Friday, July 20, 2007
Discussion Thread: Instant Watching
Got ideas? Yes, we've heard about your overwhelming desire for a Mac-based availablity. We know it gets better the more movie titles that are available. Here's a place you can tell Steve about your hopes and dreams...
223 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 223 Newer› Newest»I know you know about the desire for mac based availability. I'll take it a step farther and say what I *really* want is the ability to get those shows into iTunes so I can watch them offline while traveling, and put them on my iPod/iPhone/Apple TV (I don't have an iPhone or Apple TV, but if I did ... )
Apart from the too you mentioned (Mac program and more titles), the only other thing I'd want is an Instant Watching queue, or even better, and way to have movies in my normal queue marked for instant watching - so that they wouldn't be sent to me, but if say I'm watching all the films by a director in chronological order, and some are available for Instant Watching and some aren't, I could list them in order on my Queue together.
I would love to be able to automatically flag for addition to queue based on arbitrary parameters: i.e., every time a movie by a certain director or with a certain actor comes out (either in the theater or on DVD), it is just automatically added to the appropriate queue -- or, failing that, I am sent an email where I can click once to add the new release to my queue.
Mac support?? Hey, how about additional browser support on the platform that's already supported! Firefox Firefox Firefox, please!
I really don't like using IE, and once that stupid, menu-less IE 7 gets pushed out to everyone, I really don't ever want to have to look at it again. I'd love to see Watch It Now support for Firefox. I'd really like to see support for Firefox on Linux as well, but the number of people who would care about/use that are probably too few to justify the work involved. But Firefox support would be much appreciated :)
Add me to the list of folks that are requesting Firefox support. The only time I ever need to fire up IE is for Instant Watching. I'd love to never have to open IE at all!
Firefox support.
Linux Support. Will this be possible once you adopt Silverlight for Instant Watching?
http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9714005-2.html
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9731410-7.html
I have to agree completely with the firefox support option. I would even prefer a netflix application that would be registered to handle the "netflix://" protocol so it could launch from any browser. Anything that would prevent me from opening IE.
Aside from the "avoiding IE" department, I also have a few other suggestions/pipe dreams:
Resume playback: it already seems to keep track of how long you are watching a particular movie, would it be possible to pick up where you left off if your computer restarts randomly, you accidentally close the browser, etc... because right now it can be kind of a pain to find out where you were in a movie due to the buffering and what not. A simple message when you play a movie that you have already played and not finished asking if you want to resume would be sufficient.
Heres a fun one: leaving notes for your friends at specific times in movies, or being able to link to specific segments of a movie, like if I want to send a link to a friend who also uses netflix referencing a 2 minute clip of a movie.
I think there is a lot of untapped potential with the ability to watch movies on demand like this, possibly right now due to bandwidth constraints, but I think the obvious future of netflix/movie rentals is going to be watching them online, and it's cool to think about the added possibilities.
Would it be possible to get any insights on how movies / tv shows are picked for instant watching? Is it mainly a legal issue, or storage / bandwitdh? Is there a reason that almost every Werner Herzog film is on instant watch, but not Hitchcock?
I also agree that there should be some way to save movies for instant watching, right now I just add them to my regular queue and then look at the section of instant watching that shows available movies in my queue, but I think there should just be a separate list.
I love the feature that tells you which of your queued movies are available for instant watching. This is super helpful. Agree that it could be much more prominent, with some indication on the queue page itself.
My top requests:
1. A way to mark movies in the queue for Instant Watching (see Chad's comment above).
2. RSS feed for new titles added to the Watch Now library.
3. Firefox support.
I'm a loyal Netflix customer and love that you are so responsive to community feedback. There was a feature I recently requested (don't hide movie reviews with the preview) that was launched seemingly days after I requested it. Good on ya! Community feedback will give you the leg up on the Evil Empire.
1) Mac support first (at least PC's have the option of IE). I personally feel cheated to have this feature unavailable to me for so long and wish I could be compensated with a discount or additional future watching time.
2) Firefox support second (which I run on the Mac).
3) Icons in the queue letting me know this can be Watched Now.
