Gwen writes, "While I love Profiles, I'm kind of annoyed that Netflix only allows the "main" profile to use the "Watch Instantly" feature. I wish they would make that feature available to Profiles also. Perhaps they could set it up in a way that it needs to be approved by the main profile?"
I agree with Gwen. I have two Netflix accounts because I want one Watch Instantly account for the kids (5 & 7), and another for movies that are rated higher than PG-13.
Do you want multiple Watch Instantly Profiles?
Absolutely. It's an odd restriction that I imagine might have something to do with their licensing deals with the content providers.
Posted by: Bob | November 08, 2008 at 06:53 AM
I have two profiles, and i'd love for them to both have Watch Instantly. I'd also like to be able to access either profile from my Roku.
Posted by: justin | November 08, 2008 at 07:22 AM
I'm sure the studios would be quite nervous about Watch Instantly available with profiles (and Netflix would get less sign-ups). It makes it much easier to share with a friend if you don't have to give them your password (or sign in for them).
Why would the studios be so worried about sharing? People generally will not steal, but they don't have as much issue with sharing something even when the deal (or license) doesn't allow it. This is similar giving a "sip" of your free-refill drink in a restaurant to your spouse who only ordered water. The fact that you probably don't want to swap spit with most people is enough of a disincentive that restaurants can still offer free-refills. Having to give up your main Netflix password to your friend or relative that lives far far away is enough of a disincentive that Netflix doesn't need to limit Watch Now.
The solution to the problem is probably for Netflix to offer a Watch Instantly add-on for profiles at a modest fee. As the title selection grows, this also solves the problem of a Roku box in each family members room with differing tastes.
Remember when Netflix took away profiles because they didn't want to deal with this? I remember people saying "please please bring it back just the way it was!" Now, of course, people are saying, "well... since you brought it back... can you make it work with Watch Instantly?"
Posted by: Complication | November 08, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Yes.
Posted by: travis | November 08, 2008 at 12:58 PM
+1. Although I never plan on canceling, they need to understand the desire for a more personal queue. I have to refrain adding certain movies.
Posted by: Frank | November 08, 2008 at 01:36 PM
Please please please, My Instant watch zombie flicks are making a mess of my Wife's art house heavy queue, and it's suggestions.
If we start seeing more art house zombie flicks we will know that Netflix must be funding them :-)
Posted by: Bob | November 08, 2008 at 02:31 PM
Unfortunately this is something that most likely will never change mostly because the other profiles will create other device IDs and re-register for each profile cause more people to recieve device limit errors and really at this point in time will really just cause more issues than resolve them, so once the movie studios decide on unlimited device IDs or a very high number the option really wont help.
Posted by: John Kimble | November 08, 2008 at 02:54 PM
It would be great if the kids profile, with the appropriate ratings, could use the instant viewing capability.
Posted by: Brandon | November 08, 2008 at 04:32 PM
I think the unauthorized sharing fear could be addressed by setting it such that, regardless of how many watch-now profiles you had, your account could only watch one movie at a time.
A different way to implement the same idea would be to have just one profile, but to be able to establish categories for the movies in the list, and then filter to show only a given category. ("Show me just the movies I marked Zombie." Or "Show me just the movies I marked Kids.")
Posted by: Scott | November 08, 2008 at 08:21 PM
Yes, I'd love to have Watch Instantly for the different profiles for the same reason cited here--different movie ratings for the kids.
Posted by: Clint | November 09, 2008 at 12:14 AM
Oh that would be awesome!
Posted by: Shani | November 09, 2008 at 05:28 AM
I think it would also help if they let you add more than 500 movies to a single queue and if they had an "import" feature to move movies from one of your profiles to the next. I use three profiles just for my own movies, and it always angers me when I realize a film I got in the mail from a secondary queue was available to watch instantly all along.
Posted by: Alfredo | November 09, 2008 at 09:47 PM
Yes but I wish they had to log in to their own profile, they have to log in to my profile and then switch to theirs, so either they gotta know your password or you gotta do it for them.
Posted by: Darin | November 09, 2008 at 11:48 PM
OMG YESS!! I *LOVE* the separate profiles and the fact that they decided to keep them, but my ratings and views will get all clogged up with kiddie junk if i let the kids go wild on my main account w/their watch now stuff!
Posted by: conedude13 | November 10, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Yes. Of course.
Not a thing about the profiles (except their existence) is well designed so adding it to the current system is not even something I'd attempt. Needs a total rewrite.
Posted by: Steven Hoober | November 10, 2008 at 12:47 PM
most definitely need to support this. Honestly, for them to commit to keeeping profiles and not supporting this doesn't make much sense.
Posted by: turls | November 10, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Yes, I would like it for my two kids.
Posted by: Del | November 10, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Hells yeah
Posted by: John | November 10, 2008 at 03:57 PM
I can't believe they don't already have this. I sure hope they add it at some point.
Posted by: Wes | November 10, 2008 at 10:08 PM
YES. I wholeheartedly support netflix movies being available to profiles. I would like to have my wife's profile associated with her gamertag and mine (the main profile) associated with my gamertag
Posted by: scc4fun | November 11, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Heck yeah!
Posted by: Paul | November 11, 2008 at 01:31 PM
Yes! My fiancee just signed us up for Netflix and we're very excited about the Watch Instantly feature. Today I discovered profiles and started setting up a profile for myself, but was disappointed when I realized I couldn't have my own personal Watch Instantly queue for my profile.
Posted by: JTWilcox | November 11, 2008 at 07:58 PM
I'm pretty sure that this is technical rather than legal restriction. Tying the device to the account is easier than tying the device to multiple profiles on the account. Plus, it makes the user interface simpler, since you don't have to choose the profile before choosing the movie. Do all Netflix devices let you associate multiple accounts? I wouldn't be surprised if there's at least one box that only lets you have one account at a time.
Posted by: tabicat | November 13, 2008 at 05:21 PM
I also wish that I could "order" my Watch It Now titles list by genre. It would help me to make a viewing choice depending on what type of movie I was interested in watching (documentary, comedy, drama, etc.). If we could click on the "genre" word at the top and have it do that, that would be great.
Posted by: K.C. Hunsaker | November 14, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Yes, Instant Queue sorting could potentially alleviate my need for separate queues and would simplify having to flip through 200+ titles to find the Wiggles video for my daughter to watch.
Posted by: T Johnson | November 15, 2008 at 12:12 PM