# Could DirecTV add Netflix?



## BenJF3 (Sep 12, 2008)

Could D* conceivably add Netflix streaming to it's HD DVRs? I mean you have the Roku box, Xbox 360 will have HD streaming this month, and now we are seeing Blu Ray players with Netflix built in. I think it would be awesome if D* could add instant streaming to the HD DVR's! What's everyone else take on this? It could even be done as a one time add on fee to get the download. Those who don't want it, don't have to have it. 

The downside and where I see D* not going for it would be possible lost revenue for their PPV, but at the same time most of what's on Netflix streaming is older stuff that's already past PPV deployment.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

That would represent an extremely poor business decision on DirecTV's part... unless Netflix decides on some revenue sharing system, which I doubt. The Netflix library grows every month and they will be streaming the first HD movies to the XBox 360... every aspect of this affects the DirecTV revenue stream.


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

Two very different questions are being asked in the thread and poll:

*Could *they? I have no idea... probably.

*Should *they? See Larry's response. It would eat into their PPV revenue so it wouldn't make much sense unless there's a revenue sharing system. I think Netflix is doing okay on their own and doesn't need DirecTV.


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## evan_s (Mar 4, 2008)

I agree with tcusta00 completely.

Could they? I'd imagine so but can't say for sure.

I don't see why they would unless they are getting a cut from netflix and even then I'm not sure it would be big enough to be worth while.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

I think Directv should stick with its current PPV model for those that want that sort of thing.


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## man_rob (Feb 21, 2007)

For $99, you can get the Roku Netflix player with HD coming by the end of the year.


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## SteveHas (Feb 7, 2007)

I would think it would be a great boon to us subscribers
It reminds me of the days when D* PPV was branded as Blockbuster PPV
although here it would be of real value, and not just a name slapped on a old service

revenue sharing is a must of course


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## rahlquist (Jul 24, 2007)

I would love it if they did but dont see it happening. So if you need to view your netflix and Hulu use PlayOn. Works pretty well for me.


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## kmill14 (Jun 12, 2007)

Tivo's stand-alone HD models will be offering the Netflix streaming capability as well...

I wonder if the next gen DirecTiVo box will still not allow all these additional features the regular TiVo boxes have.


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## BenJF3 (Sep 12, 2008)

I don't see how Netflix streaming would cut into PPV revenue. By the time Netflix streaming would get those titles, they'd have already run their course on PPV outlets. I, for one don't buy PPV movies as they just aren't worth it to me. I wait awhile and get the rental. In my market, Time Warner has begun doing "Same Day As DVD" PPV offerings, so that can make a difference. I think Netflix streaming is more of an add on for Netflix subs and D* integration would only be an enhancement. This thread was started just to get input and opinion from all. Do I think D* will add Netflix, most likely NOT. I think we will see it integrated more and more into BD Players as well as the expansion of the Roku Player. If I had to do it right now, I'd go with a Roku player unless Panasonic were to add it to the BD35 or BD55 which are probably two of the best budget BDP's out right now.


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## turey22 (Jul 30, 2007)

they shouldnt, thats all i have to say, OH...and bad idea. lol i am a man of few words.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

kmill14 said:


> Tivo's stand-alone HD models will be offering the Netflix streaming capability as well...
> 
> I wonder if the next gen DirecTiVo box will still not allow all these additional features the regular TiVo boxes have.


TIVO unlike DirecTV, does not supply programming... no conflict for them. Also while it presents a possible hit on PPV revenues... It could really hit premium movie channels revenues.

If I can stream the Hulk in HD from Netflix, why should I have the premium movies channels?


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## mattgwyther (May 22, 2007)

I am currently streaming Netflix to two HR2x's using Mediashare and PlayOn..... not the best quality but watchable.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

kmill14 said:


> Tivo's stand-alone HD models will be offering the Netflix streaming capability as well...
> 
> I wonder if the next gen DirecTiVo box will still not allow all these additional features the regular TiVo boxes have.


Really just depends.

Tivo is not the same as Directv at all as far as content agreements, etc. go.

Directv provides TV/content from many sources and hardware. Tivo just provides hardware/guide data and is thus much more free to work with different content providers and new ways of content delivery .


