CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5321

I remember reading about it as a rumor and then I checked the website and I couldn't find the information. I want to go back to netflix because they are about 2 days faster than blockbusteronline.

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5238 Location: Osceola, Indiana

It doesn't say that it's more, I also wonder if you can get Blu-ray exclusively. I have no interest in SD-DVD disks, I haven't watched one in a year.

There is a Blockbuster I pass by to & from work so the instore swap out has some appeal to me.

Mike

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5321

the instore swap out is more expensive than netflix.

No input? Anyone here using Netflix with BR as their priority format?

dc_pilgrim · Joined: 31 Oct 2006 Posts: 225 Location: PA

Netflix announced earlier this year that they were considering (planning?) to charge more in the fall of 2008. No details about the nature of the pricing yet. You can always cancel . . .

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5238 Location: Osceola, Indiana

Phil Smith · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 7717

My local BB doesn't have much of a BR selection as far as new releases are concerned. What new releases they do have are hard to get because they don't stock many copies (maybe 4). If you like older releases, the selection's not bad. Not good, but not bad.

Getting on-line BR has been a problem too. I had 2 BR movies in my queue for over 6 months. I finally gave up and deleted them. But that may be because I still rent SD DVDs, and have a ton of them in my queue. If you have a lot of movies in your queue like I do, BB always send whatever is least in demand. If you only had BR in your queue, they probably would have no choice but to send them to you (they've got to send you something). I would try that, but there's a lot of DVDs I want to see that aren't offered in HD.

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5321

ecrabb · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject:

Greg,

I have Netflix. Currently, they do not charge anything additional for HD or BD - never have. As DC Pilgrim mentioned, they will be raising prices in the fall. FYI, shipping was extremely fast. Then, on June 16, I got this note from them:

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5238 Location: Osceola, Indiana

Thanks Phil for the Blockbuster info!

So the way it works if you only want to get BD just put only those in the queue?

I stopped by Blockbuster today after work, their selection of BD was decent not great. Most new releases were in stock except for 10KBC. I asked the clerk what they rent BDs for without an online membership and he said $4.95+tax for 2 day rental. I politely said thank you and returned it to the shelf. Two day rentals sucks really bad for a weekend, it means if I pick it up Friday evening after work then take it back Sunday night, that won't work since I'm on my new mission to save fuel because the store is about 7 miles from home. There is something I like about having some control over what you watch over a weekend that makes me not sure I would like NetFlix.

I been buying 2-3 disks a week and some of the stuff its unlikely I will watch more then once, so I'm looking at other options. I do find I use my theater way more then I did with SD-DVD and I spend much less time tinkering with the system. I let it warm up for 10-15 minutes and go.

That's interesting about the superduper coating on BD.

Mike

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5321

I think I will wait it out until I see if they increase the charge. I don't feel like supporting netflix at this time. They have made a few poor decisions in my eyes that does NOT support my hobby.

ecrabb · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:25 am Post subject:

Greg,

You can always can Netflix if or when they raise the price. I'm sure there will be advance warning.

Another thing... I've rented 8 or 10 BD's from Blockbuster in the store. I happily pay the $4.95+tax. The 2-day thing, though... that's the "official" rental period... But, BB doesn't have late fees anymore - which is the main reason I went back to BB after not having been in one in almost 10 years. The late fees used to PISS me off. I hated how keeping it for 1 hour too long cost you as much or more than the 2-3 day rental in the first place.

Anyway, I think the way it works now is, 2 days after your rental period (or 7 days for old releases), they just charge your card for the retail price - $35 or $40 or something for BD's, less the rental fee. But, they have a 30-day grace period, so if you don't really want it, you can return less a restocking fee.

So, if you wanted to keep every one of your 2-day rentals for 3 or 4 days, there's nothing stopping you. I've done it almost every time. Double-check it with your store, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works now. Instead of the old "BE KIND, PLEASE REWIND" stickers like they used to have on VHS tapes, they have stickers on some of the cases now that say, "BE KIND, PLEASE RETURN ON TIME". FYI.

I do both Netflix and in-store rental when we're watching more movies. Netflix for convenience to have a movie or two always sitting there ready to watch, and BB in-store for when decide on Thursday night to have people over Friday night and want a new release.

SC

Phil Smith · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 7717

ecrabb · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:02 am Post subject:

I don't know about BB online, but with Netflix, you simply select which format of each movie you want. If you select "300" as your movie, you have your choice between BD or DVD (and at one time HD DVD). You can set in your account prefs to default to, for instance BD if the movie exists on that format. Then, when you add it to your queue, it automatically goes in as BD. You can also manually reselect DVD, for instance if you were taking something in the car for kids to watch or something.

SC

ecrabb · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:07 am Post subject:

Here's what my queue looks like. You can see the little pull-down menus in the "disc format" column.

You can also see that "There Will Be Blood" is laying down in the theater and that "Next" will be here tomorrow. Wink

SC

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5321

ecrabb · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:47 pm Post subject:

There's so much to watch in HD now that I can't keep up with... I practically never watch SD discs anymore. In fact, one of the few I really wanted to see was only available in SD and was planning to watch it that way. But then, before I could get around to watching it, it came out on BD!

I know I miss a few movies skipping SD releases, but I figure by the time I get around to watching it, I'll be able to watch it in HD. Wink

SC