4) Improve the 'resume playback' feature when I close my browser. During the couple times this has happened, sometimes it picked up right where I left off, sometimes it re-started from the beginning. You can still slide to wherever you were... but only if you remember where that is. If this is a function of my computer's cookies, temp internet files, etc tell us how to adjust our settings.
5) Add 'Hide movies I've already seen/rated' to Watch Now.
6) Why are we using minutes if we watch the same movie/scene twice? If a DVD is mailed to me, I can watch a certain scene over and over if I'd like. When I watch online, if I didn't catch the dialogue or just want to watch some gorgeous cinematography a second time, I feel like I'm wasting precious minutes that could determine whether I squeeze in that extra film at the end of the month. I don't mean to own it forever like I bought it in iTunes, but make it like Cable OnDemand - you can watch it for 24 hours, after which you'd have to rent it again.
It would also be nice to have subtitles on Watch Now movies. The quick and easy fix might be to have two copies available for streaming - one with and one without. The laptop I'm watching these on doesn't have the greatest speakers.
I agree with all of billy's suggestions. I've even been converted on the Mac issue - I guess I wasn't considering the fact that some people can't use this feature at all right now.
I particularly like his point #6 about making Watch Now a bit more like On Demand - I think that makes a lot of sense...
Firefox support!
I took all the movies available on Instant Watching out of my queue (because I needed more space to put other stuff in it, heh), and made a custom list of what was available that I wanted to remember to watch sometime, but a way to more quickly make a list of Instant Watching movies for later would be great...a one-click add from the Instant Viewing page, for example (instead of "Watch Now", "Mark for Later" or something like that...probably not "Save for Later," because that might imply some sort of downloading/offline capability that isn't there...at least not now...). I'm not sure if this should be a 'queue', because the ordering thing doesn't make a lot of sense for Instant Watching, but at least a special kind of list, maybe.
I also like the idea of RSS feeds showing when movies become available for Instant Watching. Perhaps more importantly, some way to tell when/if a movie was going to stop being available for Instant Watching (I believe that some are only available for a limited time, yes?). I don't want to have put them in my nice little list and then go to watch one three months later and it's not there. Perhaps a notification that says "such and such will no longer be available for instant watching after such and such a date" and maybe asks if you want to put the DVD in your queue?
Oh, and I think I maybe found a bug...if you go into a movie detail page via the Instant Watching page, the section in the sidebar for custom lists isn't there. If you go to the page from the normal browse, it is. So when I made that afore-mentioned custom list of Instant Watching titles, I had to use two tabs and flick between them, which was a little annoying.
I vote for Mac support and the RSS feed of new releases.
Also get a lot more stuff available via Instant Watching and you can fire back at Blockbuster:
BB ad: "They make you wait for the movie in the mail. You can get a movie at one of our stores."
Proposed NF ad: "They make you go to a store. You can watch a movie instantly on your computer without leaving your house."
It would be great if there was an RSS feed for the Netflix Watch Now Additions.
Yes, please, on the Mac/Firefox support. Until this is possible, it would be really nice if we Mac users could get a an extra rental or two per month as compensation.
I don't mean an upgrade to our plans or anything, but something like the online coupons that customer service makes availble when something goes awry. I suppose that would be difficult to monitor, but it would be nice to have something in place of the watch it now feature.
It would even be nice if I could give my unused instant watching minutes to someone who could use them. Right now they just go unused every month, and that's just sad.
eric said...
I really don't like using IE, and once that stupid, menu-less IE 7 gets pushed out to everyone, I really don't ever want to have to look at it again. I'd love to see Watch It Now support for Firefox.
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There is currently a solution to watch "Instant Movies" in Firefox. There is this plugin called "IE Tab" the link is right here: IE Tab
nuuuu:
I should have mentioned this earlier, but a week or so ago I tried using Watch Now with Firefox/IETab and it did not work. It only would display the movie when using IE proper. Maybe there's a problem with my machine's configuration, I don't know...
I've mentioned all of these before, but here goes.