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## dhhaines (Nov 18, 2005)

LarryFlowers said:


> TIVO unlike DirecTV, does not supply programming... no conflict for them. Also while it presents a possible hit on PPV revenues... It could really hit premium movie channels revenues.
> 
> If I can stream the Hulk in HD from Netflix, why should I have the premium movies channels?


 Well in my household the premiums have already priced themselves out. And PPV, I haven't bought since the 24hr rule took effect.

Netflix delivery type systems are the way to go, so I think if DirecTV could get some revenue out of it they should go for it.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Maybe if they started offering some kind of prepaid PPV package system. That could potentially be interesting and allow semi-On Demand viewing for those of us without decent internet to stream on demand "on demand" or at all (since satellite caters to many out of the reach of good broadband internet).

They could do it many ways, such as maybe something like $15/mo for up to 3 movies a week or something like that.


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## Greg Alsobrook (Apr 2, 2007)

I use Apple TV for PPV... so wouldn't matter to me...


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## rahlquist (Jul 24, 2007)

Grentz said:


> Maybe if they started offering some kind of prepaid PPV package system. That could potentially be interesting and allow semi-On Demand viewing for those of us without decent internet to stream on demand "on demand" or at all (since satellite caters to many out of the reach of good broadband internet).
> 
> They could do it many ways, such as maybe something like $15/mo for up to 3 movies a week or something like that.


Good thinking. The could do away with all their existing ppv contracts and just go to netflix and DOD it all. That would eliminate the 24 hour problem and eliminate all the PPV infrastructure at DirecTV


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

The problem is many satellite customers do not have broadband internet available which is one of the reasons PPV was such a good thing for many when it first came around.


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## JACKIEGAGA (Dec 11, 2006)

I voted to leave it alone


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## man_rob (Feb 21, 2007)

Grentz said:


> The problem is many satellite customers do not have broadband internet available which is one of the reasons PPV was such a good thing for many when it first came around.


Except that the bulk of DirecTV's PPV _is_ delivered over broadband.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

They should do it because otherwise people will start to move to other devices that are enabled with Netflix and similar features like Hulu, YouTube, etc. That box then becomes a competitor to DirecTV. I'm sure they could work out some sort of revenue sharing.


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## ATARI (May 10, 2007)

As always, if the $ is right for all parties concerned, then there can be a deal.


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## HiDuck (Jul 15, 2008)

> It would eat into their PPV revenue so it wouldn't make much sense unless there's a revenue sharing system.


With Xbox and Tivo coming on board with Netflix Streaming you know there already is some sort of revenue sharing going on, either one time set up or a pennies per view.

With the current and ever quickly expanding content availble through the Netflix Player I could easily see some of the market share for premium channels (excluding those that have original content programing/series) being taken away by Netflix. Why pay for a channel that consistanley plays the same movies day after day for a month when for the same or less price you can instantley watch soemthing you want on the Netflix Player. Additionally if you have seen the last wave of content expansion you are aware Netflix is using a library from Starz on Demand.

I think if D* had the opportunity to do so, this would be an excellent opportunity to take that revenue sharing and capture the market share that will be lost from premium channels to Netflix.

I have the Roku Player and fully enjoy it. I bought into it when it first came out with limited content and always found something to watch and now with Starz content the library is even larger. The coming HD content which will be a premium to stream (from what I have been told) will even add to the options. With that said I would enjoy having one less piece of equipment eating electricity in my home and tiding up my entertainment center and would buy into that in a heart beat if D* offered it to me.


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## Drewg5 (Dec 15, 2006)

Could they: YES!

Will they: unlikely - as others have stated NetFlix will distract from PPV, although they very well know some users are already doing this using the Media Share feature. Its not exactly a hole they can plug as that is done from the remote server. 

One thing that could be considered is adding the functionality for lets say the price of a PPV $3.99 or 4.99 movie per month. This would bring back some revenue from people that will no longer pay for PPV with the unreasonable 24 hour limit.


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## armophob (Nov 13, 2006)

I buy dvds so I won't pay for PPV or Netflix.


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## BenJF3 (Sep 12, 2008)

armophob said:


> I buy dvds so I won't pay for PPV or Netflix.


