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Netflix Finally Gets Download Option (netflix.com)

Posted by msmash on from the offline-playback dept.

For years, people asked Netflix to give them the ability to download movies and TV episodes. Though this might not seem like that big of a deal in many regions where internet connectivity is cheap and omnipresent, same is not the case everywhere, especially in developing regions. Netflix is finally addressing this need: the on-demand media streaming service said Wednesday that people can now download shows on their Android and iOS devices . From the company's blog post: Just click the download button on the details page for a film or TV series and you can watch it later without an internet connection. Many of your favorite streaming series and movies are already available for download, with more on the way, so there is plenty of content available for those times when you are offline.It's worth pointing out that the offline playback -- or the ability to download videos isn't available on desktop platforms. Also, it appears that a heck lot of shows currently don't have this feature -- as of today.

78 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Air travel by daten · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is a game changer for air travel, I've had to depend on rentals from Google or Amazon, now I can cache Netflix? Nice.

    1. Re:Air travel by known_coward_69 · · Score: 2

      NYC trains too. why pay more money to AT&T or Verizon when you can just buy more storage and play from your device with no issues

    2. Re:Air travel by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      This is a game changer for air travel, I've had to depend on rentals from Google or Amazon, now I can cache Netflix? Nice.

      Amazon Prime allows you to download prime movies/tv shows on Amazon video for free. Was great the last time me and my wife went to visit her sister's family out of state. I could watch movies on the drive.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    3. Re:Air travel by mysidia · · Score: 1

      why pay more money to AT&T or Verizon when you can just buy more storage and play from your device with no issues

      Because they own the platform you're working on. I'm guessing this change might piss them off, and ATT/Verizon might start wanting to rent you your phone again and bill you a monthly amount based on how much used storage space we have on our cell phones.

    4. Re:Air travel by gatkinso · · Score: 1

      Soon airlines will charge you to turn on your tablet.

      --
      I am very small, utmostly microscopic.
    5. Re:Air travel by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      I could live with that...If they would just fix the thing when it breaks for free.

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      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
  2. can we now get some throttling for netflix? by anthony_greer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Let the streamers stream and cache ahead in bursts! I would love to see some QoS on the ISP level to bump down Netflix caching downloads so that my cable internet doesnt degrade to useless crap durring the hours of 5 to 10 PM. If you are going to binge watch $Show, start it downloading, then go make your popcorn and come back and start EP1, then the rest of the neighborhood doesn't get its bandwidth nuked by high priority streaming traffic.

    1. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by ZorinLynx · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yes, THIS.

      It's a shame because most streaming devices like the Apple TV and Roku and such have several gigabytes of local flash memory they could use for caching, but apps like Netflix and HBO Now don't make much use of it.

      When you hit "play" it should start downloading video as fast as your connection can carry, and cache as much of it as there is available free space. If properly implemented, with a fast connection you should be able to unplug the network 15 minutes into your show and be able to watch the rest of the episode without issue.

      Not only will performance improve, but keeping the episode cached will greatly improve the performance of seeking around in the video, and avoid redownloading video if you want to go back and watch a scene again because you missed what was said.

    2. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by jbmartin6 · · Score: 2

      You just invented TiVO for Netflix

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    3. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by Builder · · Score: 1

      Ok, cool - you got any names for decent fibre suppliers in Togo ?

    4. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by ZorinLynx · · Score: 2

      Bwahahhaa, great analogy.

      On a side note, my mother bought a TiVo recently to watch broadcast TV. She thinks it's the most amazing thing ever. I helped her set it up and it's funny how little TiVo has changed in over a decade.

      And she watches Netflix and HBO Now too, so it's not like she doesn't do things the modern way as well. There's just too much stuff on broadcast TV she still watches and the TiVo is like God Mode for that.

    5. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by EvilSS · · Score: 2

      I don't know about 15, but I've gotten over 2 minutes from netflix after a network outage before. They do buffer quite a bit if the device allows for it. On slower internet they also throttle the bitrate at the beginning of the show to allow for buffering, then you will see the resolution climb to it's max after the buffer is established.

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    6. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      Ok, cool - you got any names for decent fibre suppliers in Togo ?

      http://www.fibers1.com/fiber-s...

      --
      I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
    7. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by fbobraga · · Score: 1

      high priority streaming traffic

      this is why I've avoided Netflix almost entirely: an 720p movie download hardly takes 1GB, while a "Netflix 720p movie" takes several GBs of my (payed) "bandwidth" ("data cap", really - here in Brazil it's a question being very debated these days: data caps on home internet)...

