Has the Netflix recent price increase and now company split pissed you off?  Will you be or have you already found a Netflix alternative?  If so, leave a comment and let everyone know where you went and how much you’re paying.

Click Here To Take The Netflix Price Increase Survey

Up To 5 Devices Per Account

I’ve been a Netflix customer for 6 years.  I first noticed something was going on this last summer.  First, a little background.  Netflix allowed up to 5, count them, FIVE simultaneous connections per account.  That means you could use any Netflix ready device like Roku, some brands of HD TVs, DVD players, gaming consoles like Wii, PS3 and XBOX 360 and other devices to watch instant streaming movies and TV shows – ALL AT THE SAME TIME, PER ACCOUNT AND ALL WATCHING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.  It was awesome.  I can only take so much Bob the Builder or Kipper out in the living room.

Instant Streaming Restrictions

Then I noticed that when someone else was already using instant streaming, I couldn’t use it.  WTF?  I searched the Netflix site and they modified their terms of service.  Yes, you can still use 5 different devices on your account, but now you can only use ONE at a time.  What the fuck good is that?  So they only alternative was to buy another account.  Screw that shit.

Radical Changes

Then the price increase and yes, I got hit with the full 60% increase because I do both DVDs and instant streaming.  I’d gladly do instant streaming only, but not everything’s on it, hence the DVDs for those that aren’t.  And now this week they announced the split of the company so we have to search two sites to find DVDs and streaming shows?  Why?  The current model was already working.

Oh, not to mention the new user interface to search for instant play titles.  OMG!  WTF were they thinking?!  Instead of the old way of showing movies for a category in rows across and down the page, they replaced it with a horizontal scrolling display that moves from right to left when you hover your mouse over it.  PEOPLE DON’T SCAN WEB PAGES LIKE THAT, YOU MORONS!  Was any user web usability study done on that idea?  Apparently not.  God, I can’t STAND to use it.

Oh, and say goodbye to Sony and Disney movies on Netflix at the end of February 2012.  Startz is not renewing their contract with Netflix.

Broadband Users

I can’t help but to wonder when broadband companies are going to start metering usage.  I discussed this with a AT&T rep over a year ago and she said there were some markets where metering was being tested.  Reno, NV was one.  She said you’d have to watch about 40 movies a month to be charged extra.  That was then and I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen in the future.  It’s going to be a chain reaction.  Broadband companies will either increase their prices and/or start metering out of the financial need or leverage it as an opportunity to gouge customers and rake in millions.  Sorta like selling generators and plywood in a hurricane zone.

Whacha Gonna Do?

Are you planning to switch to a Netflix alternative?  The sole reason I signed up with Netflix to begin with was because I HATED going to Blockbuster to stand there staring at walls of movies I didn’t even like, much less having to jump in the ride and return them before the deadline.  I still don’t want to leave the house so something like Redbox is out of the question.  Besides, every store I go to that has Redbox, there’s always a line about 3-5 people deep waiting their turn.

Netflix Alternatives

I’m going to do price research for you because prices are subject to change, but here’s a list of some place to get DVD’s and instant streaming.

• Hulu Plus
• YouTube Movies
• Apple TV
• Amazon Prime Instant Video
• Blockbuster (will be adding instant streaming October 2011, including the Starz movies)
• CinemaNow
• Vudu
• Redbox
• GreenCine
• OnLive
• And thru gaming console networks with Xbox 360 and PS3
• There’s always the library for DVDs

In Summary

So, what do I plan on doing?  For now I’m sticking with Netflix until the dust settles.  They’ve got the biggest selection.  However, there are going to be price wars and other services will be adding more features.  Who knows, maybe Blockbuster will resurrect from the dead.

UPDATE NOV 15, 2011

I just received a class action lawsuit notification this morning via email.

If You Rented Online DVDs from Netflix
A Class Action and a Settlement with Wal-Mart May Affect Your Rights

If you paid a subscription fee to rent DVDs from Netflix any time from May 19, 2005 to September 2, 2011, you will be eligible to receive benefits from a Settlement with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Walmart.com USA LLC.  You need to submit this Claim Form if you want to receive a cash payment or a gift card. The deadline to file claims is February 14, 2012.

You can check it out here  http://OnlineDVDClass.com