Hacking NetFlix

Reports of Counterfeit DVDs from Netflix?

Update: Netflix spokesperson responded to the reports of counterfeit DVDs:

Netflix rents only studio or filmmaker authorized DVDs – no copies. Netflix has more than 100,000 titles on DVD available for rental, so labeling takes many forms. DVDs marked “for sale only” were purchased legally and legitimately by Netflix for rental to Netflix members. And yes, each DVD is individually inspected before it’s shipped.

Netflix ships 1.9 million DVDs on a typical day out of more than 50 distribution centers across the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii). Occasionally an error occurs and a Netflix member receives the wrong title or a scratched disc. But the probability of a Netflix member receiving a copied disc is very slight. Four copied discs, even less.

Netflix is the #1 rated ecommerce site for customer satisfaction by Nielsen Online and ForeSee Results because of the outstanding convenience, selection and value available to 8.2 million Netflix members. Concerns such as those raised by The Consumerist are extremely rare. But something we’re looking into nonetheless.

Consumerist has a report and photos from a reader about possible counterfeit DVDs received from Netflix.

There are few companies that we love more than Netflix. Usually their service and support are top-notch among DVD renters. However, Consumerist Forums reader "muffinman" has a concern. He has been receiving what he believes are counterfeit DVDs and has some compelling photo evidence. Please help us crack the case and tell us what you think. His letter and pictures inside...

Netflix has been shipping gray DVDs, provided by the studios, for years, but the reported DVDs have paper labels. If they are in fact counterfeit, I highly doubt Netflix is duplicating DVDs, and suspect the movies were replaced by a subscriber that lost a movie and sent a copy back to Netflix to avoid the $20 DVD replacement fee.

Has anyone else received strange DVDs from Netflix?

Thanks to David and Art for sending this in.

Netflix Hiring Sr. Software Engineer -- Open APIs

Bill Scott has posted two job openings on his blog, including a Sr. Software Engineer -- Open APIs. The job description confirms that Netflix is working on an open API:

Michael Hart, our Director of Open APIs and Community is looking for an Open APIs Sr. Software Engineer. This is an incredible role. Netflix is in the midst of opening up a suite of developer APIs and you can help make this happen. Get in now and shape the way developers all over hack and mashup Netflix!

What would you do with the Netflix API?

Netflix Investor Day Webcast May 28th

Netflix announced that the May 28th Investor Day event will be webcast live from 8am to 12:30pm PT.

The event will include a keynote presentation by Reed Hastings, Netflix’s chief executive officer and co-founder, as well as presentations from the Netflix senior management team:

• Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer
• Leslie Kilgore, Chief Marketing Officer
• Barry McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer
• Andy Rendich, VP of Operations
• Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer

Anyone can listen in at http://ir.netflix.com.

Blockbuster Trying to Secure Exclusive Digital Content?

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Blockbuster is in discussions to invest in a new premium channel.

As part of a deal being discussed, Blockbuster would get digital rights to the new channel's programming in return for an investment in the partnership, these people said.

Viacom, parent of the Paramount Pictures movie studio, said earlier this month it would join forces with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. to launch a new pay-TV channel that will show movies and original television series made by the three companies. The companies now sell their movies to CBS Corp.'s premium channel Showtime, but talks to renew their agreement fell apart when CBS tried to cut the price.

This could be a serious blow to Netflix if Blockbuster is able to secure an exclusive deal for popular movies or TV shows.

Ever Wonder What They Watch on The Space Station?

A reader discovered a list of the movies and books available to the staff of the International Space Station. A few of the more interesting movies include 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Apollo 13, Armageddon, National Lampoon's Animal House, Harold & Kumar, So I Married an Axe Murderer, The Goonies, and the X-Men.

Roger Ebert is Blogging

The Yoda of movie reviews is blogging at http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/.

Every year I keep meaning to include "Joe vs. the Volcano" in Ebertfest, and every year something else squeezes it out, some film more urgently requiring our immediate attention, you see. The 1990 John Patrick Shanley film, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, was about a wage slave in a factory where dark clouds lower o'er the sky; he is told he has a Brain Cloud, with only five months to live. How this leaves him to become a candidate for human sacrifice in the South Seas follows a long and winding road, in a film that was a failure in every possible way except that I loved it.

via Kottke.

Blockbuster To Sell Games & Hardware at Stores

The AP is reporting that Blockbuster will expand the video game selection at retail stores, Blockbuster to offer more video games at its US stores.

The movie rental company said the expansion will allow customers to buy games, hardware and accessories for the Sony PS3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS game systems at its stores.

Blockbuster also plans to offer more video game rental options.

Do you rent games from Blockbuster?

PSA: Alicia Keys in Africa (Aids Charity)

Alicia Keys and Keep a Child Alive put together a film to help raise awareness of the plight of people in Africa with Aids. You can watch the film for free, learn more about this cause, and donate at the Alicia in Africa website.

New Releases for April 29th, 2008

Click here for the full list of new releases (124).

Interesting movies include The Golden Compass, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, King Corn, Nanking, 27 Dresses, The True Story of Charlie Wilson's War, Intelligence: Season 1, How She Move, Moondance Alexander, Saludos Amigos / Three Caballeros, and The Guatemalan Handshake.

Long Delay for Farrell & Fiennes Flick 'In Bruges'

If you're waiting for the Colin Farrell & Ralph Fiennes film In Bruges, you might have to wait a while.

Thanks to Computeriffic for sending this in.