Netflix + HDTV = Amazing! [Archive]

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ZacFields

11-08-2007, 08:59 PM

Just thought I'd share this tidbit with you all.

About 3 months ago Ashley and I signed up for Netflix so we could save money on buying DVD's (we have a collection of about 300 DVD's). I had noticed that Netflix has the "Online Viewing" section where you could instantly view movies on your computer. At first I thought "Why would I want to watch movies on my computer?" I have a 15 inch LCD monitor that is perfect for what I need it for, yet not very good for watching movies. Then it hit me! I have an LCD HDTV in my bedroom that I can plug into, because it has a VGA input on the back.

I was instantly shut down at that point, because I browsed through Netflix's online movies and saw that they were basically horrible. Mostly documentaries and hardly any movie that I would ever want to watch. So for a while I just let it go.

Recently Netflix has started to load up some better movies up there. Still there are no real "blockbuster" movies but they're getting better. Movies like Orange County, The Core, season sets of "The Office" etc. Movies that most people probably aren't horribly excited to watch, but they're not bad.

So I went out to Best Buy today and got about 20 feet worth of VGA cable and now I can watch movies at HD-Quality at the click of a button. Like I said, the movies aren't the best, but there's over 5,000 of them to choose from so its not hard to find one that I like. It's nice to get us through those 1 or 2 day wait to get our next shipment of DVDs.

Just thought I'd share. Anyhoo.

Zac

Malibu

11-09-2007, 07:23 AM

I have a media center PC hooked up to my TV in my living room and it works great. I have thought about getting Netflix in the past but have always decided against it. What Package do you have?

Aaron

TbTalon94

11-09-2007, 10:30 AM

I have the blockbuster online deal...its like $18/month and you get unlimited rentals a month but 3 at a time. You can also take them into any blockbuster store and trade them for a free rental while you wait for your new ones. Kinda slick, and you can also rent HD-DVD's from blockbuster online. They have a pretty good selection and it keeps getting bigger.

ZacFields

11-09-2007, 10:57 AM

I have the 3 at a time plan through Netflix for 18.99 a month or 18.75 a month or something like that.

Blockbuster and Netflix are pretty comparable. I doubt Blockbuster will ever do online viewing since they have the option of doing in-store trades.

I have heard there are some other services that do online viewing only. I'll have to look into those as well. If they had a full selection of movies viewable online, I'd actually prefer that.

I just need to figure out a way to hook the sound to my TV from my computer. Anyone know of an easy way to do that? The video is HD-Quality on the TV from the comp, but it feels weird to hear the sound coming out of my computer (pretty nice speaker system) since the computer is right next to the bed and the TV is across the room.

Zac

Malibu

11-09-2007, 01:34 PM

There is a cable that has a headphone jack on one side and two RCA connectors on the the other that would allow you to hook the audio from the computer up to the TV. Most stores that sell any kind of A/V cables should have them.

Aaron

belittle

11-09-2007, 04:33 PM

Do you know the actual resolution of the Netflix movies? I highly doubt it's true 720p or greater just for the sure size of the file.

I've downloaded a few hidef TV shows (1.2-2.0gigs) and played them on my 42 plasma and it's amazing looking.

I've got my desktop set up though DVI to HDMI which looks 10x better then VGA. I scaled the resolution slightly and I have 300 gigs of movies and TV shows at one click :)

ZacFields

11-09-2007, 11:42 PM

Not sure what the resolution is since netflix doesn't seem to have that info on their website. I'll just say that I'm pretty picky when it comes to movie quality, which is why I bought this hdtv in the first place, and I honestly can't tell the difference between what I see through the VGA hookup from my comp to my TV and just flat out watching a DVD.

It's pretty amazing to me also that I'm somehow able to watch a whole movie without interruption and it only takes about 15-30 second to load, but then again on a good day my internet speed is about 7,700kbps.

The way you have yours hooked up belittle, is that through a video card? I thought if you had a good video card you'd be able to do something like that but I don't believe I could do that on my computer.

Zac

belittle

11-10-2007, 06:01 PM

I have some 3 year old video card that has a single DVI output. It's really shitty and I need a new one but does the job well.

Drifte

11-14-2007, 12:40 PM

dont you work at bestbuy? Id have all kinds of cool gadgets! 1080p or nothin imo!

slobalt

11-15-2007, 05:01 PM

HDTV with the HDMI input, very nice. I've got the PS3 for my HD movies. 1080p, with the digital sound from an optic cable into my home theater system. Nice expierence all around, been playing Call of Duty 4, quite intense when I got the sound up....

ZacFields

11-15-2007, 10:43 PM

One of these days when I get out of college and get settled into a career, I'm going to build a house. Aside from a nice sized garage (shooting for something like what Sully 'RysBrnr' has in his new home) I want to build a nice entertainment room. I'm talking a huge huge plasma or lcd TV with speakers built into the walls, etc.

That's probably why I won't be buying another house for a loooong time. lol

Zac

DustinsDuster

11-15-2007, 10:58 PM