Netflix or Blockbuster? 2009 update? Blockbuster will be including games now again

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msuna

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Netflix or blockbuster 2009 update?
Can anyone tell me which service to use? They seem to have similar prices except Netflix charges 1 dollar more for blu ray and no in store plan option. Does anyone know if blockbuster charges extra for blu ray rental???? I personally like having the extra in store option but not sure its worth the extra money. Can someone help from experience. Thanks!

Plus anyone know where to get a good promo code for either for longer than a one month trial or reduced cost for say 3 months or 6 months. i know blockbuster used to have better plans with video games etc too probably....

BLOCKBUSTER NOW INCLUDING GAMES IN THEIR MOVIE PROGRAM ONLINE SIMILAR TO GAMEFLY.

Blockbuster announced today that it will begin offering game rentals as part of its Total Access online movie rental service. The company will start a pilot program during its second quarter, with a goal of implementing the integrated system nationally by the second half of the year. Essentially, Blockbuster is trying to morph Total Access into a Netflix meets GameFly offering.
 
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[quote name='Birbo']I use Blockbuster but I'm curious about the Netflix streaming. Not too sure how good it would be over my wireless set up. Blockbuster does have in-store exchange plus you get online coupons every month that can be used to rent games.[/quote]

Not anymore they don't. The plan is limited to a few exchanges a month and no game coupon and they increased price.

Another vote for Netflix hands down. I had both at one point and while blockbuster slashed my plan benefits and raised prices Netflix was adding new features in for free.

Plus netflix has a FAR greater selection.
 
I've been with Blockbuster for a little over three years and I really don't have any complaints. However, I don't like how they have taken away the monthly free video game coupon and the unlimited in-store exchanges. I almost dropped them after that unlimited exchanges became three a month.

But, on the plus side, if I'm in the mood for a certain movie or my friends and I want to rent something specific, we can just go to Blockbuster with one of the online rentals and exchange it right there. No waiting. True, Netflix has the instant watch option, but from what I've seen of it, I'm not impressed. It seems like everything I would like to watch instantly I can't and the ones that I could looked like total garbage thanks to my slow internet connection. The TV series that Netflix has available for instant streaming also looked appealing until I found out that many of them don't have all of the episodes.

Of course this was a few months ago so things could have changed by now. I would just access how much you're going to use the service and how badly you want mvoies. If you're an instant gratification kind of person that likes to watch movies all the time, I'd go with Blockbuster (permitting there is BB somewhere near your house). If you don't mind having a day or so without a movie and like the selection of Netflix's online streaming, that is the best way. Both are going to cost roughly the same and will probably have their fair share of problems.
 
Seems like netflix so far is favored a lot. It just seems they are exactly the same plan with exactly the same costs. Except streaming vs store. Who knows what is even available to stream. I watch mostly recent movies. I don't usually go back and rent older movies.
 
Netflix is iffy at times, however I hate Blockbuster with a passion like no other.

I rented Eagle Eye, got it the 14th, returned it the 20th, they didn't get it until yesterday! Luckily I reported it missing on Friday and got a new movie Saturday. The Dark Knight came and I had to clean the disc when it started to mess up in the middle of the movie!
 
I actually talked with my wife today about switching from Blockbuster to Netflix. We've been with Blockbuster for a year, and they keep taking things away from us. We started with $19.99, 3 at a time, unlimited exchanges. About a month later, I believe, they jacked the price up to $34.99, so we chose downgrade to 3 at a time, 5 in-store exchanges a month for $19.99. A while later, we discovered that we could actually do 5 exchanges per store per month, but that got shut down pretty quickly, too. Now, they are changing it so that they won't send new discs when we exchange in-store, they will wait until we return the discs for which we exchanged (which isn't really much of a change, considering how slow they have been lately). BTW, we have received several broken dvds/blu-rays, so that isn't exclusive to Netflix.

It's a shame that the streaming content doesn't have an option for closed captions/subtitles yet - at least, that's what I've read.
 
[quote name='msuna']Who knows what is even available to stream. I watch mostly recent movies. I don't usually go back and rent older movies.[/QUOTE]

Streaming would be useless for you for the most part then. Anyone that just wants to watch recent hollywood films will be disappointed.

The selection is very good for older movies, foreign films, indie films etc., and there's several good TV shows available--Weeds, The Office, Heroes etc.

So if you have a BB nearby, that's probably the better option since you don't need streaming or Netflix's better selection if you mainly rent recent hollywood films.
 
I am about to reactivate my old blockbuster account which I definately prefer over netflix. Mine is unlimited 3 at a time with unlimited in store exhanges and 2 game rentals a month as well.
 
