Viewing 34 posts - 1 through 34 (of 34 total)
  • So – Lovefilm vs Netflix. Verdicts?
  • CaptainMainwaring
    Free Member

    Been thinking of taking the plunge and racing into the 21st century in time for Christmas. Now that both have been competing in the UK for a few months, what’s the verdict?

    For qualification in case it makes any difference:
    1) I’m not that concerned with having the very latest releases available as soon as they are out.
    2) Probably as interested in catching up with really good TV series I’ve missed as I am with films. Stuff like the West Wing, etc
    3) I want to watch in HD and with good sound quality
    4) Our bandwidth is not great as we are in a rural area – 6 mbps at best, sometimes half that
    5) 99.9% of the time I will only want to watch the contect on the main TV, not from my PC

    Also, any comments on the best source? I can access internet content for the TV from my Humax Freesat box, my Viera TV or my Sony DVD player

    jarvo
    Free Member

    I thought that LoveFilm wasn’t particularly good quality streaming, and not a brilliant catalogue.

    However the Netflix UK catalogue *was* pretty dire too. To circumvent this, I bought a Netflix UK subscription at £5.99 a month, but also purchased something such as “Unblock-US” American proxy service at about £2 a month. This makes the Netflix think that you are travelling in the US and switches to their licensed catalogue which has far, far more content!

    Netflix offers HD streams and will auto switch up to that quality if the line supports it.

    Why not give it a go, both offer free trials.

    cranberry
    Free Member

    I tried Netflix UK and was distinctly underwhelmed with their catalogue.

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    BlobOnAStick
    Full Member

    Underwhelmed with both.

    Which reminds me, I must cancel the monthly subscription.

    stilltortoise
    Free Member

    If you meant Sony Blu Ray player rather than DVD, you will have a service called “Films Unlimited” or something like that. I use that for movies since it is pay as you go and tends to have new releases. Think of it as a slightly cheaper version of iTunes. I then use Netflix for older films and TV series and find it much better than LoveFilm, but LoveFilm may have improved since I had it a couple of years ago.

    Free trial. Take your pick.

    McHamish
    Free Member

    I’ve contemplated streamlining our TV coverage, by getting rid of Sky and using netflix or similar, and possibly some kind of media server.

    I’ve just seen a lot of poor reviews of these services.

    The list of films that you can see on the netflix website is crap – which given that’s probably their best films to tempt you in doesn’t inspire confidence.

    druidh
    Free Member

    When I was looking (6 months back?)Lovefilm definitely had the better selection. Getting DVDs delivered opens up what you can get too. I’ve certainly had no problems with the streaming service. The range of devices that Netflix is on is probably their best selling point. Lovefilm are supposed to have a Wii client “any day now” and an Android client early next year. That’ll be more than enough choice for me.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    I really rate LoveFilm’s disc service. Their streaming choice was a bit underwhelming, last I looked, though they have just added a load of TV “box sets” I believe.

    druidh
    Free Member

    The issue with those TV series is that they often have the rights for a limited period only. I managed to re-watch the whole of Lost recently, but I think it’s about to be removed.

    sharkbait
    Free Member

    3) I want to watch in HD and with good sound quality
    4) Our bandwidth is not great as we are in a rural area – 6 mbps at best, sometimes half that

    These two things do not really go together.
    We had Netflix for a while and, although it worked fine and we could get it via the AppleTV/iPad, the selection of films was pretty pants so cancelled it after 6 months.
    This was when we were getting free Sky movies (they cocked up when I cancelled it and we could still get it for about 2 years!) – this has just stopped so I’m thinking about what to do now.
    There ‘may’ be the odd occasion when I’ve downloaded a fillum, from icefilms and streamed it using our AppleTV. 8)
    TBH this is/was the best solution.

    skids
    Free Member

    I prefer Netflix they have a ton of TV shows (good ones) some of them pretty rare

    micky
    Free Member

    I have not had lovefilm but have had Netflix for ages and love it. They seem to suggest/recommend the correct movies for me all the time so I don’t have to go searching. I have an old fashioned CRT TV and watch using a ROKU box available from good electrical retailers for £50.00. ROKU is a little bit like apple tv but cheaper. I don’t think apple tv will work with old tv’s but I might be corrected here if im wrong!

    hammerite
    Free Member

    What’s Blinkbox like?

    Looks like it has HBO series.

    woody2000
    Full Member

    Lovefilm works for me. OP – you’ll be fine with your bandwidth, I have about 4.5mbps and I can stream HD movies from Lovefilm without issue. It’s about being frugal – I don’t try and do anything else online if I’m watching a film 🙂

    No Lovefilm HD on Sony devices AFAIK for some reason

    grum
    Free Member

    Just tried that Unblock US thing with Netflix on my Apple TV. Switched to the Canadian Netflix and it’s MILES better – thanks for the tip!

    StirlingCrispin
    Full Member

    Have we not done this?
    http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lovefilm-or-netflix

    As I said: We’ve been on Lovefilm for a few months. Mrs enjoys the TV series she missed years ago, and the kids enjoy the family films. Mrs also watches the obscure stuff on DVD.

    We got OK pictures on Lovefilm at 3MB.
    Have now got fibre-broadband so the picture is HD-quality and run the sound via the headphone jack into the stereo. TV is Sony (12 months old)

    Sure beats having Sky.

    patriotpro
    Free Member

    I am still within the free trial for Netflix but I have cancelled so it won’t continue after the trial period.

