Netflix’s Problems Have Only Just Begun

Netflix’s Attempt at Gaming Is Awkward As Hell
November 10, 2021
https://gizmodo.com/netflix-s-attempt-at-gaming-is-awkward-as-hell-1848032178

 

Netflix chasing TikTok isn't a magic formula for more eyes and higher adoption
Netflix is bringing another "shorts" feature to mobile.
November 13, 2021
https://www.androidcentral.com/netf...t-magic-formula-more-eyes-and-higher-adoption

 

Netflix’s Expanded Viewing Data Move Is Mainly a Flex
November 16, 2021
https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/netflix-expanded-top-10-viewing-data-flex-1235113030/

 

Thanks, didn't know about this site. Nice to see that Netflix is finally releasing some interesting info about the hours watched instead of how many people have streamed 2 minutes of a movie or show as if this makes it a success.

The problem is that I would rather know how many accounts have watched at least 1 hour of a movie. Because I often don't even make it to watching 30 minutes of a movie or show, just because they are so bad.

 

Thanks, interesting stuff. But to me it's mind boggling that they still haven't implemented simple things that you can find on most DVR's like a 7 second rewind button and a bookmarking option, when you quickly would like to see a certain scene. You also still can't easily add or remove movies and shows from the ''My List'', same goes for removing stuff from your ''continue to watch'' list. Very disappointing for a company with so much experience.

 

Netflix will be required to stream 20 state TV channels in Russia
The country's communications watchdog has registered the platform as an 'audiovisual service.'
December 31, 2021

 

Sounds pretty great. Hope it comes to my country as well. Would love to get rid of the TV.

 

I haven't got a problem with basic cable TV, of course most content sucks, but I still need it for live sports and even when the internet goes down it's not a problem. But what I do hate is having to switch between all of these streaming apps. There should be a platform that let's you access content from multiple streaming services. It would be cool if for example a company like Roku could offer this. It's basically a bit like Prime Video Channels, which is a great idea. Thanks to Prime Video I can also access content from StarzPlay and MGM without having to download separate apps for my smart TV.

 

Again, simply use your TV's zoom when you see the black bars. While Disney+ streams the wide screen (of course), the TV can zoom it to fill the screen. In this example which applies to the concept overall, TBS has chosen to broadcast it zoom'd (aka 16:9, aka full screen) rather than broadcast it cinema wide screen (I forget that ratios). Which it could do and you could zoom that with your TV, too. What does this mean? No more black bars in your life!!

 

Didn't we already finish this discussion? I already explained that at least on my TV, the zoom function doesn't solve the problem, yes the black bars will disappear but the movie will look weird. They should have never started filming in the 16:9 ratio, that is the only solution it seems.

 

Obviously the discussion was futile, despite the previous links to the technical aspects, as you are challenged in grasping the concept of a movie theater screen versus a television screen and, by way of mattes or zooming, how the latter must deal with the former's dominance. In #59, you posted, "I wonder which idiot came up with the 16:9 viewing format. Who in his right mind would say, 'hey let's put black bars on top and bottom of the TV screen.'" No one put them there and the format is what the technology required given the historical and unavoidable influence of the 4:3 CRT TV.

And no one started filming "in 16:9 ratio," that ratio being the TV widescreen upgrade of the 4:3 TV screen. As cited here, "filming" refers to the use of 35mm or 70mm photographic film, or it's equivalence with modern professional digital gear. Obviously, one can "film" in 16:9 with phones or amateur gear.

In hindsight, for the "default wide screen" photo I posted, I should have illustrated the mattes, as approximated here in this correction, which on my TV is where a program detail and a progress bar appear when the stream is paused.

And I seek forgiveness for the tag "wide screen," which should read "ultra widescreen," the theatrical 21:9, the upgrade to its previous ratio, 1.85:1, I think. I slapped those three photos together too quickly. I'm not very good at the taking pictures thing.

That said, since my previous LCD TV and my new QLED TV both zoom displayed the theatrical wide screen as a full screen the same as one national broadcaster (in my one example among hundreds of thousands over decades), one must be in agreement with you in that your TV's zoom isn't working. Have you checked with the manufacturer to see if a firmware update might resolve the issue?

However, I am convinced that had you been watching that Star Wars movie on TBS for the first time, you would have never known it was the zoom release of the ultra widescreen. So, not weird. The broadcaster chooses which version to stream. Opening graphics and closing credits may crawl off the edges when zoomed on a TV. Movie studios' zoomed releases to broadcasters use footage for those moments.