1. Subtitles Option Please! The deaf and heard of hearing are totally left out on this.
2. Firefox Support - IE sucks. Netflix knows it, we know it.
3. A separate watch now queue and a way to look at our regular queue and see which ones are also watch now.
Yeah, the IE tab thing is a temporary fix, but seriously, WHO STILL USES Internet Explorer? Why make "Watch Now" Internet Explorer only?
Firefox support is what I want, as well as the ability to resume playback at any time, and see an RSS Feed of all New additions to the Instant Watching area.
shaun,
I've used the IE Tab for all of the instant watches, and it works all the time. Try re-installing it again or see if you need to update fire-fox too.
MCWHAMMER, of course it is a temp fix, but my approach is - use what you got until something better comes along.
I'm voting for
1. Firefox - please
2. Have a way to indicate on the queue that the film is available to Watch Now.
Thanks!!
I'd like support for Safari web browsers. IE sucks and I never want to use it. If the content people read these blogs:::More newer movies please from 1990 and after.
I'd like support for Safari web browsers. IE sucks and I never want to use it. If the content people read these blogs:::More newer movies please from 1990 and after.
Yes, definitely Mac compatibility and it would be great if it was also compatible with Firefox.
Not understanding the licensing, I'd like more TV shows and mini-series in Watch Now.
How about getting some of the DVD extras online. Or even directors commentaries. I would also like support for Media Center Extenders like the XBOX 360 so that we can wirelessly stream to our TV's.
Just to put in my vote on the other two issues that have seem to come up:
I could care less about FireFox and Macs. I would rather you instead focused on new features and functionality. And while not as vocal I would bet most users would agree...
Better selection, please. I've used this feature only once, because the movies I'm interested in are not available to watch instantly ... or, I've already seen or own them, so there's no point.
Can you offer some detail as to how titles are selected? Do you have any usage data? How is this feature going over with the general Netflix membership?
josh, I've thought that same thing when seeing those BB commercials, and agree that there needs to be more available for it to be a valid claim.
By the way: "but seriously, WHO STILL USES Internet Explorer? "
I'm sure plenty of people do. Just because the few people who post here use Firefox, doesn't mean that the majority of Netflix members do.
Another Mac/Firefox user reporting in, but I think most of us could get by with Safari [yes/no?] if there's some serious compatibility or licensing issues with Firefox. IE hasn't supported Macs for years so that's obviously not an option (and perhaps one major reason for the hold-up?). But since only 4% of computers are Macs (although I suspect Netflixers' % is very much higher), and with all the extra research time required to get us up and running I'm not sure that we should be clamoring for compensatory back-pay; although Bailey's suggestion that we be able to hand over our unused minutes to someone else is an excellent one for those of us lucky enough to have a friend who's happy to share their precious minutes with us. And, to keep the playing field fair for everyone, having a timed meter seems to make more sense than just adding up the run-time of the movies - if you want to watch a movie twice, or a particular scene 20 times, no problem, but that's your choice - this is already an incredibly generous freebie, so let's not get greedy here. But re-starting where we left off and having subtitles are obviously essential once the bugs have all been worked out.
Subtitle option is a definite plus.
Also, I think someone mentioned this, but a tool/place where people can create montages of watch now clips and to be able to post them in some netflix forum (ex. Friends). Watch Now is all about being convenient and fast. Some people don't have the patience to watch the whole movie from the beginning.
I just want to be able to use my browser (firefox) and not have to switch to iex everytime I want to watch a movie.
The availability of hard to get/ very long wait listed titles would be wonderful. There's a title I added to my queue waay back when that has never been available. I think it's been in my queue since I joined back in 2000. (I really don't know when I joined Netflix because I stopped for a couple months after losing my job. My queue remained but my stats changed even with the change in credit card. Sorry that's my Netflix petpeeve.) Anywho, that's a long damn time. There's a vol. of an anime series that was at the top of my queue that disappeared into my saved section. It's been about a year. The next volume has been very long waited for about 6 months now. I'd love to be able to get passed them. I'm sure others have similar titles in their queues.
Is Netflix going to be using Silverlight 1.0 (coming out in the next couple weeks)? Or is Netflix going to wait for Silverlight 1.1 (not coming till 2008)?
