Blockbuster Online or Netflix for HD-DVD?

[jgantert]

Just curious which people prefer, Blockbuster Online or Netflix specifically for HD DVD rental.

Current I am on the Netflix trial, but am considering switching to Blockbuster. There is a few movies I want that Netflix doesn't carry (Pitch Black & Friday Night Lights), but they do seem to have a good selction of upcoming movies. I'm also a little worried about getting throttled. Has anyone had any throttling issues with HD-DVD?

Looking at Blockbuster, they have Friday Night Lights, but not Pitch Black. They don't list any of the new Paramount releases either. But they do have the in store coupons (no HD-DVD in store, tho).

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

-John

 

[landlocked]

I have the BlockBuster mail program and although I've gotten a couple of old movies on HD DVD, I'm having difficulty getting other older movies. New releases -- I have had no luck in two months. I finally went back to my local store and re-signed for the monthly program because I wanted to catch some flicks. My wife has added some cheesy 80's movie to our queue so at least we get something.

Able to get: Unforgiven; Precinct 13

No luck: all other titles they offer are listed in queue as long wait.

 

[teamerickson]

I'm also a little worried about getting throttled. Has anyone had any throttling issues with HD-DVD?-John

I like Netflix but I'm currently throttled. I use to be able to have a return arrive on Monday and they would release the new movie that was being released the next day on Monday. I would recieve the same day as release. Lately I've had problems doing that. I upgraded to 4 movies to see if that helps. With 3 movies, 9 in a month seems to be the throtte number.

 

[ghettogreg]

I've had netflix in the past and got throttled so I said goodbye to that and took a break from online rentals. Just recently signed up with bb online again (had them before too) and am very pleased with the 4 instore rental coupons every month. However, after adding 20 HD-DVD titles to my queue I noticed only 4 were availible now and all others were short wait. I sent them an email asking them to increase their stock & they replied promptly that they were in the process of increasing the amount of HD-DVD's in their inventory as they have had multiple requests from customers like me. But I took it with a grain of salt because how often do these customer service responses actually pan out how they say?
To my surprise, in the past several days 6 more titles are available now and they seem to keep increasing. So right now it's looking better for BB, but still not great.

 

[TulsaCoker]

I have had both through the year. both are very very similar but I like BB because of the in store rental. However, if you are looking a HD DVD's or BR I don't think BB plans on stocking them in the stores in time soon.

 

[jgantert]

Well, got my first bad HD-DVD today (Cinderella Man). It was really scratched up, tho. Stopped around Chapter 8, and locked up the player.

Also, I have another disc out that was shipped last Friday that I haven't received yet. [got it Tuesday, btw]

Hopefully I won't have a problem with a missing disc and a bad disc so close to each other!

-John

PS> I guess I'll stick with Netflix. For the most part, I have been happy with their service. I guess if they start to throttle me, then I will switch.

UPDATE: Got Cinderella Man replacement, but it was just DVD not HD-DVD. Ugh. Atleast they were fast about shipping the replacement out.

 

[korsjs]

when i first started netflix, i was able to get 9 movies a week or 12 if i did the four at a time plan. it was good before they started the throttle. now if i do them, it is maybe five a week if i am lucky. the throttle is pissing me off.

 

[Ilya]

When you guys say you are being throttled, what exactly do you mean?
Does it take longer than usual to process your returned discs?
Do they refuse to add available discs from your queue to the shipping list. Do they simply delay your shipments?
Can you describe what exactly happens and how do you know you are being throttled?

 

[teamerickson]

When you guys say you are being throttled, what exactly do you mean?
Does it take longer than usual to process your returned discs?
Do they refuse to add available discs from your queue to the shipping list. Do they simply delay your shipments?
Can you describe what exactly happens and how do you know you are being throttled?

With me they used to take longer to recieve or ship. I live in the same town so I felt pretty confident that they recived next day. That has changed and it seems like now the availibity of the discs in you queue constantly changes (Short wait, long wait). For example, I had two arrive yesterday hoping they would release Sahara. They realeased ATL which was saying it had a long wait and was farther down the queue. I've had them ship disc that say long wait or short wait a lot lately. I emailed about this and they came back with the PC answer and refrenced the terms of use which basically says they favor clients that rent less so they can make more profit.

