SCM Discussion Forum

1. 

   art
   Member

   So I was reading the posts about using the TV a lot lately, and I see that some of you use Netflix and find good things to watch. I have tried to look at it, but it doesn't seem that I would be able to find anything good to watch. I didn't even know they had educational stuff or old things like Andy Griffith. Maybe I'm not smart enough to figure it out. What's the story?

   Every time I go there to try to look for things, I can't even stand to look at what pops up on my screen. If I click on TV, all kinds of trash shows up to pick from. How do you know what's there that's worth watching?

   Also, doesn't it cost like $15.00 a month to have access to instant shows? And are all the shows instant? It seems like some are only available on DVD and not streaming. 

   Hopefully I don't sound to stupid. 

   Thanks for the help.

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
2. 

   2flowerboys
   Member

   Hi art,

   I felt the same way. I didn't want to get it because of all the stuff I saw! But dh ordered it while I was away on a trip to try out. It has lots of great old shows and movies as well as educational matrerial from the History Channel, Discovery, and PBS..etc

   We just watched one of my fav shows this morning w/ dad...Father Knows Best! Love that show! There is also Leave It to Beaver. I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke(another one of my favs) Andy Griffith and more! There are even old cartoon shows that I watched as a kid!

   At first we had both streaming and dvd. But earlier this yr they went up on the price..big stink about that..and we decided to just keep the streaming. It is only like $7/month. They are quick though w/ the dvd service ...however there are more and more being added to the streaming. We use our Wii for that. Or you can use your computer and hook it up to the t.v.  We even take our laptop w/ us when we travel to watch our fav shows on the hotels/condos tv! That way we are sure to watch some good stuff! :)

   Yes, Netflix has some bad things on there too! I had a hard time wanting to keep it..due to feeling bad that they provided some stuff that I just don't agree w/ YKWIM!!

   Anyways, we got rid of Dish and Netflix is all we need! :)

   HTH

   And no..you don't sound stupid..I too was confused at first!

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
3. 

   suzukimom
   Member

   Sometimes it is hard to find stuff... 

   We use Netflix too, and get a good selection of stuff.  yes - there is stuff I would never touch.  We watch it through the Wii - it usually comes up at the start with a choice between Netflix and Netflix for Kids - but sometimes it just seems to pick one to start with...

   One thing I find frustrating, is the shows available in Canada are different from the States - so I hear of something good on here, and I go and look and we don't get it.  Sigh.   That said, I think there are some shows we get that you don't in the States too....

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
4. 

   missceegee
   Member

   Netflix search is awful. I usually search via google or on Amazon and then plug exact titles into Netflix.

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
5. 

   crazy4boys
   Member

   I think we pay $9 or so for the streaming, we don't do DVDs.  I'm not sure if the price has changed recently though.  It is instant if you do the streaming...and like Suzukimom we stream through the Wii or our Mac upstairs.  We've gotten a lot of use out of ours.  Mostly my kids use the Netflix for Kids or I'll do a search and put things in the Instant Queue and then they only have to access that when they want to watch something.  You can put a filter of ratings on your account.  I have ours set at nothing above PG-13 which filters a lot, but if you do a search it shows everything.  Which is why I typically search after they go to bed and just put it in the queue.

    

    

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
6. 

   suzukimom
   Member

   Oh - I can also watch on my phone.  It is rare that we do it, but I can

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
7. 

   crazy4boys
   Member

   Well, suzukimom, you're way more advanced than I am!!!  My dh can watch it on his iPad which works nicely for him when he deploys.  When/if I ever get an iPad I'll be able to do the same - yippee for dentist appts and such.

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
8. 

   Tristan
   Member

   We have Netflix streaming and have tried it on:
   - laptop
   -desktop computer
   - through the Wii
   - with a Roku box
   - on an Ipod Touch

   A few tips:

   Go into Netflix from a computer and click on the "Taste Profile" in the top bar. There is a drop down menu with a few options. You'll want to do Taste Preferences as well as Rate Shows and Movies. The taste preferences gives you genre/themes to rate, while the other has you rate specific movies/shows. Do this one evening when the kids are in bed and as you see movies you won't allow in the house rate them 1 star, and also take lots of time to rate shows you do like with 5 stars. Netflix will begin to take these ratings and taste preferences into account in some of the things that pop up when you're browsing and will edit accordingly. It's not a perfect system but it helps.

   Add things to the Instant Queue!

   Consider setting the rating at PG13 or less, but be aware that documentaries that are NR (not rated) will then be blocked. You can always allow specific shows with a password if needed.

