Netflix streaming issue 2014-05-24

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#1053430 26-May-2014 11:20

Lurch:
dclegg:
Indeed. Its one better than the 3 days of frustratingly unstable VPN access we thought we had.

Better than the other half nagging me because she can't watch Charmed :-)

I know that feeling

Me: Give me 5 more minutes
She: You've had 30 minutes already

If only content providers could wrap their heads around that this is far from ready for mainstream usage yet, perhaps they'd stop worrying about cracking down on DNS providers like this. :-)

SaRaCeNz

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#1053431 26-May-2014 11:21

I'm with Slingshot- no data cap. Changed from ADSL to VDSL on May 16 and initially thought this Netflix issue might have been related to this. Wife was livid and blaming me for changing us to VDSL and ranting about "how am I going to watch the rest of Orange is the new Black" (lol)- Miss 4.5 was sad as no more Scooby Scooby Doo. Hooked us up with a VPN yesterday and got everything working again so wife is happy(ish) and kids are no longer annoying the crap out me and I can again watch my Docos.

And I'm blaming Sky for Netflix not being here- I'm no expert but from what I understand, when Sky purchase the rights of a series from a distributor or make a deal with a distributor for general access to their catalogue, part of the agreement is that distributor will not supply that series or catalogue or partial catalogue to a regional competitor (Netflix, iTunes, Quickflix etc). Being that Netflix probably make little actual profit running a monthly subscription service once they have paid out their fees to their distributors (compared against a pay per view type service), they probably can't see any financial point investing in this area (NZ). This would also explain why the Netflix catalogue is so different in those countries that it operates.

It would be Sky's interests to make sure that Netflix NEVER opens in NZ- I'd imagine that Sky would be gone within 12 months if Netflix did (with the Netflix US catalogue) so in a way, those of us with Sky are responsible for Netflix not being here. If it was up to me, I'd get rid of Sky today and just keep Netflix on a DNS or VPN but according to my wife, the ability to series link Home and Away and Shortland Street justifies $60 per month to Sky, somehow.

shelford

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#1053436 26-May-2014 11:28

I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to this kind of thing but what's the difference between DNS and VPN? And which is usually better?

corksta

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#1053439 26-May-2014 11:29

So let me get this straight: according to Unblock-Us' investigations it's our own ISPs cracking down on the unblocking services?!?!

If true, why?!

dejadeadnz

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#1053441 26-May-2014 11:31

dclegg:
freitasm: Obviously content providers and ISPs think people should torrent instead of paying for content...

Yes, thats the most frustrating thing, but is a point I've been trying to avoid in order to keep this thread ontopic. But considering you brought it up...

I find it hard to fathom that content providers can't come up with a business model that would allow them to offer NetFlix style content globally and with a consistent catalogue. Their current way of doing business is driving people to illegal options. And while what we're currently doing with NetFlix isn't illegal, it is against the T&C for that service.

I am yet to hear one convincing argument that doesn't ultimately boil down to "This is the way it has to be done because this is the way its always been done".

I previously practiced law with a law firm that had a number of Hollywood studios/their local subsidiaries as clients and was for a period of time a member of the intellectual property team serving these clients.

What people usually don't understand is that you will never get a situation where some content supplier/provider is licensed to be able to supply a large catalogue of stuff everywhere. Why not? It's simple -- IP owners/movie studios find it more profitable to sell localised rights to different people in different regions. To offer what you are wanting, Netflix and whoever else will have to negotiate with a huge number of parties.

Sticking with movies, the reality is that most movies actually lose IP holders/movie studios money and they rely on box office blockbusters to make money and in turn subsidise the loss making movies. The latter points apply also for post-box office disc-based sales and single item rental distribution of all forms. If somehow the movie studios allowed a situation of your envisioned Super Netflix occurring, basically everyone might be paying $10 a month and getting all the movies under the sun and they would be absolutely stuffed under their current high costs model where most movies cost well into 8 figures (if not 9 figures) to make.

I have no idea how the future will play out but the Super Netflix that's great and awesome everywhere, with lots of content blah blah, just isn't happening on the current business model for the movie studios. To have this kind of thing, the subscription fees will need to rise significantly, they are going to have to control production costs a lot harder (won't be easy -- you'll need lots of cooperation and even coercion of crews and actors), will have to become even more risk averse than they are now in terms of truly original content, and so on and so forth.

davidcole

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#1053442 26-May-2014 11:31

corksta: So let me get this straight: according to Unblock-Us' investigations it's our own ISPs cracking down on the unblocking services?!?!

If true, why?!

If not malicious, it could have been done under the guise of traffic shaping.

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Lurch

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#1053446 26-May-2014 11:33

dclegg:
I know that feeling

Me: Give me 5 more minutes
She: You've had 30 minutes already

If only content providers could wrap their heads around that this is far from ready for mainstream usage yet, perhaps they'd stop worrying about cracking down on DNS providers like this. :-)

That's the annoying part, it should just work. Always having to jump through hoops to get there. I thought I'd do the decent thing and pay for content, but alas :-/

jonathan18

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#1053448 26-May-2014 11:34

While there's been some finger-pointing at some specific ISPs as being behind the problem, I can't work out why this would include Slingshot (and some with this ISP have reported problems), given their much-trumpteted "global mode" is supposedly about expressly opening up access to sites such as Netflix. Unless it's an unintentional result of other changes?

Lurch

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#1053450 26-May-2014 11:34

@shelford - Here's a good read :- http://thevpn.guru/vpn-vs-smart-dns-proxy-unblock-location/

http://www.smartydns.com/smart-dns/smart-dns-vpn/

shelford

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#1053454 26-May-2014 11:38

Lurch: @shelford - Here's a good read :- http://thevpn.guru/vpn-vs-smart-dns-proxy-unblock-location/

http://www.smartydns.com/smart-dns/smart-dns-vpn/

Thanks!

Musclesnz

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#1053472 26-May-2014 11:47

Hi everyone- came to post reply and noticed everyone is all over it. I got rid of sky , was unblock DNS - Apple TV and iPad watching Netflix( ony on vodafone 50gb plan- watch a little not a lot) - will try playmodns now. What a shame that our internet providers are cutting down . I could understand if they could offer an alternative. Sigh...

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dclegg

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#1053474 26-May-2014 11:49

dejadeadnz:
What people usually don't understand is that you will never get a situation where some content supplier/provider is licensed to be able to supply a large catalogue of stuff everywhere. Why not? It's simple -- IP owners/movie studios find it more profitable to sell localised rights to different people in different regions.

See, thats that old business model that they can't seem to let go of. Its also one that is driving consumers to piracy instead of paying for their content because there is no legitimate way to do so, especially in regards to TV.

Sticking with movies...

I can't speak for others, but I personally find NetFlix far more attractive for TV content. Do the same arguments you make apply to that medium. This is a serious question, not a snide rebuttal.

Basically everyone might be paying $10 a month

I'd actually fully expect that overseas markets may need to pay more than the US for a global streaming service to be viable. Even NZD $20 per month seems reasonable to me, considering the value that NetFlix brings to the table. I haven't really thought of an upper limit, but when you consider our monthly Sky bill is over $70, that gives an idea of the wriggle room we have, especially if we could have it as a viable replacement.

I have no idea how the future will play out but the Super Netflix that's great and awesome everywhere, with lots of content blah blah, just isn't happening on the current business model for the movie studios.

And there's the rub. How do we get the execs to see that their current business model is at odds with how consumers want to watch their content now?

What we really need is for pushback upstream from services like NetFlix, but when they have such a large primary market they probably don't have much motivation to rock the boat.