For those not familiar, once netflix switches over to Silverlight, they will be able to support Mac and other browsers on both PC and Mac (Firefox, Safari, etc).
Hopefully the reason they are asking for requests now is because they are getting ready to roll out the new Watch Now.
Cross-platform support is kind of important- it says you appreciate ALL of you users. Linux support would be nice. Right now, with using a window only codec and delivery system nobody but one group of viewers can watch- well, until someone reverse engineers the delivery system and comes up with yet another codec plugin... You know, it would be nice if Netflix considered that not all DVD broadband users are using just a single operating system. There ARE alternatives to Silverlight/WM10/IE, you know.
Currently I don't see a way of finding recommended movies in Instant Watching. Just now I was looking for something to see and I couldn't really find anything. I know I can visit the top 50 (easy), browse the categories I like (okay), or sift through all the most recently added (hard; especially because the ones that were added since I last checked the page are mixed with ones I already knew I wasn't interested in watching), but finding a movie within all that is more of a chore than anything else.
Why can't I see a list of recommended selections that are watchable online?
I agree, I'd love to sort by recommendation for watch it now.
A subtitle option for Instant Watching would really improve the service.
-yes, another supporter of making 'watch now' available for Mac users. Either Safari or Firefox...since it's easy to have both for Mac. Also, a way to indicate watch now or order at home in a queue.
And perhaps a feature of 'stars/moviemakers to watch'--where you can add preferences to be notified of movies by certain directors or with certain actors-- maybe an email, or included into suggestions and under 'reason'- list the name of the person you added to watch.
i agree with the limited selection. seems like most of the items available are the much older films and some of the tv stuff. i have tons of movies in my que, but only 2 came up for instant view. these were more recent, but independent films. i think you would have a better response to this option if the items included were newer releases.
Yet another vote for Mac support!! It is very frustrating to not have this option available to me - but not frustrating enough to switch to a PC ;-)
I would also love to see Firefox, subtitles, and a resume feature.
Also, what about "rollover minutes?" There are months that I don't watch anything, and then (rare) months where I watch a lot and run out of time. Since the Law & Order SVU all got released online, I've been watching like mad, but I hardly used the functionality in the beginning.
Also, what about choosing to allow other profiles on your account to watch movies? I would use a separate profile for just online viewing if I didn't want a friend to see something I'd seen.
I would like additional sorting capabilities. I recently took a glance at my Queue. I noticed that some of the movies I had Added were two stars. I would like to move them to the bottom of the Queue without having to do all the juggling work.
Cartoons availible would be nice for the kids. Scooby Doo in particular.
One more vote for Mac support!
One more vote for Firefox support!
I would also love a language selection and subtitle support with movies. I hate watching Japanese movies with the crappy English voice actors, i would much rather hear the original actors with English subtitles.
I don't really agree with people asking for rollover minutes or movie repeat watching without using minutes. I'm pretty sure they limit these so that people aren't using up netflix's bandwidth 24/7 with repeat watching.
What I would really like is to be able to access the watch now movies with my Playstation 3. That way I could watch them on my big plasma with surround sound, instead of small computer screen with junk speakers.
HD versions would be nice too eventually.
Another vote for Media Extender compatibility via Media Center - seems like this will be a lock as Vista begins to propogate.
I'll second (or third or fourth) Watch Now support for Linux and Firefox.
My nice big Mac g5 is begging for Instant Watch to work either on Firefox, Camino or Safari. Pleeeeease!
Roll-over minutes would be very cool, I'm surprised it took until comment 43 to be suggested. As a Mac user, I'd even let you wait to start my roll-over until the service is available for me...though if you want to be REALLY nice, you could start my roll-over now ;-)
Perhaps a way to save a local copy of the Instant Watch stream would address the replay/rewind situation ... wrap it in iTunes-like DRM if you have to.
Firefox and Mac support! wooo!!!
I would love Firefox support. Just opening IE slows me and my computer down.
Add scene selection for long movies
I'd definitely like to see Mac support. Currently Firefox isn't really an option since a recent upgrade of Quicktime has nixed most video playback in Firefox. I don't think the problem will last long but it's annoying for now since there's a lot of functionality that Safari doesn't have.