[quote name='badboysean']I am about to reactivate my old blockbuster account which I definately prefer over netflix. Mine is unlimited 3 at a time with unlimited in store exhanges and 2 game rentals a month as well.[/quote]

Good lord, how much does that run you? And how do you add the game rentals?

Can anyone who has netflix tell me, are any older (70s, 80s, 90s) TV shows available for streaming, or just newer ones? Thanks.
 
[quote name='guessed']Good lord, how much does that run you? And how do you add the game rentals?

Can anyone who has netflix tell me, are any older (70s, 80s, 90s) TV shows available for streaming, or just newer ones? Thanks.[/quote]

There's some. Offhand I can think of Sliders, Magnum P.I., Columbo, Murder She Wrote, a bunch of BBC shows, Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider, Dr. Who, Miami Vice, A-Team, Incredbile Hulk
 
TV Shows...

MI-5
Doctor Who New Season 3
Roar
Knight Rider
MacGyver
A-Team
Airwolf
Xena
Hercules
Sliders
Simon and Simon
Hulk
She Spies
Heros Season 3
Dead Like Me
Jericho
CSI
Quantum Leap
OLD BSG
Law and Orders
New Outer Limits Season 2
A few Showtime Shows
Several older mystery shows
Several of the newest seasons of TV shows liek The Office USA and 30 Rock.
 
[quote name='hopeunknown']There's some. Offhand I can think of Sliders, Magnum P.I., Columbo, Murder She Wrote, a bunch of BBC shows, Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider, Dr. Who, Miami Vice, A-Team, Incredbile Hulk[/quote]

[quote name='bigdaddy']TV Shows...

MI-5
Doctor Who New Season 3
Roar
Knight Rider
MacGyver
A-Team
Airwolf
Xena
Hercules
Sliders
Simon and Simon
Hulk
She Spies
Heros Season 3
Dead Like Me
Jericho
CSI
Quantum Leap
OLD BSG
Law and Orders
New Outer Limits Season 2
A few Showtime Shows
Several older mystery shows
Several of the newest seasons of TV shows liek The Office USA and 30 Rock.[/quote]

Thank you both. Looks like a lot to keep me busy, although I was kind of hoping for Greatest American Hero - Guess I'll have to rent it. It has been at the bottom of my Blockbuster queue for a while (the bottom, because it isn't something my wife would watch).
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']
and there's several good TV shows available--Weeds

[/quote]

Can someone tell me which is the episode on Weeds where Mary Louise Parker is, "doing her thing" :lol:
 
[quote name='oasisboy']Can someone tell me which is the episode on Weeds where Mary Louise Parker is, "doing her thing" :lol:[/quote]

The brick dance? That's in season 3. (Only seasons 1 and 2 are on netflix, damn!) I burned and started watching season 3 the other night. :)
 
$10 a month for netflix and streaming to my 360

Not sure if you have a redbox at your Mickey D's/grocery stores, but I get a free rental every week from them which has mostly new releases. 1 free rental per CC you have.
 
[quote name='badboysean']I am about to reactivate my old blockbuster account which I definately prefer over netflix. Mine is unlimited 3 at a time with unlimited in store exhanges and 2 game rentals a month as well.[/quote]

Give them a week or so and they should slash it and reduce it to the current rate, assuming they even let you reactivate without changing plan. When i resubscribed I had to select a different plan before they would let me use it.
 
[quote name='hopeunknown']The brick dance? That's in season 3. [/quote]

Ok, I will be straightforward. Which one is the episode where she gets some action with a dude?
 
[quote name='guessed']Now, they are changing it so that they won't send new discs when we exchange in-store, they will wait until we return the discs for which we exchanged (which isn't really much of a change, considering how slow they have been lately).[/quote]

I'm sure you already know this but you're getting screwed big time. I've been sitting on the Mummy 3 (which I rented in-store via an exchange) for a week and a half now and have all three of my online rentals as well. I admit that the exchange has been a little slow lately, but that's because Blockbuster has been waiting for my top selections to become available instead of sending out the next one on the list. I have to say that's pretty awesome of them.

Red Box is another option I've been toying with (since there are a TON of these in San Antonio) but I really don't see myself returning a movie after one night.
 
[quote name='oasisboy']Ok, I will be straightforward. Which one is the episode where she gets some action with a dude?[/quote]

She gets fucked on the top of a car in the 5th episode I think, somewhere in season 1. Season 3 she gets it on a lot, and does a little dance. I forgot to buy it when it was cheap. :(

Season 4 finale she takes a bath, that's when you see the most.
 
