End of an Era: Netflix Ending Disc Rentals

[SRW1000]

Just got an email about this today.  Not exactly a surprise, but still sad to see.  It's been my primary movie watching method for years and years, but that will all come to an end on September 29th of this year.  :'(

Here's a link to the FAQs in case anyone else is a subscriber:  FAQ - DVD Netflix

Looks like I've got five months to find a suitable alternative.

Scott

[bmoney]

It’s amazing how far that company has come. Inused to rent discs from them when they started. Now they produce outstanding shows and movies. Incredible. 

[David Vaughn]

Just got an email about this today.  Not exactly a surprise, but still sad to see.  It's been my primary movie watching method for years and years, but that will all come to an end on September 29th of this year.  :'(

Here's a link to the FAQs in case anyone else is a subscriber:  FAQ - DVD Netflix

Looks like I've got five months to find a suitable alternative.

Scott

That sucks Scott, but at least streaming has closed the gap significantly in the video department (audio is still pretty inferior). Are there other options out there?

[SRW1000]

That sucks Scott, but at least streaming has closed the gap significantly in the video department (audio is still pretty inferior). Are there other options out there?

Yeah, there are a few.

• Redbox.  The drawback is that we'd have to drive to the next town the following day to return the movie.  Like Netflix, they're limited to Blu-ray in my area, and pricing would be similar
• www.store-3d-blurayrental.com.  On the plus side, they offer 4K disc rentals and a deeper library of catalog titles than Redbox.  On the downside, from what I've heard, the delivery times are slower than Netflix, and the price is about double what Netflix was charging
• Gamefly.  Like 3d-blurayrental, they offer 4K discs, and their monthly fee is slightly lower, but still more than Netflix.  Selection on new titles looks pretty good, but their catalogue is not as deep
• Various streaming services.  I'll have to take a deeper look at this option as I've been avoiding it, but the quality does keep improving

There's still plenty of time to weight options, but I'm probably leaning towards Gamefly for the convenience and 4K disc availability.

Scott

[tripplej]

Interesting enough, the vast majority of folks that I know mostly stream now. Hardly anybody even buys bluray that I know. Sign of the times.

[AVSCraig]

Interesting enough, the vast majority of folks that I know mostly stream now. Hardly anybody even buys bluray that I know. Sign of the times.

I only buy discs, never stream, and haven't rented a movie since I last went to a Blockbuster Video with my wife ( at that time my girlfriend ) in 2007, in Walnut Creek, California! I'm stubborn! 

[SRW1000]

I only buy discs, never stream, and haven't rented a movie since I last went to a Blockbuster Video with my wife ( at that time my girlfriend ) in 2007, in Walnut Creek, California! I'm stubborn!

For me, there wouldn't be much value in buying every new release that I might be interested in watching.  Of the approximate 60 new movies we watch a year, there are probably less than 30 I'd ever want to sit through again and only about 10-15 that I'd want in my permanent collection.

Renting offers the opportunity to try it out at about 10% of the cost of owning, and then I can wait for it to hit the right price point if I really like it.  It also allows me to take some risks and find some hidden gems that I wouldn't even notice in the store or on Amazon.

But if you have the money and plenty of storage space, buying everything is a fantastic option.

Scott

[Paul Heroy]

Craig, you're 1 in a thousand... maybe million.

Seriously lol... there's probably close to the % of folks at this point who are that hardcore about only buying discs and never streaming. As Scott mentioned, the cost and space to buy and store everything is too much for most of us, or else having to constantly sell stuff to recoup is a hassle. 

But I also have a bunch more space dedicated to CDs, books, and LPs. (Yes, I'm one of the idiots who restarted buying vinyl... some. Maybe 20 in the last 2-3 years but I have to add some shelf space there b/c I now have some standing on the floor!) Also a bunch of board games squirreled away in closets/cabinets. It's toooo much, drives my wife nuts.

[SRW1000]

But I also have a bunch more space dedicated to CDs, books, and LPs. (Yes, I'm one of the idiots who restarted buying vinyl... some. Maybe 20 in the last 2-3 years but I have to add some shelf space there b/c I now have some standing on the floor!) Also a bunch of board games squirreled away in closets/cabinets. It's toooo much, drives my wife nuts.

I'm right there with you on the collection side, Paul, except substitute LPs with thousands and thousands of comic books.  My movie collection is more modest, with only about 450 titles.

I think a large chunk of my retirement will be spent selling off much of this stuff.  I've got more books than I'll every have time to read, more games than I'll be able to play.  

