Through popular demand (i.e. new series of How to Train your Dragon) from the family I apparently ‘need’ Netflix.

Do I just sign up for my freebie and bathe in the glory of streaming content on all my devices? Or are there any gotchas out there.

The TV is too old to have Nexflix etc. built in so possibly a NowTV box may be required (Apple TV work with Netflix?) but most likely to just streaming to iPad at the moment.

I take it it’ll be a similar model to Spotify that I can use multiple devices as long as it’s one at a time or am I tied to single device.

God, whatever happened to three channels, TVs that took 5 minutes to warm up and Atari Pong being cutting edge….

Chromecast is a very neat solution for it so long as your TV has HDMI.
There are different plans for devices and HD. Check your DL allowance

Netflix, iPlayer, YouTube, ITV Player (with new on-demand services coming online all the time) on your smartphone/tablet/laptop casting to a Chromecast: All your televisual pleasure.

Hardly watch live broadcast telly anymore. Time to can the Virgin telly package and BBC license.

I have 4 accounts (or users) tied to mine that covers the family. This way you can all have your own lists etc. Two people can watch simultaneously and you get a message and an offer to upgrade if you want more than that.

Not sure about amount of devices but each of us (myself, wife and two teenagers) have it set up on our smartphones, ipads and TVs – at least 8 devices…

+1 for Chromecast

Oh, forgotten about the Chromecast.

2 devices at a time for Netflix.

Chromecast version is good but you need another device to “drive” it. Apple TV will play on its own.

Though with the chromecast you can set something playing then wander off with the controlling device and it’ll just keep going. So that might be ok if you want to control kid’s access etc.

NowTV has more of the catch-up services plus netflix enabled on it. We have a Sony smart telly, but still use the NowTV box a lot. Chromecast doesn’t have, (or didn’t when I gave it away) have ITv player or More4.

More and more media apps are integrating the ‘casting’ button – or if you have the video media on your device you can use something like LocalCast to send it to the Chromecast.

A DLNA enabled media server (internet enabled hard drive) containing your music/video can use the same LocalCast app to stream the content to the Chromecast too.

You can put Netflix through a Wii. We do. If you’ve got kids, then a Wii is a good thing to have in the house. And they can be picked up for next to nothing.

Pertty much all the TV my kids watch is through Netflix. For what you pay, ts an absolute bargain!

What to avoid?

Any f****** e-mails announcing a new series has been added.

Halfway through season 6 of Sons of Anarchy, they sent me a message this morning telling season 7 has arrived and how 6 ends!

I should just buy a Harley Davidson and go outside.

Other than that, there’s less on there than you’d like, it certainly didn’t kill blockbuster. I suspect it’ll probably find a niche as a standalone on-demand TV channel showing a mix of other peoples content and their own rather than film distribution. Unless you’re happy to watch pretty much anything then you’ll be disappointed by the film choice (and the search function is actually quite awkward).

Netflix – what do I need to know / avoid

The new Clarkson TopGear replacement when the time comes.

2 devices at a time for Netflix.

Depends which package you’re on and when you joined. New users on the cheapest £5.99 package it’s just one user at a time and SD only. If you want multi-users it’s £6.99 a month – up to 4 people I think – customers who joined over a year or so ago get this for £5.99 for another year until the price increases.

I’m not sure which package I’m on, but I get HD and it’s about a fiver a month – it’s very very good value compared to Sky for example.

As someone else said, check your download limits from your ISP or you might find it gets very expensive – unlimited it best.

HD works fine for me even with my crappy 4.5mg download via my PC, but it’s appalling via my PS3.

As for the service, most films are older, crap or both – there are some gems in there, but you have to wade through a lot of straight to DVD stuff – but their exclusive TV stuff is great – Breaking Bad, Better call Saul, Orange is the new Black, House of Cards – intelligent, well made stuff and if you’re into it, it seems there’s a least a chance that NotGear with Jeremy Clarkson and the other two with be on Netflix.

If you want more, you can use something like Hola to trick your PC into thinking it’s in the US or Canada – Netflix has one international account, but content differs from country to country – Canada gets the best films.

Use something like Hola, but please don’t use Hola!

What do wee if we don’t use hola? I don’t want to use hola!

Apple tv has Netflix on it

Amazon Fire Stick has a Netflix app and assorted smart tv type apps, e.g. IPlayer, Demand 5.

It also comes with a useful little remote control. I used a Chromecast briefly (for Netflix) but gave up with it and got the Fire Stick.