# New Netflix Instant Streaming only plan



## Ottie (Aug 31, 2009)

Hey guys,

I hope this is in the right place, I just got a email from Netflix about some plan changes starting in Jan 2011 for the unlimited plans and what not. When I scrolled down to the bottom they mentioned they are now offering a streaming only plan for $7.99 and you wont have to worry about not mailing DVDs back. The original plans also have the streaming too so you dont have to worry about that. You can already sign up for the $7.99 instant streaming plan.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

News articles on it say that they are raising prices slightly on those with plans that involve physical DVDs.  I believe the cost of the plan that allows one DVD at a time is going up by a dollar per month.


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## Ottie (Aug 31, 2009)

Yeah I have the $13.99 a month right now and  on Jan 2,2011 it will be $14.99.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

I am still in the dark ages trying to figure out how to stream from Netflix. I tried a Roku, but had to send it back. I could not get the audio to work. We are thinking of buying a BluRay player with wifi capability for Christmas. I am stuck in the fear that we will not get it to work.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

I'm a TV hater and never watch it but my wife has it on all the time. All we get is off the air programming. The Netflix streaming media subscription might be a good gift. What kind of content is available via direct streaming?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

We have an extra computer hooked up to our TV and that is how we watched Netflix until Wii got on board. Its fantastic now with Wii, great interface. 

This new plan is something to consider. We have had the 3 out plan since we had Netflix, since 2001 I think. But we don't watch them as fast anymore as we used to. So many channels on our Uverse now and just not time. Just streaming might work for us. To ponder.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Jeff said:


> I'm a TV hater and never watch it but my wife has it on all the time. All we get is off the air programming. The Netflix streaming media subscription might be a good gift. What kind of content is available via direct streaming?


Check out this site, I use it with my netflix streaming, its organized and you can see all the stuff thats there on netflix.

http://instantwatcher.com/


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Atunah said:


> Check out this site, I use it with my netflix streaming, its organized and you can see all the stuff thats there on netflix.
> 
> http://instantwatcher.com/


Oh, that's great. I'll show it to my wife. Thanks.


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## kim (Nov 20, 2008)

Jane917 said:


> I am still in the dark ages trying to figure out how to stream from Netflix. I tried a Roku, but had to send it back. I could not get the audio to work. We are thinking of buying a BluRay player with wifi capability for Christmas. I am stuck in the fear that we will not get it to work.


I'm in the same boat; I'm trying to figure out the best way to stream to the TV. I don't have a gaming console and don't have a computer that would be easy to hook up. Even though I have no need for a BluRay player, I was thinking that might be the best choice.


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## sheltiemom (Dec 28, 2008)

I already switched over to the new plan.  I enjoy watching the streaming shows and rarely watched the DVDs.  It turned out that if I had time to watch a movie, I wasn't in the mood for the one I had.  There is a Red Box less than a mile away so if I want a DVD, I'll go rent one there.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

I sure can't complain about the $1 price increase.  

I'm on the 1 DVD at a time plan.  I watch them the night they get here and have them back in the mail the next day.  I end up receiving 2 DVDs a week almost every week plus I watch lots of streaming.  Even at $9.99, I can't see how they are making any money off of me!


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

I'm keeping my 2 disc subscription.  I use the streaming quite frequently, but since some stuff (actually a lot of stuff) is still not available streaming, I like my DVDs.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

I currently have the $8.99 plan - one DVD out at a time, and haven't had a DVD mailed to me in over a year. I'll be switching to streaming only.  I'm also considering checking out Hulu Plus, I wonder if there's a way to get it on the tv via the iPad? At any rate, I figure switching between the two services will work very well for us.


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## ak rain (Nov 15, 2008)

cost too much in bandwidth here to stream guess I will have to accept the price hike.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

hsuthard said:


> I currently have the $8.99 plan - one DVD out at a time, and haven't had a DVD mailed to me in over a year. I'll be switching to streaming only. I'm also considering checking out Hulu Plus, I wonder if there's a way to get it on the tv via the iPad? At any rate, I figure switching between the two services will work very well for us.


there is a program called "Play On" that you can buy that will allow you to stream hulu and a few other programs (depending on the package) if you have the necessary stuff (DH set ours up and we use our Wii)


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I have the $8.99 $9.99 plan with one-dvd.... I rarely get DVD movies, but there are several TV series' that I want to see that aren't available via streaming... Right now I am on the second season of Supernatural via DVDs...


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## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

A week or so ago, we bought that Apple TV device, which lets you stream NetFlix from your internet server. We're loving it! Although every once in a while, the movie pauses (I guess for the streaming to catch up?) and that's a little annoying. We also can access YouTube from that, as well as some other options - although I've just been using the NetFlix portion of it.