[quote name='metallicoholic']I'm sure you already know this but you're getting screwed big time. I've been sitting on the Mummy 3 (which I rented in-store via an exchange) for a week and a half now and have all three of my online rentals as well.[/quote]

Yes, I know I'm getting screwed, which is why I am switching. The new policy has not taken effect yet (I haven't actually read about it, just heard about it from my wife).

Don't you get late fees on "Mummy 3" if you don't return it within 5 days?
 
be's? And btw, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who has responded. I have learned a good deal so far.
 
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[quote name='guessed']
Don't you get late fees on "Mummy 3" if you don't return it within 5 days?[/quote]

I haven't had late fees at Blockbuster in a long time. As far as I know, you get a week after the due date to return something. At that point, they charge your credit card for the full amount. If you return the movie within 30 days of that, you get a refund minus the stocking fee. The most I've been charged so far is the stocking fee.
 
I've been trying to decide between Netflix and BB myself. I've been a long time in-store renter with BB for many years, pretty much exclusively, because the better deal overall was with them. No other local stores could compete with the price or rediculous length of time the movies sat in my possession. In terms of online renting, after much extensive research, I'm leaning toward BB for several reasons. The fact that there are two blockbusters within 10 minutes (seperate directions) from me does affect that decision. The ability to exchange mailed DVDs and use coupons towards free and discounted rentals further affects it. I know I'm going to go back and rent in-store occasionally because I couldn't possibly have my sole DVD renting service be waiting for DVDs to come in the mail that could be anything on my queue list. My friend encouraged me to do Netflix, not necessarily instead of BB, but just because he is using it now and is pleased with it. However he lives in a very small town, outside of Springfield that does not have a video store of any kind. So any online service would be wonderful in that regard. I have a question to anyone who is on the BB plan. If you do happen to receive a defective, damaged, or incorrect DVD in the mail, can you give that to a local store in exchange for a replacement? A more specific example: if you receive a damaged copy of a movie, can you take it to a local BB and get the same dvd off the shelf for free. This would be a big deal to me. If this happens with Netflix, I would have to send it back and wait for a replacement that hopefully will be ok, but if BB could help in-store and immediately rectify the problem, that would be amazing. I know BB offers the in-store exchanges but I'm not clear if they deal with these matters or if you're stuck mailing it back in and waiting. Thanks to anyone for some helpful info.
 
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I started up Netflix after NXE, and I love it. I did blockbuster online years ago before the "trade in at stores" thing, and it would take days to get movies. Now I pop a movie in the mailbox and 48 hours later I have a new one.

Plus, I have watched more stuff through streaming on my 360 then I thought possible. Catching up on tv shows through netflix is awesome (as is 30 Rock, now I"m finding out).
 
If I were to sign up under the 1 DVD a month plan, does a TV Series count as "1 DVD" or does it count as more? Also, can any TV series be streamed online from Netflix?
 
The Netflix streaming on Live is great if you have a fast connection. Downside is there is not a whole lot of great movies to pick from.

Blockbuster has the free instore rentals with a subscription. That is cool, but it means you have to live your home.
 
I prefer BBV for one reason: 2 disc rentals via in store exchange. If you want the 2nd disc of a movie title via Netflix (or BBV online), it counts against you as an extra disc being out.
 
[quote name='scottc320']If I were to sign up under the 1 DVD a month plan, does a TV Series count as "1 DVD" or does it count as more? Also, can any TV series be streamed online from Netflix?[/quote]

Every disc counts as a rental. If it's a 3-disc DVD set that's 3 rentals.

Netflix has a limited selection of content on the service but does include 30 Rock and The Office. Here's hoping South Park is available eventually but I would doubt that MS would stream content that is available for purchase in the video marketplace.
 
I signed up for Netflix again once I heard about the 360 streaming feature. an extra $1 for blu-rays doesn't bother me. I have a friend who used BlockBuster in the past and said they continually hiked up his fees.
 
[quote name='scottc320']If I were to sign up under the 1 DVD a month plan, does a TV Series count as "1 DVD" or does it count as more? Also, can any TV series be streamed online from Netflix?[/quote]

I never understood why people think you would get a 6 DVD box set to count as one DVD? That never makes sense on any scale.
 
Wife and I cancelled DirecTV. All we use is Netflix streaming/rent, I download movies, and we watch streaming news/tv shows online.

Saves a crapload!
 
[quote name='Morphx2']Wife and I cancelled DirecTV. All we use is Netflix streaming/rent, I download movies, and we watch streaming news/tv shows online.

