflix is not doing it willingly), but that's a separate matter.

Re:Step in the right direction...ish..

[Combatso]

I agree, like I say, i am happy with it so far and havent had an issue with content dissapearing (yet)... and I should note, I am with Netflix Canada.. there is no DVD option.. its all streaming...

meanwhile....

[Anonymous Coward]

Netflix streaming *still* doesn't work on desktop Linux.

Re:meanwhile....

[colinnwn]

And it will likely be years from now if they ever get streaming on Linux. I used to get POed about this, since I only use Linux at home. But ever since I can get a Roku box for less than $100, or watch on my Wii (or if you have a PS3 or Xbox), it has mostly been a non-issue. I see how they don't want to invest big $$$ to create a custom studio approved DRM system on Linux, for such a small base of users.

Re:meanwhile....

[Anonymous Coward]

Although I could afford the $100 box, I've got *plenty* of boxes around already and don't really want to get another one just because they couldn't be arsed to support video codec standards.

Re:meanwhile....

[Anonymous Coward]

Lol, am I the only one who thinks its funny that a whiner can't be arsed to use wine?

Re:meanwhile....

[hedwards]

That gets annoying really fast. TVs only have so many inputs available for use. And adding single use players is kind of a pain.

Re:meanwhile....

[adolf]

That gets annoying really fast. TVs only have so many inputs available for use. And adding single use players is kind of a pain.

So: Just Add more inputs.

Re:meanwhile....

[Combatso]

then I guess you are boned when it comes to watching Netflix Disney shows 2 weeks after air.

Re:meanwhile....

[suutar]

Codecs are easy. DRM that makes the studio happy without pissing off the customer, that's hard. Especially since the correlation between "has only linux at home" and "hates DRM with a holy passion" is pretty high.

Closed captioning

[Anonymous Coward]

What I really want to hear is that they've added closed captioning for most titles (ie more than just Lost) and that players like Roku actually can show them.

My folks have Netflix for now but since they are hard of hearing basically can only enjoy foreign films.

Re:Closed captioning

[KingAlanI]

Is turning on the English language subtitles, a classic shortcut on closed-captioning issues, available here?

Re:Closed captioning

[Anonymous Coward]

No, until a couple months ago netflix did a single conversion to a plain video file... so foreign language films got the subtitles 'baked in' into the video stream. You couldn't even turn on/off subtitles let alone have closed captioning.

Now they save a data file with the subtitles and presumably the CC in it, which players can read to know what text and when to put it up on screen. But netflix has to basically re-rip every DVD to get this, and the priority seems to be only to do this for newly available titles. Also the only player afaik that supports it is the silverlight player, which has screen tearing problems on lots of systems.

Re:Closed captioning

[KingAlanI]

D'oh!
That doesn't seem like the best system design choice in their part

Re:Closed captioning

[kevorkian]

The discless wii player ( netflix 'channel' ) also supports subtitles ..

What I am wondering .. if this will cause netflix to become a 'broadcaster' and subject to the fcc regulations regarding subtitles ..

my "scene" download

[Anonymous Coward]

my watch anywhere any time

Goodbye Dish Network

[KhabaLox]

The main reason I've been keeping Dish Network is because my two toddlers love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Now, if Netflix can ink a deal with Nickelodeon so we can get Wow Wow Wubbzy, Dora and Diego, I'll be set. And if they can get more adult content streaming (e.g. AMC, HBO, etc.), I'd be willing to pay up to $20 or $30 per month, even if there is a couple week delay

Re:Goodbye Dish Network

[DirePickle]

I'm desperately wanting them to pen an HBO deal before A Game of Thrones airs, but I think HBO's come out and flatly said that they don't want to make friends with Netflix or Hulu.

As Lao-tzu said

[Sycraft-fu]

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

I'm quite sure Netflix would be happy to offer immediate availability. However, they are fighting with a very entrenched media industry, an industry that regularly acts against their own best interests. So, maybe there needs to be some middle ground. Eventually hopefully it'll be immediate streaming to Netflix. As it stands, this isn't bad.

Please remember Netflix offers five things that warez does not which make it worth paying for:

1) Instant gratification. Netflix is streaming. You punch play, you are watching seconds later. Warez is all download. Now on a fast connection, the difference isn't a big deal. If you are rocking 50mbps cable or FIOS, you can pull down a 100-200MB file so fast it makes no real difference. However most people aren't. On a 5-10mbps cable connection, which is more normal, you can wait several minutes and that is presuming your download is fast. With Netflix, it just buffers for a second and then goes.

