ewww it's by Roku though. I have a couple of their products, roku radio and the M1001 and I have had some pretty large issues with them. Well, mostly with the roku radio. It actually crashes my airport extreme. It never works well. Sound awesome though. In retrospect wish I had just got an apple hifi. Since ATV caches and plays the mp3s the M1001 is basicly just a $200 clock now.
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First Netflix Streaming Box Review, $100 and Unlimited Downloads!
- Thread starter guru_ck
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The quality of the computer rentals on Netflix aren't great (not as bad as Hulu)...but for a "free" on demand option, I have used it more than once even though it required me to use my laptop at the time.
Netflix had also talked about streaming to XBOX's and maybe PS3's so this is probably step one in rolling that infrastructure out. Anyone with either should probably hold out before purchasing this thing.
wordmunger, the problem is that by the time you are on your third or fourth unit, you will realize that the Apple TV would probably be the best choice. It's not only that, it's the hassle that you will have to go through to return the unit and have it repaired. And Apple is always updating its products to increase functionality. I don't think that we will really see it with this unit, but I hope that I'm wrong. I am not an Apple lover; I don't have a Mac - I still choose to use Dell PCs - okay, you can flame now - but I think that the Apple TV (the 2G version) is really good at what it does, and it implements the playing of photos, music, podcasts, and movies in a manner which is effortless. I can see this product as being a nice add-on for current NetFlix customers. I am not a NetFlix customer, so maybe that's why I don't see this as an exciting product by any stretch of the imagination. The only positive aspect is that it's a relatively cheap product, and the movies are free. Prove me wrong, people!!
To me, there's a big difference between streaming to computers and streaming to TVs. For computers, it's a nice bell/whistle. However, streaming to your TV has the potential to make people watch less DVDs, which might make downgrading from $20 to $10 pretty attractive.
If this doesn't increase their subscriber base significantly, they are going to lose money big time. Plus, I have to believe that the movie studios will want more money if people can watch these downloads on their TVs instead of their computers.
If Apple TV had this I would buy one in a heartbeat. 40,000 movies? Available instantly? For a low monthly fee w/ a chance to pay for bigger titles? Yes, yes, and yes.
Funny, I just paid $2000 for the same device
It's called a MacBook Pro. I installed Windows XP, and use Netflix "Watch Now" service by hooking up my MPB to my HD TV. Not HD, but Pan's Labyrinth looked pretty darn good in SD, (especially as a free add-on to my existing Netflix plan).
Netflix is promising OS X compatibility once DRM issues with Apple are worked our (ever?).
For now, I love it. Skip the fancy new box though, and install Windows on your Intel-based laptop.
It's called a MacBook Pro. I installed Windows XP, and use Netflix "Watch Now" service by hooking up my MPB to my HD TV. Not HD, but Pan's Labyrinth looked pretty darn good in SD, (especially as a free add-on to my existing Netflix plan).
Netflix is promising OS X compatibility once DRM issues with Apple are worked our (ever?).
For now, I love it. Skip the fancy new box though, and install Windows on your Intel-based laptop.
I'm not really into this thing, as I don't think Netflix has got a decent collection of stream-able movies.
Indeed, Netflix has a pretty large DVD library, but when comes to the stream-able movies, they are either 10+ years old, or pretty junky movies.
Correct me if I'm wrong...
Indeed, Netflix has a pretty large DVD library, but when comes to the stream-able movies, they are either 10+ years old, or pretty junky movies.
Correct me if I'm wrong...
That's why NetFlix may be nonexistent in one or two years, and Apple will keep moving up the ranks in terms of being a company with business models that are profitable. These aren't charitable organizations. And most consumers seem to just want to suck companies dry. Then they don't understand why these companies end up going bankrupt. I definitely don't agree with all of Apple's business models. I think that Apple would be a much stronger and powerful company if Apple had licensed its OS to other computer manufacturers, even if it required stringent testing to make sure that the OS ran smoothly on all non-Apple hardware. But Steve Jobs chose to continue making the software and the hardware, which hinders the Apple's ability to make huge inroads against all of the hardware manufacturers that use the Windows OS or other OSs.
Is this like the "Why get an AppleTV, just use Front Row" argument? Call me crazy, but the convenience of not having to run cables from my computer to my TV every time I want to watch something is worth money.
Great Idea
Wonderful product.
I'm glad this has come out. Now maybe Apple will get real with their movie rental prices. AppleTV is a great tool for personally owned movies, but using iTunes+Store fore rentals is a rip-off.
Wonderful product.
I'm glad this has come out. Now maybe Apple will get real with their movie rental prices. AppleTV is a great tool for personally owned movies, but using iTunes+Store fore rentals is a rip-off.
Not to mention if you don't already have an Intel Laptop or Mac Mini to dedicate to the task; $99 is a hell of a lot cheaper. Ironic how the OP even pointed out he paid $2000 for the same functionality.
The 99¢ movie of the week is a good deal. I will still occasionally rent something for the regular price. Admittedly I'm not enthusiastic about the price though. I still think a Netflix client for the AppleTV is the way to go.
