alternatives to netflix?

[trochee]

I don't have cable, or a land telephone at home these days. I've kinda liked it that way. When I feel like vegetating, I read a book or listen to the radio. But I wouldn't mind watching movies (or television shows) I liked, especially if I don't have to go to the video store and pick them out -- the work of doing the selection at that moment when i want to vegetate has been a barrier. And I have some money to do it, especially since I'm not paying for cable, or phone, or internet at home.

So I like the idea of Netflix, where I can add movies-i-want-to-see to some online queue that magically (and for a small fee) drops movies-I-said-I-wanted (or TV-I-said-I-wanted) in my mailbox, so they're there when I vegetate. $18 per month seems quite reasonable, actually.

But firinel and marnanel have been having real trouble with them recently, and somebody said they were teamed up with Walmart these days (ick!) -- so are there any other competitors in this business? or does Netflix have the market locked up with a patent?

Comments

[firinel.livejournal.com]

They definately are teamed up with WalMart - we found that out just after we joined. Blockbuster now supposedly does the same thing, though, but other than that, I don't know of any for movies. Know of something similar for games, and for books, though.

[localcharacter.livejournal.com]

I believe GreenCine is the approved alterna-choice. (But, hey, I gotta stay with NetFlix until the bonus miles clear my account, and I didn't now about the WalMart thing because who reads newspapers?, and besides I have 82 movies in my queue.)

Similar deal for books? Isn't that a "library"?

[trochee.livejournal.com]

sweet. I like the GreenCine website a lot.

[cat-whisperer.livejournal.com]

I subscribe to Netflix and haven't had any problems- I didn't know about the WalMart connection though. There was a books-by-mail thing similar to Netflix that I joined for a month but the shipping was horribly slow and the books were in ratty condition.

[boobirdsfly.livejournal.com]

All of America is owned by 6 major corporations. While it's good to avoid them when at all possible, let's not fool ourselves into thinking we don't support the market. One would have to move to the middle of the ocean to avoid that. Wanna go ?

[trochee.livejournal.com]

can i get them to deliver pizza and movies there?

... actually, today that sounds nice. The middle of the ocean. yes.

And back here in the PacNW, I wasn't saying I wouldn't go with Netflix, but i'm pleased to see there are some alternatives.

[damidnara.livejournal.com]

I love Netflix. I've been a devoted user for 3 years. But then again they are based in San Jose, so I have very quick turnaround time. I think now they have several hubs, just don't know where the closest one to Seattle is....

And I didn't know about the WalMart connection :(

[chr0me-kitten.livejournal.com]

To join in the chorus:

I love NetFlix. I didn't know about the WalMart connection.