Hacking NetFlix

TiVo vs. Media Center

Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection has a great comparison between TiVo and Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Most people at some point upgrade their PC anyways. I know I've been through several computers over my life and at some point I'll be ready to upgrade again. Now if the next time I upgrade my computer, I buy one with Media Center (by the way both Dell and Gateway now ship their PCs with Media Center as the default and it costs no more money than regular XP Home) for my home office, then (since I was getting a new computer anyways) my only expense would be buying the TV tuners and an extender unit. Now this would make the proposition cheaper as well.

While I would love a TiVo, I bought a Windows XP Media Center PC almost a year ago (and I love it). I needed a faster computer anyway, and the premium was minimal. I use it to record TV and it's my main "work" PC (you can use it while it's recording). I can even watch television on it from another location using Orb.

Do you have a TiVo or Media Center? What do you like or dislike about it?

What's the Best Setup for Watching Movies?

Robert is looking for "real world experience" with HDTV:

Is HDTV worth the money? Now I know all the numbers and bru-ha-ha, but what do people who seem to watch more DVD's than tv think about their own real world experiences. Have people upgraded their tvs and DVD players to progressive scan and been wowed going from 480i to 480p? I currently own a progressive scan DVD player and 36" CRT non-HD with a great picture and I'm wondering if it's worth it to upgrade. Has anyone upgraded to an upconverter DVD player and been wowed by that? I'ld like to hear some real world experiences with "veiwing" a tv rather than all the tests and what not. And if anybody out there has had a lot of experience, should I hold off and purchase a 1080p rather than the curently more affordable 720p?

What would you recommend for a decent low-end setup (under $1,000), and if you had an unlimited budget, what would you buy?

New Releases for November 1st, 2005

Click here for the full list of new releases this week (90).

Interesting movies include Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Millions, The Perfect Man, Heights, Aliens of the Deep, War of the Worlds: Season 1, The Outer Limits: The New Series: Season 1, and Last Letters Home.

Requesting Missing Movies

Eric writes:

I was just curious to see if anyone has put in a request to Netfilx to add a current title that is not out of print and available for sale? If so was that DVD added to netflix’s library and how long did take?

Have you requested a missing movie? How responsive were Netflix and Blockbuster?

Movie Gallery & Blockbuster Troubles

Video Business Online has an article about layoffs at Movie Gallery and new problems at Blockbuster. While most of the studios have cut Blockbuster some slack, Univeral is keeping strict payment terms with Blockbuster:

As a result, Blockbuster has passed on some recent Universal titles, such as Carlito’s Way: Rise to Power and Land of the Dead, and has bought light on others, such as The Interpreter and Unleashed.

“It’s very hard to put our money into Universal titles when other studios are more willing to work with us,” said Nick Shepherd, Blockbuster president, North America.

The story also confirms that Blockbuster is making a huge push to move their customers online:

“The company has embraced this like a religion, and the pressure to sell [online subscriptions] at the store level is enormous,” a Blockbuster store manager said.

Shepherd acknowledges employee complaints but maintains the company has no choice.

“There’s a certain amount of self-selection going on,” he said. “You have [Blockbuster] customers who have made a decision to switch to online or are inclined to do it, and I’d rather they go to Blockbuster Online than to Netflix.”

Hopefully there will be some relief for retail stores this week with the release of Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

No Comments Between 9pm and Midnight (PDT) Tonight

Six Apart, the company that hosts HackingNetflix, is in the process of making major changes that should improve the reliability of this blog (you might have noticed a few problems in the past weeks).

They have scheduled downtime for commenting tonight (October 29th) between 9pm and midnight (PDT).

Forbes: Price War Not Likely

Maya Roney from Forbes writes that a Blockbuster - Netflix price war is unlikely. The story also mentions that Blockbuster is rumored to be raising $150 million, and that "Blockbuster would do well to use this additional capital to grow its online DVD rental service."

Reed Hastings said in the Q3 2005 investor Webcast that it would cost Blockbuster $300 million to catch up with them. Looks like Blockbuster might be taking him up on the challenge...

Slow Shipments from Blockbuster Stores?

I'm wondering if shipping a movie from a store takes longer than from a distribution center. Both of my local Blockbuster stores are franchises, so they are not part of the store shipping test. Does anyone live or work near a Blockbuster store that ships movies? Can you ask them how it works?

I just got two movies from Blockbuster in the mail yesterday, and one was shipped on the 21st and the second on the 25th (see the screen capture to the right). What's interesting is that the movie that shipped on the 21st has a stamp on it: "Single Piece" (see below). I'm wondering if it was shipped from a store. One of the first examples of a store shipment had a normal stamp and a store address, and yet this had the address of my regular shipping center in Stamford, Connecticut.

Has anyone else received a movie that they think was shipped from a Blockbuster store? Did it take longer to arrive?

This could be a strategic advantage for Blockbuster if they do this right.

Update: The Netflix Fan blog has also covered Blockbuster store shipments.

Mark Cuban: Let's Make The Customer King...

Mark Cuban has written an interesting article on how to completely reinvent the movie business. This is only part of it:

Why not price a DVD or the PPV at a significant premium for day and date delivery? It’s $29.95 retail if you want to wait 4 to 6 months. If you want to see it the same day its released in theaters, its $39.95 retail. Plus, if we are smart, we will provide a $10 or $15 mail-in rebate against that price if you provide a ticketstub for the movie and a receipt for the PPV or DVD.

The system is obviously broken and he wants is doing something about it. There are some radical ideas in the story, but this guy has the money to try it.

via Slate.

"Lost" Lost on Netflix?

Several readers have asked if Netflix is carrying the popular tv series "Lost." There is a bug in the Netflix search, so to find it you have to search for "Lost: Season 1." Netflix is aware of the problem and it should be fixed shortly.

You can add Lost: Season 2 to your queue now. Netflix allows you add movies to your queue long before they are released on DVD, and I'm sure it helps them forecast demand when a movie is released on DVD.

Thanks to Mike, Evan and Adam for sending this in.