That is fine. When I initially posted, I also suggested this be an optional upgrade. IE: Like WiiWare from Nintendo, if I have a Wii and want a browser, I can buy one and download it into my console. D* could offer the option for a one time fee to people who wanted it.

Keep in mind Samsung just dropped a firmware update adding Netflix to two of it's models for free, granted these are standalone DVD units and not part of an MSO that provides pay TV.

Again, I am finding all the input interesting and I believe Netflix (and options like it) are the way of the future so it will be interesting to see how everything plays out.


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## Christopher Gould (Jan 14, 2007)

i voted no, because i would rather see a system like XStreamHD, not depended on the internet. i only have 1mb dsl and would rather not upgrade(pay more $) for a faster connection if i don't have too. www.xstreamhd.com


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## HiDuck (Jul 15, 2008)

Christopher Gould said:


> i voted no, because i would rather see a system like XStreamHD, not depended on the internet. i only have 1mb dsl and would rather not upgrade(pay more $) for a faster connection if i don't have too. www.xstreamhd.com


'

That's an excellent point against for users whom have low bandwidth broadband or no internet. But the plus side would be the ability to opt in down the road if your situation ever changed.


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## BenJF3 (Sep 12, 2008)

Right now it doesn't matter so much to me as there are options out there. I could get a Roku box, but I was kind of hoping for a higher end BDP with it built in. Right now the LG isn't that great a player from initial reviews and the Sammy's are so-so as well. I want a unit that has Dolby True HD and DTS HD MA decoding built in so I don't have to replace my AV receiver. The Panny's are top rated right now, but no Netflix for them... yet. 

I've talked to alot of people who are looking for Netflix enabled devices mainly to cut down on the clutter in the entertainment centers, as well as eating up an extra set of inputs!


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## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

Yes they should add it. I would even pay an extra $2.99 a month for it (priced assuming you also have a Netflix account0.

I doubt direct tv would ever add it for free as it would cut into there on demand profits.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

man_rob said:


> Except that the bulk of DirecTV's PPV _is_ delivered over broadband.


? There are 100+ channels of PPV that are being provided via satellite.

Yes there is a lot of content via VOD now as well, but PPV via satellite still has a lot of offerings there (and probably is still more utilized).

Dont forget VOD ONLY works on the HR2x receivers, PPV works on just about every receiver out there.


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## jmrwiseguy (Jul 10, 2007)

You should always have a 3rd option in the poll -- "No preference"


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## BenJF3 (Sep 12, 2008)

Well, I figured the No, leave it as it is option kind of covered that.


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## ahintz (Jan 14, 2007)

I have the Roku box, and love it. Already planning on getting my parents one of the Blu-Ray players with Netflix for Christmas. Now, should DirecTV add Netflix to their boxes? I voted yes, but really what I want is the selection, quality, and instant-streaming that Netflix makes available via DirecTV On Demand. DOD is still very much in its infancy, so if using an established service like Netflix makes it "grow up" faster, then great. Otherwise, they should look at Netflix for a sense of where they need to go.

Don't get me wrong - Netflix Watch Instantly isn't perfect. Selection is better then most, but still isn't great. But the quality and instant streaming is fantastic.


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2008)

LarryFlowers said:


> The Netflix library grows every month and they will be streaming the first HD movies to the XBox 360... every aspect of this affects the DirecTV revenue stream.


The Netflix library grows every month, but the selection available for streaming is very limited. Check the new DVD releases coming out every week and see how many of them are available for streaming. Answer: close to zero. That's because they have to get permission to stream, which isn't the case for mailing out discs. And it's going to be difficult to obtain streaming rights for newer content under a flat monthly pricing model.

Another issue that is going to put a damper on streaming is bandwidth caps by ISPs:

http://www.hackingnetflix.com/2008/11/att-testing-ban.html

Before long you'll get a limited amount of bandwidth for downloading and then you'll have to pay by the gigabyte for going over the limit.


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## BenJF3 (Sep 12, 2008)

ISP's are looking to cap this intentionally I believe because they are losing revenue to online services like Netflix. The main reason for me is they are charging too much for PPV movies. It used to be $3.99 not to long ago and now it's almost $5 plus another $1 if you want it in HD. 