    8. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by fbobraga · · Score: 1

      Or maybe your ISP could upgrade the lines to handle the bandwidth. No problems in my area,

      there are regions here, in Brazil, where it's not even possible/thinkable...

      * the world != EUA

    9. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by known_coward_69 · · Score: 1

      it already does that. netflix doesn't use a steady connection. it bursts a few minutes of data at a time to a local cache. problem is that unlike regular TV everyone is watching different parts of the show at different times so it's always bursting different data to everyone

    10. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 1

      Or maybe your ISP could upgrade the lines to handle the bandwidth. No problems in my area, I've never seen less than half the advertised bandwidth during any time of the day.

      Wow, it's a pretty sad state of society when people brag that the bandwidth they are getting is "only" half of what it had been advertised as.

      --
      http://www.geoffreylandis.com
    11. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by PRMan · · Score: 1

      Many Rokus only have 0.5 GB RAM. The newest ones have 1.5 GB to 2 GB RAM.

      --
      Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
    12. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by WhatHump · · Score: 1

      Just tested it out on my iPhone with an episode of Black Mirror. I clicked the download symbol and it took about a minute to download over a 100 Meg cable network. Watching it now, resolution is good. This will be great for those long commutes to the office!

      --
      "Could be worse...could be raining." Igor
    13. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by Drethon · · Score: 1

      I've never needed even half of my bandwidth to be honest but that response is rather interesting.

    14. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by sims+2 · · Score: 1

      They have those?
      Can they be gotten without a monthly sub?

      IIRC tivo used to require a guide subscribtion to function but the channel guide is broadcast OTA now for free so what would I need that for.

      --
      Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
    15. Re:can we now get some throttling for netflix? by ZorinLynx · · Score: 1

      Yep, the Tivo Roamio OTA units. They're no longer being manufactured, so you can get good deals on them and they have lifetime service included.

  3. Better Idea by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 2

    Increase the streaming catalog to include everything they have in their mailing only DVD catalog.

    Without a decent catalog of something to watch, offering folks the ability to watch it offline is rather pointless I think.

    1. Re:Better Idea by Jason+Levine · · Score: 3, Informative

      Honestly, this isn't a Netflix problem. If they could, I'm sure they'd just rip their DVD catalog and put it online. However, this would be massive copyright infringement and the entertainment industry would launch lawsuits immediately on a scale that would likely shut Netflix down. Instead, they need to go about this the hard way of making deals with the copyright owners and paying them for each show that they put on streaming. It's a slow process made harder by many in the entertainment industry acting as though Netflix is the enemy and streaming leads to piracy. (In reality, putting a show on Netflix makes it less likely that the title will be pirated.) Netflix only has so much money to spend on content so they need to pick and choose among what's available to them.

      In short, if your favorite show/movie isn't on Netflix, the copyright owner is likely more to blame than Netflix.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    2. Re:Better Idea by EvilSS · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Increase the streaming catalog to include everything they have in their mailing only DVD catalog.

      And you will be OK with paying $100 per month for the subscription then, right? It's not like that content is free. They can't just rip the DVDs they have and put it online for you to watch.

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    3. Re:Better Idea by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 1

      and why would it cost me $100 / month if Netflix offers unlimited DVD plans for $7.99 / month ?
      What exactly is the $92 / month difference if I pop a rental disc into a player vs watching a streaming version of it ?

      Netflix still has to get permissions to distribute those discs. Doing so via a streaming solution cuts down on their media and shipping costs.

    4. Re:Better Idea by Yvan256 · · Score: 2

      You assume that the cost of streaming licenses are equal to the cost of their DVD rental licenses, which are probably very different.

    5. Re:Better Idea by dave3138 · · Score: 2

      Because of the First Sale Doctrine https://www.google.com/search?...

    6. Re:Better Idea by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 1

      True.

      Though you would think the folks negotiating said licenses would realize that a streaming solution would reach a larger audience and would be pushing for streaming vs hardcopy delivery methods.

    7. Re:Better Idea by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      Netflix still has to get permissions to distribute those discs.

      No, actually they do not. Not in the US at least. Discs being physical items they can rent them as they see fit, as long as they are original media. Streaming, on the other hand, does require it. I mean, do you honestly think they have a bunch of DVDs setting around they also have the rights to stream without paying more and they just went "Nope!".

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    8. Re:Better Idea by CODiNE · · Score: 1

      Why not? Look how well Google Books worked out.

