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Best subscription-based video streaming
- Unlimited streaming movies
- Large library of movies and TV programs
- Compatible with lots of different video equipment
- Some plans include DVD or Blu-ray Disc by mail rentals
- High-demand new movies are rarely offered
- Little current-season TV programming
- Library padded with lots of low-quality titles
- HD titles are limited
If you watch lots of movies -- and either aren't that particular or have a sense of adventure about what you watch -- Netflix (*Est. $8 per month and up) presents a nearly unbeatable bargain. For as little as $8 per month, you can view as much as you want and as many times as you want from a library that's estimated at 17,000 titles.
That's the good news. The bad news is that you will usually be out of luck if you are looking for that just-released blockbuster. Instead, Netflix draws the bulk of its content from older movies, several months -- or longer -- after their DVD release, with some not making it for years, if at all. You'll also find lots of obscure movies. Some are high-quality, lesser-known films from smaller or independent producers, or foreign titles that failed to gain wide distribution in the U.S. Others are lesser-quality films. Selection is bolstered a bit with the inclusion of titles from Starz Play, which brings movies and programs currently playing on the Starz cable channels to online viewers. A deal with Epix also brings some -- but not all -- movies playing on that cable service to Netflix as well. There's also a good selection of TV programs, including classic shows and past seasons of current shows.
Video quality is pretty good, reports say, especially so for HD movies which can be delivered in 1080p if your Internet connection is fast enough. The downside is that only around 1,300 of the titles (TV and movies) are available in HD. Hardware support is broad, with nearly every Internet-connected device that supports streaming video from the web offering Netflix as an option.
Those looking for the newest releases aren't completely shut out, because each Netflix subscription includes the option of getting DVDs or Blu-ray Discs by mail. The cheapest plan lets you rent one disc at a time (*Est. $9 per month), but upgrades to as many as four discs at a time are available. If you want Blu-ray Discs, that will run you an extra $2 to $5 per month, however. If you are looking to stream new movies to your TV, Vudu (*Est. $1 to $7 per rental) draws kudos for the best streaming video quality of all -- nearly as good as Blu-ray in some experts' eyes -- and the streaming video service has recently added some content in 3D.
Netflix is one of the more popular streaming video providers, so it's not surprising to find lots of feedback. It's included in comparative round-ups of video streaming at NotebookReview.com and Mashable.com, and in a head-to-head comparison with Hulu Plus at DigitalTrends.com. It's also part of TNL.com's detailed analysis of which sites do the best job delivering top recent hits and current popular TV programming. Great reviews of Netflix on its own or in combination with streaming hardware can be found at Wired and CNET. News, reviews and user perspectives can be read at the HackingNetflix.com blog.
Our Sources
NotebookReview.com rates four top video streaming providers and declares that Netflix (along with Hulu/Hulu Plus) are the best choices. Video quality is fine, and while the lineup of titles still lacks the latest blockbusters, it's being fleshed out nicely with high-quality non-mainstream fare and top hits from years gone by. A link leads to a full review.
Review: Best Online Video Services Roundup 2010, Dustin Sklavos, Nov. 16, 2010
2. Mashable.com
Mashable.com compares features of five video streaming providers and gives its take on their strengths and weaknesses. Some negatives are found -- such as HD quality that's not quite as good as on some other services -- but low cost, wide hardware compatibility and a broad library make Netflix a "winner."
Review: 5 of the Best Streaming Media Services Compared, Christina Warren, Feb. 14, 2011
3. TNL.net
Tristan Louis looks at which streaming video services have the best lineups of top hits. Netflix does not score particularly well, having relatively few of the top 100 films of 2010 available for streaming. Louis does note that there is lots of content otherwise.
Review: Where the Hits Are Streaming, Tristan Louis, Jan. 20, 2011
This report looks at which video streaming service, including Netflix, does the best job of offering recent and past seasons of top-rated TV shows. All have their strengths and weaknesses, so Tristan Louis says there's little to recommend one over the other.
Review: The 2010 State of Internet VOD: TV, Tristan Louis, Jan. 26, 2011
Nick Mokey compares Netflix and Hulu Plus and calls Netflix the winner, at least for now. The video streaming service scores with its bigger library, wider support on Internet-connected consumer-electronics gear and the absence of advertising.
Review: Hulu Plus vs Netflix, Nick Mokey, July 1, 2010
Wired gives Netflix a very high rating (9 out of 10) and names it as its Home AV Product of the Year for 2010. The wide availability on lots of home entertainment gear and the large library of films and TV programs are key positives, but Daniel Dumas also gives kudos to small touches, such as the ability to easily pause and resume, even days later, streaming TV programs and films.
Review: Home AV Product of the Year: Netflix Streaming, Daniel Dumas, Nov. 1, 2010
7. CNET
CNET looks at the revamped interface available for Netflix on the Sony PlayStation 3. It's called fast and easy to use, but the real plus is the ability to search for content not already in your Instant Queue -- which can't always be done when Netflix is streamed via a different piece of home electronics gear.
Review: Hands-on with Netflix on the PS3: Disc-free and Better Than Ever, Matthew Moskovciak, Oct. 18, 2010
This site doesn't review Netflix per se, but it does include brief reviews of how Netflix streaming works with different consumer-electronics equipment. Other topics covered on this blog include new or discontinued features or policies, problems and solutions, and just about anything else related to Netflix. Some discussion about other services can also be found from time to time.
Review: News and Info, Editors of HackingNetflix.com
Video Streaming Runners Up:
3 picks including: About.com, Notebook Review.com…
2 picks by top review sites.
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