Netflix HD vs. Blu-ray: There Can Only be One Winner

[EricBushEIC]

Ever since the New Xbox Experience was released a couple weeks ago people all around me want to know what my opinion on the Netflix HD video service is and how it compares to Sony's flagship HD media option, Blu-ray. It's hard to compare the two considering one is a download service and the other is a physical product. For argument's sake let's look at them this way: they both offer HD content to a general public that knows very little about high-definition media and what it has to do with entertainment. The statistics are overwhelming in favor of low-resolution DVDs and non-digital television leaving one to think that neither Netflix HD nor Sony Blu-ray really matter all that much to anyone other than gamers and computer nerds.


Netflix HD vs. Blu-ray: There Can Only be One Winner

[SynGamer]

Netflix HD @ ~5MB/s or Blu-ray @ ~36MB/s? Tough choice :|

Edit: if a person has an HDTV then they will no doubt notice the difference between Netflix HD and a Blu-ray movie. Unlike the usual argument of 720p vs 1080p (where the difference is only noticeably on larger HDTVs), Netflix HD has NOTHING on a Blu-ray movie.

[Ultramafia]

bluray all the way. however netflix hd is pretty awesome, bluray tho is the single best high definition medium imo.

[EricBushEIC]

Ya, we had a bunch of issues involving the Netflix instant service tonight and it has made me think twice about recommending it at this time, there are just not enough movies available on the service....however the idea is a great one and hopefully future support will make it much more effective!

[Loki_d20]

I've had issues with the Netflix service for the 360. The best option for Netflix (and Hulu) for me so far has been using PlayOn on my PC to stream the videos to my PS3 (I could do it to my 360, but the PS3 blu-ray remote works a lot better for me). So... I guess I get both. Hope they fix the issues, though, since most households don't have the leisure of a PC for streaming.

[weewobb]

I am happy with SD clarity HD means nothing if a movie is crap plus i don't want to see what someone's complexion was like during filming. I don't want to feel like i was there it doesn't need to feel that real it just has to distract me from everything else for an hour and a half like it was intended too. I like Netflix there's a lot of older movies that i haven't seen in forever. DLC is the future physical media only has so much time left. The only thing in HD that i would even bother watching is the Discovery channel seeing earth beauty in such clarity if one cannot actually be there is awesome.

[Ultramafia]

Loki if you ever have the "data type not supported" error, its random one xvid will play and the next will not (it has to do with specific encoding parameters). However i found last night the java ps3 media server (just google if your interested) but it converts any video that is not in ps3 format on the fly (and it doesn't save it so no extra hd space required). and its flawless man, it even allows the streaming of hd content in the mkv file format. Just a heads up .

[Loki_d20]

Will look that up, Ultramafia. Thanks.

[remixFA]

streaming may be the "future" but it will never fully replace at home collections. people just love having the box, with the art, books, extras, or whatever else it comes with. Personally im a renter, so i only care about picture quality and reliability and GamingGamingGaming like 2 movies a year if that. But still, BR disk rentals still is way ahead of netflix downloads to me. Maybe when LTE technology comes to my neighborhood and i get that beautiful 150mb per/sec download speed, will i really consider it a replacement (and by then they should have ironed out the bugs in DL movies.)

[Ultramafia]

streaming may be the "future" but it will never fully replace at home collections. people just love having the box, with the art, books, extras, or whatever else it comes with. Personally im a renter, so i only care about picture quality and reliability and GamingGamingGaming like 2 movies a year if that. But still, BR disk rentals still is way ahead of netflix downloads to me. Maybe when LTE technology comes to my neighborhood and i get that beautiful 150mb per/sec download speed, will i really consider it a replacement (and by then they should have ironed out the bugs in DL movies.)

definitely agree. I like the idea of digital downloads and streaming but what would i do without all of my glorious cases!

[NeoTechni]

Netflix HD @ ~5MB/s or Blu-ray @ ~36MB/s? Tough choice :|

Agreed completely. Plus I like to actually own the movie, not rent it. And not have to free up space on a harddrive to store my collection either. Plus there are bonus features. And even moreso, the ability to copy some movies to portable devices. Then there is the fact that netflix isn't available in my country, where bluray is.

Only the blind or fanboys (or blind fanboys) chose netflix

[Ultramafia]

i tend to disagree that only the blind or fanboys chose netflix. It is undeniable that bluray is a better medium. However for anyone a) not ready to make the jump to a bluray player, b) not convinced that bluray will be the next movie medium, or c) someone like my parents who watch movies once and never again, netflix is obviously a better choice for that person. For me as stated earlier i love owning the cases and i rewatch alot. I also like letting my friends borrow a really great movie they've never seen before.

[remixFA]

yea, i think the blind thing was totally off base.

some people like it.. hell, if the service was better and there was more choice, id totally do it. as i said, im a renter, i just prefer the clarity of the disk, not having lag issues, and stuff like that.
once the clarity is identical and the lag is part of history, i will be a direct downloader myself.

[pseudohippy]

If only they would just GamingGamingGamingGaming them like Mp3's and let us have the right to burn our own disc. They could give you the cover art to print for the disc and case, you would just have to GamingGamingGaming discs and cases and it would be almost the real deal. Im sure there is some lack in control on their part that is stopping this but if it was possible Id love that. Possibly if you could pick the movie, and when the download starts it buffers and somehow burns it straight to a disk and not to your HDD on your computer. Just thinking here but you could only likely do this if they were GamingGamingGamingGaminging you a reciver box with a disc burner and you could hook it to your tv and when you GamingGamingGaming the movie it activates the box to burn you a disk, then all you would need is a tv and a channel to go and GamingGamingGaming the movies on. Now that would be cool.

[blu_yu_away]

I will always lean towards physical purchases for a multitude of reasons, the most basic being I just like being able to display my blus/dvds. The whole idea of digital distribution is becoming even less appealing to me with many service providers thinking about or already implementing pay per data usage.

[XboxDelta360]

So, therefore NO difference? NerdPrideFTW! Sony making sure HD is available to the general public! usually just being jackasses. But i GamingGamingGaming HD

[XboxDelta360]

yea, i think the blind thing was totally off base.

some people like it.. hell, if the service was better and there was more choice, id totally do it. as i said, im a renter, i just prefer the clarity of the disk, not having lag issues, and stuff like that.
once the clarity is identical and the lag is part of history, i will be a direct downloader myself.

Agreed. Full on renting myself.

[BobbyTheNinja]

Blu-ray overall, has better quality and more variety than you can get on Netflix. Currently, the sound quality on Netflix isn't High Definition, only the video. Also there many missing movies and tv shows including one of my favorites, LOST that aren't available for streaming at all.

[howem33]

This is quite a vague question, there are so many factors. The t.v., wires, etc. all go into play. Lots of things can alter the display/sound for both HD and Blu-Ray

[rabbitc]

Actually- upscaled DVD in some cases is 90-95% as good as Bluray or Netflix HD.

The reason that I say this is that newer DVD's have much improved transfer technology from newer film - the same film that is sourcing BluRay - and unless someone has a TV which is full HD and properly calibrated - most people will not see a noticeable improvement in the video quality.

This doesn't mean that HD tech isn't better - it is.
But not on everything.

Example - The Dark Knight and Spiderman 3 are incredible on BluRay - The Crow is not (in fact, my DVD looks better)