   Make your voice heard! Email netflix and tell them what you like and what you hate. It really can make a difference. Tell them what shows you would love to see on there (I'm pulling for The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie seasons).

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
9. 

   LDIMom
   Member

   OK, we ditched netflix when they went up on the price. Maybe we should look into again for the streaming only, which is mostly what we used it for. I am just exasperated with the LACK of choices on cable. We have ditched that in the past (we have the very basic we can get), but when we do we end up paying more for just phone and internet alone than getting the bundle which includes basic cable (I did call and have some stations completely blocked which helped a lot).

   DH won't get rid of the landline b/c we have 3 children with complex heart disease and I am always losing my cell phone (e.g. don't know exactly where it is at the moment sort of thing; he leaves his in his truck b/c he owns a business and doesn't want to answer constantly once he leave the office).

   So all of that to say is it worth $9 a month??? Sounds like it is. And we did used to find a lot of historical things and science on there that we just can't find on the instant options with the cable box.

   I would go for it definitely Tristan if they added Little House and Walton's. BTW, here, they come on every evening on the Hallmark channel (in the afternoons too). Same show in afternoon that they replay in evening. If you get Hallmark or are one of those techies (I'm not) who can watch from your computer on-line, those two shows do come on Hallmark every weekday here.

   Hmm, off to ponder if I want to spend some of my homeschool budget on Netflix.

   Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
10. 

    LDIMom
    Member

    OK with DH's nod, we're going to try netflix again for just the streaming. When we opted out, we didn't realize you could do just the streaming I guess. We paid $8.99 before the price increase for streaming and DVDs (but we really didn't get all that many DVDs), but now it is $7.99 for just the streaming (which is what we used most anyway).

    tristan, thanks for the tip on prefs. I just spent a little while rating some stuff as it is quiet hour here. I also added about 50 shows/movies to our queue. And I downloaded the mobile app. to put on my iPhone. That could come in very handy.

    OK, question: if we are camping let's say and wi-fi is available, then I can use my MacBook to pull up netflix and watch movies from our queue? I also downloaded the computer app I think. Like I said, not very tech-savvy at all here either. Thanks!

    Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
11. 

    Tristan
    Member

    :)

    Yes, you can use it anywhere with wifi BUT each account only allows so many 6 devices to be approved at once and only 2 streaming simultaneously. All you have to do is go in your account to handle that stuff.

    So basically, we currently have the electronics I listed earlier as 5 of the 6 devices on our account (the 6th is my husband's android tablet). If I'm exercising while watching The Biggest Loser on my computer's Netflix then the kids can watch a different show on Netflix with our TV, but that's it. I couldn't let my oldest watch a documentary on a laptop while the littles watch a little kids show using the tv and I use my computer. That's too many streaming at once. Hopefully that makes sense.

    When my husband and I spent 10 days in the NICU with Mason in January we were able to watch Netflix on the laptop we had brought and the kids could watch Netflix back at home on the tv with grandma if they wanted to.

    Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
12. 

    csmamma
    Member

    Agreeing with missceegee - you could find a movie from another source, then do a search on netflix for that specific movie. I like to search http://www.visionvideo.com and http://www.christianmovies.com for films - including educational, documentaries and family films. 

    Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
13. 

    art
    Member

    Thanks for all the replies! It sounds like it might be worth trying.

    I had to laugh at my original post--"Hopefully I don't sound to stupid." That makes me sound smart huh?

    Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
14. 

    pinkchopsticks
    Member

    Well, when the price changed, I did the opposite of most of you here and dropped streaming. We kept the 2 dvd out at one time service. I really like it. We usually get one movie for the grownups and one for the kids/school related. I used to rent from our local library, but their overdue fees went up so much (got burned a few times) I just can't do it any more. For streaming I have access to Amazon because we are Prime members.

    Posted 11 months ago # Report Post
15. 

    LDIMom
    Member

    pinkchopsticks, I hear ya on the library fines. Oops! Ours charges $1 per DAY that DVDs are late. That adds up fast! I always got confused b/c DVDs are only 7-day rental while books and audiobooks are 21 days. So yeah, no DVDs from library for us though we get a lot of audiobooks there.

    OK, we're watching a history channel show about the Revolution, which is a good taste of what we'll be studying this coming year.

    Thanks so much Tristan for explaining this to me. And Art, if we had to edit all of our comments for spelling and grammar mistakes, I'd be in trouble LOL! We all knew what you meant and NO, you're not stupid. I was just updating my iPhone and realizing I don't even touch most of what it is capable of doing. Oh well.

    Posted 11 months ago # Report Post

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