Add me to the long list of requests for Firefox compatibility. Also add me to the admittedly shorter list of those asking for Linux compatibility.
I'd really like to be able to add movies to my queue and pick them up immediately, if they're available at one of the Redbox kiosks within a 0-15 mile radius of my house. While still a loyal Netflix subscriber, I'm increasingly tempted by Blockbuster Total Access and the convenience and ease of RedBox, which are popping up all over my neighborhood.
yeah a couple of questions.
When's Instant Watching coming to me when I'm traveling in Europe? At least get started with the UK. I'd think you could start it at the very least with the Netflix films that you produced yourself and control the right for.
When's Instant Watching coming to the new Wi-Fi Blackberry I'm planning to buy? I particularly want this service when i'm sitting in an airport lounge waiting for a flight. Otherwise I just may have to get the iPhone and doubt they'll offer Netflix access anytime soon.
Thanks to the person for suggestion IE tab. I hate using IE, but sometimes I am forced to (eBanking ,Netflix Instant watch etc). Wrt to Instant Watching I would like to see support for AppleTV, so I can watch in my living room as suppose to be glued in front of the computer. Streaming these movies to the TV is where Netflix ought to go with this.
Linux support! Perhaps to avoid the Internet Explorer/Windows Media Player requirement, Netflix can develop a stand-alone movie player for Linux and Mac (show us non-windows users some love). Also the opportunity to buy more instant watching time in addition to your plan, maybe at a discounted rate. Like add an extra $1 per month to your plan for 4 more hours of viewing time (since this won't add more DVD's allowed out at a time, it's cheaper than $1 per hour).
Sondergaard - You will NEVER see Netflix support on the AppleTV unless someone hacks the AppleTV. Allowing Netflix on AppleTV would mean people wouldn't "buy" their movies from Apple's iTunes.
All we have is a mac and our movies aren't being watched! i would also love to download them and add them to iTunes!
How about a set-top box? This would solve the OS issues and allow you to watch the movies directly from your tv. It could probably have similar components to a DVR. A HDD to download the movies to, wifi, Ethernet, HDMI, etc, etc. Maybe bill it as a separate service or just let it deduct from normal watch now minutes.
I second the following:
Mac support for Safari, FireFox, and Camino (not in any particular order);
Option to save to iTunes for iPod portability (I NEVER watch movies on my computer - I prefer my iPod or my 52" JVC - either on my comfy couch);
Subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, of which I'm one.
Mac mac mac mac mac mac mac - we're not getting what we're paying for if you don't support our platform. Come on, it's ridiculous that you don't support macs.
ie is the slowest most horrible browser, i only have it for the watch now feature w/ netflix. normally i use flock or mozilla.
This needs browser ambiguity. The people in your user base who will be most likely to use this feature has to be us youngins' hip with the technology who've ditched usage of IE long ago.
PS - Currently I can't even use IE to watch movies, because the browser is trying to reserve a two gigabyte block of hard drive space. My Windows install is on a small partition, one with less than two gigs left, and that's where IE installs itself as well, thus there's not enough room for the temp files, and no instant watching for me.
I just wish I could make it work. Ive tried all the suggestions on this website and It still won't play. Very annoying to say the least.
Silverlight 1.0 (Release Candidate) came out today! Yay! Hopefully we will see it up on Netflix soon?
Question:
How long does it take for the Instant Watch viewing activity page to update itself to the current usage?
Another question:
Is it possible to receive a notification in the queue list which ones are available in Instant Watch?
MAC!! please don't forget about us! mac users are people, too!
Go ahead and add another one for MAC support.
I've tried the feature and would most surely use it except I don't really watch TV on my computer.
That's why I've invested money into a nice Home Theater System with a 65" TV and that's what I watch movies on.
I have a MAC hooked to this TV as my HTPC and would love to see MAC support so I can use the feature.
So until then I wait.
Can't one use win xp on the mac? then if yes, one could watch...
As much as it is convenient to think of "instant" movies on your PC, the percentage of people who have good HTPCs set up to properly display said movie at home to a worthwhile sized screen is small, at best.