      --
      Cwm, fjord-bank glyphs vext quiz
    9. Re:Better Idea by tepples · · Score: 1

      That's the fault of the studios, not Netflix. To force a studio into something, Netflix would have to acquire the studio. Disney's market cap alone is thrice that of Netflix.

    10. Re:Better Idea by CrankyFool · · Score: 2

      Actually, Netflix doesn't have to get permissions to distribute those discs. Doctrine of First Sale says that as soon as Netflix bought them, they could start renting them out. Netflix has made deals with studios for those DVDs, most of the time, because they could then get those DVDs for less than they would at, say, Best Buy, but that's because the studios know they can't actually stop this, so the terms were vastly better than in the streaming world.

    11. Re:Better Idea by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      Why not? Look how well Google Books worked out.

      Because those are totally the same. Want something more relevant, look what happened to Aereo.

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    12. Re:Better Idea by ImprovOmega · · Score: 1

      Actually, they do not have to get permission to distribute those discs. Once they buy a legitimate copy of it they can do whatever the heck they want with that physical disc short of actually copying it themselves. Redbox went through this a few years ago. Companies weren't happy with their business model and so stopped selling them the discs in bulk. Solution? They sent agents into stores in the area and bought the DVDs at retail, loaded them in the box and rented them anyway. When the MPAA tried to cry foul on that they got told to pound sand. Eventually they worked out a deal to sell them in bulk because it was better for all involved. But the First Sale Doctrine pretty well covers the rights you have to property you legally purpose.

      TLDR: because a DVD from Netflix is their property, whereas streaming content is licensed and not owned by Netflix.

    13. Re:Better Idea by networkBoy · · Score: 1

      And you can tell which titles those are because it's a "generic" disk with monochrome silkscreen.

      -nB

      --
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    14. Re:Better Idea by aicrules · · Score: 1

      Versus it coming down to altruistic delivery of Season 4 of Friend? Duh money duh.

    15. Re:Better Idea by nine-times · · Score: 2

      It's not even an issue of cost. A lot of content owners don't want Netflix to have a complete catalog. NBC/Universal/Comcast, for example, controls a lot of content and *also* services for distributing content. If you can get all of the Comcast content without paying for Comcast services, then Comcast loses a bunch of money. Comcast will, therefore, go out of its way to hobble Netflix and prevent it from having access to all of it's content.

    16. Re:Better Idea by omnichad · · Score: 1

      And usually with the special features crippled.

    17. Re:Better Idea by PRMan · · Score: 1

      look what happened to Aereo

      The Supreme Court made the worst decision in decades?

      --
      Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
    18. Re: Better Idea by corychristison · · Score: 1

      It goes even deeper than that.

      Many of the creators of popular shows sign exclusive multi-year contracts to specific networks in specific geographical regions, thus shutting Netflix out from even trying in many regions.

      It's the major cable network owners that see Netflix as the enemy, and have even deeper pockets to keep content away from Netflix by buying up the rights of popular shows in the regions they operate.

      Netflix Original content is purchased from the creators in a similar manner. They sign exclusive contracts with Netflix to become a "Netflix Original" show. But, as stated, the big cable networks have deeper pockets and can afford to buy the rights to many more shows.

    19. Re:Better Idea by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      And how did that turn out for them?

      --
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    20. Re:Better Idea by n7ytd · · Score: 1

      Do they pay for rental licenses? I've always assumed that once they bought the physical disk, it was theirs to give away, rent, or destroy as they saw fit.

    21. Re:Better Idea by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      It's not even an issue of cost. A lot of content owners don't want Netflix to have a complete catalog. NBC/Universal/Comcast, for example, controls a lot of content and *also* services for distributing content. If you can get all of the Comcast content without paying for Comcast services, then Comcast loses a bunch of money. Comcast will, therefore, go out of its way to hobble Netflix and prevent it from having access to all of it's content.

      This is true too. Just look at DirecTV Now that launched today. Has some locals (owned and operated only) but NBC, where available, is only available to stream live on mobile devices, not on TVs. Ridiculous restriction, and probably only exists because they are now owned by Comcast. Hell it's insane that DirecTV, which already has contracts with all these different content providers, has to renegotiate for rights to send the same content over the internet instead of satellite.

      --
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  4. Good for bad internet connection by XXongo · · Score: 3, Informative

    Good. They finally figured out that not everybody has good internet connection, and even people that do have good connection don't have it everywhere-- sometimes they're travelling some place with poor connectivity.

