Netflix Removing "Add to DVD Queue" from Streaming Devices

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Netflix's director of product management made a post on the company blog saying that the company is removing the "Add to DVD Queue" feature from streaming devices.

We’re removing the “Add to DVD Queue” option from streaming devices. We’re doing this so we can concentrate on offering you the titles that are available to watch instantly. Further, providing the option to add a DVD to your Queue from a streaming device complicates the instant watching experience and ties up resources that are better used to improve the overall streaming functionality. This change does not impact the Netflix Web site, where most members manage their DVD Queues.
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TechLarry said:
One more coffin nail :(
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.... huh?

The only nails in coffins are going into blockbuster. I assume you'd be talking about the DVD queue somehow and not netflix? heh. Why, is that useful or something? Looks like they are just trying to free up bandwidth.
 
rocky928 said:
.... huh?

The only nails in coffins are going into blockbuster. I assume you'd be talking about the DVD queue somehow and not netflix? heh. Why, is that useful or something? Looks like they are just trying to free up bandwidth.
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Hes implying that they are removing the option in hopes that people wont use it.. IE if its not on the streaming device they wont go to a computer and actually add the DVD to their queue.

There is no other reason to do it.. if you really think removing that one option is to "free up bandwidth" then you are naive.
 
I use the computer, so I'm fine with that. As long as they don't stop the DVD queue completely. What matters most is if they will soon be able to match their DVD library with their streaming library. I know they are going that direction. (feels too slow for me though)
 
Parmenides said:
I use the computer, so I'm fine with that. As long as they don't stop the DVD queue completely. What matters most is if they will soon be able to match their DVD library with their streaming library. I know they are going that direction. (feels too slow for me though)
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And to expensive honesly, their cost to stream movies is a lot higher than DND's
 
Parmenides said:
I use the computer, so I'm fine with that. As long as they don't stop the DVD queue completely. What matters most is if they will soon be able to match their DVD library with their streaming library. I know they are going that direction. (feels too slow for me though)
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They will never be able to unless the studios allow it. Their streaming selection is getting better, but they had to make concessions on release dates.
 
Parmenides said:
I use the computer, so I'm fine with that. As long as they don't stop the DVD queue completely. What matters most is if they will soon be able to match their DVD library with their streaming library. I know they are going that direction. (feels too slow for me though)
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And once that happens, here come the ISP caps. I don't see a win for consumers in this whole thing at all, and if we don't get Net Neutrality the whole concept is dead even faster.
 
TechLarry said:
And once that happens, here come the ISP caps. I don't see a win for consumers in this whole thing at all, and if we don't get Net Neutrality the whole concept is dead even faster.
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It's not dead, just very expensive. IMO, digital distribution will actually be more expensive to the end user's bottom line than the physical media days. The price of bandwidth and the content will rise to pass even Blockbuster's late fees. People fleeing cable will expedite the increase in bandwidth cost too. Hell, Netflix already raised prices and blockbuster's not even completely dead yet. Foreshadowing.
 
^^^ continued...

I for one enjoy watching Blu Ray so much more than streaming, that it's possible, in the future, that I cancel netflix and switch back to blockbuster, as crazy as it sounds.
 
Never had a Netflix streaming device, but it would seem kind of cheesy to remove this feature. Seems like it would make life easier for the user. The excuses they [Netflix] are using seem a bit lame. This sounds like a bad move all around.
 
Kenjiwing said:
Hes implying that they are removing the option in hopes that people wont use it.. IE if its not on the streaming device they wont go to a computer and actually add the DVD to their queue.

There is no other reason to do it.. if you really think removing that one option is to "free up bandwidth" then you are naive.
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Or I don't use netflix and don't really know what the hell the option is about... but ok :p
 
I am all for this change...do you know how many times a movie has shown up at my door in a red packet that I don't remember ordering?

Netflix is just trying to cut down on drunk orders.
 
Im all for this, its annoying to search for a title on my PS3, see it, select it, and see "add to dvd queue". Thats pretty clearly not what I wanted to do in that situation.
 
the content available for streaming is so limited and random at that. the vast majority movies are not available especially the ones I seem to want. also they may have a sequel available but not the original and vice versa. not to mention the quality is so low that it looks like complete ass on a nice monitor.
 
mdameron said:
It's not dead, just very expensive. IMO, digital distribution will actually be more expensive to the end user's bottom line than the physical media days. The price of bandwidth and the content will rise to pass even Blockbuster's late fees. People fleeing cable will expedite the increase in bandwidth cost too. Hell, Netflix already raised prices and blockbuster's not even completely dead yet. Foreshadowing.
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Even if Blockbuster goes away, there will always be competition, even if it's just torrents :)
 
Cali3350 said:
Im all for this, its annoying to search for a title on my PS3, see it, select it, and see "add to dvd queue". Thats pretty clearly not what I wanted to do in that situation.
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This x1000. If I'm searching Netflix on my 360 it should be obvious that I'm probably looking for something to watch right now...especially considering that the wife and I are on the streaming only plan.
 
