Netflix service is indeed dependent on your equipment. I have it via several devices here and find the performance the best through the Sony PS3, close second is through my XBOX 360. I also get it via a Vizio TV and the service is fair, same with my ipad. Have it on my Android phone too but rarely have the time to watch it on the phone. My daughter has the Roku service and it is flawless HD 5.1 for Netflix. Blockbuster sucked so she cancelled it. I tried Blockbuster here too and it did not stream well, but that was last spring before Dish bought them out.
Got some numbers on the reason why Netflix refused starz contract renewal. starz is currently charging Netflix $30M a year for their content for streaming. They wanted 10 times that in the renewal. Can't blame Netflix for not signing that. If you paid $30 a month for cable, would you agree to $300 a month rate increase?
The loss of starz and the fear of the rate increase sent Netflix stock falling in the past few weeks to an average of 225 a share. Yesterday's official report stated they expect to lose 800,000 DVD subscribers due to the starz loss next year and price increase in September on DVD subscriptions. The streaming account loss was 200,000 for a total of 1M accounts. This announcement sent short sellers into action causing a knee jerk reaction in the market to $168 a share at one point. Considering the analysts target range on the stock based on the numbers of profit losses due to subscriber losses is $266 to 322 a share, the stock is currently way oversold. In other words, buyers at today's prices could experience a huge profit at these prices. The remaining customers paying the $8 increase for the once bundled DVD subscription more than makes up for the subscriber loss in the profits and in accounting numbers is a net gain in revenue. However, the illogical investor market cap loss appears to be the biggest hit to the company's portfolio. Disclosure- I'm into Netflix at an average buy of $215 a share, and I have no plans to sell so when this kneejerk reaction blows over, I will see how long to hold. I had hoped to get one more trade cycle in this year but it doesn't look like that will happen now. Of course, any new reports of the subscriber growth outside the US ( numbers not in yet) could send the stock to new highs.
Analysts also agreed that the quick negative reaction by subscribers is not based on sound judgement. Considering that even at the current subscription price of $7.99/mo for DVD mail order and $7.99 for streaming, it represents the lowest rates available. Pay Per View through cable and satellite represents the highest. If you watch more than one movie per month, your best bargain is still Netflix by a healthy margin. Those 800,000 lost subscribers are thinking with their anger not their brains, unless they just don't watch movies.
When it comes to cost of high definition, either Blu Ray rental or equivalent service like Vudu HDX quality, the Netflix blu-ray add on is only $2 per month and did not have a rate increase. Vudu Blu-Ray equivalent streaming quality ranges from $4.99 to $7.99 per movie. Blockbuster offers unlimited BluRay rentals for $14.99 one out at a time, nearly double the Netflix rate considering Netflix can deliver 1 day turn around for 85% of it's DVD customers while Blockbuster is at 65% 2-3 day turnaround.
Netflix also has the most titles on streaming, BD, and DVD at 45,000 titles.