    I tried Netflix once: it was so annoying to wait when the video freezes at random intervals for 40 seconds as the loading wheel spins that I never looked at it again. Maybe I might give it a try--

    --oh, wait, you can only download on mobile devices?!? Shit, what's the point?

    1. Re:Good for bad internet connection by jellomizer · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It isn't about not having internet connection but expensive internet connection. Cell Data is still wicked expensive, and access to free or cheap Wi-Fi is easy to find, but isn't always available.

      The point on a mobile device is rather easy to see.
      If you are at home you will have a network connection. While if you are traveling you may not have one. And if it on a PC it is way to easy to pirate the movie. If there is wide pirating of netflix movies then studios will drop netflix like a brick and they will not have any good content.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re: Good for bad internet connection by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's already easy to pirate Netflix, they have programs to collect the mini individual video files they stream and stitch them together.

    3. Re:Good for bad internet connection by fbobraga · · Score: 1

      --oh, wait, you can only download on mobile devices?!? Shit, what's the point?

      on use case: using the time going to work or coming back to home to watch shows/movies (with headphones, obviously: sound on buses/trains bothers me so much!)

    4. Re:Good for bad internet connection by bondsbw · · Score: 1

      If you are at home you will have a network connection.

      Not if your Internet connection drops, in which case caching as much of the episode or movie as possible may prevent disruption.

      And not if your connection is too slow to adequately stream high def content, in which case pre-downloading the next episode or even a selection of titles could make it a better value than DVD.

      --
      All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
    5. Re:Good for bad internet connection by by+(1706743) · · Score: 1

      --oh, wait, you can only download on mobile devices?!? Shit, what's the point?

      I assume you could use this with an Android TV stick (or use a phone with HDMI out).

    6. Re:Good for bad internet connection by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 1

      on use case: using the time going to work or coming back to home to watch shows/movies (with headphones, obviously:

      Sounds like a plan. But all those puclic-service ads tell me not to use my smartphone while driving.

      --
      http://www.geoffreylandis.com
    7. Re:Good for bad internet connection by antdude · · Score: 1

      Mobile devices are like PCs too. Not everyone has fast and unlimited fixed Internet. :P

      --
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    8. Re:Good for bad internet connection by strikethree · · Score: 1

      And if it on a PC it is way to easy to pirate the movie.

      On the bright side for content consumers, it does not matter if it is easy or hard to pirate the movie since someone WILL pirate it regardless of difficulty and then share the results with everyone who is not so technically savvy.

      Definitely a solid use DRM there. ;)

      --
      "Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
  5. Re:Download of movies or encrypted blobs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If you want that, stick to piracy; there's no way that would fly with the content creators. In any case, if it does let you download your shows to watch later, e.g. on a flight, then it's obviously an improvement over the situation before, regardless of what restrictions apply.

  6. Re:Download of movies or encrypted blobs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why? Are pirate torrents too hard for you?

  7. Re:Download of movies or encrypted blobs? by EvilSS · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If it only lets you download in a format that only plays on their proprietary player, then it's not an improvement at all. Give users the ability to download actual video.

    How is it not an improvement? You already have to use their player. There isn't a chance in hell of any studio (including the ones that actually make the "Netflix Originals") allowing unencrypted downloads that play outside the player so that will never happen. At least this way you can take the content offline, which you could not before. That is, by definition, an improvement.

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  8. Re:Download of movies or encrypted blobs? by Maritz · · Score: 2

    Even someone like me can understand why they don't do that. For a start, the people they license the videos from won't let them do that.

    --
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  9. teeny little screens by XXongo · · Score: 1
    The point on a mobile device is pretty dubious, actually. Who in the world would like to watch a move on the tiny little screen? I know that people these days think that's the way to watch, but really: it isn't.

    I always bring my laptop on travel, so I'd watch movies on that, if they were available. But often the wifi you get at a hotel is pretty ratty.

    1. Re:teeny little screens by ncc74656 · · Score: 2

      The point on a mobile device is pretty dubious, actually. Who in the world would like to watch a move on the tiny little screen?

      When it's hanging off the seat in front of you, the average cellphone or tablet screen is big enough. Pop it into an Airhook and it'll just about be at eyeball height. I caught up on a couple of shows that way flying home this past weekend.

      --
      20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
    2. Re:teeny little screens by EvilSS · · Score: 2

      The point on a mobile device is pretty dubious, actually. Who in the world would like to watch a move on the tiny little screen? I know that people these days think that's the way to watch, but really: it isn't.

