I finally broke down and am trying Netflix on their free month's offer.

[MiddleFingerMom]

.
.
.
From hearing people talk about it and seeing their promos, I assumed that I was going
to find a catalog of THOUSANDS of great movies. Their selection is OK, but really limited
compared to what I had hoped for.
.
Is it really as limited as I'm finding it to be or am I missing something?
.
.
Is there a doorway I'm not seeing that leads to their Secret Stash or was I hoping for
too much?
.
.
.

[hobbit709]

1. Advertising hype.

I looked over all their offerings once and there wer maybe 3 shows I wanted to watch.

[Tobin S.]

2. We've found that Netflix is good as long as you aren't hoping for a lot of current stuff.

If you want classic movies and TV shows, it's great for that. You might find a lot of older stuff there that you wouldn't find elsewhere, as well. But if you want stuff that's closer to the here and now, you'll have to look at something else. We use Netflix and Hulu for our TV viewing and that's it. Netflix for the older stuff and Hulu for the current TV shows. Both are streamed onto our TV. Even though we're still a few days or so behind the times, it's still cheaper than cable and satellite.

[RebelOne]

4. I got rid of Netflix a long time ago.

I prefer Hulu and it is free unless you sign up for Hulu Plus, which has the newer movies and TV shows.

[KoKo]

42. Do you use Blue Ray for the Free Hulu?

I haven't found the free HULU anywhere...maybe online which I haven't checked....just talking bout TV with Neflix or Roku. Friends who use Apple TV don't get the "free" HULU, either.

[RebelOne]

73. I use the free HULU, which is online at Hulu.com.

I do not know why you can not get it. There is also Hulu Plus if you want to see adult movies or more recent movies. But it is $7.95 a month and I will not pay that.

[MiddleFingerMom]

12. I've never been one to run out and see a movie (let alone CAMP OUT for one!!!

.
.
.
And I'm a big fan of classic movies (where are the AMC's of yesteryear?), so I was happy to see
the film noir (BIG fan of noir) and Westerns and the like -- as well as some of the others.
.
And the TV part of it will certainly be enough to occupy my time -- I think I saw "Columbo" -- I've
really wanted to see that show again for quite some time now.
.
I just had the impression from the hype that I was opening up an enormous catalog of movies from
the last 80 years. If they didn't have enough for me, I would certainly have been pissed if I had
agreed to an annual contract (the free month and the month-to-month contracts are fine (although
often it takes companies a month or two to stop charging you).
.
.
The different "Star Trek" series, "The West Wing" (OH, YEAH!!!),"Scrubs" (I LOVE when they break
into a Broadway-like song-and-dance fantasty), "The Rockford Files", "Fawlty Towers", "Mr. Bean",
"Rocky and Bullwinkle".
.
.
.
ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??"
.
.
.
.
.
Gotta go.
.
.
.

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. I have had Netflix dvd rentals for over 5 years now

at 4 at a time rental. I get about 8-10 movies a month.
Have NEVER ran out of things to watch, almost 80% of them 4 or 5 stars.
I like the foreign films catalog, and docs.

If I HAVE to see a new movie right now, I have other options.

Pretty good deal.
I understand that the streaming catalog is different and they drop titles from it pretty often.

[KoKo]

24. +1

[Callmecrazy]

3. Netflix can be great...

But at times it's frustrating. As I write this I'm watching House of Cards, a Netflix original series and I highly rec it.
Be sure to rate movies as you browse. It helps Netflix pick out movies on your homepage and helps them find your movie interests.
At other times it is frustrating because it may offer a movie on DVD-by-Mail but it won't stream it. That's my biggest beef, but overall it's a good service.
Luck!

[avebury]

9. I totally agree about

House of Cards. The original British version is also available. I like Net Flix for the British shows that I can find.

[Callmecrazy]

14. Me Too!

I really like the British detective shows.

[Mnpaul]

74. I like MI-5

Also available on Netflix. It is probably too realistic for most American viewers. Too much gore. In one scene a guy gets his head shoved into a deep fryer.

[Callmecrazy]

75. Actually it was a girl...

It was the first or second episode.

[KoKo]

25. "House of Cards" is very good watch..But, stick with it after

first Two Episodes...because they changed Directors and Music and Leads are more intense and the PLOT THICKENS.

