Netflix coming to the Nintendo Wii platform - NICE!

[georgemoe]

In the Spring. It's about time!

http://blog.netflix.com/2010/01/netflix-coming-to-nintendos-wii-console.html

 

[rockundergirl]

That is exciting! Although takes one more thing off my list of reasons I should buy a PS3 ha

 

[Michele]

I wouldn't get too excited. We got a PS3 for Christmas. We already use Netflix, but didn't know about the instant streaming on the PS3 till after we got it.

Anyway, I ordered the instant disc but was very disappointed. There are hardly any movies to watch. I mean we didn't find anything we wanted to watch. Most of the movies available, I had never even heard of before and we are a big movie watching family, own over 300 dvd's. We pulled Vacation off our shelf and watched it instead of anything instant.

Hopefully in the future they will be adding more movies to be viewed instantly. Check out your Netflix queue...I have over 50 movies in mine, but only 3 are available instantly.

 

[georgemoe]

Netflix "streaming" is a compliment to the disc out service. Not a replacement or equal. I agree there are times we wished a certain movie or TV series was available.

For someone who watches a ton of movies, streaming could very well be "been there done that". But for many of us, you'll find something there to entertain you while you're waiting for that next disc to come in the mail.

 

[sandiedvc]

I guess it just depends what you like.

Using the Netflix Instant Watch, I watched a lot of TV shows that I hadn't seen. You can also get a few exercise videos as well.

They also change out the movies available from time to time. There are some really good ones on there both current and golden oldies.

I haven't used the PS3 interface so I don't know how easy it is to search. I have a Roku and set my watch list from my computer.

Definitely check out the watch instantly tab for yourself at netflix.com. It may or may not be your cup of tea.

BTW, thanks OP for the information. I'm really looking forward to it. Now I can move my roku elsewhere!

 

[crazydisneyman]

In the Spring. It's about time!

http://blog.netflix.com/2010/01/netflix-coming-to-nintendos-wii-console.html

Congrats Jorge on 4,000 posts! Wow!

 

[rockundergirl]

Right now i have my video card connected to my tv with a dvi to hdmi wire, so I use "instant watch for the computer , but watch it on my tv. Is instant watch a different inventory from the streaming movies? I think they have a lot of instant watch.

 

[FireDancer]

I just wanted to give you guys a quick heads up on the the wii deal and streaming in general.

The wii will only stream SD video and not HD because of it's low processing capability. If you don't care about HD it is no big deal but I wanted to make sure you knew that.

Now, as for streaming and the availability, that is not a Netflix issue. Netflix want to be able to stream everything they have and also stream new movies when they come out to rent. The problem is that the studios distribute the streaming rights and disc rights seperately. As to why and if they should is a whole different conversation but Netflix is of the opinion (which I share) that the streaming is the future and not discs. To try and get more streaming content they have made a deal with the studios. They are going to hold new releases back longer in order to get more streaming rights.

The CEO of Netflix is of the opinion (which I share) that streaming is a better model then mailing a physical disc that can be lost, scratched, stolen, or broken. A little article about the decision is available here.

Hopefully this is one of many steps they and other providers take to get more movies streaming so we don't have to purchase physical discs anymore if we don't want to.

 

[DaParkers]

I already have 3 ways to watch a Netflix movie. Mail, computer, and my Xbox360 which streams in HD, so I won't be using the Wii to stream. I do think that it's a good addition though.

 

[FireDancer]

I already have 3 ways to watch a Netflix movie. Mail, computer, and my Xbox360 which streams in HD, so I won't be using the Wii to stream. I do think that it's a good addition though.

Oh yeah. If I were in charge of Netflix I would be trying to get my service on everything that is attached to your TV. They are getting pretty close considering even some DVD players can stream Netflix now.

This is where Blockbuster completely dropped the ball. Back in 2005 one of my roommates was the manager of a Blockbuster and was adamant that they would beat Netflix because they had the stores and Netflix couldn't compete with the convenience of walking down to the store instead of waiting for the mail. I told him that I saw streaming content as the future of movie "rental" and not a physical location that had to purchase inventory, manage that inventory, pay rent on locations in high traffic areas, and have a non-24hour business.

I am of the opinion that in the relatively near future every movie ever made will be available with the click of a remote (or mouse) and that eventually you will be able to get movies on the day of theater release in your home instead of having to go to the theater. I think there will still be theaters as people want the experience that comes with it just like there are still concerts even though we can listen to the music at home but the theater will not be about the movie, it will be about the the whole movie going experience.

 

[alamode]

Unfortunately, most of these online content delivery methods, be it Netflix, Hulu, Boxee, PS3 etc are US only. Believe it or not, there ARE OTHER COUNTRIES!!!

It's usually not the technology itself that is the issue, but the content licences. Xbox 360's video marketplace, for example, came out here in Canada over a year after it's launch in the US, and still has relatively little content compared to the US version.

it's really a catch 22. Content providers refuse to lisence their content outside of the US, because they say there is high piracy rates elsewhere. But if they don't sell their content here, how else do we get it?

 

[FireDancer]

Unfortunately, most of these online content delivery methods, be it Netflix, Hulu, Boxee, PS3 etc are US only. Believe it or not, there ARE OTHER COUNTRIES!!!

It's usually not the technology itself that is the issue, but the content licences. Xbox 360's video marketplace, for example, came out here in Canada over a year after it's launch in the US, and still has relatively little content compared to the US version.

it's really a catch 22. Content providers refuse to lisence their content outside of the US, because they say there is high piracy rates elsewhere. But if they don't sell their content here, how else do we get it?

That is an issue with the content owners and not the distributors. They license their content to different people in different countries and with different rules. If the company that holds the rights to content in Canada is not interested in streaming then the content holder in the US can't just make it available there.

Intellectual property rules are going to change but it will be slow and tedious. The movie, television, and music industries are trying very hard to hold onto old business models that don't work well in the current technological climate. Instead of innovating and staying with or ahead of the curve they try to fight it. The music industry is finally starting to catch on and hopefully the movie and television industries will not take as long to catch on.

 

[alamode]

That is an issue with the content owners and not the distributors. They license their content to different people in different countries and with different rules. If the company that holds the rights to content in Canada is not interested in streaming then the content holder in the US can't just make it available there.

Intellectual property rules are going to change but it will be slow and tedious. The movie, television, and music industries are trying very hard to hold onto old business models that don't work well in the current technological climate. Instead of innovating and staying with or ahead of the curve they try to fight it. The music industry is finally starting to catch on and hopefully the movie and television industries will not take as long to catch on.

I agree totally. Unfortunately with the new DMCA-like laws being put forward here in Canada (through heavy lobbying by the movie and TV industry), things look like they will get much, much worse before they get better.