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## Jen (Oct 28, 2008)

We might switch to this - we have the 2 DVD plan but just don't watch much anymore.  We're so far behind on our regular tv that the Tivo is always full!  We read more than watch tv anymore.  But I LOVE the instant stream, there are enough shows on there to keep me occupied.  Convenient, since my husband is buying me an extra Blu Ray with wi fi capability for my office for my birthday.  (I spend a ton of time up there, he works out of the house and there are people in & out all the time - I hide!)  
I'm not sure if there are any other machines that allow the Netflix other than Blue Rays and some gaming consoles - but my husband said he's getting a Samsung with built in wi-fi for $139.  They have really dropped!!  Good thing to watch out for on black friday probably!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I can get Netflix movies via the Tivo.  Also can buy movies and TV episodes from Amazon.  Pretty cool.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

A lot of you are wondering how to stream Netflix to your TV. I've written up a partial guide just for Kindleboards:

*Roku:* I realize someone above had a bad experience, but for the most part, people have had no complaints about the Roku. I have one, found it easy as pie to set up, and love it. You can also stream things like Hulu Plus and Amazon Video on Demand (among many others) with the Roku. Plus, they've lowered the prices of their boxes, so it's now more affordable than ever to jump in. And it'll work perfectly on older standard definition TVs, so you don't need to be a technophile to get on board.

*PS3:* This machine "only does everything" and that includes Netflix streaming. You used to need a disc, but no longer. Now you just download the app for free and you're on your way. The PS3 can also stream Hulu Plus as well.

*Wii:* Same as PS3, you download an app (a disc is no longer required) and you're good to go. However, the Wii is unable to show movies in HD, even if you have an HDTV.

*Xbox 360:* IMO, this is an inferior option because you need to pay for an Xbox Live subscription just to access Netflix. If this is your only gaming machine, it's still a good choice if you're willing to pay for Live. Otherwise, go with one of the above units instead.

There are other options as well: Some TVs have Netflix built in, and I'm sure there are other devices you can buy to get Netflix on your TV. But what I listed above are the most common and popular choices. Probably the easiest too.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

Also, most newer TVs are monitor capable.  You can purchase a monitor cable and an audio cable and jack your computer directly into your television.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I have to ask, how is the quality if you have a really slow internet connection? If I use the Wii, will it buffer? Will it stop and start a lot?

I suppose I could just give it a try.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Alle Meine Entchen said:


> there is a program called "Play On" that you can buy that will allow you to stream hulu and a few other programs (depending on the package) if you have the necessary stuff (DH set ours up and we use our Wii)


Thanks for this! I'm going to check it out.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

CS said:


> A lot of you are wondering how to stream Netflix to your TV. I've written up a partial guide just for Kindleboards:
> 
> *Roku:* I realize someone above had a bad experience, but for the most part, people have had no complaints about the Roku. I have one, found it easy as pie to set up, and love it. You can also stream things like Hulu Plus and Amazon Video on Demand (among many others) with the Roku. Plus, they've lowered the prices of their boxes, so it's now more affordable than ever to jump in. And it'll work perfectly on older standard definition TVs, so you don't need to be a technophile to get on board.
> 
> ...


I'm curious how the Apple TV would fit in this list?

I'm looking for a device that allows me to watch Hulu Plus, Netflix, movies and tv shows from iTunes, and my pics from iPhoto on my iMac. We used to use a media server app on a PS3, but the PS3 broke on us. We currently have a series 3 Tivo that has Netflix, Amazon, Blockbuster, Youtube, and Picasa (I think). I was thinking to add an Apple TV to the stack to get the iTunes/iPhoto hookup, but that still doesn't address the Hulu Plus.


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## dnagirl (Oct 21, 2009)

Alle Meine Entchen said:


> there is a program called "Play On" that you can buy that will allow you to stream hulu and a few other programs (depending on the package) if you have the necessary stuff (DH set ours up and we use our Wii)


I love PlayOn. Between it and Netflix streaming, I can find pretty much any show I want to watch. It's enabled us to cancel our DISH Network subscription and saves us quite a bit of money.


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## bkworm8it (Nov 17, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> I have the $8.99 $9.99 plan with one-dvd.... I rarely get DVD movies, but there are several TV series' that I want to see that aren't available via streaming... Right now I am on the second season of Supernatural via DVDs...


Me too, once I get through all the series I want to watch I may switch. But for now so many of my series are only on DVD and or the first disk is only on DVD (haven't figured out why that is yet).

Theresam


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## bkworm8it (Nov 17, 2008)

Forgot to ask about the Roku, my mom doesn't have an HD tv will it still work on her tv? Her tv is the old version before HD.

thanks


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

CS said in his post that Roku would work on standard (non-HD) TVs, so it sounds like it.

