Netflix vs Blockbuster online?

[HoyaHeel]

Contemplating doing a dvd membership (not really sure if I'd use it enough, but thinking about just 1 or 2 a month instead of 3...) Does anyone have a preference? One thing I like about Blockbuster--just reading online stuff--is that you get a certificate for 2 free in-store rentals a month, which would come in handy for last minute "I'm in the mood to see suchandsuch...." But I think Netflix has a much larger library. Opinions??

[vegasbound]

We had Netflix, then we cancelled and subscribed to Blockerbuster for a better offer and then we ended up canceling BB and returning to Netflix. BB took longer to get movies to us, many dvds were scratched (same problem when we'd rent from the store) and, as you mentioned, the selection of titles is smaller.

We've always been really happy with Netflix. The only reason we switched was because Netflix wouldn't meet the price of BB. As with many things, sometimes it's worth spending the extra couple bucks...

[kms9370]

I'm a Blockbuster guy. I used Netflix long ago and had no complaints, but I like the 2 free instore rentals a month, plus they toss me coupons every once in a while for a free DVD or some other thing. I haven't had an issue with limited selection, but I suppose that I only rent mainstream stuff.

[Jer]

Yeah, if you like the in store stuff as well, then Blockbuster is the way to go. I use Netflix, I order, one day later I get my movies... Nice...

[mesa]

I have had both and it seems like Netflix is quicker but BB has widescreen which I like since have a widescreen tv. I do know that BB is raising prices in Dec. and are thinking about filing for bankruptcy. They are easy to cancel anyway you go.

[caldwell2]

I love Netflix. I have been a member since June 2001. At first it sucked because their only base for mailing was CA. Since then they have opened up other centers around the country, cutting down the time you get your DVD to one business day. And the selection is fantastic!

[Sonya]

I am a fanatic about Netflix. Especially since we moved to a place with only one video rental place.. and not a good one. It is literally a 30 minute drive from here to the nearest Blockbuster so that in store thing is a waste on me.

Netflix is perfect for us. We get 3 at a time. We return them to Tacoma. If I mail a movie on Monday, they receive it on Tuesday and ship out another and I receive it on Wednesday. They have almost every movie we've ever had the urge to look for and we look for some WEIRD movies. Dan has a thing for WWII movies made in Russia or someother crazy genre. They have tons of foreign, art house films and documentaries that we'd otherwise miss.

I currently have almost 200 movies on my queue. What I need is the time to get through them all. :)

[HoyaHeel]

It's the time thing that always holds me back from joining a service like this--I'm addicted to a lot of tv and we don't spend much time relaxing and watching tv--couple hours a night, and, well--like I said, I have a TV addiction, not movies, so.....I really could have used something like this in college!!!!

[vegasbound]

It's unreal how quickly you go thru the DVD's. When we went back to Netflix we signed up for the 2 out at a time deal (thinking we wouldn't make good use of the 3/unlimited package), since we keep pretty busy these days, and Tivo usually has hours of TV recorded. Still we were flying thru them so we upgraded - we've become very proficient in our TV/Movie watching.

Lately, new movies have been pretty lame or we saw 'em in the theater so we started Queuing TV show DVD's. We've watched our favorites, as well as, some shows we missed. Like The Shield, somehow, we never tuned into it so we requested the first season. Immediately, we got sucked in, we watched a disk a night. We flew thru all the released seasons in no time...

[HoyaHeel]

We keep thinking when we need a new satellite receiver we'll upgrade to a DVR but so far--hubby says I'm bad enough with old-fashioned vcrs :haha: We haven't been to a movie theater in at least 3 years. Possibly longer. So anytime we DO watch a movie it's either pay-per-view on the satellite or the video store (sometimes the library--they have a pretty good selection for a public library!) We usually do tv series for airplane flights--easier to squeeze in an episode or two on a flight than a full length movie. I just ordered News Radio for hubby for Christmas, as a matter of fact. I have a long list for myself, too....I might have to get input from hubby on this--see if he's really interested in this (he might be if I "let" him actually choose some of the movies--he gets cranky because I'm the one who usually goes to the video store, so of course--I'm the one choosing the movies--I keep telling him that he works closer to the video store than I do, so if he wants a movie, he should go pick one out.....) Thanks for all the help so far!! Those blockbuster in-store coupons are still enthralling me, but I did a quick check and they didn't have about 3 movies out of the 6-7 I did a search for, which is NOT a good sign....