 

[jgantert]

So, do damaged and mislabeled discs count towards throttling? Just wondering since Cinderella Man was damaged for me, then the replacement was the wrong type (not HD-DVD).

-John

 

[techweb]

I've rented most available HD DVD titles from Netflix with fast service on most of them. Lately though, it seems that wait times for HD DVD titles are getting longer, probably because of increased demand, so I reduced my service level until supply catches up with demand.

As an aside, there are currrently no HD DVD titles that I would want to own, so I used the $25 DVD certificate that came with the player to buy the Pink Floyd Pulse DVD that was finally just released since the certificate was set to expire on 7/31. For those who might be interested, the PQ is a little bettter than the laser disc version, but there's only so much you can do with SD video.

 

[Ilya]

How's the sound on it? I haven't bought it yet, but I am going to. (Pink Floyd fan for the past 30+ years!)

As for NetFlix, I am also getting longer and longer waits on all new releases. However, I am glad that they have almost every HD DVD movie released (except for 3) in their collection. I watched almost all of them. Thanks to NetFlix!

 

[techweb]

How's the sound on it? I haven't bought it yet, but I am going to. (Pink Floyd fan for the past 30+ years!)

The sound track was remixed for 5.1, and the quality is decent, but it it is after all standard DD. You do have a choice of using either the DVD standard 448kbps bit rate or the the maximum 640kbps allowed by the DD standard, but some players may not support that higher standard. One of these days I'll do an A-B comparison between the DVD audio and laser disc audio (which of course is PCM) to see what if any differences are audible. I was able to get some surround effects out of the laser disc version by using the Dolby PLII movie mode of my A/V receiver, so apparently the laser disc track was encoded in Dolby matrix surround, but of course DD 5.1 has much better separation.

 

[swade]

I've rented most available HD DVD titles from Netflix with fast service on most of them. Lately though, it seems that wait times for HD DVD titles are getting longer, probably because of increased demand, so I reduced my service level until supply catches up with demand.

As an aside, there are currrently no HD DVD titles that I would want to own, so I used the $25 DVD certificate that came with the player to buy the Pink Floyd Pulse DVD that was finally just released since the certificate was set to expire on 7/31. For those who might be interested, the PQ is a little bettter than the laser disc version, but there's only so much you can do with SD video.

What dvd coupon?

Netflix is more reliable than Blockbuster for HDDVD but it too is slower now that more people are interested in them. Also I think people keep them longer as well.

I want Sahara which is shown as available & I have space available. It will be interesting to see if it comes.

I also set up the analog connections to my Pioneer AV for true HD but it sucks and is not as powerfull as THX: Neo-DTS through digital connection. :

Wade

 

[Ilya]

What dvd coupon?

There was a "DVD Cash" coupon toward HD DVD purchase if you bought Toshiba HD DVD player between 3/28/06 and 5/31/06. It was available at Toshiba's web site and in most stores. I don't know if they offer it any longer.

There is also a free month of NetFlix coupon included with each Toshiba player.

 

[jgantert]

Well, Netflix is really throttling me now, so I am trying Blockbuster. Free month, so we'll see.

As for Netflix, they mailed a movie 8/14 and haven't received it yet. Today they mail a movie and its due in 8/19. For some reason, they seem to send me movies from Chicago instead of the MD location they used to come from. Oh well, it was a good month before the throttling. I knew they would do it, I just didn't expect it so soon.

-John

 

[jgantert]

Now on Blockbuster... Robin Hood, Grand Prix & T3 in HD (due 9/26).

Still no new BR discs on Blockbuster (last available is Silent Hill 8/22)

-John

 

[jgantert]

Sweet! Blockbuster just added the new BCI movies (Way of the World, Galaxina & some spanish horror movie). I was worried BCI would get passed over. This brings HD DVD up to 92 titles (vs 42 BR titles).

Has Netflix added the new BCI movies yet? Also, did they ever add Friday Night Lights or Pitch Black?

-John

 

[teamerickson]

did they ever add Friday Night Lights or Pitch Black?

-John

Not yet.

 

[jgantert]

Ugh, Blockbuster is annoying me again. Sent Spy Game, but it was SD. Sent Land of the Dead HD and LW2 HD, but took 7 and 4 days to ship (not including Sundays). Ugh, slow.

I think I'll go back to Netflix throttling next month. Woohoo.

I'm sure in the future we'll all joke about how we recieved optical discs in the MAIL.

-John