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AppleTV to replace Netflix?

nburwell

nburwell

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 6, 2008
5,450
2,364
DE
I am wondering if any users on here have cancelled their Netflix subscription completely after they purchased an AppleTV? I'm considering doing just this, since I'm fed up with the long waits I have to put up with for most new blu-ray releases. The only thing that concerns me is the fact that I watch a good amount of movies each month. I know with HD movie rentals through AppleTV, they go for $3.99 a pop. So I figure if I rent 6 movies a month, that adds up to a little over $23. But then again I'm paying $18/month with Netflix now.

Ultimately I just want to get opinions from people that have made the switch. Maybe this is a completely foolish idea, but I wanted to get some feedback before I were to actually do this.
 
SilentPanda

SilentPanda

Moderator emeritus
Oct 8, 2002
9,992
31
The Bamboo Forest
If you want to watch the newest of the new you'll probably have to go with renting through Apple... but you definitely have more streaming options with Netflix... way more content and it's only going to get larger. Just try it. It's not like you can't start Netflix again and stop renting from Apple.
 
C

Critical Hippo

macrumors member
Sep 14, 2007
46
0
Did you purchase the old AppleTV or the new hockey puck-sized AppleTV that is streaming only? If it's the old one, stick with Netflix.

How do you feel about Netflix's streaming content? The new AppleTV works with Netflix to stream that content directly to your HDTV (like Roku and a bunch of other devices already do) instantly. If you like the offerings Netflix has, you can downgrade your account to a streaming-only account with Netflix. It is considerably cheaper than what you are paying now.
 
H

hcho3

macrumors 68030
May 13, 2010
2,783
0
I am going to cancel netflix subscription and this is because I want everything in HD. I have TV that can handel 1080P and 720P. It makes no sense to own HDTV without HD video.

I am very likely to buy apple TV because itunes always have newly released titles on Day one for streaming. NETFLIX? Sorry, wait for 30 days.

IF you watch a lot of movies and I mean a lot, then you should just stick with Netflix. I am planning on watching 1-2 movies per week. In this case, it fits me better to go with itunes and apple TV. However, I am still going to wait for reviews and people's first impression on Apple TV before I buy one. Netflix also has instant streaming, but their selections SUCK! I know that netflix's HD STREAMING is still no where near the itunes HD streaming. When I saw SJ streaming Iron man 2, I was surprised by how fast it was and how quick it was. I am going to try HD video streaming at apple store and as long as it can live up to what SJ showed. I am in.
 
T

tripjammer

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2010
581
0
hcho3 said:
I am going to cancel netflix subscription and this is because I want everything in HD. I have TV that can handel 1080P and 720P. It makes no sense to own HDTV without HD video.

I am very likely to buy apple TV because itunes always have newly released titles on Day one for streaming. NETFLIX? Sorry, wait for 30 days.

IF you watch a lot of movies and I mean a lot, then you should just stick with Netflix. I am planning on watching 1-2 movies per week. In this case, it fits me better to go with itunes and apple TV. However, I am still going to wait for reviews and people's first impression on Apple TV before I buy one. Netflix also has instant streaming, but their selections SUCK! I know that netflix's HD STREAMING is still no where near the itunes HD streaming. When I saw SJ streaming Iron man 2, I was surprised by how fast it was and how quick it was. I am going to try HD video streaming at apple store and as long as it can live up to what SJ showed. I am in.
Click to expand...


Get the basic netflix for $10 a month.

You can only check out one disc at a time, but that is all you need. Also add $1 a month extra for blurays. The streaming options are nice. It lets you have more options. Hopefully Hulu Plus will also be added to the new Apple TV. Remember if you have a 1080p TV bluray is still the best in quality for sound and video. None of these streaming options are real 1080p and 7.1 HD sound. Only bluray. The best way to rent blurays is netflix or Redbox.
 
nburwell

nburwell

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 6, 2008
5,450
2,364
DE
@Critical Hippo, I am looking at purchasing the newly released Apple TV.

@SilentPanda, you're right. I can give Apple TV a try since I'm not tied down to a contract with either Apple or Netflix.

@hcho3, that's what irks me about Netflix. Robin Hood was released on blu-ray last week, yet us Netflix subscribers have to wait until October until we can rent it.
 
B

Bozley0621

macrumors 6502
Mar 25, 2009
383
118
I looooove Netflix and use it for 80% of my TV viewing. I really want to give cable the boot, but have yet to find an indoor OTA antenna that picks up channels.
 
O

OptyCT

macrumors 6502
Nov 9, 2008
362
4
Bozley0621 said:
I looooove Netflix and use it for 80% of my TV viewing. I really want to give cable the boot, but have yet to find an indoor OTA antenna that picks up channels.
Click to expand...

Just in case you're not aware of the site, here's a great resource for determining what OTA HD signals you can receive at your address:

Antennaweb
 
B

Bozley0621

macrumors 6502
Mar 25, 2009
383
118
OptyCT said:
Just in case you're not aware of the site, here's a great resource for determining what OTA HD signals you can receive at your address:

Antennaweb
Click to expand...

