Netflix Instant Streaming - PlayStation LifeStyle Review

PlayStation LifeStyle writes, "Netflix has offered instant streaming for quite some time now. The Xbox 360 has enjoyed Netflix instant streams since late 2008. Additionally other consumer electronics devices support the popular streaming service. It was only a matter of time and a natural fit for the jack of all media, the PlayStation 3, to support Netflix."

Screen captures are included in this review.

[DoucheVader]

Disc works great, pretty happy with the streams myself. Anyone have any problems?

[MEsoJD]

but I still want the downloadable version coming down the road. Call me

lazy but I don't like taking out my copy of demons souls to watch

streamed movies.

[Lifendz]

figured I'd see what all the fuss is about. The TV selection for the instant stream shows looks great. I missed out on Lost, Heroes, and Dexter so having all those shows is going to be great. The movies are kinda lame. I did watch Porkys for the first time last night, but other than that I didn't see much. The Anime selection was decent.

The Netflix site itself is kinda weird. First off it cost 2 bucks extra to get blu-ray movies. Then I went to new releases and didn't really see anything new. I didn't see a coming soon tab which is kinda weird. I actually went to Amazon and browsed their movie selection to then physically type in the name of movies I wanted. The streaming has potential, and getting a steady stream of movies is going to be cool so I'll see if I'll keep it.

My PS3 disc should go out on Monday so I guess I'll have to wait and see how good it looks on my PS3.

[BigPete7978]

I've been thinking about getting netflix. This is just another reason to get it since I'm always on my PS3.

[Armyless]

i haven't actually considered a subscription like this until now

[wolfehound22]

Love this feature and should be even better a year from now when we can get rid of the disk. Now just bring on some more quality titles.

[T3mpr1x]

No surround sound? Meh...

[DoucheVader]

No 5.1, but so far I haven't seen any stream or DL service that does 5.1 for premier content. Maybe 5.1 just adds to much to the bandwidth.

[wolfehound22]

lol well I am streaming full movies over the internet through my PS3 onto my 52" TV I can live without the surround sound for now :).

[Christopher]

No stream service offers this. The thing is, sound is the real reason why video files get so large. Images are easy to compress with a low-level of loss. Going 5.1 would increase the size of the files to be streamed a ridiculous amount.

[billjimbob]

Xbox 360 1080p Instant-On does 1080p 5.1...

[Christopher]

Actually, it doesn't even stream 1080p... What they're offering is the potential for 1080i w/5.1 audio. Streaming, though, that's just not going to happen.

Essentially, Microsoft is claiming to offer the sun and the moon and they'll deliver something that people who don't know better won't know the difference.

[Sarick]

It's very nice at first I had issues figuring out how to access the menu. Figured out that the up /down on the d-pad would navigate to the movies ans tabs.

These look good on my slow DSL connections I was very surprised that it worked this well.

Netflix sends you a disk you put it in and it issues a number to confirm the device. I didn't even have to input my user name and password on the PS3 it just knew I was the account holder.

I wonder if I can put it on another PS3 in my house so it can play in another room.

[dopeboimagic92]

Meh, I'll stick with the video store.

[DoucheVader]

They still have them? LOL

I am surprised you are using a typewriter. LOL Just Kidding.

[Armyless]

Obviously the PS Video Store and Netflix are at odds with each other. I 'personally' prefer the pay-as-you-play option, but the Netflix library is impressive!

[Trexman89]

i love this feature. use it to watch tons of movies

[ftwrthtx]

I'm a long time subscriber to netflix but had recently switched to Blockbuster due to the in-store exchanges. I re-activated my netflix account to try this out, and I may switch back. Streaming was flawless, but captions would be nice.

[Armyless]

Blockbuster has been playing 'catch-up' to Netflix from the start. Blockbuster is a brick-and-mortar establishment trying to adopt to DLC, with the advantage of local returns. However, Netflix has the edge imho. Blockbuster missed a GOLDEN opportunity to meet Sony with an exclusive DLC agreement when Netflix went with X360...

Moral of the story? Turdbuster plays catch-up, and comes in second.

[WenisWagon]

Yet another thing Sony has completely copied from Microsoft.

[RBdrift]

Yet your the fool who pays M$ to use Netflix on your console.

[Saaking]

So what? MS copied Sega Net with XBL? You moron. They're just offering more services that the competition does except, you ONLY pay for Netflix not for two things.

