DirecTV Boycott!

[DramaQueen]

I've had what GB's is talking about happen before, twice. I was all set for CSI:NY and they sent me Juno and Mrs. Winterborne. While both are movies I could have enjoyed, they were totally opposite from what I was ready to spend my weekend watching. For one, they totalled all of 3.5 hours and the two CSI disks totalled 8 hours. For two, they weren't CSI:NY and were totally different gendres. I still haven't watched Juno and I cancelled my Netfix account.

Wow, looks like your Netflix works a lot differently than mine. I have never paid more than 2.50 per movie on the cheap plan as opposed to 3.99 for PPV and my list of 23 movies right now consists of dramas, adventure, comedy, TV series, documentary and sci-fi. I have never gotten anything but the next movie in my queue - ever - so I'm not understanding why they are sending you movies out of order. As for the lastest titles, as soon as the movie hits DVD Netfix has it available same day. I also put in a "save" movie if it isn't out yet. They automatically send it to me as soon as it comes out on DVD or PPV as long as it's next on my list. Interesting how we're getting two different types of service and pricing from the same Netflix.

 

[Callisto in NC]

Wow, looks like your Netflix works a lot differently than mine. I have never paid more than 2.50 per movie on the cheap plan as opposed to 3.99 for PPV and my list of 23 movies right now consists of dramas, adventure, comedy, TV series, documentary and sci-fi. I have never gotten anything but the next movie in my queue - ever - so I'm not understanding why they are sending you movies out of order. As for the lastest titles, as soon as the movie hits DVD Netfix has it available same day. I also put in a "save" movie if it isn't out yet. They automatically send it to me as soon as it comes out on DVD or PPV as long as it's next on my list. Interesting how we're getting two different types of service and pricing from the same Netflix.

Greeensboro NC verses Las Vegas NV is the difference. Several times my top movie has not been available but it doesn't say that when I look at my queue. When I called they said that movies / shows are stocked in a location based on demand and the demand in NC apparently isn't series television. I guess. Netflix is cool the first and second month when you get to catch up on all the movies you missed, but after that it's a burden.

 

[babetoo]

I have the DVR system from my cable companies and it's the best recording system ever. You can store movies forever.
I'm curious to know why you order movies on PPV when you can get 90,000 titles from Netflix for a fraction of the cost. I'm subscribed for 9.95 per month and I can get as many as 9 movies per month. That's just a few cents over a dollar per movie. Take a look, it's worth it and they have several different plans to choose from. Netflix Online Movie Rentals - Rent DVDs, Classic Films to DVD New Releases. The movies come in your mailbox, you watch them and drop them back into your mailbox. No late fees and you can keep the movies as long as you want to. (Hey, do I get a commission for this???)

this is the plan i just restarted. i did have the three at a time, gift from son. however strangely enough i felt pressured to watch them. since it only takes approximately two days to get a new one , i think this is better for me. can get as few or as many as i like.

i have always gotten what i ordered.my son and daughter both have it and they love it a lot.

babe

 

[plumies]

FWIW, just a clarification on Netflix. Each member has a queue set up and each movie is ranked as to what he would like shipped. But what ships is also based on availability. If your #1 choice is Meatballs but availability is tagged as short wait, that may or may not ship as your next selection. When they go to pull the movie, if Meatballs is not in, they will select the next movie on your queue.

If Kramer vs. Kramer is your #2 choice and Caddy Shack is #3, your #2 choice will ship. If you were in the mood for a comedy, then it's up to you to move Caddy Shack up to #2 spot.

With that said, I don't know exactly when and how they pull movies and I have had a different movie ship than what was at the top of my queue (listed as available now). This has happened maybe a handful of times at the most in the past 8 years, and I think a couple of times, it was just me not timing it correctly. Timing is key.

Say I decided this morning that I wanted to move my #10 up to the top. But if they had already pulled my selection that morning, I'm not going to get my new choice. I manage my queue pretty much every other day (the day before I know when they will be getting my returns). That way I am pretty sure I'll be getting the first available movie on my queue. I also manage it so I can get certain newly released movies the day they are released. All-in-all, I've been very happy with Netflix.

 

[GB]

If you were in the mood for a comedy, then it's up to you to move Caddy Shack up to #2 spot.

Timing is key.

The problem with that, for me at least, is that I do not know what I will be in the mood for until that day. Friday I may be in the mood for a comedy, but by the time Sat rolls around that could have easily changed and now I am in the mood for action adventure. With Netflix you need to predict what your mood will be ahead of time. If I rent a DVD through Redbox or get a PPV movie then I can decide right then and there what I am in the mood for.

