RSSNetflix raises Blu-ray surcharge by 300% to $4 per month
By Nate Mook | Published March 30, 2009, 2:48 PM
Although it's been over a year since Blu-ray won the format war against HD DVD and almost all new movies are simultaneously released in the high-definition format, prices have not fallen, with Blu-ray discs still costing up to 3 times more than DVDs. In turn, Netflix has begun informing subscribers that it is raising the cost of those who receive movies on Blu-ray from $1 to $4 per month.
Netflix is attributing the 400% fee increase to the cost of the company having to stock more films in Blu-ray. "As we buy more, you are able to choose from a rapidly expanding selection of Blu-ray titles. And as you've probably heard, Blu-ray discs are substantially more expensive than standard definition DVDs," the company said in an e-mail to subscribers.
The $4 fee applies to Netflix's standard "3 DVDs at-a-time" plan, which costs $16.99 per month and will now total $20.99 with Blu-ray. The fee goes up or down by $1 with each DVD added or removed from the plan. The price increase will begin on April 27, giving members one month to remove the Blu-ray option from their accounts if they wish to avoid the added cost.
I stopped renting Blu-Ray from Netflix in favor of the easily copyable standard DVD. I never have time to watch all three movies so I do what everybody else does and copy them, then send then back. I can put on Iron Man in BD, then switch to standard DVD on my projector so you can quickly see the difference.
Yes, the BD looks better, but not dramatically. You forget all about the picture quality after you are done oohing and aaahing for the first five minutes and concentrate on the movie. Newer releases on standard DVD look pretty damn good.
I knew from the start that HD-DVD and BD were doomed, it will just take a lot longer for BD to bleed out where HD-DVD's death was quick and painless, like a hanging. Sony hasn't made a dime from BD or the PS3 to date. In fact, they are billions in the hole. They still don't profit from PS3 console sales, and finally figured out rumble support doesn't suck. Sony Home was a fad for about a month, no one even talks about it anymore.
You can't blame Netflix for raising the rates, I think they are trying to discourage people from renting them.
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|I think it really depends on the person viewing the DVD. Some people are all about extras and featurettes, etc. These are the people who buy the 'Deluxe' 3 Disc versions of their favorite movies. For people like that, I think BR shines over DVDs. But I do agree with you, and I predicted that this would pretty much be the trend...ie: people would stick mostly with DVD for some time to come.
I kind of prefer it. Just because everything fits on 1 disc, and of course when I'm bored I can fire up all the superfluous crap which you wouldnt get me watching on DVDs...disc switching? I think not.
Still, as a testament to how etm, thrifty I am - I have all of about 10 BR discs, and they're my very favorite movies. I don't plan to buy more until I can get them at movie stop for silly prices like, I dunno - Buy 3 used (often totalling 20 or so dollars), get 1 free! >:), I know, I know...I have quite a wait ahead of me. I don't rent and copy though, I do the moviestop thing...though I rent at Netflix too, that's how I discover movies.
Still, BR has promise. Lately I've been reading about studios getting ready to release games on the discs, and of course there's the fact that trilogies and quadrologies and....movie sequels fit on 1 disc. And the future of BR could mean 'interactive' movie/games - which could be really entertaining and fun.
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|"...trilogies and quadrologies and....movie sequels fit on 1 disc."
Yeah, but when you start talking about stuff like that, you are slowly defeating the high-def quality that in most people's opinion is the point of Bluray...and seriously, it would do people some good to get off their butts every 1.5-3 hours to change discs...and those that are too lazy for that already have multidisc players anyway.
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|I'll have to check that out since I was considering upgrading to a blu-ray player and I figured for only $1 extra it was certainly worth it to rent them. I'm now reconsidering it. Although I have a smaller plan so maybe it won't be increasing for me. Will check the site. I understand they cost more, but just doesn't seem to really encourage ppl to go out and get the format if even rentals have to be so much more than regular rentals.
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|Kinda silly since odds are if you do have blu ray's in the queue, you probably won't get them first. but considering the price of blu rays, well I can't complain too much y et.
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|Well, everybody wanted Blue-Ray over HD DVD, so now we going to pay the consequence.
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|Ummmm, not to be nitpicky but..
The surcharge has been *raised* by _300%_, not 400%. It used to cost $1, it now costs $4. That means it got raised/increased by $3, or 300%.
It's now 400% of the original price, but that's different than being raised that much :-).
Just bugs me when I see incorrect statements like that.
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|Just when I considered buying a PS3, nevermind!
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|Greedy frikken bas****s..... =(
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