[lit-ideas] Re: Netflix via web

  • From: JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:19:05 EST

Very interesting.  And again with the cables.  When in the world  is the 
tech-world going to go wholly wireless?  I'm setting up a computer  for my 
daughter in her bedroom -- I have a DSL line which I use on the family  room 
computer.  To connect my daughter's computer to the DSL line I either  have to 
do 
in-wall wiring, have cords traipsing for yards through the house, or  figure 
out 
how to buy and use a router, hub, etc.  Sounds like a headache  to me.
 
Julie Krueger

========Original  Message========     Subj: [lit-ideas] Re: Netflix via web  
Date: 1/17/2007 12:44:13 A.M. Central Standard Time  From: 
_andreas@xxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx)   To: 
_lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
(mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)   Sent on:    
----- Original Message ----- 
From:  <JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx>

> 1) What percentage of the population  is well-healed enough to have a large
> enough computer monitor to make it  an enjoyable experience (can the whole
> family  gather around the  monitor??)

On a computer monitor? I've tried this. I've watched a few  movies on my 
computer. The 
experience is not as good as TV. Small screen,  small speakers, etc., and 
you're sitting in 
an office  chair.

But...

A year ago, I bought a digital projector. These are  the projectors that 
companies have in 
their conference rooms. We were doing  quite a few business presentations, so 
we needed a 
projector.

One  day, I realized it could be hooked up to a DVD player. I bought a DVD 
player  (since they 
all use laser, they're all the same) for $50. I then bought a  pull-down 
movie screen (around 
$100). (Look into these; there are different  types, depending on what you 
project at them. 
You can't use just any ol'  movie screen.)

I hung up the screen in the living room, jacked the  projector into the DVD 
player, and 
connected that into the living room  stereo. Lower the lights and whoa!

The diagonal is 96". Eight feet. It's  huge. All for just under $1,000.

In comparison, a 71" flat-screen TV is  $15,000 and a 103" screen is $70,000.

Size matters. The screen is large  enough to give you the feel of being in a 
movie house. The 
quality is the  same as HDTV (I have friends with $15,000 HDTVs and I've seen 
movies on  
those). With the remote controls, you can pause the movie, back up to see  
something you 
missed, adjust the volume, etc. The sound is extremely good on  the stereo. 
When I'm not 
watching a movie, the screen rolls up. I signed up  for Netflix, bought a 
popcorn machine, 
friends come over, and it's movie  night.

You can find digital projectors for $470. So, it's under $600 for  a setup. 
Fairly 
affordable.

> 2) What does it promise to cost per  month?

Apparently it'll be part of the regular Netflix service. You'll  have a 
number of hours per 
month, depending on your membership  level.

Eventually, Netflix will turn into purely VOD (video-on-demand,  i.e., video 
via web).

Next, I'll have to run a cable from my computer to  the living room into the 
projector. Or 
just buy a cheap computer and use it  for the digital projector.

This means, of course, Blockbuster and  Hollywood Video will shut down. Tower 
Records already 
shut down: Amazon beat  their books and MP3 music destroyed their record  
sales.

yrs,
andreas
www.andreas.com  

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