I have Netflix right now and will cancel it on September 5th and switch to Hulu Plus.  A good portion of people who have Netflix “cut the cord” to the cable companies.  Why do people have cable?  To watch TV.  TV stations are going to delay new episodes by at least a week starting this year (at least Fox is) meaning if you have Netflix and no cable, you won’t be able to watch your favorite show until a week after it airs.  On Hulu Plus, you will.  I don’t mind the commercials and want to watch my shows.  I can watch movies (which are never “new” on basic cable) through things like Crackle, Vudu ($2 for 2 nights), Hulu Plus has a limited selection, and Redbox.  Also, Amazon has movies if your have a Prime membership, which I have, but mostly because I shop at Amazon a lot and the shipping pays for itself.

Yes the movies are old, but most movies on cable are old.  That’s where Redbox comes in, just remember to return the movie (it gives you PLENTY of time).

If you still find Netflix’s streaming library valuable, great, but it’s not for everyone and really not for those that are using it as a substitute for cable.

If you gave us that $2/movie option, I’d stream movies with you.  I just don’t see a need to pay more money to you when you throttle my movies all the time.  Popular movies NEVER get delivered to me because I watch so many movies every month, so you don’t give me the popular ones at the top of my queue most of the time when they’re new.  I’d rather pay more and get more through iTunes and Zune than the collection I see for $8 at Netflix

1) We have an apple TV and there seems to be constant problems with netflix streaming between the server being down, no sound on certain movies or the sound and picture not matching up.
2) They didnt explain why they went up so much
3) When there is a major problem that effects everyone, they only offer a 2% discount. SERIOUSLY!?!?!?!

I will say that the library of movies that you can stream live, has def. grown BUT I dont think it really warrants the price hike, just yet.

http://www.appletell.com/technologytell/

So Redbox is directly in alignment with the NetFlix DVD only pricing model.

So Redbox is directly in alignment with the NetFlix DVD only pricing model.

“Can we just pay the military and move on?” would be an illogical and irrelevant question to ask in this situation.

“where netflix is providing more value than alternatives, making them the obvious choice. Your question doesn’t fit that scheme”

It doesn’t fit that scheme because that’s not the scheme it was made to fit.

It is now clear that the only reason you are accusing my example of being incorrect is because you don’t support my counterargument against the author, not because my example is actually incorrect, which it is not.

I respect your right to disagree with me and support the author, but only if or when you make a valid argument instead of quoting me and saying “Not really.”

Okay, let’s analyze this.  It is actually IMPOSSIBLE to rent much more than 8 films from Netflix if you are on the 1 disc at a time plan UNLESS you return the film THE SAME DAY you receive it in the mail.  To see this simple fact, consider the math.

There are 31 days (at most) in any month.  There are at least 4 Sundays (plus Holidays) in each month.  The post office does not deliver mail on Saturdays or Holidays.  If you return the film the next day (most people do), then you have to wait for the mail to arrive at Netflix (another day) and then one day to return a film back to you (another day).  Thus, the most number of films you can watch in a week is 2.  To see this, let’s analyze.  You receive your DVD on Tuesday (woo hoo!  new release day!).  You mail it back on Wednesday.  They receive it on Thursday.  You receive your new DVD on Friday.  You return it Saturday.  They receive it on Monday.  You receive your DVD on Tuesday (woo hoo! new release day!).  That means that you receive movies on Tuesday and Friday of each week.  There are four weeks in a month.  In February, you receive only 8 discs.  In other months, AT MOST, you can receive 9 discs.  But then you are forgetting about the holidays, which can also reduce your ability to rent discs (indeed, it is extremely rare that you will hit the 9 disc mark and, if you are like many of us, WHO WANT NEW RELEASES, you hold on to return your discs when there is a holiday so that you will get back on track to receive your new release disc on the Tuesday. 

Furthermore, your math is faulty in other regards.  At redbox, there are often free giveaways allowing you to rent discs for effectively LESS than $1 at a time (2 for 1 deals or 3 for the price of 2).

So Stephen Bush and the others are right.  However, the benefit from Netflix is the catalog and the convenience of just going to the mailbox.  Essentially, the only game in town other than Netflix is really Blockbuster when you consider the depth of the catalog and that mailbox convenience.  Redbox has about 150-200 titles AT MOST and you have to drive to a Redbox to use it (and return it).  Plus, you have to return Redbox the next day or you get changed for an additional day (unlike Blockbuster and Netflix).  Netflix has tens of thousands, all of which you can get by mail.  Blockbuster is similar.  Blockbuster has program at $10/month for their DVD by mail program.  Netflix’s is $8.  Netflix wins.  UNLESS you use the Blockbuster in-store exchange program.