    Still the fact they offer a free trial and advance cancellation is excellent.

    FWIW, the kids love it.

    Will be trying the Lovefilm service next (free trial) and then the sky movies ‘on-demand’ service which also offers a months free trial.

    Hob-Nob
    Free Member

    Distinctly underwhelmed by both online catalogues when we tried a free trial of them recently.

    Lovefilm’s online system was possibly the most user unfriendly website I have been on in years, and also had an amazing ability to almost constantly crash Chrome & Firefox (MS Silverlight being the culprit).

    Gave up in the end. If they can’t get everyone on there, it’s pointless. Tried the Sky one as well (can’t remember it’s name, but there was an ad for a free trial recently) which also uses Silverlight & also crashed repeatedly. Boring.

    Netflix player was very good though.

    grum
    Free Member

    People underwhelmed by Netflix selection should really try this:

    http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1689694

    CaptainMainwaring
    Free Member

    So the general concensus seems to be that neither are very good, but what I’m hearing is that possibly Lovefilm might have now got their act together and be offering an OK service. Netflix might be worth a try with the unblock option.

    I know that both offer a free trial, but its just a pain setting up and cancelling it if its not worth it.

    Possibly niaive question, but if you sign up for one of these services, how do you actually access it? I assume you don’t have to end up plugging your laptop into the TV?

    Edit: damn, Hobnob posted his comments while I was faffing about with my post and now I’m completely in two minds again

    druidh
    Free Member

    Basically, yes. Laptop, PS3/Wii(if you want Netflix). Some newer “smart” TVs with internet access can do it without an external device.

    grum
    Free Member

    I was happy but not overjoyed with Netflix before – but the selection of new-ish films and TV series on the Canadian one is pretty impressive IMO. Just had a quick look and there is stuff like Hugo, Super 8, Thor, Senna, and most seasons of Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Walking Dead, etc.

    I access it through Apple TV which is connected to a monitor in the front room, don’t have a ‘TV’ as such – Apple TV has a Netflix ‘app’.

    God knows why but there doesn’t seem to be an option to set up a list of films you want to watch.

    dknwhy
    Full Member

    Is it really worth doing the unblock thing? Do you lose the UK library content or add to it?

    Is it just full of obscure US stuff?

    grum
    Free Member

    It’s all explained in that thread I linked to, and there’s a free trial. Well worth it IMO.

    jon1973
    Free Member

    If it matters to you, LoveFilm don’t have Android support for streaming, which is annoying, and one reason I’m going to give Netflix a try for a while.

    onandon
    Free Member

    The 30 day Netflix trial was a big pile of poo. Advertised as having the walking dead but not listed when you sign up.
    Now I’ve cancelled I’m getting spammed to hell even though I’ve requested no email about seven times.

    druidh
    Free Member

    Jon1973 – Lovefilm IS available on Android – as long as you buy a Kindle 🙂

    Should be available on Google Play in a couple of months for everyone else.

    jon1973
    Free Member

    yes – I know it’s on Kindle, and I know Kindle is android (no surprise they managed to knock one of those out sharpish!) which makes it even more frustrating that they don’t do a (proper) android one.

    Maybe I’ll go back once they’ve sorted that out. I did like the streaming service, and it’s a no-brainer really if you want rental by post as well (although I stopped this as well, as they seemed to be big delays in being able to rent some new titles).

    vinnyeh
    Full Member

    If it matters to you, lovefilm don’t do the West Wing.

    PrinceJohn
    Full Member

    I really rate LoveFilm’s disc service. Their streaming choice was a bit underwhelming, last I looked, though they have just added a load of TV “box sets” I believe.

    We pretty much only watch lovefilm at the moment, possibly because we’re working through Angel & Buffy (13 seasons in total!!)

    It’s nice to get movies on blu-ray as well, the streaming quality is reasonably good on standard def (via a ps3) & when was streaming in higher quality I almost used my 60GB monthly download allowance & the quality wasn’t noticeably better on my 32″ telly – those with larger tvs might tell a different story.

    CaptainMainwaring
    Free Member

    OK, thanks all. I think I might try Lovefilm and see if its worth it. IIRC my Viera TV has Lovefilm available through their internet portal which just makes it a bit easier than connecting an external device.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    We pretty much only watch lovefilm at the moment, possibly because we’re working through Angel & Buffy (13 seasons in total!!)

    12, no? Seven BtVS and five Angel?

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    bandwidth is not great as we are in a rural area – 6 mbps at best, sometimes half that

    wow, i dream about speeds like that. i’m rural too, ok there’s an ironic twist coming up, but, i consider it excellent if i get 1.1mbps. mainly its around .6 and for the last few weeks i was lucky to get .3, one day i had .1, until i shouted at sky.

    the irony, oh yes, theres a BT superfast box outside my house. the power supply goes under my property. yet if i want it its 300quid/year!

    PrinceJohn
    Full Member

    12, no? Seven BtVS and five Angel?

    Yes – I’m a bad adder… glad some picked up on that & not questioning my taste in tv!

    Dollhouse will be next – criminally under rated & under watched show.

    the irony, oh yes, theres a BT superfast box outside my house. the power supply goes under my property. yet if i want it its 300quid/year!

    Dig a big hole in your garden? Or make a cellar & accidentally cut their power?

Viewing 34 posts - 1 through 34 (of 34 total)

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