Hacking NetFlix

The First Free Webisode of Roger Corman's Splatter is Online - Vote & Chat

The first free webisode of Roger Corman's Splatter presented by Netflix is online at http://splatter.netflix.com/ (no subscription required). 

 

Once you've watched it you can vote on who dies in the next episode.

Netflix is also hosting a chat with Corey Feldman on Twitter (@Netflix) from 11am to 12pm PT today.

What did you think of the first webisode?

Have You Received A Dirty Sleeve?

I've received a number of complaints about unplayable discs, but this is the first complaint I've had about a dirty sleeve. Sam asks, "Do they not look at the sleeve?"

Netflix To Offer $200 Million Unsecured Note

Netflix is planning on offering a $200 million unsecured note that would be due in 2017 in order to pay off the existing credit agreement and for other purposes. 

Tipster: Netflix To Ship PS3 Streaming Discs Next Week

Update: The tipster says that they discs will be shipped out next week. I updated the headline accordingly.

A tipster that works for a certain DVD-by-mail company reports that they are already prepping and shipping the PS3 streaming discs, and that the discs won't work with "The Stuffer" so the discs are being manually processed. 

RUMOR (Again): Netflix Coming to the Wii Next Year?

It's technically possible to stream video to the Wii (I've demonstrated it using Playon), and now Dan Rayburn from The Business of Online Video claims to have seen screen shots of Netflix Streaming on the Wii.

"Last week I received some images that showed Netflix streaming on a Wii console. I didn't run with the story at the time as I didn't know if the images were legit and it's taken me until today to confirm they are in fact real. I'm not disclosing who confirmed it for me but someone involved in the project has confirmed that Nintendo is currently in testing stages with Netflix to bring their streaming service to the Wii very soon."

What I'm hearing is that Nintendo originally planned to bring the Netflix service to the Wii before the end of this year, which still might take place, but that Nintendo is also considering holding off on the Netflix service until they release their next generation Wii HD unit in early 2010.

Making the Wii available for Netflix Streaming would give Netflix access to 21 million Wii's (for comparison there are an estimated 16 million Xbox 360's and 8 million PS3s), unless they limit streaming to the new Wii HD. No wonder Netflix just raised their forecast.

Here's a screen capture of Netflix Streaming on my Wii using Playon:

 

There was also the survey that mentioned a Wii disc, similar to the free disc being offered for the PS3:

 

Are you interested in Netflix Streaming on the Wii?

Thanks to Kevin for sending this in.

Roku Announces Roku Channel Store, Roku SD & Roku XR Models

Update: Reader Bryan reminded me that the LG BD390 was the first Netflix-ready device to support 802.11n networking. 

Roku this morning is announcing two new Roku Players plus the Roku Channel Store. Two new models will be available in addition to the existing Roku HD Player. Here's a quick overview of the new Roku product line with pricing:

Roku SD: $79.99. Standard definition player with composite video and RCA audio, ethernet and 802.11b/g WIFI. Here's the back of the Roku SD Player:

 

Roku HD: $99.99. Existing player with HDMI, composite, and component video, RCA audio and optical video out, ethernet and 802.11b/g WIFI.

Roku HD-XR: $129.99. Same video and audio I/O as Roku HD, but with 802.11b/g and 802.11n networking support, as well as a mysterious USB port on the back for "future use." It's worth noting that the Roku HD-XR is the first Netflix streaming device to support 802.11n networking. Here's a look at the back of the Roku HD-XR Player:

 

Roku will also be launching a new Roku Channel Store in a few weeks with a "slew" of new channels, and customers will be able to select the ones they want for their home screen. 

HackingNetflix was sent a Roku HD-XR Player for evaluation, and I was able to quickly connect it to the my Apple Airport Extreme and activate it on my Netflix account. The user interface is exactly the same as the existing Roku player, and the video seemed to load faster, but the real benefit of 802.11n support in my house will be the extended range.

The main benefit (until we find out what the USB port is for) of the new Roku HD-XR is 802.11n support, and while the Roku product line is nicely priced, it's going to face some serious competition from low-cost Blu-ray players this holiday season. Roku is working hard to add new channels as a way to compete, and it'll be interesting to see the final lineup of channels expected in the coming weeks (YouTube, Flickr, Revision 3, and more).

Are You Willing To Wait for New Releases? Studios Want to Create New DVD Rental Window

The L.A. Times reports that the studios are considering adding a DVD rental window that would delay Netflix, Blockbuster and Redbox from renting movies for several weeks after the DVD release:

In an effort to push consumers toward buying more movies, some major film studios are considering a new policy that would block DVDs from being offered for rental until several weeks after going on sale.

Under the plan, new DVD releases would be available on a purchase-only basis for a few weeks, after which time companies such as Blockbuster Inc. and Netflix Inc. would be allowed to rent the DVDs to their customers. The move comes as the studios are grappling with sharply declining DVD revenue, which has long propped up the movie business.

Reed Hastings, chief executive of DVD-by-mail company Netflix, revealed that he had discussed delayed-rental proposals with several of his biggest suppliers.

During the Netflix earnings call last week (transcript) Netflix CEO Reed Hastings spoke about the benefits of a new DVD rental window:

Occasionally, a studio tries to find ways to restrict a rental firm’s ability to buy at retail. But retail is so big and diffused, this strategy has never worked. Four years ago, Blockbuster in an attempt to have an exclusive in rental, paid the Weinstein company to block all purchases of their films by Netflix. This attempted blockade continues today. But we have never had a problem buying Weinstein DVDs, such as the Academy Award winning Vicky Cristina Barcelona through retail and third parties. Along the way, we have also found that buying used copies of Weinstein titles was very attractive and saved us money. The larger a title is, the better our used purchase works, because there is liquidity in the supply chain. Returning to the theme of rental or segments of rental coming after DVD sales in the US, we are fortunate that this would be a voluntary option for us and would only happen if it made economic sense. 

Are you willing to wait a few weeks or more for new releases?

Netflix Streaming on PS3 to Require Special Disc

GameSpot interviewed Netflix's Steve Swasey and they have additional details about Netflix Streaming on the PS3:

• Streaming on the PS3 will require a special Blu-ray disc to be inserted into the PS3 until Netflix streaming will be built into the PS3 XMB user interface sometime next year. 
• Microsoft confirmed that Xbox Live Gold membership will be required on the Xbox in the future to access Netflix Streaming.

To order your Netflix streaming disc for the PS3 (for delivery in November) go to http://www.netflix.com/ps3.

Putting Netflix's 11 Million Subscribers in Perspective

Videonuze: "If Netflix were a cable operator it would be the 3rd largest, just behind Time Warner Cable, which has approximately 13 million video subscribers."

According to the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Comcast has almost 24 million subscribers, and Time Warner has just over 13 million. How long before Netflix is bigger than Time Warner?

via Davis Freeberg.

Are There Still Netflix-Only Mailboxes?

Despite an internal US Postal Service notice that Netflix-only mailboxes could have "legal ramifications," reader RP noticed this Netflix-only mailbox in the Philadelphia area: 

 

Has anyone else seen a Netflix-only mailbox lately?