I will keep my ATV for streaming and youtube.
I will keep my Net Flix account for renting blurays and DVDs.
I will keep my MBP (w/ vm fusion, connected to my tv)to watch "Watch Instant" movies on netflix.
In my personal case, this has no advantage. But I still got excited when I read about it...
I will keep my Net Flix account for renting blurays and DVDs.
I will keep my MBP (w/ vm fusion, connected to my tv)to watch "Watch Instant" movies on netflix.
In my personal case, this has no advantage. But I still got excited when I read about it...
Yeah, but I get a pretty nice computer as a bonus.
I don't disagree with the point of not having to hassle with connecting my MPB to my TV every time, but I'm as likely to watch streamed movies on my MBP outside on my patio as I am inside on my TV, so I guess it all balances out.
yeah, but when? i'm a big apple fan, own two appleTVs and love the convenience, but i'm continually disappointed when the movies i want to see aren't on apple's very limited rental list. "convenience stores" wouldn't warrant that title if they only carried a half dozen items.
With the appleTV today, we've got fewer titles than apple predicted it would have by the end of feb, if i recall correctly, and the list is growing way, way too slowly. it's disappointing.
This product is a failure.
No HD content.
No 5.1
No hard drive. Try streaming HD content. 2.2Mbits is not good enough.
This device should have been like the popcorn hour with the Netflix interface with a small drive to download 1 video at a time.
I like netflix, and I will look forward to future improvements.
No HD content.
No 5.1
No hard drive. Try streaming HD content. 2.2Mbits is not good enough.
This device should have been like the popcorn hour with the Netflix interface with a small drive to download 1 video at a time.
I like netflix, and I will look forward to future improvements.
Is netflix's 10000 number all movies? Or is that movies and TV episodes? That's only a fair comparison if it's movies only and I really doubt that.
Does the roku box allow streaming movies you have from your own computer? That's a big plus for the aTV.
It looks like a cool device, and the price is great. But the Netflix selection is SO limited, it really needs to be able to play media from other sources. It's cool, but until they start getting some new releases available as downloads (which may never happen) I don't see it taking off.
Does the roku box allow streaming movies you have from your own computer? That's a big plus for the aTV.
It looks like a cool device, and the price is great. But the Netflix selection is SO limited, it really needs to be able to play media from other sources. It's cool, but until they start getting some new releases available as downloads (which may never happen) I don't see it taking off.
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I'm with this comment...if you can't put ripped DVD's into the box what is the point? ATV, is one stop shop, limited for now but will only expand look at itunes...I have my whole movie collection 65+, all seasons of Seinfeld and all my personal videos on my ATV, and I can rent and by movies with a touch of a button on my couch...what more does one need I ask??
I agree with this comment too. I have all my movies stored on my computer, where I use Apple TV to watch it all, all in DVD rips with DD 5.1. I've probably rented two movies, but that's because my friends were over and we wanted to watch something new.
LOL...so if I have to use my computer to select what movie I want to watch, then why have a set-top box? This basically did what my G4 iBook did last summer when I traveled, basically hooked it up to a SD TV and got stereo sound. Not gonna pay an extra $100 to have a device that does the same thing as my old POS laptop. At least with the Apple TV, I have the option to do a lot more, i.e. like pictures, music, podcast, youtube, flickr, a separate interface for my movies and tv shows. I welcome the competition, but they still need to do to more to be a threat. Hopefully Apple can do some good changes with it's next version.
I think you overestimate the faculties of many of the people who've responded negatively to this post. All they see is a threat to
TV.Personally, this news is leading me to rethink my Netflix membership. I am confident that Netflix will continue to increase the quantity of titles available and the quality of the experience. As with many things on the technical curve, you have to accommodate the widest group of people possible and get a product out so you can start generating sales.
but if you end your subscription, u don't own any of the episodes...the Seinfeld episodes are mine and I can see them whenever I want
I'm being serious...I thought that expression signified joy, looking at the sky??? I guess I'm wrong...lol
But they don't say whether the HD can do 1080 or just 720. And without N wireless, do they really expect to be able to stream HD? Especially with such a small buffer?
Because you own content that netflix doesn't stream.
If apple TV had unlimited downloads, they'd likely only be older titles and art films - it probably wouldn't include any big new releases since the studios charge too much for them to be profitable on an unlimited plan.
So either rentals with good selection or unlimited with no new releases. Can't have both.
This was already corrected before you posted - you don't start from your computer. You have to have a queue set up, but you can select anything downloadable from your queue with the remote.
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I'm with this comment...if you can't put ripped DVD's into the box what is the point? ATV, is one stop shop, limited for now but will only expand look at itunes...I have my whole movie collection 65+, all seasons of Seinfeld and all my personal videos on my ATV, and I can rent and by movies with a touch of a button on my couch...what more does one need I ask??
I totally agree. Except, I use my XB 360 to stream and I have no problems whatsoever... So, ATV just doesn't have any appeal to me...