I see there are 3 different versions of Roku though. Is that like good, better, best?  Anyone know a run-down between the three versions?  They look interesting.... (I don't have any of those other devices, either, besides PC, and that one looks most suited for me.)


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

and to follow-up on the question of HD vs. standard TVs, I'm looking at one of the quick-start Roku guides online directly from the Roku site, for the XDS ("best" model, I think, from my example above), and it specifies in the guide that the TV can be either high-def or standard-def.    Quick check of the HD (good) and XD (better) show the same.


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## bkworm8it (Nov 17, 2008)

Thanks Steph H.  I think maybe the XD would fit best for my mom. I like the instant replay


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Steph H said:


> CS said in his post that Roku would work on standard (non-HD) TVs, so it sounds like it.
> 
> I see there are 3 different versions of Roku though. Is that like good, better, best? Anyone know a run-down between the three versions? They look interesting.... (I don't have any of those other devices, either, besides PC, and that one looks most suited for me.)


I have the old Roku HD-XR, which was the top of the line model a few months ago (it has since been replaced by the newer models). It is not hooked up to an HDTV and it still works perfectly. Roku boxes are built with several kinds of connection ports (composite, component, HDMI, etc.) to facilitate any sort of TV setup you may have. The boxes only come with composite cables though, so you'll need your own HDMI cables if you want a true HD experience on your HDTV. Luckily, HDMI cables are available for VERY cheap on Amazon (DO NOT get suckered by HIGHLY inflated store prices).


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

So in looking around some more it looks like I could do everything I want with a PS3 OR go with a double combo of the Roku AND Apple TV (which would be cheaper). How many remotes would we then have floating about? LOL


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> So in looking around some more it looks like I could do everything I want with a PS3 OR go with a double combo of the Roku AND Apple TV (which would be cheaper). How many remotes would we then have floating about? LOL


I'm giving the Apple TV a try.. At least with that you can use your iPhone/iPad as a remote. I'm just getting into the netflix streaming, but have tons and tons of movies and TV shows in iTunes already.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

I went ahead and ordered the Roku XDS about 2:00 this afternoon, with an HDMI cable, with Prime 'one-day' delivery for Friday so I can play with it this weekend. Got the shipping notice about 2 hours later. Woot!

So -- to bring it back to topic LOL -- presuming I can get the hookup and networking and all that working properly, I can see how well the Netflix streaming works, and make the decision on changing my plan before it goes up. I currently have the 3-out plan at $16.99, going to $19.99, and end up holding the DVDs for weeks or months sometimes without watching, so I'd probably be fine with the streaming if I can make it work on the TV; don't really want to restrict myself to the computer. Based on what's in my queue right now, most of my stuff is available and what little isn't, I can live without at the rate I don't watch the DVDs now.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

The new Tivo Premiere is coming out with a really cool-looking iPad remote app, too! It's listed as "Coming Soon" on the Hulu Plus page. I wonder what that timeframe might be? We could just upgrade our Tivo . . .


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me how I can stream. I tried a Roku, but we couldn't get the sound to work. For Christmas we are considering a BluRay. Will my current speakers on my DVD be able to hook up to it? Will I still be able to use my 5.1 wireless sound? We are real dummies when it comes to this technology, and the kids are hundreds of miles away!


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Wish I could help you Jane, but I ditched my TV years ago and just watch streaming on my computer.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

How do you connect a laptop to the TV for streaming? 

When I went to 1 dvd (from 3) is was 9.99 and later price was cut a dollar, so it's not a big deal to pay 9.99 (plus tax) per month.  Just $2 more than streaming.  A friend of mine who just started getting Glee dvds from netflix says she's going to the cheaper streaming only.  She says it's too stressful mailing dvds back and forth (would someone explain to me what is so hard about using the prepaid mailer and dropping it in the mailbox?).


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> How do you connect a laptop to the TV for streaming?


If you have a flat screen it should be monitor capable. All you need is a computer monitor cable and an audio cable. I think the audio is an 1/8" plug just hook that into you headphone jack.

If your tv is not monitor ready, I don't know how to do it or even if you can.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

My first experience with streaming has been Netflix on my iPad. It was much nicer than expected. The apple tv is next. If that works well, I'll consider a roku and drop down to a basic satellite program.


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## unknown2cherubim (Sep 10, 2010)

I've talked at least one of my friends into the Roku.  I dropped cable right about a year ago and between my dvd player and my Roku I simply haven't missed it.  The 3 DVDs at time went from 16.99 to 19.99 for Netflix so I dropped down to two DVDs. I'm like several of you, weeks will go by before I exchange DVDs.  I don't like streaming to my laptop because I'd rather surf + stream movies on my teevee.

Bottom line, love my Roku, can't wait to check Hulu+  -- I think it is a bit spendy for what it is, but I'll see.  

Jane, my hero, have you called Roku and asked them to help you set up?