Saves a crapload![/QUOTE]

I'm on bb and thinking of doing the same as the above, just canceling Dish and BB and going Netflix. I think if you go with the three disc a month option you get the best of both worlds. Newest movies and steaming media. I'm going to try the Netflix free trial and I suggest you do the same and go from there.
 
Huh well this may sound bias I used both services and I had more problems with Netflix shipping me broken and unplayable movies. For some reason it took them 5 days to get me movies. Blockbuster shipping center located in the same area, 2-3 days easily.
 
Where can I find the full list of movies/tv shows available to stream via PC/Xbox 360?

Also does anyone have a coupon for a trial? I want to try out the service for a little bit.
 
[quote name='thepik241']Also does anyone have a coupon for a trial? I want to try out the service for a little bit.[/QUOTE]did you try www.netflix.com/cagcast ?

I've never used netflix, but as a 360 owner I am now considering it. Is there some tell-all FAQ that explains how this all works on the 360? The official Netflix website seems pretty vague. And a lot of the articles I've found seem to assume a working knowledge of netflix, which I don't have!
 
I have had Blockbuster for going on 4 years now, and it has stillllll been what i signed up for. They have only changed the price 1 time, and that was from 17.99 to 19.99. Which im totally ok with. I get 3 out at a time, and unlimited exchanges still, and 2 movie\game coupons a month.

The newest thing they have done that i am thinking about dropping them for is the in store "no late fee's" is gone. So if i take a movie back and exchange it and forget about it, it's 1.99 a day that i dont take it back.

I currently have like 16$ in late fee's to pay at my local store for 3 movies.

I know i need to stay on top of it, but i liked the lazibility of the previous system. So i may switch to netflix.

We'll see...
 
[quote name='bobo2k4']Netflix

I've been using it for about a year or so and its been great.
smile.gif
[/quote]
Netflix. Definitely :p
 
[quote name='Sofa King Cheap']I prefer BBV for one reason: 2 disc rentals via in store exchange. If you want the 2nd disc of a movie title via Netflix (or BBV online), it counts against you as an extra disc being out.[/quote]

I usually don't care about bonus discs so this is not an issue for me. If you do, then you have too much time to watch all those bonus features.

Who in the world watches all those "behind the scenes" so that you see this actor talking about how he loved playing the role of Mr. Big John. I also don't care about watching the "gag reel" so that I see some actress laughing like an idiot because she forgot her line. I also don't need to know the director's filmography (I can just go to imbd.com)... etc, etc...
 
[quote name='sevin300zx']I have had Blockbuster for going on 4 years now, and it has stillllll been what i signed up for. They have only changed the price 1 time, and that was from 17.99 to 19.99. Which im totally ok with. I get 3 out at a time, and unlimited exchanges still, and 2 movie\game coupons a month.

The newest thing they have done that i am thinking about dropping them for is the in store "no late fee's" is gone. So if i take a movie back and exchange it and forget about it, it's 1.99 a day that i dont take it back.

I currently have like 16$ in late fee's to pay at my local store for 3 movies.

I know i need to stay on top of it, but i liked the lazibility of the previous system. So i may switch to netflix.

We'll see...[/QUOTE]

You still get games? I used to have the service but then they said movies only on my deal and they also changed the price. That was the end of my relationship with BlockBuster.
 
[quote name='BustaUppa']I've never used netflix, but as a 360 owner I am now considering it. Is there some tell-all FAQ that explains how this all works on the 360? The official Netflix website seems pretty vague. And a lot of the articles I've found seem to assume a working knowledge of netflix, which I don't have![/quote]
It's really, really easy, and really, really cool. There are probably 1000+ movies and TV shows available to watch instantly. You download a small app on your 360, add movies to your "instant queue" on Netflix, and they show up in the dashboard under the Netflix section.

Each movie or tv show you add has its own little DVD box icon, and it remembers how much you've watched. You can pause, rewind, fast forward, and skip "chapters." It takes maybe 20 seconds to buffer in the beginning, and then it's just like watching TV. I'm going through 30 Rock right now, and it looks great on my 52" Samsung.

The selection isn't as big as I'd want it to be, but there's plenty there you'll want to watch, and they add stuff all the time.
 
Update for you all. Blockbuster will incorporate game rentals in their online plan.
Blockbuster announced today that it will begin offering game rentals as part of its Total Access online movie rental service. The company will start a pilot program during its second quarter, with a goal of implementing the integrated system nationally by the second half of the year. Essentially, Blockbuster is trying to morph Total Access into a Netflix meets GameFly offering. The question: Will the quality of service be as high as the two go-to names in the field?
 
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