INSIDE DC BUBBLE? It was good for that end of it...and the characters in the series are REALLY EVIL..... But, probably closer to the Real Truth...than not about how America is RUN these days.

Loved it...but the first two episodes in the series were making me wonder if I wanted to stick with it. The rest of it sucked me in. Might just be my personal experience..but if you stick past first two and you are a FDR type DEMOCRAT...there will be much there that will find fascinating.

The sleaze is good too...for the rest of Dems to savor.

[fizzgig]

5. i really like netflix

i'd go with hulu plus if you're looking for more current shows, but i haven't had any issues finding anything to watch on netflix. they have a bunch of great science and nature documentaries.

[Ptah]

6. Acouple of recommendations you might enjoy:

Charade (1963)
Cary Grant stars as Peter -- who may or may not be a flimflam man -- who aids a widow in her mission to recover a fortune hidden by her late husband.
Cast: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau


Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
On the eve of his retirement, a lawyer decides to defend a man accused of murdering a wealthy widow in this film based on an Agatha Christie play.
Cast: Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton

[KoKo]

43. +1

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. DVD selection is excellent - streaming not very good at all.

We bounced from DVD to streaming, got through what we wanted to see pretty quickly, now are back to the DVDs.

[KoKo]

29. Is the Streaming from your Internet Connection or you Don't Like

Last edited Sat Mar 9, 2013, 09:00 PM - Edit history (1)

the Selection?

I ask because we've not had Streaming Problems...or trouble finding some really intriguing stuff on the Streaming.

We might just have different tastes in what's available...but, you've said before you've had problems with Streaming and broken DVD's (on the DU Neflix Site) and I live somewhat near you and not had problems with either. So wasn't sure whether it was our "taste in movies difference" or something else was going on in the Area where we live that was causing you problems with Netflix.

[NRaleighLiberal]

62. Streaming was fine - it was the selection.

We like a lot of foreign, and more independent films. Streaming seemed to have mostly mediocre movies, lots of US action stuff - not our tastes at all (for a yardstick, some of our favorite films are Lost in Translation, Remains of the Day, Howards End, Eternal Sunshine - Baraka, Koyaanisqatsi. we tend to not like blockbuster type films).

[Lydia Leftcoast]

64. Hmm, I still have more than 150 titles in my Netflix streaming queue, mostly

foreign TV and foreign and classic movies. Their selection of British TV is pretty good.

Hulu is getting better and better for foreign TV, and since it's run by the networks, it gets current TV and movies fast. Hulu Plus has the whole Criterion Collection of classic films available, as well as a lot of anime.

Hulu and Netflix appear to have divvied up the Asian immigrant market. Hulu has a ton of Korean movies and dramas, and Netflix has a lot of Bollywood. Both have a fair number of Spanish-language titles.

[NRaleighLiberal]

67. We were Netflix members for a long time, 3 DVDs at a time, so got through

lots of what we wanted to watch by the time we started streaming - so to us, there wasn't much that we wanted to see that remained of the streaming options. We were averaging 10 DVDs per month for years.

[LeftInTX]

37. It depends what you like to watch - your tastes

Time Warner Cable Movies on Demand offers a lot of movies, obviously for a fee.

Netflix streaming has lots of documentaries, film noir, quirky stuff, old TV shows and foreign. I got into Bollywood from Netflix. I'm not Indian, so Netflix streaming opened up a fun, new world for me. LOL

[KoKo]

38. +1

[LNM]

8. We only watch a few of the new movies out on DVD

but I think they have a good selection of indies which is mostly what we watch.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

10. Do you know the link to their online catalog of streaming movies?

When I go to the Netflix website, they only show a handful of featured films but their actual catalog has got to be bigger than what they show. Or do they want your money first before you can see what you get?

I'm really completely fed up with Dish Network. Yesterday they raised my monthly fees an extra $18 despite the fact I got rid of one of my receivers and my foreign language TV station. And they say I'm getting channels like HBO at half the price and that I can expect yet another dramatic price increase in 6 months. I'm now paying $117 a month for very little satisfaction.

And the movie channels I get through Dish like the multiple Encore channels, TMC channels, Starz channels, Max channels, HBO channels, Showtime channels keep showing the same old crap over and over and over. Most of the newer films have gone to the Epix channels and they cost even more. The other movie channels seem to be spending less and less to offer more and more inferior movies while raising their prices (the $18 price jump on my last bill was apparently due to their higher fees charged to Dish).