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

unknown2cherubim said:


> Bottom line, love my Roku, can't wait to check Hulu+ -- I think it is a bit spendy for what it is, but I'll see.
> 
> Jane, my hero, have you called Roku and asked them to help you set up?


Oh, my dear, I was on the phone with customer service for almost 2 hours. They were very nice, but kept telling me to do the same thing over and over, which was not working. I could get the picture, but could not change the sound from the TV to the movie.

I have a fairly new hp Pavilion dm4 laptop. I think I am supposed to be able to connect my laptop to the TV, but the manual is just not clear enough. I know I can stream to my laptop quite easily. Why can't I just project from my laptop to my TV? My laptop has an HDMI port....somewhere.


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## durphy (Nov 5, 2008)

This may change, but not all movies Netflix has are available for streaming. At this time, about half the movies in my queue are only available through the mail. Again, this may change, and it might not even be important to you, but new releases usually have to come through the mail.

BTW, I have the Roku player, which offers additional content, much of it free, in addition to Netflix, such as, podcasts, music and Hulu.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> So in looking around some more it looks like I could do everything I want with a PS3 OR go with a double combo of the Roku AND Apple TV (which would be cheaper). How many remotes would we then have floating about? LOL


Just 1.  Invest in a Logitech Harmony remote and program it for all your devices. We use ours for the TV, Tivo, and the surround sound. It powers on and switchs inputs to the game consoles.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

My Roku came today and I got it hooked up with little problem. The biggest two were finding the right video source on my TV remote (the one marked HDMI was showing VGA)  and every time the Roku had to restart, it lost the wireless internet connection and I had to kick that back in gear -- luckily I didn't have to enter the password again, just make it 'find' the network and confirm the password and get it to connect again. Hopefully that only happens on restarts, which should be minimal outside of software updates and changing the view settings.

Right now I've only got the Netflix channel set up [which was also quick and easy] and a movie is streaming away, only about 15 minutes in but no discernible lags or blips or anything so far, and that's with me also (obviously LOL) doing some minor web surfing at the same time. It seemed to almost try to download all or part of the movie before it started playing, but I couldn't tell how much of it -- just enough to get started while the rest streams behind-the-scenes probably, it didn't take too long so I can't imagine it was all of it, my connection ain't THAT fast.

So far, me happy.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Steph H said:


> My Roku came today and I got it hooked up with little problem. The biggest two were finding the right video source on my TV remote (the one marked HDMI was showing VGA)  and every time the Roku had to restart, it lost the wireless internet connection and I had to kick that back in gear -- luckily I didn't have to enter the password again, just make it 'find' the network and confirm the password and get it to connect again. Hopefully that only happens on restarts, which should be minimal outside of software updates and changing the view settings.
> 
> Right now I've only got the Netflix channel set up [which was also quick and easy] and a movie is streaming away, only about 15 minutes in but no discernible lags or blips or anything so far, and that's with me also (obviously LOL) doing some minor web surfing at the same time. It seemed to almost try to download all or part of the movie before it started playing, but I couldn't tell how much of it -- just enough to get started while the rest streams behind-the-scenes probably, it didn't take too long so I can't imagine it was all of it, my connection ain't THAT fast.
> 
> So far, me happy.


Good to know. My Apple TV should be here later today and I'll get it set up. If it works as well as I hope, I'll probably get a Roku too and then drop my satellite down to basic service.. That will be so nice!


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Well, that first movie played flawlessly, no complaints whatsoever.  I just added another movie to the Instant Queue via computer, and it added to the Roku queue pretty much right away too, within a few seconds.  And again, from hitting play, it took about 20 seconds to "retrieve", which I'm still guessing is just to get some initial buffering because that's not near enough time (IMO) to d/l an entire HD movie on my not-bad-but-not-lightning-speed broadband connection.

I hadn't really considered changing my DirecTV service as a result of getting the Roku, but it may just happen....   I'm pretty sure I'll drop the Netflix service to just streaming, though; there's not that many things in my queue that are DVD-only and I don't care that much about seeing the first-release stuff immediately; I can always get them from Redbox (I think it's called) or somewhere if I really want to see them before they hit Netflix, or get them off PPV on DTV.


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## LitChick (Nov 26, 2010)

I signed up for the 1 DVD at a time deal which was $8.99 at the time, although at the moment I'm doing trial. I think I may stick with streaming once my trial is up since they have enough of an instant streaming selection for now.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Here I go again off on another tangent. DH and I have been thinking of getting a BluRay with wifi to stream Netflix. BUT, our DVD home theater system is working well. The Roku did not work out for us and  I returned it. Now I want to hear more about the Wii. We could stream AND have exercise videos! Is the Wii hard to set up? I would like to hear from those of you who own a Wii and have success streaming (and playing!)