Like you said, timing is key.

 

[Jeekinz]

Fios is installed and the DW is eliminating our stash of sunflower seeds as we speak. LOL

Will have a report tomorrow.

 

[Callisto in NC]

FWIW, just a clarification on Netflix. Each member has a queue set up and each movie is ranked as to what he would like shipped. But what ships is also based on availability. If your #1 choice is Meatballs but availability is tagged as short wait, that may or may not ship as your next selection. When they go to pull the movie, if Meatballs is not in, they will select the next movie on your queue.

If Kramer vs. Kramer is your #2 choice and Caddy Shack is #3, your #2 choice will ship. If you were in the mood for a comedy, then it's up to you to move Caddy Shack up to #2 spot.

With that said, I don't know exactly when and how they pull movies and I have had a different movie ship than what was at the top of my queue (listed as available now). This has happened maybe a handful of times at the most in the past 8 years, and I think a couple of times, it was just me not timing it correctly. Timing is key.

Say I decided this morning that I wanted to move my #10 up to the top. But if they had already pulled my selection that morning, I'm not going to get my new choice. I manage my queue pretty much every other day (the day before I know when they will be getting my returns). That way I am pretty sure I'll be getting the first available movie on my queue. I also manage it so I can get certain newly released movies the day they are released. All-in-all, I've been very happy with Netflix.

The queue is there but is not 100% reliable. As I said, I've had shows in the #1 slot and gotten slots 5 and 6. While it may have happened to you only a couple of times in 8 years, it happened to me within the first month of having the service. As I did not find it reliable, I cancelled.

BTW ~ I fully understand the queue process, just not Netflix's thinking. If I want disk 6 before 5 of a series, they shouldn't take it upon themselves to move things around.

 

[plumies]

The problem with that, for me at least, is that I do not know what I will be in the mood for until that day. Friday I may be in the mood for a comedy, but by the time Sat rolls around that could have easily changed and now I am in the mood for action adventure. With Netflix you need to predict what your mood will be ahead of time. If I rent a DVD through Redbox or get a PPV movie then I can decide right then and there what I am in the mood for.

Like you said, timing is key.

Yeah, that's the problem with Netflix, kind of have to guess ahead. We used to do both Netflix and Blockbuster because of that but that didn't last long. Blockbuster around us had the worst selections of movies. Now, we'll use PPV and On Demand if we're not in the mood to watch the Netflix movies.

 

[roadfix]

Just curious.....do any of you use FTA (Free-To-Air) dish network type receivers? Once you buy and set up the receiver all PPV channels are viewable and free, including special events.

 

[plumies]

The queue is there but is not 100% reliable. As I said, I've had shows in the #1 slot and gotten slots 5 and 6. While it may have happened to you only a couple of times in 8 years, it happened to me within the first month of having the service. As I did not find it reliable, I cancelled.

You weren't the only one having this problem. I've read about this complaint quite a bit. It seems to be more so with certain shipping locations. I'm near the one in LA (I think ) and they seem to do a pretty good job at processing. A friend of mine in PA has all sorts of problem with his queue, although I'm not sure where his processing center is.

 

[plumies]

Just curious.....do any of you use FTA (Free-To-Air) dish network type receivers? Once you buy and set up the receiver all PPV channels are viewable and free, including special events.

Uh, is this legal? Just asking...

 

[Fisher's Mom]

The queue is there but is not 100% reliable. As I said, I've had shows in the #1 slot and gotten slots 5 and 6. While it may have happened to you only a couple of times in 8 years, it happened to me within the first month of having the service. As I did not find it reliable, I cancelled.

BTW ~ I fully understand the queue process, just not Netflix's thinking. If I want disk 6 before 5 of a series, they shouldn't take it upon themselves to move things around.

This happens to me a lot - getting disc 3 of a 3 disc set first. I think the only way around this is "backing up" the DVD, which is prohibited by law with rentals, I think. But most of the people I know using Netflix do it using a DVD-RW, which can be re-written over and over. It's still probably not strictly legal but it's not making a permanent copy of a movie you rented.

 

[roadfix]

Uh, is this legal? Just asking...

I'm pretty certain Direct TV and Dish Network are not too happy about them but FTA receivers are sold by many electronic merchants, mostly on-line. If you Google FTA receivers you'll see these are immensely popular. I personally know many households that use them.