2) Ease. Netflix is really, really easy to use. Very friendly for non-technically savvy people, and even those of us who are good with computers can appreciate the good interface. Locating and watching things on it is dead simple, and it has useful features like recommending new stuff you might like (sometimes people want to watch something but have nothing specific in mind).

3) Quality control. When you watch something on Netflix, you get what you want. I've never seen its streaming to error. With warez, well sometimes shit isn't what it claims to be. You deal with idiots uploading things, jackasses who want to cause trouble, media industry spamming bad stuff, etc. Not a major deal but you can spend 30 minutes downloading only to find you've got something you don't want.

4) Device integration. Netflix is available on all kinds of devices. Blu-ray players, TVs, etc. This is real nice for living room watching. I don't break out my laptop, just turn on my Blu-ray player and it handles the rest. Yes you can build a media center box for warez'd stuff, that takes technical know how, not to mention is probably going to cost a bit more.

5) Legitimacy. Perhaps you personally don't care at all if what you are doing is legal or not, and feel no morals about downloading stuff you didn't pay for. Some people do, some people care. They want to do the right thing. Netflix offers that. It is 100% legal and legit.

So while it isn't perfect, it is getting better and that's all we can ask really. Netflix has gone from a unique form of DVD rental service to one of the largest video streaming services in the world in only a few years. Now they are growing their content, and getting better time tables. If this keeps up, we hopefully WILL see a large catalogue of quickly available stuff in a few years time.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[PRMan]

As for streaming errors, one time I had an indie movie that didn't have audio.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[KhabaLox]

Mod +1 Insightful.

I agree with what you said. Even for a moderately tech savvy person like myself, I prefer Netflix for convenience and ease of use. The only drawback is the size of the library.

It's a double edged sword. I hope they get big enough to be able to get similar deals with a lot of other content providers (maybe they already are). But at the same time, I don't want to see them be the only game in town. They killed Blockbuster. Maybe Redbox or someone else will come along and provide some good competition. I'd hate to see them get complacent and stop innovating or expanding their library.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[tompaulco]

I would gladly spend 3 times the amount of time doing something else waiting for a download than to spend the time watching a movie that has to stop and buffer every couple of seconds.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[proxima]

If you have to buffer on Netflix with any frequency, it's you, not them. They have by far the fastest and most reliable streaming I've seen. Much better than Youtube (HD), Hulu, or ABC's own website. Keep in mind you really need at least a 3 Mbps connection, but I had 3Mbit DSL from ATT for years with great streaming.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[Kjella]

1) is provided by RSS for technical folks, if you follow a series or is waiting for a movie it's typically downloaded before you even knew it was available. Also there's no cost to downloading movies that you might consider watching, so you always have some waiting for a rainy day. Though if you get a really sudden urge to watch something, I suppose.

4) There's a number of prebuilt solutions and media players/streamers for this, it's not like you have to build your own MythTV box. More and more all computers have the power to decode HD, a HDMI out and TVs a HDMI in then you just hook it up with a cable and away you go too. Yes it's a strength but it's also not that complicated anymore.

Yes obviously it's a good service. If only they'd lose the idea of regions, maybe it'd be useful. The media companies still live in the 20th century where people talked mostly over the water cooler, but online I talk to people from everywhere. You get two classes of people, the haves and the havenots based on where we live because of some antiquated distribution method that's completely irrelevant to us. It's the best recruitment campaign for torrents I've ever seen.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[drinkypoo]

I've repeatedly had Netflix streams have no audio (latest was Roast of Bob Saget, which they finally fixed), some refused to play at all and of course there's all the times when the player just returns to browsing when I'm not even TOUCHING an input device. This is all on Windows since that's where it runs. I wouldn't even have Windows in my fucking house if not for Netflix. None of the devices which play Netflix have enough buffer that I know of and my internet connection is kind of marginal. I don't mind buffering every ten minutes, but buffering every two minutes is NOT OKAY (I'm looking at you, Sharp Blu-Ray player.)

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[Z1NG]

Well, a download would still be better quality, but I agree with you. Netflix streaming is extremely consistent and rarely buffers in the middle of a showing. In fact, they routinely send me emails asking about the quality - so not only is the service already excellent, but they seem to actually care about keeping it at an acceptable level.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[Z1NG]

You just said your internet connection is kind of marginal. Don't you think that is the problem? I can't use netflix on my computer because of running linux (and not wanting to find a crazy workaround) but it seems to work find on my wife's old slow laptop and it runs great on our tv while streaming through the Wii.

Re:As Lao-tzu said

[drinkypoo]

You just said your internet connection is kind of marginal. Don't you think that is the problem?

No.