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Jane917 said:


> Here I go again off on another tangent. DH and I have been thinking of getting a BluRay with wifi to stream Netflix. BUT, our DVD home theater system is working well. The Roku did not work out for us and I returned it. Now I want to hear more about the Wii. We could stream AND have exercise videos! Is the Wii hard to set up? I would like to hear from those of you who own a Wii and have success streaming (and playing!)


It's harder to set up than the Roku, but it's not hard.

You will need a wireless connection to download the Netflix app on Wii and stream movies. The Wii doesn't stream HD movies though, even if you have an HDTV.

BTW, what was the problem exactly with the Roku? Maybe we can figure out exactly what went wrong and why.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

One thing that might work better for you with the Wii is that it's lower tech. The connections are analog, not hdmi, which mint work better with older tv's.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> One thing that might work better for you with the Wii is that it's lower tech. The connections are analog, not hdmi, which mint work better with older tv's.


But the Roku also supports lower tech analog connections (and it even comes with that kind of connection), so that isn't necessarily an "advantage" for the Wii, per se.


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## Maria Romana (Jun 7, 2010)

dnagirl said:


> I love PlayOn. Between it and Netflix streaming, I can find pretty much any show I want to watch. It's enabled us to cancel our DISH Network subscription and saves us quite a bit of money.


This is what I've been thinking about lately. My family is spending a bloody *fortune *on cable TV, yet we really only watch the older stuff--Star Trek, Murder She Wrote, Mission Impossible, and some movies--things the whole family can enjoy together. And we DVR everything, because we hate commercials, and we want to watch on our schedule. I've been thinking lately that there has to be a cheaper way to do this over the internet. We do have a couple of the big flat-screen monitors that can hook up to our laptops, so really, how wide is the selection of stuff that you can get streaming? What are the downsides to living without the cable/DISH? One I can think of would be the lack of sports programming; I'm not sure the hubby could manage without.

--Maria


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Meromana:

I've lived without a TV for 8 years now. Gotta tell you, I don't miss it. I get my news from the radio and the net. I watch everything on my computer, either streaming from Netflix, network websites or amazon video on demand or I get DVDs.

Netflix has all the seasons of Murder she wrote on streaming, but doesn't have Star Trek (they have it on DVD).


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I have my Apple TV all set up. How cool is this? This is the first time I've streamed Netflix on my TV and it works! (well, it didn't at first, but after some hunting around some tech support forums, I made a couple of changes and now I have it! YAY) I really didn't think it would work with my cruddy internet.

And to be able to use my iPad as the remote and play what I have on my iPad and computer directly to my TV... Oh boy, I'm having fun...

Next step Roku..


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Heather, why would you need an Apple AND a Roku? Don't they both do the same thing? 

I was so disappointed today. DH and I braved the weather and went to Costco to buy a BluRay player that was Netflix ready. We thought we had it all figured out. Ran into a friend in Costco who really understands electronics. Turns out we don't have a tuner to hook up the BluRay to. Our tuner is our Panasonic DVD Home Theatre system. The speakers from our Panasonic won't hook into the BluRay (a Sony), so we really need to buy a whole new BluRay HomeTheatre system, which is more than we want to spend right now. They Sony Netflix players were right next to the BluRay, and I wanted to buy one, but he said it wouldn't work any better than than the Roku did. As I said earlier about the Roku, I could not get sound to the Roku, although I could stream the movies. The sound came from the TV, whatever channel it was programmed to. I realize I need to get a geek in here to look at my whole system.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Jane917 said:


> Heather, why would you need an Apple AND a Roku? Don't they both do the same thing?
> 
> I was so disappointed today. DH and I braved the weather and went to Costco to buy a BluRay player that was Netflix ready. We thought we had it all figured out. Ran into a friend in Costco who really understands electronics. Turns out we don't have a tuner to hook up the BluRay to. Our tuner is our Panasonic DVD Home Theatre system. The speakers from our Panasonic won't hook into the BluRay (a Sony), so we really need to buy a whole new BluRay HomeTheatre system, which is more than we want to spend right now. They Sony Netflix players were right next to the BluRay, and I wanted to buy one, but he said it wouldn't work any better than than the Roku did. As I said earlier about the Roku, I could not get sound to the Roku, although I could stream the movies. The sound came from the TV, whatever channel it was programmed to. I realize I need to get a geek in here to look at my whole system.


Sorry to hear about the problems you're having. I really don't know a lot about TV's and home theaters and stuff.

They do similar things and it's the same concept. The Apple TV will play everything in my iTunes and has Netflix Streaming. I can also stream things directly from my iPad or iPhone right to my TV. The Roku has Netflix Streaming, Amazon on Demand, Hulu Plus... I could have just done the Roku, but I like the idea of playing all of my iTunes stuff since I have a lot.