[Sunny_D]

Doesn't hurt us PS3 owners one bit. :)

[RBdrift]

no it doesn't

[Marty8370]

You moron, Microsoft copied Sony, Sega, CBM, NEC, Atari, Nintendo when they decided to enter the console business.

Microsoft was very late to the console business.

Jump Out, Play B3yond

[Stationfan]

I have some buffeting issues with HD shows like Lost, but either than that I'm enjoying the feature

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Roseanne had buffeting issues too...

: )

Anyone?

Anyone?

[pixelsword]

Lost tends to lose it' way to your console and Roseanne can't fit through the tubes of the interwebs, so your ISP has to give her laxatives first.

Yeah, I'm bored.

[Mukiwa]

I see what you did there :D

[ActionBastard]

Love it.

[DJ]

I'm tired of driving to get my movies.

[Armyless]

from making the same decision myself...

[pixelsword]

...so I guess it could be worth it if I could watch a different movie every night.

I'd probably abuse it. :D

[akaFullMetal]

ive been trying it for the last couple of weeks and its good, however you still need to do your list from a computer if it's up to date movies you want to watch. the list on there is good but full of older movies, and it is easy to select a movie or show and just watch.

over all its great, however if sony ends up doing a subscription to their video store, i will opt for that instead.

[Raoh]

once its discless it will be perfect, thats its only draw back..

[Dorwrath]

It's god awful on my PS3.

Have no idea why. I can stream fine on my 360 and PC, yet when I put the disc in and try to watch a thirty minute show it will stop to rebuff three times a t least, something it doesn't do with the 360 and PC.

Wired connection and same internet connection.

Bizarre i tell you, bizarre.

[DoucheVader]

My runs smooth as silk. DSL connection.

[tyrok3k]

It's pretty nice if you don't have a 360 (or a Gold membership) but there are some drawbacks:

1. Requires disc
2. HD content is displayed in 480 and looks much worse compared to 360's HD streams.
3. The box art on the instant queue loads pretty slow and the menu in general is much slower to use.
4. All movies must be added to the queue from the website. The 360 version has lists of things you can add to the queue including most recently added movies/shows, suggestions based on what you have watched and 50-100 selections in each genre.

I hope these things will be fixed next year when the BD-Live/Disc based method goes away and then maybe the PS3 will become the only system I watch movies on.

[LinuxGuru]

HD content is displayed in HD if you have the right bandwidth to support it.

Just because it says HD next to the rating of the movie doesn't mean that's what you're getting.

[Matsuura-kun]

You can scroll through 50-100 suggestions by genre by changing the tab along the top. Highlight your instant queue and press right to change tabs.

[tyrok3k]

It looks like you guys were right. I tried the disc again (this time in the middle of the night) and HD content was displayed in 720p HD. I also didn't notice the tabs at the top with the queue suggestions. There also seems to be some smaller niche categories with 10-30 movies suggested that you don't see on 360. Once they integrate it into the XMB and speed up the menus (it can take quite awhile to get to the middle of your list if you have hundreds of items in your queue) it will be as solid as on 360.

[sephcor9]

I just wish they would make all movies available in the Instant section. Instead of making us order a DVD and wait for it, why can't they take the new movies/more popular movies and just make it so that you can only play one of those types of movies once per day? It seems like that would be a good solution as far as licensing goes. My kid watches a ton of Netflix streaming but I occasionally still feel the urge to drive to the video store because I'm in the mood today to watch something specific NOW. For example, I wanted to watch The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou the other day but we already had a Netflix DVD sitting on the table waiting to be watched. Now you could argue that Zissou isn't new and isn't all the popular so that isn't really the issue, but I want instant on, even if it means I can only watch one of those types of movies per day.

[Lifewish]

very good stuff

[JJFNIGHTS80]

Netfilx is great on my PS3 NO PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER. My only problem is I wish Netflix would add and add more movies and Anime for more live streaming. Should call them and make request to add more streaming movies. That way I don't have to go on my PC to stream on Netflix thanks SONY!

[ForROME]

2 Things I will say, I know they will but the interface needs a major over haul, it lacks in style and graphic depth

Next i agree, I use blockbuster from time to time and they blew it by not going with this opportinity, they could have has an extra 20 million customers and not had the expense of discs or postage. Im sure they were approached, i wonder what happened

[Lifewish]

yea i agree the interface could def. see some changes

[NecrumSlavery]

Love it and the PS3 Netflix has more genres to choose from than LIVE does. It's about 5 secs slower. No issues at all watching HD either, I think it looks better on PS3 too.