Right now, my ISP (roadrunner) isn't capping anything, but who knows what may come? I don't download much right now, just normal net traffic, but should I complete my D* upgrade and add a Netflix player, then I will certainly begin using more bandwidth. I really thing cap are starting to take place in larger urban areas where capacity is maxing out. That said, if they see a revenue stream, they will jump on it. It would be a shame as Internet access is already at a premium price and one of the most profitable items cable co's offer at $50 a month for regular (10down/1up).


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2008)

BenJF3 said:


> ISP's are looking to cap this intentionally I believe because they are losing revenue to online services like Netflix.


Another reason is that companies like AT&T are in the TV business in addition to phone and Internet service. Charging extra for exceeding bandwidth caps puts a tariff on competitors.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Drewg5 said:


> Could they: YES!
> 
> Will they: unlikely - as others have stated NetFlix will distract from PPV, although they very well know some users are already doing this using the Media Share feature. Its not exactly a hole they can plug as that is done from the remote server.
> 
> One thing that could be considered is adding the functionality for lets say the price of a PPV $3.99 or 4.99 movie per month. This would bring back some revenue from people that will no longer pay for PPV with the unreasonable 24 hour limit.


Given the current discussions on the various ISP's nad monthly limit caps this all maybe a mute point. My ISP is currently talking limit caps, looking around for a decent priced business plan or a shared T1


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## islesfan (Oct 18, 2006)

While it would be cool, it will likely become moot soon with the cable companies putting download caps on the Internet connections. The bandwidth caps will kill the VOD/DOD/Netflix business dead, which is part of their sinister plan, leaving only your friendly cable company as the sole provider of on demand services.


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## dhhaines (Nov 18, 2005)

islesfan said:


> While it would be cool, it will likely become moot soon with the cable companies putting download caps on the Internet connections. The bandwidth caps will kill the VOD/DOD/Netflix business dead, which is part of their sinister plan, leaving only your friendly cable company as the sole provider of on demand services.


 At which point I would hope that the companys who's livelyhoods count on the business bring their legal department into the mix against all ISP's who do this.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

"Get your 56K modems fired up!" - Comcast


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> "Get your 56K modems fired up!" - Comcast


:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

I think we'll see an arrangement reached whereby companies that are going to release products that use large amounts of bandwidth will pay into a pool (FCC) that is distributed on some sort of pro-rata basis to the ISPs. This will be part of a net neutrality compromise as this will exempt that traffic from being counted against download caps.

Whether the pool will be mandatory or voluntary for the developers and the ISPs is also up in the air. As higher-bandwidth internet applications become fully integrated into necessary components of everyday life (education,communication, healthcare, etc.) as well as the entertainment functions AND the understanding of these issues starts to dawn on policymakers it'll become more and more of a hot button.

My guess...like everything else of this scale it won't be a smooth road by any means...but it'll probably be interesting


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## smiddy (Apr 5, 2006)

I voted no because I think DirecTV could do a lot better within themselves and don't need NetFlix.


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## sprog68 (Oct 7, 2006)

You can already stream Netflix. Download Playon Media Server, its free and it works. It might cost something after its out of beta stage.


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## BenJF3 (Sep 12, 2008)

Just wondering if the new DirecTivo will have Netflix streaming since all S3 and HD Tivo's are getting it this month?


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

BenJF3 said:


> Just wondering if the new DirecTivo will have Netflix streaming since all S3 and HD Tivo's are getting it this month?


Who knows... this box is still so far away (+-1 year) that even the people that know probably don't know. :lol:


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## jdmac29 (Jan 6, 2006)

It would be nice but netflix is part of directv's competition with the dod stuff.


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## rjf (Mar 9, 2007)

personally, i don't see it hurting PPV at all. customers who like it will keep using it and those that don't won't. i still have about a dozen free PPV coupons that'll expire unused. i'd rather have the Netflix feature and don't see myself paying any sort of premiums for DOD or PPV

bottom line -- it's about customer service, and if D* is concerned about that in the least, they'll consider adding the Netflix option. happy customers equate to healthy profits. i for one, don't appreciate it when i feel like corps are pigeon holding me to what they want as opposed to what i need.


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## HiDuck (Jul 15, 2008)

rjf said:


> i still have about a dozen free PPV coupons that'll expire unused.


Send them my way rjf


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