Goodbye Netflix DVD Mailers …
by John Paczkowski
Posted on November 3, 2008 at 5:03 AM PT
Mac users interested in availing themselves of Netflix’s (NFLX) “Watch Instantly” feature in advance of its general rollout can now do so here without having to rely on Boot Camp or Parallels. All that’s needed is an Intel Mac that supports the Microsoft Silverlight browser plugin on which the player is based and a willingness to accept the terms of the public beta.
- There may be bugs. We are logging all errors, but if you run into problems you can help out by posting details here in the blog comments.
- Not all movies are available to watch with Silverlight. You may notice errors or lower than normal quality when watching certain titles.
- Our new player works on PCs and Intel-based Macs.
- Windows users should be aware that if you opt in, you will need to use Silverlight on all the machines you use to watch instantly.
I’ve been running the player since Wednesday of last week in Safari and have found it to be pretty slick. The fast-forward feature, which uses three screens within a screen, is a particularly nice touch. The video quality isn’t as high as that offered by Hulu, Amazon, or iTunes, but it’s definitely very watchable. So watchable, in fact, that I sent all my Netflix DVDs back last Thursday and haven’t requested another since. …
Comments
John,
DVDs have bonus features.
DVDs have higher quality.
DVDs don’t require Silverlight (which I will not install on my Mac).
,dave
Posted by Dave Barnes at November 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 amVery few videos are available for instant viewing. You should still keep your mailers.
Posted by David Owens at November 3rd, 2008 at 8:27 amI’m not suggesting that there aren’t flaws in the service. Clearly, there are a few. But for those of us looking for IMMEDIATE viewing satisfaction, it’s a nice solution.
Last night, for example, I thought I’d watch Todd Solondz’s ‘Happiness.’ Turns out it’s not yet available for streaming. So I ended up watching ‘Storytelling’ — one of his later films — instead. Clearly, a bit of a compromise. That said, I spent the evening enjoying a good movie, rather than waiting for one to arrive in the mail.
Posted by John Paczkowski at November 3rd, 2008 at 8:46 amSeems to me the $99 Roku player is a better idea. Hook it to a real TV, etc.
I haven’t seen a good reason to upgrade (my laptop) to an Intel version, and this certainly won’t be the straw.
The one thing I’d like to see the Roku player do is support non-Netflix content, MP3 files, etc. I already use them for music and I’d prefer to replace the audio Roku device with the video device, not have them both taking up space when their purpose is so similar.
Posted by Mac Beach at November 3rd, 2008 at 1:11 pm