A Netflix Canada Review

Netflix, the American online video-on-demand streaming giant, crossed the border into Canada on September 22, 2010 with the aim of capitalizing on the largely untapped online TV and movie streaming market.

While Netflix Canada will not, for the time being, offer its flat-rate online DVD-video and Blu-ray Disc rental service like in the United States, it is bringing a high-quality streaming video service to Canadians. .. but will it be enough to change the way we rent, buy and watch our favorite movies and TV episodes?

When I first heard that Netflix was coming to Canada, I was so excited. I watch a lot of movies, mostly on my laptop after everyone else has gone to bed, and the concept of being able to watch any number of movies online at any time for less than the cost of 2 movie rentals per month sounded pretty good to me. When Netflix Canada finally opened its doors, I was a bit disappointed by initial reviews pointing to a limited selection of movies and TV episodes, and as a result put off trying their service. I had pretty much forgotten about it until one night a couple of weeks ago when I found myself without a movie to watch and decided to give Netflix a try. For $7.99 per month for unlimited online TV and movies, what did you have to lose? It was an even easier sell once I got to the Netflix login page (www.netflix.ca) to find out that they offer a 30-day free trial, with no obligation. After trying it for a week, I have to say that my only disappointment is that I didn’t sign up sooner.

How does Netflix Canada compare?

Let’s talk about your selection first, so we can get that out of the way! Netflix Canada currently offers a catalog of just over 7,000 titles, including movies and some seasons (emphasis on some) of popular TV shows. While they do have some fairly new releases, in general, Netflix’s movie offerings include a few blockbusters from the last few years, a few classics (Clint Eastwood, John Wayne), and a healthy mix of lesser-known titles.

Compared to the more than 100,000 movie titles available online to US Netflix subscribers, it’s not exactly the gargantuan selection I was hoping for. Apparently, it comes down to licensing issues and some legal paperwork. My guess, though, is that Netflix is ​​committed to its Netflix Canada subscribers and that they will add thousands more to their catalog as the year goes on. Just last week, they added several full seasons of popular TV series and I hope (hope) the same thing happens on the movies front.

Personally, I’m not one to rush to rent the latest releases. I like to explore and try different movies and watch some of my old favorites over and over again (some I’ve watched 10 times or more), so Netflix Canada has proven to be a little treasure, but for those who have to watch the latest releases as they become available, Netflix, at least for now, may not be for you. Maybe Pay Per Vu at $4-$7 per shot or your local video store is still your best bet.

If, like me, you find yourself renting movies several times a week or buying DVDs from time to time, you should give Netflix Canada a try. At $7.99 per month, I’ll save a lot of money just on late fees and the convenience of not having to run out to the store is really nice. I’ve been testing it for a little over 2 weeks and have seen about 20 movies since I first signed up.

What I like about Netflix!

One thing I really like about Netflix is ​​that it asks you to rate the movies you’ve watched and offers personalized recommendations based on your responses. In fact, the whole suggestion system works quite well. I also like how well movies and TV shows are rated. Offerings are currently categorized across 20 genres and countless sub-genres, allowing you to quickly identify what you want to watch.

Documentaries, Action & Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction, Romance – it’s all there!

Navigating the Netflix site is easy and intuitive enough for anyone to use. There are also quite a few interactive features that offer additional information, reviews, and biographies.

Hovering over the selections brings up a description and rating for each movie. Clicking on a title will take you to a page full of information and reviews from members and critics. I also like that you can click on an actor or director’s name to see their biography and a list of all the Netflix movies they currently have in their catalogue.

So far I’ve seen Reservoir Dogs, The Eiger Sanction, the creepy Human Centipede, The Last Rites of Ransom Pride, and a few recent releases that I had missed when they came out.

I haven’t seen Weeds or MadMen either, so I’m hoping to start watching soon, as Netflix has a couple of seasons of these shows and quite a few more.

What about streaming Netflix online?

This is where Netflix shines. The system automatically detects the speed of the Internet bandwidth and transmits accordingly. Video quality is full stereo DVD-video (for 1.5 Mbps or higher connections), better than full stereo DVD quality (for 3 Mbps or higher connections), and HD 720 or 1080 quality with stereo sound or full surround (for connections of 6Mbps or better).

The Netflix video player is sleek, fast, and offers minimized and full-screen viewing modes. So far, out of the 20 or so movies I’ve watched, the player has only stopped once to toggle the video quality to match the speed of my internet connection and that was while watching on my laptop over a wireless connection. Wireless G with 3 bars. Suffice it to say, IMHO, the video and sound quality is fantastic.

Can I only watch Netflix on my computer?

Netflix has several connection and streaming options. Currently, Netflix Canada subscribers can watch on any Windows or Mac computer, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft XBOX 360, Sony PS3 game consoles, Netflix compatible LCD, LED and plasma TVs, a selection of compatible Blu-ray players with Netflix, iPhone, iTouch and Blackberry. devices.

imageIf you don’t have any of the above besides a computer, you can still watch your movies on your TV as long as you can connect your computer using VGA or HDMI cables. Most of the newer TVs offer this level of connectivity.

So what’s the verdict?

Netflix’s current catalog is limited, especially when it comes to new releases, and that might be a deal breaker for some of you. Other than that, I can only say that the service is top notch and I can’t imagine anyone other than “new release” junkies who would think that Netflix Canada isn’t great convenience and value for money. Either way, I recommend you sign up for Netflix for a 30-day free trial and decide for yourself.

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