Help me reconfigure my source for movies

[Squisher]

Help me reconfigure my source for movies. Right now, I have Comcast cable with HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz. For movies I’ve kinda been stuck in the same mode for ten years and it’s letting me down. I have a Blockbuster brick and mortar account where I pay $30/mo. and can rent as many movies as I want, but can only have 2 movies out at a time. I’ve been fine with this until recently because I got most movies available on DVD on their first available date of release. What has happened with Blockbuster recently is that they fail to obtain some movies at all, even those rated pretty well on Rotten Tomatoes and I’m dissatisfied with this. So, I’ve been considering moving more to obtaining movies through streaming to get a more well rounded source for movies.


I have a 1080p plasma in the master bedroom, a 1080i CRT HDTV in the living room with a Wii hooked up to it, and down in the mancave I’m going to be upgrading to a HDTV pretty soon and I have a PS3 down there. So, to stream on the master bedroom plasma I’ll probably find a blu-ray player with internet capabilities. I haven’t gotten into Blu-ray at all, but with the purchase of a projector down in the mancave this might change if it’s not too pricey. Right now everything (PS3 and wii) is hooked up to my wireless network, but I can always hard wire it if that is necessary.

What would be my best legal source for most if not all recently released movies? Netflix? What are the drawbacks to this?

 

[Gigantopithecus]

What would be my best legal source for most if not all recently released movies? Netflix? What are the drawbacks to this?

It's not free. Being in Belleville, MI, you'll be a one or two day (at most) turnaround for Netflix. I find Netflix for new releases and the local public library are sufficient for my movie (junkie) needs, but I checked the Belleville public library for you and it's...underwhelming, sorry.

 

[Squisher]

It's not free. Being in Belleville, MI, you'll be a one or two day (at most) turnaround for Netflix. I find Netflix for new releases and the local public library are sufficient for my movie (junkie) needs, but I checked the Belleville public library for you and it's...underwhelming, sorry.

Well, I'd be giving up that $30/mo. account I have through Blockbuster so setting up three accounts with Netflix is a possibility if that is even necessary.

 

[Rhoxed]

you can have up to 4 devices streaming on a netflix account

 

[thedarkwolf]

PS3 streaming sucks with netflix when connect by wireless. I'd just dump all those premium channels and go netflix only. HBO almost never showed anything I wanted to watch when I had it other than their original shows and now I just wait for the DVDs to come out through netflix. Netflix has a deal with Stars so anything that is on Stars is available for streaming.

 

[soulcougher73]

PS3 streaming sucks with netflix when connect by wireless. I'd just dump all those premium channels and go netflix only. HBO almost never showed anything I wanted to watch when I had it other than their original shows and now I just wait for the DVDs to come out through netflix. Netflix has a deal with Stars so anything that is on Stars is available for streaming.

My PS3 streams wirelessly just fine.

You can have up to 4 devices on 1 Netflix account. I have a Wii, PS3, and Boxee Box all on my account. My bill with tax is $13 for 1 movie at a time in the mail, streaming and the blu-ray option if the movie is available in that format. For any other needs i either Torrent TV shows or hit up Redbox.

 

[Squisher]

Morning bump, and what I'm really looking for is a replacement for my Blockbuster brick and mortar account as a means to getting movies as they're released.

Everybody is talking Netflix. I know Blockbuster has their own streaming service as does Comcast (seems too expensive). Does anybody have as good of a selection of recently released movies as Netflix? How long does it take for Netflix to get movies after they're released to DVD?

 

[soulcougher73]

Morning bump, and what I'm really looking for is a replacement for my Blockbuster brick and mortar account as a means to getting movies as they're released.

Everybody is talking Netflix. I know Blockbuster has their own streaming service as does Comcast (seems too expensive). Does anybody have as good of a selection of recently released movies as Netflix? How long does it take for Netflix to get movies after they're released to DVD?

Why do you need to see them right when they are released? Wouldnt that type of urge send you to the movie theater when it was playing?

But anyways Netflix seem to get most things on release day (not for streaming though) except i think Sony Picture movies which they have to wait 28 days for. Some contract Blockbuster had with Sony or something like that.

 

[Krynj]

I believe Vudu does new releases, but at a hefty price. Through my Boxee Box, Vudu wants somewhere in the neighborhood of $11 to rent a 1080p new release for 24-48 hours (I forget the time frame). They do PS3 streaming as well, but I haven't checked it out through my PS3.

http://www.vudu.com/

 

[spacejamz]

My PS3 streams wirelessly just fine.

You can have up to 4 devices on 1 Netflix account. I have a Wii, PS3, and Boxee Box all on my account. My bill with tax is $13 for 1 movie at a time in the mail, streaming and the blu-ray option if the movie is available in that format. For any other needs i either Torrent TV shows or hit up Redbox.

I did the free trial through my PS3 back in January and didnt readily see any HD content (for movies or concerts)...I also did not see any sub-category for it either on the home page...I cancelled it during the free trial...

Did I just not see it?

 

[spacejamz]

Why do you need to see them right when they are released? Wouldnt that type of urge send you to the movie theater when it was playing?

If someone wants to watch a new movie when it is released, it is their prerogative...

Going to movies nowadays to watch teenagers text away and/or talk during the movie is not worth the cost or the hassle....

 

[vi edit]

Netflix streaming + projector = kinda sorta meh. It's just not a replacement for a DVD and laughable compared to blu ray. I do it as a supplement to my Blockbuster account, but it's by no means a replacement for blu ray full blown bitrate goodness.

On smaller TV's it's fine. And there's some interesting non-US based shows, and documentaries. Plus a bunch of old time movies. But you'll still want some kind of dvd/blu ray subscription for movies that benefit from the better bitrate and resolution (action movies, scenic ones, ect)

 

[Numenorean]

Morning bump, and what I'm really looking for is a replacement for my Blockbuster brick and mortar account as a means to getting movies as they're released.

Everybody is talking Netflix. I know Blockbuster has their own streaming service as does Comcast (seems too expensive). Does anybody have as good of a selection of recently released movies as Netflix? How long does it take for Netflix to get movies after they're released to DVD?

Yet you're paying $30/mo to Blockbuster AND paying for HBO, Starz, Cinemax and Showtime???

Really?

It looks to me like you enjoy wasting money.

Why not take the $30/mo. and whatever your premium package costs per month and just BUY the fucking DVD's when they come out?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Netflix (blu-ray, DVD, streaming) + Vudu ($5 new release rentals) will be a pretty good replacement for Blockbuster + cable movie channels.

 

[Squisher]

Yet you're paying $30/mo to Blockbuster AND paying for HBO, Starz, Cinemax and Showtime???

Really?

It looks to me like you enjoy wasting money.

Why not take the $30/mo. and whatever your premium package costs per month and just BUY the fucking DVD's when they come out?

The HBO and Showtime I get for their original series. The Cinemax and Starz just come bundled with Showtime and HBO. I realize there is good deal of duplication here, but I don't really feel like waiting the 3-9 months for movies to hit Premium Channels.

This thread wasn't really about me trying to save money, it was about my dissatisfaction with Blockbuster providing me with as wide a range of movies as they used to do. From all that has been said in this thread I'm likely to upgrade my Blockbuster account to one for blu-rays and likely get Netflix in addition to all I have now. I'm all for saving money, but not when it gets in the way of my self-gratification.