Is it just me, or is Netflix's selection of streaming movies taking a nosedive?

Or more.

I'd think that those complaining about selection on SH Forum, however, would be far less likely to accept mediocre picture and sound.

 

Still a significant gap between "mediocre picture and sound" versus the highest-bitrate stream (with minimal ISP bottlenecking/throttling) Netflix can send out.

True, it doesn't equal Blu-ray quality in picture or sound, but it's a lot better than "mediocre".

 

I guess 1080P in 5.1 surround for Netflix and 720P for Hulu is "good enough" for little ol' me. We're talking about streaming a damn movie.

 

I switch between Amazon and Netflix constantly. I do catch myself wanting to cut Netflix but in the end the original content always brings me back. I wonder if they'll ever fix the price so that you can get just the original content and nothing else? If so, I'd take that if it meant shaving off a couple bucks off the price.

 

I use Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu. I am able to find plenty of stuff to keep me busy. If there's a recent release movie that I really want to see I either go to the theater or I'll rent a blu-ray from the Red Box across the street.

 

I think the OP is not really talking about "premium content" as most of us might define it. Does Hollywood want to charge premium prices for non-premium old content? Of course. Will they succeed?

 

It's a fair point that I'm advocating for the very best, which is blu-ray. Netflix does pretty well with that, so I guess I'm simply putting up a defense against those fringe complaints about their streaming selection. I mean, wow, I guess I'm recalling High School, College, and much time thereafter and trying to rent something half decent from Blockbuster. Had streaming magically appeared back then I'm pretty sure I'd have cried uncontrollably. We have it so, so good. So good.

Lastly, aren't you getting 5.1 Dolby Digital? Or are they streaming lossless surround now? Again, it's fair to point out that I'm advocating for the very best source for video and sound. I'm not ashamed of that. I've learned my lessons believing one thing and then discovering another.

 

It's not always a matter of cost. There are some (many) properties that rights holders simply will not make available to Netflix.

I don't think that would be prudent business model wise. Netflix is in a huge expansion phase globally and they need all the content they can get to make their service more attractive. In fact, they've raised their prices in some EU countries specifically to be able to make more original content, including feature length films. I can't see them dropping their prices.

 

Recently watched the 'Wrecking Crew' documentary on Netflix.

Darryl

 

I just subscribe for a month or two, watch what I want, then cancel it until there is enough content to make it worth while again. It's pretty easy.

By the time we pay for fast enough internet service, we might as well pay the extra for cable. We cancelled Netflix and watch everything on demand through cable. That's where all the new movies are. Internet plus Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc wasn't really that much cheaper anyway.

 

There are a lot of films that I am quite fond of that have low ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Over my lifetime, I wonder how many books I would not have read, if I depended on how someone rated the book.

 

There are a lot of films that I am quite fond of that have low ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Over my lifetime, I wonder how many books I would not have read, if I depended on how someone rated the book.

 

I have the 3 DVD plus streaming plan and I am pretty dissatisfied with Netflix. A lot of older movies that I would like to see, such as "Atomic city" and "Riot in Cell Block 11" or a 2014 documentary on the Plantagenets are available but they don't carry. Yes, I could buy them but I find once I buy a movie, I seldom play it again. Too much accumulation of 30 years of buying and selling. I have cancelled my membership before and think about doing it again.
One problem Netflix has with physical DVDs is they mail things and USPS equipment such as DBCS machines aren't really designed for it. They can handle it but I think they were designed for letters. DBCS's were in USPS plants in 1995 when I started working there. You are risking damage mailing it, even though the vast overwhelming majority go through fine.

 

I have to agree. I am a huge movie and TV fan, and on both my devices, it looks very good picture wise!
I have many bluray discs, and while not exactly the same, and I am one that IS bothered by picture issues, its not bad in any discernable way really.

With any device there is a way to actually see what picture resolution you are getting. With Xbox, you push down on one of the toggle switches.
With My blu ray player, I have a button to see the actual running time and streaming resolution.
When It receives 1080, the picture often looks fantastic.

I have been at friends houses, and found their Netflix stream to look mediocre, and after messing with it, found they are not even getting 720, let alone 1080!
By the way, I think the old Xbox 360 actually limits it to 720, but my Samsung bluray, it streams at 1080, and you can see the difference when it changes from 720-1080

 

You guys realize Netflix has a decent bit of 4k content also?

I have seen that, at a relatives, and was blown away picture wise.
Only thing, only some TVs and Devices can do the 4k stream now.
Obviously you need a 4K TV also, and a pretty high speed internet!

 

I continue to have issues with some Netflix content not streaming on my Kindle Fire. They play without issue on my computer and on my Roku or Fire TV. The pattern is: the more modern or mainstream the movie, the more likely it plays. If it is a foreign film or documentary, real good chance I'll get an error message. The Netflix customer service department tells me all titles are equally available across all platforms. For more than a year now this has not been my experience. I honestly wouldn't care (the obvious solution - don't watch movies on the Kindle Fire), but the Kindle Fire is the only option (apart from squinting at my iphone) when I go the gym for cardio. Of course I could watch "Real Housewives That Keep Up With Christie's Pregnant Teens" on the TVs on the wall. I realize that this is quite the first world problem, but it just continues to annoy.

 

If bored, go to search and put 9 on Netflix.

 

They seem to be overtly transforming from 'Netflix movie provider' to 'Netflix TV network', definitely noticed the same decline in FILMS and increase in Netflix-produced tv shows and stand up comedy specials. I am on the verge of pulling the plug, but the selection of 70's Kung Fu flicks from Hong Kong still satisfies me up to a point.

 

You don't consider Sharknado or Hobo with a Shotgun cinematic masterpieces?

 

They have a far, far better selection of Bollywood movies compared to Amazon Prime. But you can "search" some very famous American director and actor names and come up with nothing.

 

Yep, that is a big part of their strategy for sustainable growth and why the networks should be worried.

 

You guys have even an idea of how many people binge watch a whole TV series, such as Breaking Bad on Netflix?

 

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/30/9228627/netflix-epix-adam-sandler

 

I'm increasingly of the mind that the binge watching model is the only way to go if you want to truly appreciate a show with a season long, continuous narrative. Even a week's interval between episodes with such shows, is too long to fully integrate all the developments (or seemingly innocuous ones).

Binge watching shows with more-or-less standalone episodes isn't as necessary, but the trend is now for short seasons with season long arcs. Shows such as Bloodline would be difficult to watch one week at a time and yet binge watching has a transformative effect, making it one of the best drama series of the year. Even True Detective S2 would have benefited (somewhat) if it was available all at once. There are many others that could have benefited, such as The Affair, for example.