 

[Callisto in NC]

This happens to me a lot - getting disc 3 of a 3 disc set first. I think the only way around this is "backing up" the DVD, which is prohibited by law with rentals, I think. But most of the people I know using Netflix do it using a DVD-RW, which can be re-written over and over. It's still probably not strictly legal but it's not making a permanent copy of a movie you rented.

I have all of the available CSI:NY vids uploaded to my computer's backup hard drive. I didn't care what order they came in but when I specifically put disk 5 and 6 above disk 4, they shouldn't take it upon themselves to reorder my queue as though they assume I misordered the que. No, I just didn't need disk 4 because they were showing it on regular television and I had recently seen all the eps on that disk.

 

[Maverick2272]

Myself, I have had only great experiences with Netflix, but then being by Chicago we have a large facility so availability is rarely an issue. My worst problem has been the post office loosing disks.
On several occasions disks have never arrived, I have reported them missing, then they showed up at Netflix several days later. After talking to Netflix turns out they had been opened then re-sealed. Not by me so either they mis-delivered and that person got to watch a movie for free, or someone at the post office saw a movie for free.
I am leaning towards some postal worker because if it was accidentally delivered somewhere else I am sure that person would just see it as a freebie and keep it not watch it and send it back.

 

[Callisto in NC]

I admit, Maverick, if I got someone else's Netflix in my box I would watch it, seal it up and send it back. Free movies, yeah! Having someone else have to pay for it, nay! I'd be worried you'd have to pay for it so I'd send it back to Netflix if it arrived. Even if I didn't watch it, I'd open it and use the Netflix envelope to send it back rather than writing on the exterior packaging. That way you know it gets back to Netflix quickly rather than floating around at the PO as "return to sender" mail. Opening it and using the Netflix envelope is just faster all the way around.

 

[elaine l]

Here is my FIOs story. We had it installed in the fall of last year. One of the dvr boxes kept having problems receiving signals. I called tech support many many times. Every time I would suggest that I wanted a new box they would say "we can fix that from here" So they would reset it (while I waited on the phone) only to have it happen again. Finally this summer I insisted that a tech come out. He changed my box and no problems. I wish I had been more forceful sooner. Anyway other than that, I am pleased with it.

 

[Jeekinz]

Well, after using DTV for 8 or so years, it's weird using another company.

Everything seems good so far, just getting used to different formats, etc. It has a really cool feature where you press one button on the remote and it automatically gives you a 7 day forecast for your zip code. Neat!

The HD channels all start from the 800's, where DTV had them right after the actual channel. Oh, and remembering new channels is a pain. Food HD is 840 instead of 231. The local channels are all the same (unless you want HD then it's 800-something).

We tried out video on demand. It's PPV but you don't have to wait for the time the movie starts. You just scroll through the titles and select the movie. I have to research if they come in HD or not. I'm an HD snob now. Once you watch TV in HD, you won't want to watch anything else.

The remote is a little busy and toy-like with different colored buttons and junk. Other than that, the HD channels are like watching a DVD in 1080i with surround sound. The regular channels are equivalent to DTV regular channels. You still get a little lag time when switching channels like DTV but not as bad. The channel guide scrolls ultra fast, unlike DTV.

I already have some of my cooking shows scheduled to record again.

On the installation: they upgraded my wireless router with some monstrosity of a router. I think I could tune in Tokyo with it. The installer thought our brand new TV in the bedroom was bad because he could only get audio from it and no video. The DW called me at the office saying we have to return it. "Huh?" I said for him to hook everything up and I'll look at it when I get home. I just unplugged the set from the outlet and it must have reset itself. Works fine now.

 

[Andy M.]

Our on demand has a separate section in the menu for HD. Any HD movies are listed along with other HD programming. We found this out AFTER paying to watch National Treasure 2 in standard def.

 

[Jeekinz]

Here's some more info:

I just got off the phone with DTV cancelling my service. They finally offered to restore the service until the investigation was cleared. I said "What happened two weeks ago?!"

Anyway, when we bought the HD DVR for $300, I asked the person if it was our equipment and they said "Yes". That's the only reason we paid $300 was to keep the DVR. It turns out, it is NOT your equipment to keep and the $300 charge is only to be able to lease the receiver! So the CS rep said I would be receiving a box to send the reciever back and an invoice for the remaining charges and an early cancellation fee. I told her there is absolutely no way I would pay an early cancellation fee and she noted that on my account.

Here's some more horror stories.