HD Rentals: The Art of the Impossible - Page 2

Brian Collins · 02-23-2008, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob McCraw

You're not lucky - you're just not being throttled.

I think I just got moved to the throttled list. I'm on vacation (use or lose, so not going anywhere) and so I'm watching about a movie a day from Netflix. On Friday morning I got the standard notification that they'd received my movie and the next available disc would ship that day. Well, I never got the movie shipped e-mail, however I did get an e-mail reminding me of the terms of use page, so I took a look at my que. I have to wait until Monday for them to ship my next movie. edit: I should mention that this is the first time that a movie wasn't shipped the same day, unless they notified me that the next movie would be coming from a different distribution center (which they didn't do on Friday).

The terms of use do clearly spell out now that folks who get less movies have priority "when the number of shipments to be processed by that distribution center on that day is exceeded."

You can see from the below image that most of my selections are short or long waits. I add movies to my que generally the weekend they open at the theatres. I'll look at the top 10 each week and add movies that seem like they might interest me. So I'm generally not real concerned about when I get the movies...sometimes longer is better since I've forgotten all the spoilt material from the commercials.

further edit to add:
I figured I'd throw in a few more details concerning my situation. I'm currently on the 3 out at a time price plan. When I'm not on vacation, I generally watch 3 movies a week (sometimes I only get 2 in). I would assume this is about average (3 out plan=3 watched a week, 4 out plan=4 watched a week, etc). My distribution center is in Columbia, SC. Maybe that has something to do with the page full of short and long waits. Your distribution center might just get more copies of HD discs for one reason or another. I've been a Netflix member since 2004.

I wasn't really being serious about being throttled, it was just a rather large coincidence that I got that e-mail about the Terms of Use the first time Netflix was unable to keep up with my return rate.

Gregory Vaughan · 02-23-2008, 02:51 PM

Interesting. It's definitely whether you are throttled or not. Looking at the above list, it shows Michael Clayton BD as "very long wait", whereas it shows on my queue as "short wait". I have 9 other BD movies on my queue and all show as available now except Blade Runner, which is also "short wait".

I'm not saying that it doesn't suck for people who watch a lot of movies, but if you happen to be a low frequency renter (I tend to watch 1 movie a week) it doesn't appear to be a problem (and it's not just if you are a new member either, I've been a Netflix member since 1999).

Bryan Beckman · 02-23-2008, 10:26 PM

It's very interesting trying to figure out what Netflix is doing. Today all of the Blu-rays in my queue that had any sort of wait attached to them are Now available. Part of that could be that I'm on the $8.99 plan, and have held on to my latest movie for nearly two weeks, but I do think it's remarkable that they're now all available. My first thought was, "Well, maybe since they've decided on Blu-ray, they're increasing their inventories." But throttling could have something to do with it too.

Brandon Conway · 02-28-2008, 01:05 PM

Looks like Netflix just increased their Blu-ray catalog.

Blu-ray.com - Netflix Beefs Up Blu-ray Offerings

Felix Martinez · 04-23-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon Conway

Looks like Netflix just increased their Blu-ray catalog.

Blu-ray.com - Netflix Beefs Up Blu-ray Offerings

Looks like Netflix is raising their rates accordingly.

I recommend calling their toll free # 888-638-3549 and voice your opinion. Just be nice.

They're logging complaints, and this does seem to work. I recall a few months ago, Netflix was putting these obnoxious stickers around the hubs of discs, which was causing some playback issues. Lots of folks complained. Haven't seen those stickers since.

Dave Scarpa · 04-23-2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felix Martinez

Looks like Netflix is raising their rates accordingly.

I recommend calling their toll free # 888-638-3549 and voice your opinion. Just be nice.

They're logging complaints, and this does seem to work. I recall a few months ago, Netflix was putting these obnoxious stickers around the hubs of discs, which was causing some playback issues. Lots of folks complained. Haven't seen those stickers since.

Given that I still cannot get new release Blu Ray in any reasonable amount of time and I usually end up getting the SD Disk at Redbox (God I hope they do Blu at some point) I won't pay the oncrease, I'll just keep the current account to rent TV and such.

Paul Arnette · 04-23-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felix Martinez

Looks like Netflix is raising their rates accordingly.

I'm not sure 'accordingly' is really the correct term. That Netflix is attempting to see what the market will bear is probably more accurate. It is interesting to note that Netflix recently reported recorded profits, so I don't really buy the excuse that they have to raise prices to maintain a margin.

That said, I will definitely cancel their service if the average cost of a rental approaches the $4-5 mark. At that point, I can generally buy a BD and resell it and lose that much or less, which effectively becomes my rental price. My main problem with Netflix, apart from the availability of new releases, is that I can't seem to rent enough to achieve a decent 'ecomony of scale' while I still have a large backlog of my own titles to watch.

Brandon Conway · 04-23-2008, 12:35 PM

Frankly speaking, they could raise the price on the 3-at-a-time plan from $17.95 to $24.95 and I wouldn't bat an eye. I figured out about a week ago that between disc rentals and the online streaming I average $.34/hr for their services, which is a RIDICULOUS bargain.

I know everyone is looking for the next great deal, but I've been a customer for 7 years and I've received nothing but great service. I see little reason to change, personally.

David Wilkins · 04-23-2008, 12:50 PM

Looks to me, like the rate increase will apply only to BD titles, not an across the board per month increase for everybody. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm not sure how they would work it out, but it doesn't sound like it will apply to all subscribers. It would probably kick-in when a person has the Blu-ray option checked on their account.

David Wilkins · 04-23-2008, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Scarpa

Whether it might be My New Software update to the Apple TV, or the HD offerings of Direct TV, I'm being forced to look elsewhere for recent HD movies. It has become nearly Impossible to get any Recent HD offerings from Netflix. So I joined BB Online hoping for better Results, just as Bad. Getting any movies within 3 months of release does not seem to be Doable anymore. I Would rent far more HD-DVD and Blu Ray than buy, my hope when I got the A2 and now the PS3. But I see this was false Hope as attaining these as rentals are nearly impossible. I've been getting most of my new stuff from Redbox in SD and upconverting it, and that was not my Desire in the HD age. Anyone else battling for HD rentals now want to give me some tips?

Perhaps results vary by the stock on hand at your local area Netflix distributor. I've had pretty good luck with hi-def rentals from the Minneapolis distributor. From what I've read, their deal with the post office is mighty thin, and it's getting less and less likely for them to ship titles cross country the way they used to. I haven't had a shipment from anywhere other than Minneapolis, since the Fall of '07.

Having recently gone from the 3 at a time to the 4 at a time deal, there has been a slight reduction in "availability" of certain BD titles. However, there have been times when I've had immediate shipping on a title that shows "short wait", and once or twice on a title showing "long wait". It's all part of the mystery of Netflix.

Felix Martinez · 04-23-2008, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Arnette

I'm not sure 'accordingly' is really the correct term. That Netflix is attempting to see what the market will bear is probably more accurate. It is interesting to note that Netflix recently reported recorded profits, so I don't really buy the excuse that they have to raise prices to maintain a margin.

That said, I will definitely cancel their service if the average cost of a rental approaches the $4-5 mark. At that point, I can generally buy a BD and resell it and lose that much or less, which effectively becomes my rental price. My main problem with Netflix, apart from the availability of new releases, is that I can't seem to rent enough to achieve a decent 'ecomony of scale' while I still have a large backlog of my own titles to watch.

Unless I read incorrectly, they're planning on raising the rate according to your media selection (Blu-ray). I don't believe they are raising rates across the board.