I've been to all the web sites and such. I just live in a condo that is on the bottom floor surrounded by trees. But thanks.
 
FSUSem1noles

FSUSem1noles

macrumors 68000
Feb 23, 2006
1,622
16
Ft. Lauderdale
Streaming Netflix is painful but it is watchable.. I have netflix and would rather just get the dvd or blu-ray then stream it.. I can't understand why anyone would prefer to sream to their TV.. streaming tv content or movies is shoddy at best...

I was at blockbuster the other day to rent Robin Hood because netflix doesn't have it.

I ended up joining the Blockbuster program because the rep told me Blockbuster is now basically buying the rights to new releases which gives them a 30 day window where you can only get the movie from blockbuster... Blockbuster is also going full steam with their streaming service.. If it's anything like the rep talked it up to be it's going to be pretty phenomenal..
 
N

newagemac

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2010
2,091
23
Netflix Watch Instantly is great for watching good movies and tv shows that you have missed over the years but my biggest problem with it is there is no 5.1 surround sound. For tv shows, it is not needed but it's a real bummer for movies.
 
milbournosphere

milbournosphere

macrumors 6502a
Mar 3, 2009
857
1
San Diego, CA
If anything, I find that my AppleTV supplements my Netflix subscription. Anything that I can't find on Netflix I watch online for free, or download in HD. I am too busy to care about keeping up to date on the latest TV shows. There are only a few that are important enough for me to be home to watch live. The rest I can tolerate being a season or two behind.
 
D

dbwie

macrumors 6502a
Jun 11, 2007
606
258
Albuquerque, NM, USA
You can rent new releases on iTunes and watch lots of back catalog content from Netflix. These services together give a pretty wide selection of movies for the new AppleTV.
 
bobr1952

bobr1952

macrumors 68020
Jan 21, 2008
2,040
39
Melbourne, FL
As long as Blu Ray is superior, I'll keep using the mail with Netflix.:)

But I am thinking of giving Apple TV a try for those movies and TV shows I don't care so much about the very best in video and audio. In fact, I would probably give up my cable TV before I give up Netflix and Blu Ray. I think Apple TV and Netflix will work well together--seems more direct competition to Amazon on Demand--which I have also tried.
 
D

DJinTX

macrumors 6502a
Sep 15, 2010
524
30
FSUSem1noles said:
Streaming Netflix is painful but it is watchable.. I have netflix and would rather just get the dvd or blu-ray then stream it.. I can't understand why anyone would prefer to sream to their TV.. streaming tv content or movies is shoddy at best...

I was at blockbuster the other day to rent Robin Hood because netflix doesn't have it.

I ended up joining the Blockbuster program because the rep told me Blockbuster is now basically buying the rights to new releases which gives them a 30 day window where you can only get the movie from blockbuster... Blockbuster is also going full steam with their streaming service.. If it's anything like the rep talked it up to be it's going to be pretty phenomenal..
Click to expand...

Didn't blockbuster just announce they were going out of business? I know I read an article that as soon as they do their contracts over movies form certain studios will be up for grabs and Netflix will be making these titles immediately available for streaming. it sounded like it was happening within the next month or so.

As for your comments about streaming netflix, we do it all the time and it works great. I don't have any real complaints. Every once in awhile our internet connection will slow and the video quality will be downgraded, but this only make it unviewable once. it downgraded to SD, and was very blurry. The few other times the video quality has been reduced, it only took it down by 1-2 bars, still very high quality, just not technically HD. It still looked great. If Netflix offered all of their content instantly, we would never opt for physical disks again.
 
R

robotartfashion

macrumors 6502
Jan 1, 2009
311
0
Phoenix, AZ
DJinTX said:
Didn't blockbuster just announce they were going out of business? I know I read an article that as soon as they do their contracts over movies form certain studios will be up for grabs and Netflix will be making these titles immediately available for streaming. it sounded like it was happening within the next month or so.

As for your comments about streaming netflix, we do it all the time and it works great. I don't have any real complaints. Every once in awhile our internet connection will slow and the video quality will be downgraded, but this only make it unviewable once. it downgraded to SD, and was very blurry. The few other times the video quality has been reduced, it only took it down by 1-2 bars, still very high quality, just not technically HD. It still looked great. If Netflix offered all of their content instantly, we would never opt for physical disks again.
Click to expand...

No, they went into Chapter 11 not Chapter 13, it's a "reorganization of debt" which gives them time to generate capital and pay down debt to avoid true bankruptcy. They did announce they are closing between 500-1000 stores over the next year to "trim the fat" and will reduce the physical presence of the company by about 20%.

They're hurting but they aren't gone forever.

That being said I hate physical rental now. Red Box and Netflix take care of all my needs in that department. Watching Netflix through my Mac Mini is awful as to the best of my knowledge "HD" netflix has been limited to physical streamers, so I use my xbox360 or ps3 for watching them.

I'm interested in the Apple TV for this purpose though. If you have a decent internet connection they can look pretty great, at least DVD quality if not 720p.
 
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