It might be far more worthwhile to develop hooks to AppleTV or SlingBox or TiVo so that those, more prevalent, easier to use, and more purposefully built boxes can search and display NetFlix content.
As a video pro with numerous computers, several HD cameras, TiVo and more, I do NOT have a HTPC nor is it on my list to try and do that.
-IEBAman.
better selection please! I just looked at the "recently released" section and I can't even figure out where you find these movies! I understand you want slow growth so you don't bog down your server or whatever, but seriously. What's the point of all this if you don't get better titles?
Maybe you could throw in one or two new movies each week along with all the elvira movies and other crap?
Also I would like to see a watch now tab in my queue. I've added one or two watch now movies to my queue to watch later, but now can't remember which movies they were.
I tried the Instant Watching feature for the first time yesterday and I must say that I LOVE IT!
Now on to what I DIDN'T love: not being able to have all available controls while watching the movie such as subtitles availibility or the skip/reverse feature.
Also, I am a bit confused on how it works. I thought since I rent 3 a month @ $14, but my activity page stated that the # of hours will reset to 21...did I misunderstand?
Oops! I meant to say "I thought since I rent 3 a month @ $14, I would get 14 hours, but my activity page stated that the # of hours will reset to 21...did I misunderstand?"
Let me start by saying I love Netflix. I won't even consider switching to any other service. I have 2 accounts billed to my credit card, and probably will add a 3rd soon.
That said, I cannot believe you launched the Instant Watching feature w/o support for Macs or Firefox. Apple sold over 1.7 million Macs in the most recent quarter, up 33% from last year. I have to believe Mac users are an ideal demographic for Netflix. Why are you alienating us?
It would be nice to get an official time frame from your developers on when this issue will be fixed, so we can stop b*tching about it.
I know you will fix it, just like when you added the "Update my Queue" button at the bottom of the Queue mere weeks after I suggested it. Just don't take too long!
I'd like firefox and/or linux support.
Please post a timeframe for when you expect to support Mac and Firefox. This is ridiculous....
We shouldn't have to keep telling you how stupid it is that these platforms aren't already supported; simply tell us when the problem will be resolved and we will leave you alone 'til then.
I agree, at least let us know what's going on as far as Linux, Mac, and Firefox are concerned. Let us know what hurdles have to be overcome, or if things are going along smoothly. Keeping us in the dark with a "we're working on it" statement doesn't quite make things any better.
Hello, I just discovered this blog. I am a current customer and I use a mac. It's disappointing that I can not watch movies online although I pay just like a pc user does. Please add mac support and get with the program.
sub-account watch now. i am guessing the delay here is with parental controls?
I share the sentiments of other Mac users who feel they are not getting the same deal for their money as PC users. I don't suppose there's any real solution to that, other than making Mac compatability a top priority.
Totally lame and unfair that Mac users are paying the same price for less service.
it disturbs me that you would rollout the instant video selection through the computer and have no provision for the mac user. I just spoke with one of your customer reps who said i should take it up with Apple about copyright issues in delivering content, and now I'm thinking: iTunes has been streaming video for longer than you have and there doesn't seem to be any problem in getting that across to Mac AND PC users. Understand that we're seriously considering cancelling our netflix subscription. Saying on your website: "your system is not compatible" is not Customer Service.
I know this steady drumbeat from the Mac Pac must have gotten real old by now, but it hardly seems unreasonable to expect at least SOME kind of explanation or projected time frame. Imagine if a car rental company lured their customers in with a free tank of gas, but denied it to anyone that happened to be left-handed - it would cause an uproar! And that's kinda how it feels.
I have canceled my subscription because of this whole NON-Mac ordeal. I recently have started getting dvd's from the library...and they're FREE!
Adios Netflix!
WE WANT FIREFOX!! WE WANT FIREFOX!! Just in case you haven't figured it out, chalk up another major request for firefox with instant viewing. I like, others, ONLY use IE7 to watch instant viewing. PLEASE!!!!!
I 86th that... I want mac accesss...
PLEASE ADD APPLE (MAC) SUPPORT. THOSE OF US WHO DON'T SUPPORT MICROSOFT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SUFFER AS A RESULT OF OUR CHOICE.