Scott

[TRainH2O]

Man, I miss the early days of Netflix. It was fast and cheap to get three DVDs in my mailbox. I watched a lot more movies back then partly due to the fact that it was so cheap and about a two-day turnaround on discs. I just loaded up my cue with all the new releases that I was interested in and they magically appeared.

Back then, you could subscribe to the disc-only plan. I miss those days.

[TRainH2O]

But I also have a bunch more space dedicated to CDs, books, and LPs. (Yes, I'm one of the idiots who restarted buying vinyl... some. Maybe 20 in the last 2-3 years but I have to add some shelf space there b/c I now have some standing on the floor!) Also a bunch of board games squirreled away in closets/cabinets. It's toooo much, drives my wife nuts.

I too have started rebuying records. However, I still have most of my original collection which is mostly Rock.

My new buys are Jazz and Blues, for the most part. All the new reissues of classic Blue Note, Impulse!, and some of the "audiophile" pressings from Acoustic Sounds and Mofi are my new addiction. 

[Paul Heroy]

Tracy, I've been a jazz & blues fan for a long time. I have a few Blue Note LPs from a reissue program they were doing back in the early 80s. Shortly after I converted to CDs and picked up a TON of BN recordings on CD. I've grabbed a few of the Tone Poet reissues, and they are very impressive. 

Re: Acoustic Sounds. A few years ago I was reading an article about Chad Kassem and AS. The next day I took an extended walk with our dog, and an older man in a Lexus pulled up and started a conversation. (Connection based on the LSU t-shirt I was wearing.) He introduced himself as Chocky Kassem... and I just had to ask... yep, Chad's dad live just down the road from me.

[David Vaughn]

Tracy, I've been a jazz & blues fan for a long time. I have a few Blue Note LPs from a reissue program they were doing back in the early 80s. Shortly after I converted to CDs and picked up a TON of BN recordings on CD. I've grabbed a few of the Tone Poet reissues, and they are very impressive.

Re: Acoustic Sounds. A few years ago I was reading an article about Chad Kassem and AS. The next day I took an extended walk with our dog, and an older man in a Lexus pulled up and started a conversation. (Connection based on the LSU t-shirt I was wearing.) He introduced himself as Chocky Kassem... and I just had to ask... yep, Chad's dad live just down the road from me.

Small world....very cool story Paul. 

[AVSCraig]

For me, there wouldn't be much value in buying every new release that I might be interested in watching.  Of the approximate 60 new movies we watch a year, there are probably less than 30 I'd ever want to sit through again and only about 10-15 that I'd want in my permanent collection.

Renting offers the opportunity to try it out at about 10% of the cost of owning, and then I can wait for it to hit the right price point if I really like it.  It also allows me to take some risks and find some hidden gems that I wouldn't even notice in the store or on Amazon.

But if you have the money and plenty of storage space, buying everything is a fantastic option.

Scott

I don't really have an interest in watching 90% of the stuff being pumped out these days. I always have plenty of time to vet new movies long before they are released ( including reviews here ), and I know what I like. Plus, I tend to rewatch favorite movies many times. I have zero time for TV shows too. At most I watch on average 11 hours a week, 50 weeks a year. That's held true for the last 20 years. So, I know 100% I'll be buying The Covenant, the new Mission Impossible film, the new Guardians of the Galaxy, Dune Part 2, and John Wick 4 ( already bought ), and Asteroid City. Besides those, it's questionable what else I would buy. I'm with you - there might be 30 movies a year I'd like to rewatch. That's about all I buy and watch. Mostly it's older favorites being remastered on 4K. I still haven't had the time to watch any of the Star Trek films on 4K - and I have all of them now. Considering that ( and all the other movies I have that I haven't watched yet ), I can afford to cherry pick new stuff.

I see myself watching less when I fully retire rather than more, as we definitely plan on buying a 4x4 off road " adventure van " and camping more.

[AVSCraig]

Craig, you're 1 in a thousand... maybe million.

Seriously lol... there's probably close to the % of folks at this point who are that hardcore about only buying discs and never streaming. As Scott mentioned, the cost and space to buy and store everything is too much for most of us, or else having to constantly sell stuff to recoup is a hassle.

But I also have a bunch more space dedicated to CDs, books, and LPs. (Yes, I'm one of the idiots who restarted buying vinyl... some. Maybe 20 in the last 2-3 years but I have to add some shelf space there b/c I now have some standing on the floor!) Also a bunch of board games squirreled away in closets/cabinets. It's toooo much, drives my wife nuts.

Ya, I have some CD's and books, but don't add to those much anymore. I have zero vinyl. The one thing I do buy exclusively digitally is music for my Burning Man nightclub!