09-22-2010, 06:30 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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My Take on Netflix Coming to Canada
It might be difficult for our American readers to fully appreciate how frustrating it is for the rest of the world to hear about these cool video streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon VOD, etc.) and not be able to access them. Well, finally I can cross one of those off my list: Netflix has launched their video streaming service in Canada. It's streaming only; no DVD rentals are part of the deal, but as a Zip customer, I'm OK with that. I immediately signed up this morning when I saw the email come in, and within 60 seconds, I was streaming a movie. I've got to say, that's pretty damn cool - it's what I've been waiting for! Xbox 360 support isn't ready yet for Canadians; they say it's coming this fall. I spent a few minutes doing the "taste" survey where you rate a bunch of different movies and TV shows to give Netflix a sampling of what you like, then started searching for a few things. One of the TV series on my Zip list is Supernatural, so I figured I'd check out if Netflix had it - and they list it as "not available". That's not a good start. I went to my old stand by, Star Trek, and they have absolutely zero Trek as well. Hrm. There's a lot of content up there in the Netflix catalogue, but there's some significant "A List" content missing. Is Netflix like this in the USA? Or are Canadians getting a chopped-down catalogue? $7.99 per month is pretty cheap, but unless I can routinely find the content I want on it, I'm not sure how appealing it will be long-term.
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09-22-2010, 07:41 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 639
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Nah, it's how it is here, as well. But you really can't expect a ton for $8 per month. For me, the biggest draw is the Starz stuff (decent movie collection and some good shows like "Pillars of the Earth"). And the occasional old TV show that you never heard about at the time ("Jeremiah" is my current show du jour).
No matter what, though, there is no good way to get all of the A-list of anything streamed. Hulu Plus is okay for $10/month, but if they don't add more content I'm dropping it soon. Still far too many studios keeping their stuff offline, or at least only airing a few recent episodes.
RANT ON: how freaking stupid is it for a studio NOT to allow people to watch the first few episodes of a show online. I mean, even if you're trying to preserve a revenue stream for your season DVD's, how the hell are you going to get new folks to buy in to a show without giving them a taste? So I've never seen Supernatural and I think that perhaps you have similar tastes to me so I'm thinking I might want to check it out. I refuse to watch any serial show without starting from the beginning. So I go to Hulu. They ONLY have the four most recent episodes. I pass. Supernatura, Hulu, advertisers, etc. all lose a viewer. Seriously brain dead business plan.
Worse is Fox with some shows (like House) where they think somehow it is a smart idea to delay the showing of an episode by exactly 8 days...one day after the airing of the next episode. 'Splain that! I miss an episode. I want to watch it before watching next week's episode. I CAN'T. I'm now stuck forever watching everything 8 days delayed on Hulu. I never get back to live, so they lose even more revenue (lots more ad revenue on real TV), plus the real possibility of me just not changing channels before whatever comes next. There is simply no POSSIBLE explanation that excuses that level of stupidity. I really wonder about network executives...I don't think a high-school drop out meth addicted street kid could come up with a less intelligent scheme.
:RANT OFF
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09-22-2010, 08:54 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 36
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I think here in Canada we will be doubly-screwed in that there will be cross-border licensing issues. Having said that, however, I also signed up and plan to start watching "Leverage" tonight. That hasn't been available in Canada until fairly recently, and only on one of the high-priced cable channels
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09-22-2010, 09:26 PM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 111
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
s Netflix like this in the USA? Or are Canadians getting a chopped-down catalogue? $7.99 per month is pretty cheap, but unless I can routinely find the content I want on it, I'm not sure how appealing it will be long-term.
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I am pleasantly surprised whenever something I want to watch is actually available for streaming, especially if it is less than 3-4 years old. It seems like it has gotten a little better lately. Although this improvement has been accompanied by the delay for a month or so of lots of the new movies.
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09-23-2010, 12:33 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ptyork
Nah, it's how it is here, as well. But you really can't expect a ton for $8 per month. For me, the biggest draw is the Starz stuff (decent movie collection and some good shows like "Pillars of the Earth").
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Yeah, you're right, for $8/month there's going to be a limit - but I was a bit surprised not to see TV shows that are 5+ years old lacking from the catalogue (Supernatural). It's all about licensing, and as usual the studios are holding out for more money, more money...
Quote:
Originally Posted by ptyork
RANT ON: how freaking stupid is it for a studio NOT to allow people to watch the first few episodes of a show online. I mean, even if you're trying to preserve a revenue stream for your season DVD's, how the hell are you going to get new folks to buy in to a show without giving them a taste?
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Agreed. It's to their advantage to have us want to check out the first few episodes of a show...the studios are short-sighted and terrified of their business model crumbling out from underneath them.
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09-23-2010, 01:42 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 214
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A couple years ago when I last had Netflix, I was really unimpressed with the movie selection. I wanted to see newer content, not stuff from 2 years prior that has already hit the theater, Blockbuster, and the movie channels. What was really the last straw for me was when they raised the price from $1 to $4 for Blu-Ray movies, when I couldn't even get half the movies I wanted in that format.
From what I've read in the past, and maybe this has changed since, but you needed a Netflix disk to watch the movies over your PS3. My PS3 has an 80GB hard-drive, why couldn't I just install something? My little sister just bought a Blu-Ray player, and she can stream Netflix to it without a disk. (And all I hear from her is how cool it is..)
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09-23-2010, 03:45 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 639
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Rylow
From what I've read in the past, and maybe this has changed since, but you needed a Netflix disk to watch the movies over your PS3. My PS3 has an 80GB hard-drive, why couldn't I just install something? My little sister just bought a Blu-Ray player, and she can stream Netflix to it without a disk. (And all I hear from her is how cool it is..)
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You also need it for the Wii. Blame Microsoft for negotiating an exclusive agreement with Netflix for "integrated" streaming on a gaming console. Supposedly this will expire soon, though, so expect Netflix (and a "free" Hulu Plus client) on the PS3 soon.
It is cool, BTW. I've got a Sony Blu-Ray (living room), a WDTV Live Plus (bedroom), and a PS3 (mancave) all streaming from Netflix. So long as you can live with the limited new content, it really is approaching the way TV will be in the not-too-distant future: 100% IP-based and exclusively on-demand, or at least a la carte networks.
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09-24-2010, 04:59 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 23
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I've been a Netflix subscriber for a long time. Eventually, you just quit caring about the timeliness of releases. Netflix becomes one great big PVR. Missed an episode of a show? So what. It'll be on there eventually. There is always something else to watch.
My TV viewing habits have become increasingly self centered. I don't check TV listings anymore, I just find a show on Netflix that I find interesting. Better Off Ted, Arrested Development, watching Avatar with the kids, various History Channel series. Who cares when the network played it on TV? I was busy with my own stuff and it didn't fit my schedule. New releases are the same for me. I still haven't seen Jame's Cameron's Avatar, but I don't care. It will make its way to me eventually. There is so much content out there that I never knew about, that was never taking up an entire wall at Blockbuster, that I don't feel like I am missing anything by waiting.
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Linear Mode