Linux support

[Anonymous Coward]

When will they support Linux again? The only reason I'm not a Netflix subscriber (anymore) is that they refuse to support the operating system of my choice. I have a Mythgentoo box hooked up to my TV, and I have an Ubuntu laptop next to my bed that I watch movies on before bed...

The only Windows machine I have is my gaming rig, and it's not in a suitable position to watch movies/tv on.

Re:Linux support

[h4rr4r]

After Amazon has their streaming subscription. Since that is flash and works on linux and many other platforms, netflix will be forced to change their ways.

Probably Not As Good As It Sounds

[damn_registrars]

Disney does, after all, hold to their "vault" model of distribution - where a movie is only for sale for a certain period of time and then taken out of circulation for years before being re-re-released. Amongst others, Tron is an excellent example of this; you can't buy it in a store (Disney-owned store or not) for any price right now because Disney simply won't sell it. So if Disney allowed Netflix to carry all the titles they currently sell, it would be a nice library but it would be neither a comprehensive nor a permanent addition.

Re:Probably Not As Good As It Sounds

[mattack2]

You did say *for any price*. I see new copies, from Amazon resellers, for $129.

Re:Probably Not As Good As It Sounds

[Anonymous Coward]

I had no idea it had gained such popularity. I was going to recommend checking a library, but that may not be an option either..

Available Copies: 0 (of 10) Current number of holds: 121

Two Wor... er, characters: P&F

[weston]

Phineas and Ferb.

I can't stand the rest of Disney's lineup, but that show is one of my favorite pieces of television ever. A light and pleasantly self-aware show where the protagonists build fantastic things to enjoy and play with? All the fun of Family Guy without the grossness and empty cynicism? Yes, more please.

Re:Two Wor... er, characters: P&F

[Kiaser Zohsay]

Phineas and Ferb.

I can't stand the rest of Disney's lineup, but that show is one of my favorite pieces of television ever. A light and pleasantly self-aware show where the protagonists build fantastic things to enjoy and play with? All the fun of Family Guy without the grossness and empty cynicism? Yes, more please.

Oh, there you are, Perry.

Re:Two Wor... er, characters: P&F

[Z1NG]

Agreed. It's the only modern cartoon I've see that compares to the sweet 80s animations of my childhood.

Quick?

[mcfedr]

too late is what that sounds like, i imagine most people will download within hours of it being broadcast. and really, what are they gaining in those two weeks?

Yeah... maybe

[jcpii]

So, does this mean I can watch ABC programs on my Google TV? Or is Netflix "opting out" of the open internet, too?

Wise

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh yeah, "quickly" and "instant" is not what I'd call 15 DAYS after telecast, 15 hours maybe, but days?

These people are living in the wrong age.

Awesome...

[hesaigo999ca]

Finally a big enough move by a power player, that most others can use to indicate whether to follow or not....usually takes just one big one for all others to follow....say you add all the potter series too, many others with creative copyrights to the movies, will be able to force the movie company to allow them to do so, etc...like seinfeld and others that own rights to shows. This is a good, day, soon BB will declare bankruptcy

In other news...

[Anonymous Coward]

Comcast has issued an outright block on all Netflix streaming services.

When asked to comment, Comcast's CTO stated "THEY'RE HOGGING UP ALL OUR INTERNETS! MAKE THEM STOP!"

The joining is complete

[Anonymous Coward]

The joining is complete. Microsoft-Netflix-Disney. Netflix uses only and can only touch Microsoft systems, and Disney has their DRM heavy content tied to Microsofts proprietary delivery system. With the Mickey Mouse Protection Act in place, all three can live in a government sponsored silo. Now if they could only get a draconian ISP on board (with government ties --really all you need is a Republican Senator with a fairly accessible back pocket, an empty hand, and an ability to sound holier-than-thou when trying to enact draconian legislation that stomps on fair use and the constitution, then you will be set. Set up a printing press to print money by the pallet load ready and fresh for delivery to the shareholders! Fair use and the constitution are for suckers. Corporations never swore any oath to the constitution, likewise the word free market is for suckers. Monopolies are what make money. Legislate out competition, legislate out fair use.

Better than the Roku...

[ZxCv]

I went with one of these: http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-media-receivers/wd-tv-live-plus/4505-6739_7-34117510.html

It not only does Netflix, but will also play anything from USB drives and network file shares. It also has access to online stuff like Facebook, YouTube, Pandora, and a handful of others. The only (minor) drawback is no built-in WiFi (though it does support various USB-based WiFi devices).

For the extra geek factor, it's based on Linux, so there are plenty of custom firmwares and add-ons out there to customize it.