[KoKo]

15. Do you know about the ROKU BOX?

Last edited Sat Mar 9, 2013, 09:56 PM - Edit history (1)

We have Netflix and with Roku Box we also have access to other good creative stuff like Film Noir, ANIME, Classics , Food Shows,Documentaries, Smithsonian, National Geographic, PBS ....just so much stuff I can't even catalog it in this post.

Between Netflix and Roku Box we are never at a loss for something to watch no matter what mood we are in.

Most of the popular Series on Network TV are available there...also you have access to "Blockbuster on Demand, VUDU, Hulu +, Amazon Rentals and other "Pay Sites."

So much good stuff if you get the Personal Channel "Nowhereman" with access to International News...(to ditch the CNN/FAUX/Network Crap).

We get access to our Neflix through the ROKU and it's just a click through Netflix to scroll interesting stuff and then hit Instant Play and it goes through our Roku to our TV....Super Fast.

Love that WE ARE IN CONTROL of what WE WANT TO WATCH...and not...the Cables.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

17. I didn't know about that - thanks

I'll have to look into it.

[Mnpaul]

53. I have a Sony and like it a lot

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SMP-N100-Streaming-Player-Wi-Fi/dp/B0042SDDXM

It seems like every time I go on there it has more new channels. It will even stream stuff wirelessly off my tablet. Everything in Windows Media player's library is is available on the TV. Plus it has a USB port to watch stuff off a USB drive.

[KoKo]

60. We discovered with HDMI Cable from I-Phone to ROKU

we can watch You Tubes, and get Shows from International Sites we like to stream in the times we want to watch them.

That was a cool discovery for us...although Tech Wizards probably already were doing this...it was a new feature for us and it's worked great ...so far.

[Mnpaul]

63. The Sony can do Youtube by itself

but one of my favorites has to be SnagFilms. There are some great political documentaries over there.

Here is a list of all the available channels
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentDisplayView?hideHeaderFooter=false&storeId=10151&catalogId=10551&langId=-1&cmsId=STATICS_BIV_showcase

[Lydia Leftcoast]

65. Yup, I have a Roku, too, and more content than I have time to watch

I subscribe to Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Acorn TV (which offers British, Canadian, Australian, and Irish programming, 20 different titles at a time, with four rotating in and four rotating out each Sunday at midnight). That and MHz Worldview (international mysteries!) give me more content than I have time to watch.

I gave cable the final heave-ho just before Christmas, especially after I learned that I could get my local channels over the air with my new HD TV.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

66. The way to access their catalog on your computer is to click on the "Watch Instantly" tab

and then click on the genre (comedy, drama, horror, TV) that you're interested in. There's a lot more than what's on their front page.

Also, check out Instantwatcher.com for news on what's expiring and what's coming on new.

[Phentex]

11. There's a netflix group here...

and they give good recommendations. We have the streaming and I mainly watch classics or older movies.

The group introduced me to a site called Can I Stream It? where you can find out where particular movies can be streamed.

[KoKo]

35. Yes..Here's the DU LINK:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1143

[GentryDixon]

13. The British TV series are

great. Many Masterpiece selections out there.

I have branched out to the subtitled offerings. I had a problem in the past, so thought I hated all foreign offerings. Turns out, I love them. The Danish & Swedish series are great. I am watching "Wallender" right now, and the subtitles zip by so fast I had a hard time keeping up at first. I have a bad habit of using my tablet, surfing and watching TV. I have found I cannot do that while watching the foreign films. It has made me at least be able to remember what I watched the next week!

[KoKo]

16. That's the Cool Thing...Stuff you missed or just weren't tuned into

at one time in your life...It's like going through a library or bookstand and certain things you thought you wouldn't like...sort of jump out at you and you find some stuff you never thought you'd be interested in taking you in a different direction.

It's the "Random Walk" ...the Serendipity of the DISCOVERED....that's so much fun.

Netflix is pretty cheap when you compare to Cable or Movie Prices in Theaters these days...

[KoKo]

23. DUPE...sorry...

[nolabear]

18. They've got some damn fine documentaries. Seriously.

Marwencol, something on Origami whose name escapes me but is just outstanding, lots of stuff on artists and music, some wild religious exposes. I know topics and not titles isn't helpful but you won't be bored.

