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After almost 400 Netflix rentals, few problems

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In Reply to: I did, but the idea is good... posted by petew on January 09, 2002 at 11:04:18:

I've been subscribing to Netflix for almost 2 years - and have managed to rent about 395 movies from them at an average price of about $1.65 per movie (which is somewhat impressive, considering that they're paying $1.10 for shipping). Compare that to Hollywood Video where my average rental winds up costing about $6 after late fees.
In that time I've had one movie get lost (I did not have to pay for it), two crushed and 6 scratched badly enough so that there was pixelation or they wouldn't play. That's a failure rate of less than 3%.
I'll admit that it's extremely frustrating when you don't get the movies at the top of your queue and getting a scratched disc sucks .. and you can tell that they're intentionally slowing down their turnaround in order to cut costs, but as long as you keep your queue well stocked it's one heck of a convenient service.
-my $0.02

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my experience: mostly problems - petew 07:50:08 01/11/02 (1)
well i can't explain it. perhaps it's the kinds of films i'm renting:
here's my current list, in no particular order:
Anatomy of a murder
The Intruder
Carnival of Souls
Bluebeard
The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery
A Hole in the Head
The Vanishing
The Scent of Green Papaya
Ticket to Heaven
I've received a total of 4 films since I re-upped two months ago (I currenty have none), even though I keep at least ten in the que at all times, and of the four one had a few drop-outs and pixelations, and one wouldn't play at all.
I had been a member for a year or so a while back, and the failure rate was about 10%. Perhaps it's my machine: a Dennon DVD 5000. Do you know if the Dennon has a reputation for not tracking damaged discs? Or being able to play foreign films? I always check the "non-playable DVDs in the computer player as a cross-check but they seem to fail at the same place each time.
I hardly ever rent a movie that was or is showing at the local multiplex. I figure if it's popular with the American public, I'm not likely to be intellectually stimulating, and most likely to find deeply offensive senseless violence. The rare exception to this rule is if the film has some kind of spectacular technical effect, as in The Matrix.
What are the titles/categories of the rentals you had problems with?
What machine are you using?
- Answers - brewthunda 08:45:24 01/11/02 (0)
  I'm using a Pioneer DV-F727 301 disc changer. It's actually a pretty decent machine in my experience. A couple of quirks in cd management, but as far as DVD playback goes it's pretty good. I don't know if the Denon is known for having problems.
  I'm trying to remember which movies I had problems with. The Mummy and American Movie come to mind.
  I've found that Netflix works best when you keep at least 80 movies in your queue and try to load it up with movies that aren't too popular, but not too obscure at the same time. I view it as a substiture for cable TV .. so there's no fear involved in renting a bad movie. I'm on the 8 disc plan - where I can have 8 discs out at any one time for $35 a month.
  Here's a series of movies on my queue which are listed as being available right now. And I won't apologize for my taste in movies . . sometimes I'm in the mood for a stupid movie . . and I appreciate senseless violence when it's done well. I don't get cable tv, so I'm open to renting random movies. Anyways .. on to the list:
  The Omen
  Horror R Now
  
  Nemesis
  Sci-Fi & Fantasy R Now
  
  The Pledge
  Drama R Now
  
  The Conversation
  Thriller PG Now
  
  Jakob the Liar
  Drama PG-13 Now
  
  Joe the King
  Drama R Now
  
  The Killing Fields
  Drama R Now
  
  Monty Python's Flying Circus #1: Vol. 1
  Foreign NR Now
  
  Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live
  Music & Concert R Now
  
  The Return of a Man Called Horse
  Action & Adventure PG Now
  
  What Lies Beneath
  Thriller PG-13 Now
  
  Gummo
  Drama R Now
  
  Empire of the Sun
  Drama PG Now
  
  See Spot Run
  Comedy PG Now
  
  Kundun
  Drama PG-13 Now
  
  Twin Warriors
  Foreign R Now
  
  Dragon from Shaolin
  Foreign NR Now
  
  Magnificent Warriors
  Foreign NR Now
  
  Death Race 2000
  Sci-Fi & Fantasy R Now
  
  Monument Ave.
  Drama R Now
  
  The Edge
  Action & Adventure R Now
Happy Netflix customer here.. - padreken 18:21:43 01/10/02 (0)
Almost 2 years as well, and only 2 damaged discs so far. The VCR is gathering a lot of dust at my house.

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