DracoFelis
Premium
join:2003-06-15
| NetFlix streaming
Any other NetFlix customers using the streaming "Play now" (TVoIP) service? If not, you might want to give it a try, as it seems to work reasonably well, is totally licensed/legal, and comes as a "free bonus" with your NetFlix subscription. i.e. At the present time, using the NetFlix streaming service does NOT lower the amount of DVDs you get from them, nor does it raise your subscription price, so it really is a bonus you get "for free" if/when you are already an "unlimited" NetFlix customer (as our family is, since we like getting those DVDs in the mail). And even though only a fraction of the NetFlix DVD library is available from this streaming service, they still have enough on the streaming service to keep things interesting.
FWIW I recently setup my laptop with the NetFlix streaming movie client (the laptop was used partly because it is the most recent computer in the house, and therefore has enough CPU to handle the video rendering in real time), and so-far I am pleased with the results. Since the NetFlix service is DRM locked down, I was expecting the client install to be a PITA. And while the install did require me to jump through a couple of hoops (for example, "upgrading" to Windows Media Player 11, to gain the needed Windows DRM support), overall NetFlix made the install much less painful than I was expecting (although I do have to use IE, instead of FireFox, when I want to stream movies from NetFlix). Even better, the video quality was much higher than I was expecting as well (although video quality will vary with download bandwidth)! So overall, I find the service a nice addition to the TVoIP links I had already gathered. |
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pintnight
join:2002-05-19
Bedford, TX | Are you streaming the data to your TV? Is so, how did you that? |
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XPAMD
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Mount Cory, OH
 ·ViaTalk
| I'm doing this to....to answer your question pintnight, My wifes laptop has a VGA port to connect an external monitor, and an S-Video port to connect to a TV.
Most LCD/Plasma will accept either a VGA (D-SUB), or DVI input to allow a computer use it as a 2nd monitor. THere are adapters out there that wil allow VGADVI Conversion if your connection type doesn't match.
As long as you have a decent Internet connection the picture will be DVD quality.
Netflix has no issues with my wife's laptop either, and it's always wireless (802.11G).
It's been reported that there will be a Media Center which will support Netflix without a PC/ |
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tcas2
Premium
join:2003-11-15
Walnut Cove, NC
| reply to DracoFelis
Been Using NetFlix streaming for a couple of weeks now...works well.
Using Toshiba Laptop M-55 with S-Video out to TV which has S-Video in. Audio thru laptop headphone jack to audio in on TV. Laptop running XP pro...had to get an updated Intel graphics driver for laptop which installed with no probs. Also an Intel graphics manager was installed with update.
Have to run laptop at 1024 x 768 for TV to work(probably has to do with graphics card in computer)
Found it easier to use Function/F5 to cycle between computer and TV output.
Audio is weak(again probably laptop)...just have to crank up TV audio.
All in all, pretty painless and picture quality is good.
Michael |
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crackerdan
join:2008-03-31
| reply to DracoFelis
In May it will be a year that I have used Watch Instantly and I think it is awesome. You used to only get an hour for every dollar you spent for a monthly membership. $18 = 18 hours, but recently they changed it to unlimited hours for people who subscribe to the unlimited DVD rental. I just moved to Denver this weekend and won't have Direct TV until next Saturday so I have my PC hooked up to my 42" plasma and will be using the service all week. |
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John SChisum
join:2008-03-21
| reply to DracoFelis
We have been using it for about two months, my wife and I are watching all the old tv shows from the 80's. We even went and bought a media center PC and hooked it up to the plasma TV and surround sound, it is well worth it. We were with Blockbuster but the benefits did not compare to what Netflix provides especially with gas prices continuing to rise. |
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ophelus
join:2004-01-11
Denver, CO
| reply to DracoFelis
I've been using it for some exclusive (better quality) content it has that I can't aquire normally.. (wouldn't use it for hdtv stuff)
It has various issues including that I think the quality should be better that the streaming stops and that you should be able to que up the movie for full download just to stop any jerks and or select your quality level (as I'd always choose highest) |
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