Personally, I believe those of us who aren't Microsoft users should get a membership discount simply BECAUSE WE CAN'T UTILIZE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR PROMISED MEMBERSHIP
@Steve from Netflix, we understand that you are very busy, so have prepared a multiple choice questionnaire -
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1) The reason Netflix is having trouble making Instant Watching available to Mac users is :
a) The technical problems have proven to be considerably more challenging than we anticipated, but we estimate that everything will be resolved by -------. (please fill in date).
b) Since Internet Explorer no longer supports Macs and most subscribers prefer Firefox or Linux anyway, we are currently in the process of making that changeover. Estimated date of completion -------. (please fill in date).
c) Apple is vigorously blocking it since it conflicts with their own plans for streaming, but we are currently in negotiation with them. No projected time frame possible.
d) Given the relatively small number of Mac users, it's not cost-effective to do all the necessary research. We just assumed that you'd all cancel and sign up with Blockbuster.
e) Steve Jobs once cut me off on Ventura, and see if I ever plan lift a finger to help out any of HIS cult zombies.
f) None of the above (please be more specific).
2) We plan to compensate Mac users for their loss of anywhere between 5 and 50 hours of free viewing per month over a period of -- months by :
a) Issuing vouchers which can either be used for future viewing or transferred to friends with PC's who are generously sharing their own streaming hours with you.
b) Allowing Mac users one additional DVD per month until Watch Now is available to you.
c) Discounting your memberships.
d) Apologizing.
e) Steve Jobs once cut me off on Ventura, and see if I ever plan lift a finger to help any of HIS cult zombies.
f) None of the above (please be more specific).
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We hope this helps, Steve, and very much look forward to hearing from you.
I'm not Steve, but I can take a crack at those answers.
1. None of those options are right, though B is the closest. Several months back Netflix gave a demonstration of a new version of Watch Now with new software that would support more browsers and Mac (and possibly linux), and also have more features for everyone. At the time, that new software (Silverlight, made by Microsoft) was in beta. It came out of beta this week. So, presumably, the netflix team is now hard at work polishing their modification of Silverlight and we will see it "soon". Though I would certainly like to hear some idea of how long Netflix thinks "soon" is. Days, weeks, months?
2. They have no real way of figuring out which customers only own Macs, so D is probably the best we can hope for.
Here is a movie of the Netflix Silverlight demonstration (that I mentioned above) for any interested in seeing what is coming, and some proof that they have actually been working on it: http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/d/d/edd7b135-d2a9-4499-a3ca-a6c8a0ab5716/Netflix_mix.wmv
@Baff - Great answer, much appreciated and mildly encouraging. I'm just sorry you had to take time of your own day to serve as an NF spokesperson.
@aob - Maybe this is their temporary solution : disabling 'Watch Now' for everyone?
But all kidding aside, please note that I remain a huge Netflix fan in most other respects and have no intention of bailing. However, just as with the recent blackout, we just need to be kept more in the loop - that is, the blog needs to be a 2-way street, as Michael uses it to great effect.
Yet another vote for Linux and Firefox support. Alternatively, how about making the download available to those of us who apparently don't have a compatible OS? I've had reasonably good luck getting Windows applications working under wine (the Linux windows emulator).
Cheers,
Dave
Add me for Mac support of Instant Viewing. I am about to lose my Windows laptop so I'll just have to wait on DVDs through the mail.
I like the concept of instant viewing, but your selection of movies is quite weak. No Lord of the Rings? No Rome? Only the first Matrix movie? Instead of digitizing Sister Wendy, perhaps you could make more popular selections available.
Thanks!
@Baff
In response to your statement:
They have no real way of figuring out which customers only own Macs
I am a Mac user, and when I click on the "Watch Instantly" tab I am presented with a system compatibility message that reads:
Your operating system is not compatible with this feature. Try again from a computer with Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista.
So if they can tell this, they should also be able to see that my account has never been accessed by any computer other than my Mac.
@nuuuu
Can't one use win xp on the mac? then if yes, one could watch...
