Bean

So I signed up for Netflix.ca in October. This isn't the traditional Netflix, it's an online streaming service. It's basically video on demand. For 7.99 per month I can watch unlimited streaming movies and tv shows from the online catalog. After getting a question from Brikar about the queue, I answered and realized I'd basically written a review, so here it is.

First of all, No Brikar, there is no queue function at all. And that does kind of make sense. It's instant video on demand, why bother with a queue? When browsing from the PC the process of finding what you're looking for is ridiculously simple if you have a specific title in mind. Random browsing is fairly simple as well with the ability to search by genre, sub genre etc..

Using it from the PS3 on the other hand leaves a lot to be desired. The streaming process itself is virtually flawless when done from the PS3, better than the PC in fact. Everything else about it sucks however.

For instance, the "Browse by Genre" feature is limited to the most basic of categories. Comedy, Sci-Fi, TV, etc... Whereas on the PC version there are dozens of sub genres.
The service will also, according to my viewing habits and star ratings for movies, suggest titles for me. The intuitiveness of this service gets better the more I use the service. For some reason the PS3 version however sucks balls. I've had the service since October and I'm just finding out now (after browsing on the PC) that they have Farscape seasons 1 to 3. This is something that came up in my suggestions on the PC but still doesn't on the PS3.

Also, the search function.. omg... No intuitive search on the PS3. I can search only for an exact title match. On the PC I can enter any term I'd like, actor, genre, director and get a fairly representative search result. The PS3 search however, if I were to type Water World as opposed to Waterworld, I wouldn't get any results.

And the thing that bothers me most about the PS3 version is a fairly serious problem. Every screen you navigate has a large, bright red header at the top of the screen with the Netflix logo. Those of you who have LCD TVs will understand what the problem is here. I can't spend too much time searching, or I get the header burned into my screen for the next hour or two. Pausing a movie produces a similar problem. There's a large pause button in the middle of the picture. No screen saver etc.. Apparently Netflix disables the PS3s built in "fade out" when the system is inactive for a certain amount of time. So I don't dare fall asleep while watching a movie or risk having the Netflix banner permanently burned into my screen.

Now, despite all the flaws, I still enjoy the service. For 7.99 a month I get to watch all the movies and tv I want through a reasonably easy to use service. The selection is getting better every week and although it still leaves A LOT to be desired, I've actually found myself watching movies I wouldn't ordinarily be interested in and enjoying them immensely.

I was going to discontinue my membership but recently managed to cobble together a PC from spare parts I had laying around the house. As soon as I tried the PC version I was amazed at the difference in function quality. The only problem I've found with the PC service is that the streaming function itself isn't as solid as the console version. I've never had a buffering issue on the PS3. Not once. On the PC I've had movies stop halfway through and get a message saying that my internet speed has changed and it's adjusting to the new speed. (This can take up to 5 minutes). And to be honest, I'm not sure if this is a result of my PC itself, or a difference in the service. The PS3 and PC both work off the same wireless connection from the same location in the house.

Again though, overall for 8 bucks a month it's still worth having. If I had cable I doubt I'd bother with it, but it is a decent substitute if you're willing to pass on the newest releases. The service doesn't replace Blockbuster, nor does it change my downloading or streaming habits as far as pirated media. The PC experience is by far superior to the console version, but being able to watch it on my 36 inch tv as opposed to my 17 inch monitor is almost worth the aggravation.

All in all, I can't say the service doesn't provide at the very least 8 bucks worth of entertainment per month.

__________________
"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

--James T. Kirk

Brikar

Interesting. I still think the Instant Queue is a great thing to have, especially for watching TV series.

For comparison, here are screenshots of what it looks like on my computer and PS3.

I have an LCD TV, and I've never had an issue with anything getting burned into the screen. -shrug-

Attached Thumbnails

         

__________________
"A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown."

http://olympusmans.blogspot.com
http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

Bean

The PS3 version you have looks slightly different than mine. Answer me this, for the search result, you just searched "30" and that's the results you got? If I were to search 30 nothing would come up (unless there's a title I'm unaware of called 30).

Maybe the burn in problem is an issue with just my tv.. I don't know. What I do know is that more than once I've watched the first 20 minutes of a movie with a vague outline of it across the top of my screen.

__________________
"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

--James T. Kirk

Brikar

It narrows down the search as I put characters in. And I think it sorts the results according to popularity or recommendation. For example, if I put in "F", the first result is "The Girl Who Played With Fire." As I continue to type "Far", it starts to give me "Farscape," "Far Cry," "Far From Home."

__________________
"A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown."

http://olympusmans.blogspot.com
http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

Cymro

It's not just your TV, though I've never encountered it before myself.

__________________
"Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They're a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working.

"But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty klingon."