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## corkyb (Apr 25, 2009)

I'm looking at an LG BD590 Blu-Ray because it has a 250 gb hard drive and streams everything but Amazon VOD. I never did burn my cd's to itunes. Pluse I can play my itunes, which is now huge, over my wireless connection. But now reading above, I have an old CRT TV and a ten year old stereo system which probably isn't even 2.1 surround sound. How can I figure out what will work with the blue ray and what I have to buy new? I hate to buy a whole new stereo system. I do have five speakers hooked to it. But not sure what the heck that has to do with anything. I know I need a flat rate tv pretty soon, but do I need a whole new stereo system to listen to music on my blueray player?
Duh, feeling pretty dumb.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Heather have you used the AppleTV to show your iPhoto albums yet? And you're playing iTunes from your Mac as well as your iPad, right?


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

hsuthard said:


> Heather have you used the AppleTV to show your iPhoto albums yet? And you're playing iTunes from your Mac as well as your iPad, right?


So far I've used it for Netflix streaming and I did try the AirPlay from my iPad.. I haven't tried it from the iTunes on my PC yet.. Probably a bit later today. I haven't done the photos yet either, but I plan to. I have plenty of time to sit here and play with the features..


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## cargalmn (Sep 29, 2010)

Wishing I had caught this thread a little earlier - am just catching up on KB threads now...

My husband & I cancelled cable 2 months ago (yay!). We took a long time to think about what we watch and how to get content to our main (basement) TV. We use Play On as our server, and xBox is the device we use to pick up the content on the other end. You do *NOT* need xBox Live Gold to play Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video on Demand, etc when you use Play On as your server (in fact, you do not even need Hulu Plus unless you want shows in HD). Additionally, there are other "plug-ins" available for Play-On that will allow you to get content from CBS, MTV, YouTube, and a number of other sources (google Play On Plug-ins to read more about it). The Plug-Ins are community created and supported, so YMMV.

For our other TVs that don't have an xbox, we have a Dlink DSM media streamer hooked up to them (we have the DSM-520, i believe). Don't use wireless unless you have to. The Dlink comes with server software, but it stinks - good news though! It's compatible with the Play-On server software - so there's another way to get Netflix / Hulu / etc.

We have 3 TV tuners on our main PC, and record our OTA broadcast shows that way and replay them back via the xBox (which handily serves as a Media Center extender). The Dlink does not play the format that WMC records in. We are considering buying the 4Gb xBox for our main level TV so we can watch recorded TV up there - there are a very limited number of WMC extenders available, and honestly, the xBox costs about the same, is very zippy and can output the HD shows either from your hard drive or from the internet.

My recommendation is to check out Play On - we've used it for several years and it's fab. I think there are two pricing levels; I think you can probably get what you want from the "basic" service. Watch Craigslist for the latest gen xBoxes and you might be able to get one for $120 - $150 (YMMV with used models, buyer beware!).

As I said, we put a lot of time & effort into this before we bit the bullet and cancelled cable. We don't regret it!


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

cargalmn said:


> My recommendation is to check out Play On - we've used it for several years and it's fab. I think there are two pricing levels; I think you can probably get what you want from the "basic" service. Watch Craigslist for the latest gen xBoxes and you might be able to get one for $120 - $150.


I wouldn't recommend getting a used Xbox 360. It's the most notoriously unreliable system on the market, even new, so going used is a huge risk. (Google "red ring of death.")


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## cargalmn (Sep 29, 2010)

CS said:


> I wouldn't recommend getting a used Xbox 360. It's the most notoriously unreliable system on the market, even new, so going used is a huge risk. (Google "red ring of death.")


I agree that the former chipset was unreliable, but reports of red rings of death have drastically reduced with the Jasper chip or later - I think I said latest gen of xbox 360, right? I completely agree that prior xbox's should be avoided at all costs...unless you have a friend getting rid of one that you can get for dirt cheap.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

cargalmn said:


> I agree that the former chipset was unreliable, but reports of red rings of death have drastically reduced with the Jasper chip or later - I think I said latest gen of xbox 360, right? I completely agree that prior xbox's should be avoided at all costs...unless you have a friend getting rid of one that you can get for dirt cheap.


That may be the case, but those guarantees go out the window with a used model. You have no idea when they bought their system, unless it's one of the newer "Slim" models. Even then, why would they be selling that already?

I just think it's a bad idea to risk getting a used 360. At least with a new system, you have the Microsoft warranty backing up your purchase.


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## cargalmn (Sep 29, 2010)

CS said:


> That may be the case, but those guarantees go out the window with a used model. You have no idea when they bought their system, unless it's one of the newer "Slim" models. Even then, why would they be selling that already?
> 
> I just think it's a bad idea to risk getting a used 360. At least with a new system, you have the Microsoft warranty backing up your purchase.