      I always bring my laptop on travel, so I'd watch movies on that, if they were available. But often the wifi you get at a hotel is pretty ratty.

      People under 30. It's they way they want to watch stuff. I don't get it myself but I'm not going to tell someone they are watching TV wrong.

      Also, what crappy hotels do you stay at that don't have TV in the rooms? Every hotel I've been in for the past few years has had a TV with HDMI in. I just either hook up my laptop or if it's a long trip I'll bring a Shield TV or Roku stick (both can navigate hotel WiFi logins). Laptop screens are too damn small.

      --
      I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
    3. Re:teeny little screens by JackieBrown · · Score: 1

      The point on a mobile device is pretty dubious, actually. Who in the world would like to watch a move on the tiny little screen?

      I prefer watching on my cell 6 inch 2 pound cell phone much more than lagging a laptop around. New generation of kids / 20 year olds don't even bother with computers or laptops for the most part - they have replaced those with phones and tablets.

      But for you, I do get that it would not be beneficial.

    4. Re:teeny little screens by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Take an HDMI cable for your phone and use the hotel TV. That would be my use case. Laptop support would be nice, but I wouldn't want to use that screen either.

    5. Re:teeny little screens by fbobraga · · Score: 1

      have you RTFA? Ops, it's /. ...

    6. Re:teeny little screens by Calydor · · Score: 1

      I prefer sitting in a sofa or comfortable chair when watching a movie, at which point holding up a phone in front of my face gets much heavier than putting a laptop on a table in front of me.

      But hey, if you watch movies while just standing around be my guest.

      --
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    7. Re:teeny little screens by b0bby · · Score: 1

      Every hotel I've been in for the past few years has had a TV with HDMI in.

      The ones where I've tried it had the HDMI blocked - you couldn't switch to it in the menu.

    8. Re:teeny little screens by wfj2fd · · Score: 1

      What hotels do you stay in that put the TV on the desk?

    9. Re:teeny little screens by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      Who in the world would like to watch a move [sic] on the tiny little screen?

      I'd be more likely to watch TV that way, since I already do it.. watch TV while walking on the treadmill every day. Vegging and watch TV (stuff I have downloaded and am watching via the VLC iOS app) is the only thing that gets me in the habit of doing it every day.

    10. Re:teeny little screens by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      Most recently a Four Points in Barcelona.

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  10. Upgrading satellite lines is expensive by tepples · · Score: 1

    Or maybe your ISP could upgrade the lines to handle the bandwidth.

    It's kind of expensive for a satellite ISP to launch another satellite. A scheduled prefetch option would at least allow subscribers to make the most of the unmetered early mornings that satellite ISPs offer.

  11. Re:Download of movies or encrypted blobs? by fbobraga · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    you can't use .torrent or magnet links? Fucking millennials...

  12. Desktop by phrackthat · · Score: 2

    I'm not certain, but couldn't one download to desktop using an Android emulator on the desktop? I mean what's the point? If don't want people being able to download the content and put it on a bigger screen, are they also going to block screen casting?

  13. Netflix shows only by Nukenbar · · Score: 2

    As of now, this only works for shows that Netflix themselves have produced.

    1. Re:Netflix shows only by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

      Well there are a bunch kids shows they produced that my kids like so maybe next summer when driving across South Dakota I can just load up a season or two of dino trucks, or Inspector Gadget on the tablet and let the kids watch that in the back seat as we drive past 300 miles of corn.

      --
      Time to offend someone
    2. Re:Netflix shows only by assassinator42 · · Score: 1

      No, for example the Netflix original Marvel shows are not available for download while the DC shows they license from the CW are.

    3. Re:Netflix shows only by Justin+Script · · Score: 1

      As of now, this only works for shows that Netflix themselves have produced.

      Interesting, I never realised Netflix was around in 1957 to produce The Bridge on the River Kwai.

  14. Re:Download of movies or encrypted blobs? by fafalone · · Score: 1

    That's funny, I already download Netflix original shows at full 1080p, 4-7GB for an hour episode, as DRM free mkvs. Since they're not stopping piracy, that leaves screwing the customer.

  15. Re:Neil Hunt has been axed? by sims+2 · · Score: 1

    Yeah WTF man I thought us netflix users were too stupid to download a video what happened to that??

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    Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
  16. Too late. by UltraZelda64 · · Score: 1

    There's nothing left to watch. Netflix sucks ass.