Who doesn't have a Gold membership? I don't, and I'm guessing most people who have enough imagination to come up with a better way of spending that much money don't (wiping ones ass with it comes to mind). I was all for this until I read that. Why not just stream netflix through Tversity to your 360, it's easy, you can do it now, and you don't have to paint a big red 'L' on your forehead for paying a monthly fee for a service that should be free.

Kanti_V2

I tried NetFlix streaming service for a few months. The only stuff I enjoyed watching was Heroes and Dexter. Once I'd watched those, I cancelled.

They only have 10,000 movies on streaming compared to 100,000 with their regular service, and the 10,000 they have are the ones that the rights holders can't give away otherwise, so they'll settle for pennies per viewing.

The quality was fine as far as I was concerned, although it was annoying how slow it was to start at times. More than once I got booted in the middle of a show while they were conducting "system maintenance" over just a few months.

Verdict: Not worth $5.00 a month.

Don't hold your breath waiting for better content.

chrism123

@DaveExile: I can wait another year as well.

AJ_Syrinx

What about upscaling for those of use who use VGA connections?

PlasmaMachine

Besides, considering the selection of Netflix's Instant View movies...well, I'm not particularly jazzed about the possibility of seeing Troma films and grainy early 80's action TV shows in 720p.

mikejonas

This is the point where I would buy an Xbox:
If it were $199 and if it worked.

No worries, Microsoft. I can wait.

DaveExile

lol... dont forget microsoft still offers the HD downloadables via standard video marketplace... also the streaming of HD via netflix will likely improve between now and when this hits in a few months....

add to that the fact that the whole queing feature might change considering they still have development time.

phantam

@robotleawesome: damn, no netflix, or SD netflix

FAIl.

robotleawesome

Would you rather have no Netflix or HD Netflix?

k thnx.

robotleawesome

Well, that's not so much Microsoft's issue as it is Netflix's--they've yet to stream in HD. But it *is* something they said they're going to do, and I'd presume that's the same for the XBox as it is for the Roku.

Anyway, the buzzkill for me is the Gold Subscriber part. Might be fine for someone who's already one because of their online gaming activity, but for me...well, I've already got the Roku.

mikejonas

@brakindeep: @odnet: Agreed. Where's the HD?!

drywaller79

sorry to double post. But with popular HD movies, you could utilize bittorrent to stream them to the active viewers.

odnet

yeah.. I would be much happier if there were HD streaming.

odnet

Direct streaming to 360 = stiffy
only streaming in SD = just a semi

brakindeep

The pitfalls of low quality and lack of current movies are likely issues that will be addressed in the months to come. Just a guess, but it seems only a matter of time before higher quality and more recent releases make it into the NetFlix streaming world given the number of major studios that are concerned about the Apple media trap.

Huge victory for both of these companies.

Monty

Gold Subscriber. Microsoft always manages to give you a stiffy and kill it 3 seconds later.

Aegis2k

Epic Win

ZetaCrossfire

Although I usually go with plain salt and pepper, I think would like to have A1 with my foot this time.

ripfire

IF I could just convince the lady of the household that between this, netflix rentals, and bittorrent, our TV needs would be set, overall that saves like... 40some dollars by not having cable. Not too shabby.

lpranal

For those of us that already ARE gold members...this is a great move by NetFlix. It will certainly make me consider switching from Blockbuster.

Now, if only they could make the rental be good for more than 24 hours past the time of commitment...that has to be the stupidest thing about on-demand rentals ever! Screws over people that have kids and some unpredictability in their schedules.

daboodah

Netflix has said that are working on HD streaming and that they would offer HD streaming to the Roku box when they get it working. I imagine they would offer the same thing for the Xbox when it becomes available.

Now, when are they going to offer it for the PS3?

AndyDuncan

@Kanti_V2: The monthly fee works out to just over $4 per month. It would be nice if it were free, but it isn't a major expense either. It's like 1 gallon of gas or 1 cup of Starbucks coffee.

Spartan1308™

I also dumped my cable service... Netflix online is only really good as a backup when you're out of movies. As said before, their selection is horrible. I bought a DVI to HDMI connector, which adds plenty of other free content online to the mix of available choices for the teli...

If you ever go this route, keep in mind that most PC's can't handle 1080p, so you'll need your 360 or PS3 to stream or direct play the content through USB sticks/storage.

Jeff_was_here

I sure don't have a gold membership and don't plan on it! I use my 360 primarily for media and when I first heard this I was thrilled and then promptly pissed off by this "gold" crap. There is NO good reason to add that little addendum except MS sucks.

I hope it isn't exclusive or they do something with the Mac soon. Short of that, I do occasionally go into Bootcamp and run windows media server to get netflix on my 360.

Gideon

@DaveExile: @AJ_Syrinx: It works fine now, so you're halfway there.

The Magnificen7

if Netflix isn't streaming the Criterion Collection or a ton of Shaw Bros. flicks, it and all of the other various web based movie rental services is worthless to me. 10,000 crappy titles.

scoobidoo

This is great as I already have a 360 with Gold and a Netflix membership. Ah...satisfaction.

This will surely drive Netflix memberships up, which will hopefully encourage more movies to be able to be streamed.

WordMan

@chrism123:
"I tried NetFlix streaming service for a few months. The only stuff I enjoyed watching was Heroes and Dexter. Once I'd watched those, I cancelled." ... "so they'll settle for pennies per viewing."
You do realize that the Watch Instantly feature is free from NetFlix to anyone with an unlimited plan, right?

kirby822

@kirby822: "Free" to anyone who buys their most expensive plan... Ha, you bought it.... How much does that "free" service cost you again? Their unlimited plan is worthless to me because I have no interest in participating in the US postal service. It is a major source of worthless work in my life, reading and destroying worthless paper mail, to to say nothing of paying $.42 (or whatever $.02 cent increment the latest hike is) everytime I send something.

The US Postal Service is totally obsolete. As are paper checks by the way... And paper contracts.... I wish the legal system would come out of the dark ages too...

These services that require physical delivery exist because status quo organizations want them that way, and for no other reason.

Don't buy them, and they will wither and die. Keep buying them, and they will exist foreever.

chrism123

@chrism123: Actually free to anyone who buys any unlimited plan. I purchased the cheapest (1 dvd at a time) unlimited plan.

kirby822

Uuuhhh...I don't...have...a...gold membership. What? Don't look at me like that! No you're the freak, freak! Just leave me alone. Fine! OK mom, you win! I'll get a gold subscription...

Uberdude328i

@chrism123: Where did that come from? I'm now dumber for having read that post.

triggerx

A live gold account costs a latte a month. Well worth the price.

The $50 price tag (OMG THAT'S WHAT A GAME COSTS) may seem prohibitive, but you can definitely find it for less if you try... and it's for 12 months of service (13 if you're smart and find a 12+1 card), not per month.

StartingAces

What about Canadian users?

benjello

I'm still not too sure how this is that big of a deal, haven't there been ways to do this if you have a computer running windows? I'm almost positive there was a program you could download to stream netflix through your computer to xbox360... Don't even need gold then.

xaksei