PNut12345 said:
This x1000. If I'm searching Netflix on my 360 it should be obvious that I'm probably looking for something to watch right now...especially considering that the wife and I are on the streaming only plan.
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Agreed. While Netflix may be pulling shens once in a while, I don't think this move is a bad one. I sure don't manage my DVD/BD queue from my BD player in the living room.
 
cannondale06 said:
the content available for streaming is so limited and random at that. the vast majority movies are not available especially the ones I seem to want. also they may have a sequel available but not the original and vice versa. not to mention the quality is so low that it looks like complete ass on a nice monitor.
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+1 to half your statement.

The content that is available for streaming is worse than donkey shit.
The content that I stream via wifi to my TV looks equivalent to 720p; I'm pleased with that.
 
Volkum said:
Agreed. While Netflix may be pulling shens once in a while, I don't think this move is a bad one. I sure don't manage my DVD/BD queue from my BD player in the living room.
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I don't either usually but with the message pad on the 360 I've searched for stuff before.
 
Azhar said:
movies don't rip and store themselves.
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That cost is a one time expense, that over the lifetime of streaming (hell even over the course of a few years), ends up costing something like 1/100000* of a penny per title.

*Totally pulled that number from me arse. However, it doesn't cost much to pay a person to rip movies all day.
 
zoobaby said:
That cost is a one time expense, that over the lifetime of streaming (hell even over the course of a few years), ends up costing something like 1/100000* of a penny per title.

*Totally pulled that number from me arse. However, it doesn't cost much to pay a person to rip movies all day.
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That may be true, but with the number of movies being added daily (hell, or even weekly), storage space will always be in constant need of upgrading. I wouldn't doubt if they had to add 500gb or more per week of space considering the amount of indy, foreign and pro films being released weekly in addition to DVD launches (television episodes, etc).

Then again when I backed up my collection of about 400 DVDs and 50 Blu-ray to my media storage, it used up just about all 4 TB of my BlackArmor NAS - but I rip only the main movies without trailers and additional languages and maintain VIDEO_TS and BDRM folder structure. I'm sure Netflix manages movie sizes much more efficiently than I do, lol.
 
Farseer said:
Not true. It cost Netflix 3 cents to stream and SD movie and 5 cents to stream a HD movie. 10x less then what it cost to ship a DVD.
Source:http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/08/streaming-movies-costs-netflix-10-times-less-than-mailing-them/
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You really want to say its cheaper to get streaming licensing?

In the third quarter, Netflix spent $115 million on video streaming rights, up from just $10 million at the same time last year. Spending on DVDs dropped 35 percent from a year ago to just under $30 million in the third quarter.
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AND the DVD selection is MUCH larger but costs only 30 million verses 115 million per year to operate

Source
 
I would prefer another screen to be able to manage my DVD queue. I can see removing the non-streaming movies from the lists, but give us some options for managing from a streaming device.
 
Not a thing for me. When I want something added to my cue I login to the website.
 
Azhar said:
movies don't rip and store themselves.
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No, but DVDs don't package and ship themselves either.

Azhar said:
That may be true, but with the number of movies being added daily (hell, or even weekly), storage space will always be in constant need of upgrading. I wouldn't doubt if they had to add 500gb or more per week of space considering the amount of indy, foreign and pro films being released weekly in addition to DVD launches (television episodes, etc).

Then again when I backed up my collection of about 400 DVDs and 50 Blu-ray to my media storage, it used up just about all 4 TB of my BlackArmor NAS - but I rip only the main movies without trailers and additional languages and maintain VIDEO_TS and BDRM folder structure. I'm sure Netflix manages movie sizes much more efficiently than I do, lol.
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I'd wager they are probably adding tens/hundreds of TBs or more in storage per week. Each NAS box is going to be in a RAID setup, plus I'm sure there is at least one hot standby for each, and that spread across multiple data centers. I'm sure there are multiple redundancies across the board.

Anyway, storage is cheap. You may think it is high as an individual, but for a corporation is it is cheap. And storage density is growing as well. You can get hundreds of TBs in a single rack. Compare that with the space to would take to store millions of DVDs.

k1pp3r said:
You really want to say its cheaper to get streaming licensing?

AND the DVD selection is MUCH larger but costs only 30 million verses 115 million per year to operate

Source
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Ok, so their streaming license fees are 4x that of DVDs, but their distribution is 10x less. Even if you increase their license fees to 7x-8x that of DVDs they are still making more off of streaming.
 
I recently re-subscribed to Netflix to take advantage of a free trial offer on my PS3. Even before my trial was up, I had already canceled the account after haven’t used it for 2 weeks. The available streaming content is just too limited. TV Series were all hit and miss. Some episodes were available for streaming while others (sometimes in the middle of a season) were only available on DVD. The movie selection was also pitiful. Newly released movies were mostly 2 star movies from the early 90’s. Until their streaming content becomes acceptable, I have no interests in a subscription based streaming service. I will continue to rent movies from Redbox on a disc by disc basis. As of late, I have been averaging 2 – 3 movies from Redbox per month.
 
Farseer said:
Ok, so their streaming license fees are 4x that of DVDs, but their distribution is 10x less. Even if you increase their license fees to 7x-8x that of DVDs they are still making more off of streaming.
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I know they are making more, because they are charging me more
 
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