H.I.T.S.
The Schulze family started off the new year last week with an update to our family entertainment in the form of something called Netflix. I’m sure that, like me, you’ve seen the many TV ads for this service, but I was skeptical until, as a Christmas present, we decided to get it for my mother-in-law, Mary, who loves watching movies. Mrs. Schulze installed it for her in no time flat. After ironing out a few “kinks,” she was really impressed with it and suggested that we get it for ourselves. When she mentioned deftly (but in a casual way), “Oh, by the way, they have all these BBC TV shows,” I was sold. In a fit of the usual immediacy, we decided to get it and install it after the Steeler game on Sunday.
At this point, I should explain how Netflix works. It starts with a connection from Internet service in your home from your modem to a router to a streaming device to your TV. The streaming device can be something like an X-Box 360, a Nintendo Wii, or, in our case, (and Mrs. Schulze’s mom), a Roku box. You also need to set up a Netflix account online for about $10 a month.
The Roku box is sold at http://www.roku.com/
and Amazon.com, but the firm recently licensed Radio Shack to sell its product under the Netgear brand. We were almost thwarted when Mrs. Schulze announced grimly, “They’re sold out online,” but a brainwave on my part had her zooming off to Radio Shack, after a quick phone call confirmed that they had them in stock at our local mall.
Upon returning, she whipped out a 25-foot-long ethernet cable, which we connected from our DSL router to the Roku box, a small, lightweight box that comes with a remote (just like the other 20 or so remotes we have). We went with the ethernet cable option as we had experienced a delay in receiving movies on my mother-in-law’s initial wireless setup, which the ethernet connection had fixed perfectly.
We then connected an HDMI cable from the Roku box to our TV. Mrs. Schulze went online to Netflix and Roku and linked the box with the Netflix account that she’d set up — and away we went.
Seriously, it’s amazing. If you like TV and watching movies, it almost makes you delirious (no kidding) with all the choices of movies and TV shows that are right there at your fingertips.
For us, it’s perfect. While I’m at work teaching guitar, my dear wife can watch all kinds of shows that I hate. When I get home, I can watch all kinds of movies after she goes to bed, especially lots of music shows. In addition to streaming to your TV, you can also order newer-release DVDs by mail with no late fees. We receive our DVDs the day after they ship.
Having had this in the house for about a week, I can only imagine what this service will be like in the future. Surely, they will offer new-release movies on a pay-per-view basis like this, instead of at the movie theater.
As an interesting experiment, we watched and compared the first two episodes of the English version of “The Office” with the U.S. version. We also watched some of the old BBC series “Fawlty Towers” in honor of our Yorkie, Basil, who was named for the character that John Cleese plays in the series. I know — we’re weird and boring. We now find ourselves hoping we’ll be snowed in (with power, of course) just so we can watch a lot of TV shows and movies.
It does seem like a decent service for the money, especially if your kids already have an X-Box 360 or a Wii in your house . Otherwise, you’re looking at about $90 for the Roku box, plus a monthly fee of about $10 to set it up.
I also forgot to mention that you can also watch movies on your laptop or desktop computer or your iPhone via your Netflix account. While my wife was watching a movie on TV, I tried watching another one on my Mac desktop and it worked perfectly.
It’s Windows- or Mac-based through your browser, as well. I also just downloaded a free app for my Android phone that allows me to control the Roku box after the inevitable misplacement of its remote.
Can life get any better?
Have a great week — I’m off to see what’s on Netflix.