Netflix Is Now Available Around the World • Hacker News Board

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#181

Post by wjoe » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:31 PM UTC

YogeeKnows wrote: post #102

Most people relate Netflix to 'movies'. I have been an on - off customer of Netflix and thoughts of leaving it often crosses my mind. But the only thing which keeps me on it are the TV shows, seasons and seasons of it. I'm currently watching Mad Men , that's 6+ seasons I want to watch. I love the luxury of just catching up on a 30-45 min TV show while I'm multitasking, eating, playing PS4 etc. I think Netflix or comp…

It depends where you are. In the UK, their selection of TV is much more limited than the US - for example we don't have your example of Mad Men. Their original shows are very good though, and they have a decent selection of British TV (ironically they have more BBC shows than BBC's own streaming service).

Their selection of popular/well known movies has been decreasing over time though, as they've been losing some of those licences. But there's enough of them that it's good enough for "I want to watch some movie, let's see what's on Netflix".

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#182

Post by jsmeaton » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:32 PM UTC

macspoofing wrote: post #147

fudged71 wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe a stupid questions but what if they disrupted not just TV but also cinema? I assume that the distribution of films around the world is more limited than we think. At some point when Netflix has a much larger subscriber base, it may make more sense for films to be released directly to Netflix for global consumption. They could even be clever about it and have it only open for "live showings" at specific hours or…

>Maybe a stupid questions but what if they disrupted not just TV but also cinema? They are trying. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 is being released simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix. Some chains complained and are refusing to show it. But honestly, I don't see it. Cinema is $10-15/person/visit, and Netflix is $10/mo for an entire library of content. Profit margins for Hollywood aren't that great - so how do…

Maybe it'll force Hollywood to pay actors far far less. Harrison Ford was paid somewhere between 10 and 25 million (probably towards the lower end of that scale). Flipping the question a little bit, how do you justify paying actors 40 million for a movie if they're being streamed online for $5 a pop? I'm of the belief that the better actors are paid far too much and that releasing cinema to streaming services will correctly adjust the price of new release films.

For context I watched the force awakens last night at iMax (premium recliner chairs which was nice!) for $43. But you can't see a movie in Australia for less than about $23 these days. We're directly funding hollywood's lifestyle.

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#183

Post by worried_citizen » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:32 PM UTC

fredliu wrote: post #170

Aws and Amazon Instant Video probably are very separate businesses. And right now, aws is obviously much more successful than Amazon Video. But is that enough reason for Netlfix to be not scared of being a full aws shop and not worrying the fact that their biggest - probably the only - competitor (Amazon Video) also shares the same parent company as Netflix's main tech provider (aws)?

Along the same line of questioning what's to stop Netflix from packing up bags and moving to GCE/Azure?

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#184

Post by usrusr » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:33 PM UTC

ansible wrote: post #127

geoelectric wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't approach Netflix as "I want to see this movie so I go here," so much as "I want to watch something, so I'll pick from here." I'm never lacking a choice to watch, even with fairly specific criteria in mind. If I know exactly what I want to watch (and don't get lucky enough to find it on Amazon/Netflix/Hulu) I pay for PPV. I don't expect magic for <$10/mo, especially when the going rate for a one-off viewing is…

I don't approach Netflix as "I want to see this movie so I go here," so much as "I want to watch something, so I'll pick from here." I'm never lacking a choice to watch, even with fairly specific criteria in mind. Yeah. My main beef with Netflix is that I'd like to just sort content based on the 5-star rating. I'll rarely want to watch something that is less than a 2.0. And I'll consider just about anything that is 4…

My previous flatrate streaming plan had exactly that and just browsing the far end of "order by rating" was more interesting than watching the moderately dated mainstream movies that scored highest. "Might" be a matter of taste i guess ;)

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#185

Post by joars » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:33 PM UTC

antman wrote: post #152

Somebody should tell Netflix that the EU is a unified market by law that does not exempt any digital service. So they had to sell to all EU countries right from the start. At least the whole story with the vpns can stop. (Unless you live in Greece...) http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/buyi... ""For these types of services, and others, you have the right to buy from a service provider located in…

I think geo-blocking is still legal. http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-serv... says that the provider needs to inform about "...whether any geographical restrictions apply to the use of the content and if private copies are allowed."

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#186

Post by jsmeaton » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:35 PM UTC

shortstuffsushi wrote: post #162

macspoofing wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Maybe a stupid questions but what if they disrupted not just TV but also cinema? They are trying. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 is being released simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix. Some chains complained and are refusing to show it. But honestly, I don't see it. Cinema is $10-15/person/visit, and Netflix is $10/mo for an entire library of content. Profit margins for Hollywood aren't that great - so how do…

Unless they move to a model where you have to PPV for new / premium content like box office movies.

That's the model that I think would actually be acceptable to all parties in the short to medium turn. I'd be happy to fork over $5-$10 ppv for a cinema release over the $23 I'd pay at the cinema. I'd still go to the cinema for bigger movies that I wanted to watch for the experience/sound/screen.

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#187

Post by burkaman » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:35 PM UTC

Tunecrew wrote: post #63

In my experience, Netflix is horrid outside the US - a much more limited catalogue and a lot of mismatched foreign language content. I live in Jamaica and had subscribed to the version that was legitimately available to us w/o using a VPN or proxy or similar service. The result was twofold: - less content than on the US version (but the same price) - a whole lot of content available in overdubbed Spanish only or with…

I think they're doing their best: https://twitter.com/netflix/status/684814114523201536

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#188

Post by pcurve » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:35 PM UTC

brandon272 wrote: post #167

macspoofing wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Maybe a stupid questions but what if they disrupted not just TV but also cinema? They are trying. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 is being released simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix. Some chains complained and are refusing to show it. But honestly, I don't see it. Cinema is $10-15/person/visit, and Netflix is $10/mo for an entire library of content. Profit margins for Hollywood aren't that great - so how do…

$10/mo. is incredible value for Netflix as far as I'm concerned. I'd be perfectly fine with additional fees or different payment tiers for more expensive content. I pay $130/mo. for a cable package that provides almost no content that I enjoy and includes a DVR that frequently craps out when recording the few shows that I do watch. I'd rather pay Netflix an extra $30/mo. (or more, depending on what they can offer) fo…

Shhh..... remember my cable bill used to be 40 bucks 22 years ago. That includes hbo.

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#189

Post by stephen-mw » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:38 PM UTC

bluelu wrote: post #165

I don't know if a netflix engineer reads this: I still have an issue that I can only watch some series/movies (e.g. sherlock holmes series) only in french + english, while my friends can watch them in english + german. All in same country (Luxembourg). Changing the language on the tv and resetting netflix (konami code) changed to the "german" version. But now it's back to english + french. Best thing would be to have…

If you email me at [redacted] I can forward it to somebody who may be able to help.

Re: Netflix Is Now Available Around the World

#190

Post by brandon272 » Wed, Jan 06, 2016, 8:39 PM UTC

pcurve wrote: post #188

brandon272 wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

$10/mo. is incredible value for Netflix as far as I'm concerned. I'd be perfectly fine with additional fees or different payment tiers for more expensive content. I pay $130/mo. for a cable package that provides almost no content that I enjoy and includes a DVR that frequently craps out when recording the few shows that I do watch. I'd rather pay Netflix an extra $30/mo. (or more, depending on what they can offer) fo…

Shhh..... remember my cable bill used to be 40 bucks 22 years ago. That includes hbo.

Mine includes 8Mbps internet access. I'd love to "cut the cord" but I don't want to give up regional sports and live network news.