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Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

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Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#51
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My gripe here is, for example, YouTube premium charging to remove ads and that indeed does make the experience better - and then there are sponsorship messages for stuff I won't name nordvpn for instance. There seems to be no rules about in-video sponsorship which honestly is driving me nuts. I feel like it is impossible to get away from ads no matter what one pays at this point.

> YouTube premium charging to remove ads [...] and then there are sponsorship messages That's the main reason I won't even consider YouTube Premium - pointless to pay for "an ad-free experience" when, instead, you get a 5 minute segment in the middle of a video shilling for [flavour of the month]VPN or Audible.

Well, there are nuances.

If you are playing a playlist of music videos, "standard" ads ruin your playlist. And music videos don't have sponsor interruptions.

That said, the "sponsor segment" has become a staple in the YouTube channels I follow, and it is noticeable, but most authors will helpfully place it in its own segment, where you can skip it. I never watch the sponsor messages, because why would I? Ads suck.

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#52
post #9
post #4

Up to 5 minutes per hour of ads, one device, streaming only (no downloading for planes/etc), 720p max, 10% of the catalog unavailable. That’s a hell of a lot of compromises.

They could probably honestly remove 10% of the catalog and nobody would miss anything. It feels like 80% of the catalog is Netflix homebrewed garbage, another 10% is foreign dubbed garbage, and the remaining 10% you've probably already seen. I honestly have never thought harder about outright cancelling Netflix. I'm very close... Every time I log in to watch something, Netflix recommends TV Shows and Movies they know…

> another 10% is foreign dubbed garbage

Foreign to whom? Or do you mean, whatever your nationality, Netflix has a constant 10% of "foreign dubbed garbage" that will be foreign to you?

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#53
post #18
post #4

Up to 5 minutes per hour of ads, one device, streaming only (no downloading for planes/etc), 720p max, 10% of the catalog unavailable. That’s a hell of a lot of compromises.

> 720p max That is definetly a deal breaker for anyone with a new device post ~2012. I'd class 720p as outdated given todays technology and I can't see anyone going for this. I'm going to make some shameless generalisations here, but a better pilot country would be one that is less ecnonomically developed where people are more likely to have outdated hardware, not the US. > 10% of the catalog unavailable I wonder if…

At some point I noticed that Netflix had created different priced packages for 4K, 1080p and 720p (I think) and automatically enrolled me in the 4K package. When I found this I just downgraded to 720p (I think) and ended up saving $5 a month. I haven't noticed the quality difference but my TV is from the 2000's.

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#54
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They could probably honestly remove 10% of the catalog and nobody would miss anything. It feels like 80% of the catalog is Netflix homebrewed garbage, another 10% is foreign dubbed garbage, and the remaining 10% you've probably already seen. I honestly have never thought harder about outright cancelling Netflix. I'm very close... Every time I log in to watch something, Netflix recommends TV Shows and Movies they know…

> another 10% is foreign dubbed garbage, I'd honestly pay them extra for a good UI that showed ONLY that. Limiting yourself to english is extremely shallow.

> Limiting yourself to english is extremely shallow

I get what you and parent post are saying, but do remember Netflix caters to other audiences. "Foreign" is relative. To me, English is a foreign language.

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really -- it's a fantastic price point for an individual subscription to watch on your laptop or iPad. Where most people don't care about 720p vs 1080p anyways. If you're a college student or not making a lot of money, and therefore not traveling a lot -- this is awesome.

How so? If you watch 10 hours of Netflix a week, you're watching about 3 and 1/2 hours of ads a month. All to save $3. Not to mention having access to less content.

I mean, across a 4 year college education, saving $3/mo is saving $144. That's like half the price of a cheap laptop or medium-priced cell phone. And when you have Spotify and whatever else, subscriptions add up. So it seems entirely reasonable to me.