[YoungGun]

I watch a lot of movies so I actually have 3 places where I get my movies. Netflix is definately the place to go for hard to find stuff such as the classic B-movie horror films I enjoy and WWE DVDs. Blockbuster Online is no longer cheaper (Netflix lowered their prices to compete) and I've heard they take longer to deliver and do not have as many copies of hard to find movies, but their stock of new releases is supposed to be bigger than Netflix since they don't mind overstocking on those as they can be later sent to their stores. The 2 free in store rentals per month may make Blockbuster Online a better choice for some people, but I'm sticking with Netflix after hearing tales of longer delivery times and wait times for certain films. Netflix has been pretty fast, although over the past 2 weeks they have been very slow (which I attribute to Thanksgiving). I hear the free Blockbuster rentals can be used for games as well so that might also make it a better choice for some people. I rent game through a Netflix style company called Gamefly.com so it is not a big deal for me. I also have friends who use Netflix so the Friends functions on Netflix where we can recommend movies to each other is pretty cool.

I do have a Rewards Membership at Blockbuster stores. It is basically $10 a year. You earn free rentals with X number of rentals per month, which I never hit even before I started using Netflix, and also on weekdays you get a free old release with any rental. I just do it since you get 1 free old release rental per month. So basically I pay $10 for 12 rentals a year. It is pretty useful if you need to pick something up last second. I used one a few months ago to get Last House on the Left to watch with friends on Halloween the night before Halloween.

I also have an account at the local mom and pop store. $2 gets me any new release. Good for when I really need a new release. Of course mom and pop shops have little selection as most of their old releases are still on VHS. Still, I just like going to my local store since I've rented there for year (defected from Blockbuster after they charged me and extra day for a 4 minute late movie back when they were due at noon) and the owner and I chat about movies.

So I got Netflix for hard to find films, Blockbuster stores for the occasional old release, and the local video store for new releases. Most people probably don't watch as many movies as I do, but for me this works out fine as I can get movies in between Netflix mailings this way.

[YoungGun]

http://wcco.com/specialreports/local_story_334092512.html

They have a story comparing the 2 services.

[Bobby]

Between our two Tivo's and movies off the satellite there is always more than we can watch. Each TiVo receiver has 40 hours of programing on it and I have them wired so they both go through the VCR and to ALL 5 tv's in the house. So we can watch programing from either TiVO in any room.

If you have DirecTV call them and tell them your cancelling and they will do whatever to keep you. Even send you a free TiVo receiver is you agree to 2 more years with them.

[HoyaHeel]

Thanks for the article Young Guns!

Bobby--it's not so much the equipment as it is the programming fees for Tivo. Haven't been able to justify it to myself yet. Someday, maybe, but not yet:thumbsup:

[Bobby]

Actually Hoya, the programing fees from DirecTV is only $4.99 no matter how many Tivo's you have. You only pay it once, not for each reciever. I think for less than $5 I get my monies worth of 80 hours of programming compared to renting one two hour video. Not to mention we no longer watch live tv (except sporting events) so commercials are always skipped over. If you ever do get one let me know and I can give you some hidden codes for the remote. Like a 30 second advance forward (everytime you push the button you skip ahead 30 seconds to quickly by pass commercials).:wiggle:

There all also other nice features like a search for your favorite actor. Tivo will tape any show anytime "whats his name" is on. Or if you are waiting for a certain show to come on tv someday you can program the name into TiVo and it will be tape whenever it shows up.

I think TiVo has been the one reason we are still paying to watch tv;)

[vegasbound]

Just got to add, I love my Tivo. Hubby had worked for a division of DirecTV, so when they released the first DirecTV Receiver with Tivo we got first dibs, we paid decent money for it, but it was worth every penny. We've been hooked on Tivo for (I think) almost 4 years now, there's no way I could watch TV without it. I only watch live TV for Whitesox games and MNF.

I think Tivo and Broadband are the two greatest contributions to modern technology. My life wouldn't be the same without them.