Windows XP can run on the newest Macs but purchasing a brand new computer and then spending hundreds of dollars to add additional OS software for the sole purpose of watching movies is not an option. If Mac users wanted to be running Windows, we would already have computers that do so.
"So if they can tell this, they should also be able to see that my account has never been accessed by any computer other than my Mac. "
That can be done with a simple script. I doubt that they are saving that information to your account every time you visit the website. Even if they did, the information would be quite inaccurate. I'm sure plenty of mac owners have logged onto their account from a PC at work, a friend's house, internet cafe, etc.
I don't want to be over-redundant going into all the Firefox and Mac issues, although I agree they should be included, but one suggested idea that I would really like to see implemented is the ability to purchase more instant watching time. I realized that I like the Watch It Now feature a lot more than I thought I would, but I don't want to get extra DVDs in the mail. Ja?
I can understand requiring Windows and IE right off the bat; kowtowing to DRM pressures can be mighty difficult.
However, the platform issue can be easily resolved. Please fix it, create a DRM module for the OS, and stop restricting your users from using all the services provided.
[I can't believe I'm cheerleading for DRM...]
Need to give Instant Watching privileges to those who share their accounts with the primary account holder. My wife is the primary account holder and I can't seem to find the Watch Instantly tab when I am logged in. Am I missing a simple fix? Thanks.
I'm sure plenty of mac owners have logged onto their account from a PC at work, a friend's house, internet cafe, etc.
This may well be, but I know that I have not. I don't have any reason to log in from anyplace but home.
The bottom line is that I am not getting a feature that PC users do, and I (like all other Mac users) are paying the same exact price for my membership. I've been a member of Netflix since way before Instant Watching was implemented, so it's not like I signed up knowing that I would be getting less than others when I joined.
Kinda sucks that there isn't even a vague estimate of when this situation will be rectified - if at all.
At least give me a way to pass the watching time along to someone who can use it! I'm at the 5-at-a-time level, so that's 30 hours of watching time that I don't get to use and can't share.
More More More. What determines which movies are made available for instant viewing? How fast will you add more recent movies? Also can you put special small icon next to movies that are available for instant viewing? You can only tell now by clicking in to the movie or going to the watch now tab. It would be good to have a small icon next to a standard movie list such as the top 100, New Releases, etc...
For those who say Netflix doesn't know how many Mac, Linux users it has: Every time you visit a website, your browser sends the site a header which tells the site what browser and os you are using. So Netflix can just tabulate how many visitors to their site use Linux or Mac and what browsers they are using. Go to http://www.ipchicken.com/ to see your browser header.
But if an account hasn't accessed 'Watch Now' by the end of the month it either means that he/she can't or doesn't want to (because the choices are still pretty limited). And since this must surely save Netflix something in licensing and/or running costs, why not just issue those folks a bonus rental, as I was when it took 2 weeks to get me disc 3 of a 4 disc series - which calmed me right down. Sometimes all we need is a "we understand your frustration", and to be offered some kind of compensatory gesture, even if not a precise quid pro quo (ie. 1.5 free hours instead of the 17 I'm actually being jipped each month!).
@James - I know all about headers. But... there is a huge difference between knowing how page hits are from mac vs. which users are mac only.
On the Instant Watch page is a simple script that looks at the header and anyone not using Windows/IE gets a warning message. That doesn't mean that Netflix is storing that info to your account.
Even if Netflix does record every single page hit to every accounts file, they still wouldn't know who is mac-only. Case in point: I am a mac-only user, but a couple months back I used a PC to try out the Instant Watch feature. So, Netflix would see me as a dual PC/Mac user. And just because someone only accesses Netflix with only a mac, doesn't mean that they don't own a PC and simply choose not to use it.
2 years ago, there was a class action suit against Netflix and I am STILL waiting for them to pay out. Their website dedicated to it to the lawsuit hasn't been updated in over a year. They basically swept the entire thing under the carpet and are now ignoring it. So, if you are expecting Netflix to put out a bunch of effort to figure out which users can't use the Instant Watch feature and pony up some bonus for them, dream on, it ain't gonna happen.
I understand the frustration on this, but the devs who read this blog likely have zero say on any potential customer com