I am just trying to free you from the awful distress and torture evoked by those black bars. Your entertainment experience should not be so severely aggrieved. I care. As I too once suffered as you now do when my parents bought a first gen color TV with a round (as in a 360° circle) CRT.

 

Thanks, but I think it's best to drop this subject. I already explained that when I use the zooming function it does get rid of the black bars, but it comes with a price that I'm not willing to pay.

But anyway, did you see that Netflix's stockprice got hammered? Apparently investors were not amused by it's subscriber forecast, it's slowing down. No surprise, they keep raising prices and they spend $17 billion on producing mostly crappy movies and series plus they have a lot of competition from the likes of Prime Video, Disney+ and HBO Max.

I still think they can make a comeback, if they focus more on India, it's quite a big market. That's why I'm waiting for the stock to drop to around $350 then I will buy it to make a quick buck.

 

How amusing it is to note that every time you tune in to or stream a major motion picture and it fills your screen, it's zoomed and you're paying. Subject dropped.

As for Netflix, I subscribe to the SD stream at $9.75 USD a month which looks outstanding upscaled on my QLED-VA HDTV.

Anyone whining about the cost of greater screen quality should simply downgrade. It's only TV. Or if put off by the Netflix catalog, just cancel.

I also subscribe to ad-Hulu, Prime, Disney+ and HBO Max, all which can garner equally the opinion "mostly crappy movies and series," opinions being like large intestine waste ports... every one has one and they all stink.

 

I personally enjoy a lot of Netflix series. Particularly Korean sci fi. But that's just me.

 

Yes, it's not only Netflix who is producing crap. It's just that I'm a bit frustrated that I can't find many of my favorite movies and series (1980 to 2010) on Netflix and Prime Video in The Netherlands, while in US you can find just about all of them.

It really depends on taste, in my view most newly made series stink. I'm currently giving Archive 81 a try on Netflix. I also tried watching The Stand on Prime Video, but it was way too boring, not comparable to the original one from 1994.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1831804/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13365348/

 

I think most stuff isn't good, it's just after a few years goes by, it's easier to ignore the nonsense. That said, there's a distinct shift in series and movie making recently, and I find it to be polar - more crap and more excellent stuff, less midrange quality stuff.
Mrk

 

Seriously, how many good movies has Netflix produced in the last years? I only liked The Babysitter 1 and 2, Bird Box, Hypnotic and In the Tall Grass. Let's face it, most Netflix Originals are pure crap. But I'm also not a exactly a fan of Amazon Studios, they are even worse, Coming 2 America was a complete flop.

 

I don't have an answer to that, because a) I don't know which ones are Netflix Originals b) I've not seen them all to judge c) nothing to do with other studios. In general, 90% of everything is useless. But if you look back, you have 10% good movies from EVERY year, whereas this year, you only have 10% of this year. So if you have say 10 good movies annually, you have 42 x 10 good movies from 1980 till now, but 90 failures for the current year.

I do hate many modern trends, including various movie genres and themes, but I don't know if objectively we see more crap because they produce more of it or because per-capita, the quality has gone down. Or both.

Mrk

 

I suppose it is what it is. If I can't find anything on Netflix I just read a book.

 

I think this sums up life at this point.

 

I disagree. Is everything produced going to be for everyone? No. But Netflix has produced some good stuff lately; The Old Guard, Six Underground, The Power of the Dog, Red Notice, etc. Amazon, while newer than Netflix, has made some good movies too. But they have produces much better TV than movies, like the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Reacher, The Man in the High Castle, etc.

 

No I agree, it's a matter of taste. All of the stuff that you mentioned is not for me. The only good movies that Amazon Studious produced were Black Box, Black as Night and The Manor. Evil Eye wasn't that bad either.

I do believe that movies and series from back in the days (1980 to 2010) were way better. I also believe that based on what I have seen so far, Netflix and Amazon aren't that good in making movies. But it also depends on your taste of course.

 

BTW, I forgot to reply to this, but this is another thing that truly bothers me. Why on earth are these companies allowed to make you pay more for HD, this should be standard! It's truly sickening, the FCC should act against this practice, it's a shame they haven't done this already. Both streaming services and ISP's should stop with this nonsense.

 

Why? Do airlines not have the right to charge different prices for first class versus economy? What's the difference? Yes the product is the same, and the plane going to the same place, but the better experience costs more.