[sharp_stick]

19. Are you streaming?

Take a look at this site, I find it a lot better at finding movies that I want to watch.

http://instantwatcher.com/

[KoKo]

36. Good Site...Thanks...Learn somethng from DU'ers all the time...

that are tips that always work out.

THANKS! 's....it's good.

[sharp_stick]

20. Also, I can't get mad at any service

that allows me to watch the entire Black Adder and Red Dwarf Series along with a lot of classic and modern Doctor Who.

[KoKo]

28. Love the "Doctor Who"...I missed it in it's early years...

Find it "very fun" and keep it in the que..going through it one by one.

[dixiegrrrrl]

50. Black Adder and Red Dwarf

Cousin!

I just KNEW there had to be more of us out here in DU land.

[sharp_stick]

71. We may have to fly under the radar

but there are more of us than a lot of the "normals" think.

My wife rolls her eyes like you wouldn't believe whenever I decide it's time to watch either of these but I can't get enough. When you add Father Ted on Hulu Plus I'm set for a long time of tube watchin'

[dixiegrrrrl]

72. Don't forget Red Green!!!!!

[ohiosmith]

22. I like it!

[d_r]

26. you may be looking at only streaming

they have more on dvd than they have on streaming, make sure you look at dvds also

[ZombieHorde]

27. I love Netflix. Lots of good zombie movies, documentaries, cartoons, etc. nt

[KoKo]

30. Which of them are your FAVES...I'm not up-to-date on the latest.

Used to like the old ones from the 30's ...but, I like plot and not Zombies with AXES and BLOOD ALL OVER.

Is there a Zombie fave of yours that has cool plot with lots of intrigue and not "hacksaw murdering" or something like that?

BTW....I used to love those old WEREWOLF movies. But, don't see anything like that out there. It's mostly ZOMBIES...like Dick Cheney has made them famous or something.

[LittleBlue]

31. Mostly just a huge volume of B movies from the 70s-00s

And a few gems. Try the foreign section.

[KoKo]

33. that's the Thing...It' something for everyone there..and if you are

"CUTTING EDGE" then go every week to the Theaters for the Latest BLOCKBUSTER...and do the Popcorn, Soda...and the rest.. Or deal with PREMIUM Time-Warner, COMCAST and ENJOY.

The rest of us are EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES...and some of us find the Table Food...intriguing.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS!

[talkingmime]

32. Streaming or mail?

Apparently there's a difference. I don't use it, but one of the house members does. He does both mail and streaming (which squashes the Internet connection).

[KoKo]

34. Are you talking about "Family/Partner Dispute?"

Last edited Sat Mar 9, 2013, 09:28 PM - Edit history (3)

That's a hard one if your "bandwidth is being sucked up" because what YOU ENJOY is eaten up by what your "Family or Partner" enjoy?

You've read that the USA is Behind most European Countries and some Third World Countries in providing adequate extended Bandwidth to their Citizens....

We have the outages from time to time watching International News on our Roku Box. We think that They are Watching us lols..and Cutting Off or Interrupting our Viewing...but it's really that so many Americans are logging on to "Alternative News" that the System...as It Is... just can't handle it all.

EDITED...too much ANGER about Low Bandwidth to USA...that I went OTT...Sorry.

[talkingmime]

41. Damn. I accidentally responded to my own post. See post #40.

[talkingmime]

40. We're on DSL. No disputes involved, but a multi-player game with other streaming eats it.

He's my eldest daughter's boyfriend and my middle daughter eats her fair share of the bandwidth. I'm left with what's left.

[KoKo]

46. Says we in USA need more Bandwidth...we have your problem

with less people than you have in your house eating up the bandwidth.

We need to do better in USA that the Bandwidth isn't keeping up with the Products that demand it...is what I was trying to say, though...

[talkingmime]

49. Well FiOS is available, but it would up my cost and I'd be stuck with Internet phone service.

The latter isn't reliable by any standards. I'll stick with copper. Besides, the kids would just find a way to eat all of the new bandwidth. I have it somewhat throttled through the router, restricting it to B band mostly, but it's still a hog.

I'm usually on in the morning while they're all still passed out. That just works better for me.