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#56
post #52
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They could probably honestly remove 10% of the catalog and nobody would miss anything. It feels like 80% of the catalog is Netflix homebrewed garbage, another 10% is foreign dubbed garbage, and the remaining 10% you've probably already seen. I honestly have never thought harder about outright cancelling Netflix. I'm very close... Every time I log in to watch something, Netflix recommends TV Shows and Movies they know…

> another 10% is foreign dubbed garbage Foreign to whom? Or do you mean, whatever your nationality, Netflix has a constant 10% of "foreign dubbed garbage" that will be foreign to you?

Poorly voiced overdubbed lines will ruin a movie regardless of it's national origin.

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#57
post #56
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> another 10% is foreign dubbed garbage Foreign to whom? Or do you mean, whatever your nationality, Netflix has a constant 10% of "foreign dubbed garbage" that will be foreign to you?

Poorly voiced overdubbed lines will ruin a movie regardless of it's national origin.

I don't disagree -- I dislike dubs, always. Subtitles for the win! -- but do you see my point?

Let me state it outright: I believe you're a native English speaker, likely from the US, and you believe "foreign" means "not made in America". Am I wrong? The point is: Netflix caters to a global audience. Korean shows aren't foreign to Netflix's Korean audience. So it's very unlikely that there's a constant 10% "foreign dubbed garbage" for any given spectator.

Also, I may be wrong, but every Netflix show I've seen is available in its original language (plus some additional dub options, of course). So you never need to watch the "garbage dub".

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#58
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

720p is more than adequate for most shows and movies. I don't mind 720p at all.

It may be adequate for you, but I don't have a 4k screen to watch low quality content, unless the content I want to watch cannot be had in a reasonable quality. If you are watching it on your phone, then I completely agree with you, but I don't do that.

I don't own a 4k TV, just 1080p that's around a decade old now.

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#59
post #57
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Poorly voiced overdubbed lines will ruin a movie regardless of it's national origin.

I don't disagree -- I dislike dubs, always. Subtitles for the win! -- but do you see my point? Let me state it outright: I believe you're a native English speaker, likely from the US, and you believe "foreign" means "not made in America". Am I wrong? The point is: Netflix caters to a global audience. Korean shows aren't foreign to Netflix's Korean audience. So it's very unlikely that there's a constant 10% "foreign d…

I cannot eat dinner and read subtitles without needing to pause/rewind over and over. It takes focus, and also distracts from actor's expressions and the overall scene. At least for me.

Dubs can be done very well - see Squid Game. The voices matched the characters in both body/expression and situation. The mouths fairly closely matched the voices as well, and in some scenes you might even forget they're dubs you're listening too.

The problem is, Netflix seems to push poorly done foreign films with even more poorly done dubs way too often.

> Netflix caters to a global audience

The catalog you see is what is available for your country. Which means it's curated for your country and it's interests, and/or allowed licenses. I have no doubt the Korean version of Netflix is filled with native Korean shows/movies. For some reason though, Netflix is pushing French and Belgian movies onto the US audience, mostly with horrible dubbing coupled with already atrocious acting. It feels like a "these are cheap, stuff them into the catalog!" sort of thing... meanwhile US viewers can't watch shows they actually want, like Better Call Saul season 6...

Re: Netflix launches an ad-supported tier

#60
post #49
post #33

On day 0, this probably doesn't affect most folks here. The option to not have ads remains, and thus far at the same-ish price, hand-waving preexisting upward adjustments. Most of the brouhaha around this will be pricing-related: will Netflix use this to boost their prices???? Will I have to pay more?????? I dunno. Maybe. Doesn't seem unlikely. I don't really care, though, to be honest. $5 a month doesn't make a huge…

You are not wrong, but they had ads before: it was just called product placements. For example their Swiss Family Robinson (but in space) had a 15-20 minute segment of an episode about a packet of Oreos.

I looked it up and oof that's rough. It almost seems like a YouTube parody account photoshopped the oreos in.

https://vimeo.com/418604619

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