Ok, fair point.  I modded my original post accordingly. Thanks!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Roku now hooked up (gotta love Amazon Prime). It took all of 10 minutes.. And that included getting Netflix, huluplus, and Amazon all activated. I am in HEAVEN! I really wish I hadn't waited all this time. I was just convinced that it wouldn't work with my poor Internet.

I'll probably bump us up to the 1 DVD out at a time, but for the most part, I think what we have now will keep us busy for quite awhile. I now have to get another Roku box for the BRATs TV downstairs... 

And I don't know how I've survived without streaming stuff for so long..


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I would get a Roku, except that I'm not sure if I'd get any sound, since it doesn't come out of my TV.  Cable box had to be hooked up to stereo because the sound stopped on the TV.  I still haven't figured out why my dvds won't play on my TV (sound was coming through stereo though).  It was just all of sudden not working, but the cables were/are connected.


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## corkyb (Apr 25, 2009)

Oh I am so confused.  And I wanted to buy the Gold Box Vizio 47 inch LCD TV today for $599 I think and I missed out on it because of a dr. appt and my crazy work calling me at the doctors office with emergency request they never even used.  Bahh!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Earlier someone mentioned on this thread the various Roku models.  Does anyone know what is different about the HDX ($100) and the XD ($6?  I take it that the HDX is a newer model, but I'm not sure.  It says on Amazon that it's available Dec. 8th, but I don't know whether it's brand new or they are just out of them until Dec. 8th.

Also, does anyone know whether you can plug audio into a different device than the video?  I think I'd have to plug audio into my stereo receiver, since that is the only way I'm getting sound now for my TV.  I don't know whether or not the component cable is all one or if a separate one can be used for audio.


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## bkworm8it (Nov 17, 2008)

I have a wii at my home, anyone know if I can get hulu or amazon on demand on it?  

Also for the Roku I'm getting my mom, she has surround sound, anyone have theirs hooked up to surround sound??

thanks!


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

bkworm8it said:


> I have a wii at my home, anyone know if I can get hulu or amazon on demand on it?


No, only Netflix.


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## Kristan Hoffman (Aug 6, 2009)

Hmm... I like where this is headed! I used to have the 1 DVD at a time plan, but I hated feeling like I HAD to watch movies to get my money's worth. Especially since, by the time I got a movie, I might or might not be in the mood for it.

Is anyone able to give me an idea of what Netflix offers for instant streaming vs. what they offer via DVD only? Like, movies that came out last year, TV shows from the early 2000s, etc. -- I'm just looking to understand the selection, and how limited (or not) it is.

Danke!
Kristan


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Kristan,

There's no logic to what they have on DVD versus what they have on streaming.  You just have to search to see if what you want is available streaming.  Sometimes new releases will show up on streaming then vanish, only to return later.


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## Kristan Hoffman (Aug 6, 2009)

Ah, interesting... I think I could live with that.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

I'm finding, in my limited searching, that it's much like Kindle books.   For instance, Movies 2 and 3 of a series will be available for streaming, but Movie 1 won't be.  Or Seasons 1-3 are but not Season 4, but 5-6 are.  Very random in some cases. I also downloaded one over the weekend that specifically stated it was only available until 12/1.  I guess it will go *poof* after that.  And it's a 10-year+ old movie!


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

If what my queue says is true, we're due to lose every BBC program on instant queue in the next couple hours.  I have been told that this happens when the contract expires and they normally renegotiate without any issues, but it still makes me nervous.  Right when I was really getting into Dr. Who too!

I have Netflix streaming on several devices, so I'll throw in my two cents with what I've noticed.

PS3 has gotten better now that it requires no disc.  I have not used it since they changed that, but when I did use it I noticed that any 4:3 programs would be stretched out to fit the screen because the PS3 doesn't know how to recognize them and compensate.  I'd assume they would fix this, and would hope they would have by now, but as soon as I noticed it doing that I quit using my PS3 for streaming.

Tivo is my streaming method of choice, but it does have its issues.  I have a Series 3 HD, and while it runs well most of the time, I will say the interface is clunky and when it has issues it really has issues.  Sometimes it will just keep having to buffer, other times you'll get artifacts on the screen and audio that doesn't sync (easy to fix with a 10 second rewind usually), and still other times it will drop your quality really low saying your connection is slow.  Again, these things don't happen a lot but they do happen.  And a lot of the time when these issues come up I have had my Tivo freeze up completely and need a reboot and every time I try to access Netflix for the next hour or so it will continue to freeze and force me to reboot until I give up on it.