[KoKo]

52. yeah...we still do the copper...Land Line and DSL for Internet

and Time-Warner keeps pushing us to Bundle...but we don't want to go with them..even though we hate ATT...we don't want to give up the Land Line because we live in Hurricane Territory...although we both have Cell Phones...just don't want to go that far.

A couple of kids in our house and we know we would have outages more than we already do.

We need dedicated upgrades to our Bandwidth in USA so that we have a choice...... We are worse in Bandwidth than many third worlds. Although I understand that not all Third Worlds have kids who all have cell phones, gaming and texting 24/7...we still should do better here in the USA and shouldn't have to give up our Land Lines...but want to be able to use the new tech stuff, too and not have to deal with these outages given that we are being "SOLD" all the new tech. It's overload into a system that doesn't seem to be able to handle it unless you pay either Time-Warner or Comcast for the Bundling which is only cheap for the first time period for Subscibers to entice you into the deal before they UP the RATES...

[talkingmime]

54. It would also be nice if we didn't have 20,000 bridges that failed safety inspections.

I know that's a minor detail, but still.

[KoKo]

58. I know...the whole SYSTEM is a wreck here in US...

but we have to "Deleverage" and that "Austerity Thing."

I hear there are Empty Cities in China just waiting for new occupants though...

I don't like to fly and moving there would mean a huge drag figuring it all out. I don't think I'd feel comfortable there so far away from everything I grew up with, though.

Empty, New-Built Shining Cities in China...while USA's infrastructure Crumbles. Sort of weird...it seems to me.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

39. I like it

but then I'm easily amused........

[XRubicon]

44. Watch Trailer Park Boys (nt)

[KoKo]

45. We loved it and thought we wouldn't...Is it still on?

If you are Southern and want to know that you have friends in Canada who live in Trailer Parks...it's Globalist Treat.

Truly...it's a very quirky but fun watch. Sort of like "EastEnders" is for the Brits and PBS Crowd who love it.

Earthy...'bout folks..seemed to me...and fun...different since it's from Canada to see how commonality we are....

[XRubicon]

47. Its on Netflix

I have watched every episode at least once. Netflix has all seven seasons.

Last year I went to see their live show in south florida.

[KoKo]

55. Yes...that's were we first saw it. Recommended by a DU'er

over on DU-2 and I never would have caught it anywhere else without that Rec. I didn't realize it was still running on Netflix since we watched the last of it two years ago on Netflix. That's good that it's so popular that Netflix is still running it after all this time!

Thanks for update that it's still there.

[sendero]

48. I just quit ..

..... Netflix streaming after watching everything they had that I wanted to watch and also noticing that they are getting little in the way of new content.

I think they are toast unless they get some content quick.

[KoKo]

56. Amazing because they add something New to watch every day

it seems.

But, it might just be you really like the LATEST NEW...and they just don't have all that much of "cutting edge latest."

Have you tried Blockbuster on Demand?

[sendero]

57. No..

... they show the same titles as "new releases" for literally months. They include the same title in multiple categories, even when it is a major stretch.

I use VUDU, Amazon, even Crackle (which also has little content, but it's free but I'm done with Netflix. If you can stand dealing with DVDs, the Netflix DVD library is superb. I just can't any more.

[KoKo]

59. It's so cheap though...even if you get both the DVD and Streaming..

and even cheaper for the streaming. But, hey...it's different strokes for different folks...so it just didn't suit you...and btw...I do like some stuff on Crackle (on my Roku) so there's enough "OTHER" that if you have a ROKU/APPLE/X-BOX/BOXIE...then that's kind of almost so much it would be hard to get through it all.

[sendero]

61. I do have a Roku.

.... and I love it. I really liked Netflix until I couldn't find anything else to watch (streaming). yes, 8$ a month is cheap, but if you get zero value from it not cheap enough

[bettyellen]

51. there are a lot of good foreign movies- and Spiral- the French TV series is amazing!

[KoKo]

68. Will check out....thanks.

[bettyellen]

70. it starts a bit slow- but it's like a cross between the Wire and a French Law and Order...

but much better- sexier and more complicated than Law and Order, it's just in France the prosecutors and judges work directly with police officers much earlier, so they are main characters too. They are going to do an American version, will not watch them ruin it.

[Neoma]

69. We use the streaming Netflix.

Has a lot more than you'd think. Even has all the X-files and Star Treks. Plus pretty current documentaries.