Netflix streaming for Wii

[Vecanti]

I assume they are waiting for another production run of the disc. I signed up for mine about a month ago and haven't gotten a shipping notice yet either. I remember them telling me about the PS3 disc (which I've never used) before they sent it to me.

Yeah, I just called customer service (less than a minute on hold!) and they told me they do not have an ETA for my disc. They are still sending out discs for all the folks who signed up when the offer initially opened up.

The service rep said we would definitely get an email notice before it ships.

I was really hoping to get this disc in a few days... but I don't know if that will happen.

You can download the disc.  I don't think it's really illegal or anything as you have to activate your Wii to your account.  You have to have a way to boot standard DVDs on your Wii though.  I don't do any of that stuff so I don't know what is invloved hardware/software?  ( I do have homebrew as I have programmed some simple SDL things for my Wii but have no need to boot DVDs)

[SignOfZeta]

Yeah, I haven't gotten around to messing with this yet. I'll just wait for the disc to come in the mail.

[SignOfZeta]

Netflix sent me an email saying that I'll have the disc tomorrow. Wii!

[nat]

Please report when you get it and have had a chance to give it a trial run. I'm seriously considering dumping my current Blockbuster membership in favor of this, but I need to know the streaming quality is good enough.

[SignOfZeta]

OK, I got it the other day and have since watched a bunch of stuff. The Muppets Take Manhattan, That Mitchell and Webb Look, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, more stuff.

Basically, I'm really impressed. The interface is great, the browsing is actually snappier than it is in OSX, the video quality is identical to what I see on my computers...except better, because my TV has better color for movies.

Even though I see stalling in the videos on the Nintendo Channel regularly, I haven't seen even one stutter while watching the Netflix disc.

My only complaint, and its a very minor one, is that you need a disc at all when the 360 version runs from internal storage. I don't...understand that, but its not a big deal.

Basically, home f*cking run.

[Necromancer]

My only complaint, and its a very minor one, is that you need a disc at all when the 360 version runs from internal storage. I don't...understand that, but its not a big deal.

The discs are Netflix's way of circumventing the exclusivity agreement they made with Microsoft.

[Turbo D]

  So, Nintendo will not let you play dvds on the Wii, but it will let you use Netflix to watch movies? Wtf! They went through all of the trouble of making customers perceive their media  as "optical discs," only to have movies played on their console anyways? The Wii is an oxymoron.

[SignOfZeta]

So, Nintendo will not let you play dvds on the Wii, but it will let you use Netflix to watch movies? Wtf! They went through all of the trouble of making customers perceive their media  as "optical discs," only to have movies played on their console anyways? The Wii is an oxymoron.

Well, a lot has changed since the Wii came out. Netflix Instant didn't even exist back then. Netflix wanted to make the disc since all sorts of people are looking for ways to use their service on something besides a computer. What's Nintendo supposed to do, deny the license? I don't see what the point would be in that.

As for the DVD, I'm not sure why Nintendo left it out, but I think it just has to do with keeping the purpose of the machine focused, and keeping costs down. Adding DVD playback to the machine that is consistent with the PS3 and 360 would require higher end video, a SPDIF of some sort, and license fees for DVD video, Dolby Digital, DTS, and whatever else. This may only add up to as low as $1 extra per console, but since they've sold 65 million units at this point that would be at least $65 million that they wouldn't have to spend giving people their 4th or 5th or 10th DVD player that they probably don't even care about.

After all Nintendo is primarily a game company. They need to make money from their systems. Whereas Microsoft will probably have to wait until their next system is mature in order to finally break even on the billions they lost on the 1st XBox, and Sony...Sony is just f*cked. They seem to be in a downward spiral trying to cram as much tech as possible into every machine making them more and more difficult to de-content years down the road, and therefore harder to profit from, and harder to lower prices on.

As inscrutable as many of Nintendo's methods seem to be (Why do Pokemon games always have such terrible graphics? Why to the Layton games take f*cking forever to get localized?) they are so far and away the winner of this current console war profit-wise, while at the same time not really seeming like they are actually in it.

[Arkhan]

at least the Wii is now getting games that arent lame ass wiimote gimmicks.

[SignOfZeta]

Yeah, I just got my Wii a few months ago, so there are plenty of cool new things for me to play. People who bought one at launch grew so bored with it getting only one decent game every 9 months that they don't even bother looking in the Wii section of the store anymore.

[Arkhan]

Thats me!

I liked Trauma Center 1 & 2, the super swing golfs, and like, dragon quest swords, then I got bored.




the good games were few and far between forever!

[esteban]

Please report when you get it and have had a chance to give it a trial run. I'm seriously considering dumping my current Blockbuster membership in favor of this, but I need to know the streaming quality is good enough.

I haven't noticed any stuttering with the Wii. The problem with the Wii is that it outputs crappy video (composite). Netflix streaming from 360, PS3, Roku support HDMI and higher quality video. While Netflix doesn't have true HD content now, it will eventually.

Now, that said, it is nice to use the Wii to stream content... especially since a lot of stuff I watch (old tv shows) are only available in standard quality, anyway.

I have the $9 month plan: A-list DVD's in mail + B-list streaming content = worthwhile.


Bottom line:
1. Nintendo sucks for not supporting HDMI, otherwise, it would be on par with Netflix service for other hardware platforms...OK

2. Wii + watching stuff on your computer/laptop = good deal.

3. Wii + computer + 360/Roku/PS3/iPad/etc. = excellent deal.

ANECDOTE: I just watched one of the first episodes for 21 Jump Street. It was insanely ridiculous and awesome. I barely remembered anything from it (I haven't seen it since it aired). I can't wait to watch more!

[Vecanti]

1. Nintendo sucks for not supporting HDMI, otherwise, it would be on par with Netflix service for other hardware platforms...OK

Ha ha!  It's like when I got my TurboGrafx 16 (upgraded from a NES).  I was like like, "yo yo yo ( I talked like Sylvester Stallone a lot when I was a kid) this thing ain't got the yellow video connector thing, ftw? I have to buy a TurboBooster to get a yellow plug?   But My 1985 NES has it built in!" 

I had a Commodore 1702 monitor (which had no RF in) only video.

[SignOfZeta]

The Wii with a component cabe (or even composite, honestly) is more than Netflix Instant deserves quality-wise. The compression varies from "slightly better than DVD" to "even worse than DVD". If I can see artifacts on a 15" CRT...why would I want HDMI? So I can see even more flaws in the video? IMO the low-end hardware smooths over the flaws nicely.

In theory, really good video could be offered soon. For example, the streaming video that you see while watching movie trailers from Apples site is almost impossible to believe. For now though, its just Comcast-grade junk, and it will be years before we see anything like that...and even when we do, I don't think its going to make a 35 year old episode of Doctor Who look any nicer.

[nat]

Please report when you get it and have had a chance to give it a trial run. I'm seriously considering dumping my current Blockbuster membership in favor of this, but I need to know the streaming quality is good enough.

I haven't noticed any stuttering with the Wii. The problem with the Wii is that it outputs crappy video (composite).

You do know the Wii does component, right? That's the way I have it hooked up.