My Panasonic television is my second choice and I use it when the Tivo is giving me issues.  When the Tivo is doing the buffering and artifacts mess, my TV will play them fine so I know it's not my connection (the Tivo is connected by ethernet and the TV is wireless).  I notice that my television will stutter the program a bit rather than buffer when it encounters a slow connection.  While this is a little bit annoying because the picture gets jerky, it does fix itself quickly and does it without completely stopping the show and buffering.  I find I appreciate this more than how the Tivo does it.  Sometimes the connection will be so slow the TV will refuse to play, so at those times I go with my Tivo.  The interface is superior on the TV and it even lets you scan through Netflix movies not in your queue.

Our Wii is a room where it doesn't get used much, but I was really impressed with how it handled Netflix.  My one problem with the Wii is I think it refuses to connect in HD even when a program is available that way.  It has a top quality it uses for Netflix and won't go beyond that.  It seems reliable and relatively quick, but I do have to say the glass ceiling on the quality irked me when I found out about it.  Requiring a disc can get annoying too.


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

I did one of those week-long Netflix trials and only streamed movies, but $8/mo still sounds a little expensive...if it were $6 or under, I would consider it. Ah well...I'm glad this is finally an option, but I definitely hope it gets a little cheaper. Maybe for a limited plan that allowed for ___ number of movies each month or something.


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## laurie_lu (May 10, 2010)

We stream Netflix via our kids' Nintendo Wii.  We have mid level DSL for our internet and the streaming is flawless.  Currently my "Instant" queue is 4 times bigger than my "DVD" queue.  The only draw back is that the Nintendo Wii doesn't do high def like the PS3 and XBox 360 does.

I really feel that the physical DVD will be a thing of the past.  Home movie watching will be all digital like our mp3's for music.  And the various file formats for eBooks with the eReaders.


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## ak rain (Nov 15, 2008)

laurie_lu said:


> I really feel that the physical DVD will be a thing of the past. Home movie watching will be all digital like our mp3's for music. And the various file formats for eBooks with the eReaders.


this would cut out a lot of people like my self who can not stream. though I do not know the % of users who are in my position. it just cost a lot in bandwidth.
sylvia


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## GreenThumb (Mar 29, 2009)

Scheherazade said:


> Our Wii is a room where it doesn't get used much, <snip> Requiring a disc can get annoying too.


Recently, Netflix changed things, and you can add a Netflix channel and not have to use the disc anymore. Woo hoo!


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Scheherazade said:


> If what my queue says is true, we're due to lose every BBC program on instant queue in the next couple hours. I have been told that this happens when the contract expires and they normally renegotiate without any issues, but it still makes me nervous. Right when I was really getting into Dr. Who too!


Is it resolved because all of my BBC shows appear fine. None have an expiration date. I looked up Doctor Who and I still had the option to add it to the queue. I'm only halfway through season 2 of Robin Hood, so I hope its resolved!


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Yeah I added one today and they no longer say expiring in my queue so yay!  I watched Season 3 first for some reason... I blame them, cuz I really wanted to see Blink and I rushed in case I was losing it.  So now to Season 1.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

ooo Blink. <shiver> And the angels returned last season. They get my vote for scariest villian.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

mom133d said:


> ooo Blink. <shiver> And the angels returned last season. They get my vote for scariest villian.


My 11-year old son woke up and came into our room two nights ago at 1:30am because of the angels coming back! Definitely they get my vote!


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

this reminds me, need to mail back the DVDs I have out from them so I get more for the weekend.


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## kim (Nov 20, 2008)

I don't think anybody has mentioned Google TV yet....  Has anyone tried that?


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## unknown2cherubim (Sep 10, 2010)

mom133d said:


> Is it resolved because all of my BBC shows appear fine. None have an expiration date. I looked up Doctor Who and I still had the option to add it to the queue. I'm only halfway through season 2 of Robin Hood, so I hope its resolved!


Hmmm, many of mine went bye-bye. How odd.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

kim said:


> I don't think anybody has mentioned Google TV yet.... Has anyone tried that?


I never have, but I just saw this blurb on Cnet.com in a story about "tech flops of the decade":



> Yes, it may be a little to early to proclaim Google TV a bust, but it's certainly skidded down the runway on takeoff. All four major networks--plus cable conglomerate Viacom--decided in mid-November to block Google TV users from watching shows streamed from their Web sites. And without better content deals in place, there's very little reason for anybody to get Google TV.


http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-33_7-10001201-35.html?s=0&o=10001201&tag=mncol;page

So, while not gospel, you may not want to tie your wagon to Google TV....


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## kim (Nov 20, 2008)

Steph H said:


> I never have, but I just saw this blurb on Cnet.com in a story about "tech flops of the decade":
> 
> http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-33_7-10001201-35.html?s=0&o=10001201&tag=mncol;page
> 
> So, while not gospel, you may not want to tie your wagon to Google TV....


yea, I found a few reviews that said Google TV wasn't ready for prime time yet.


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