6 ms·

I actually just subscribe to Netflix' DVD service. I get films in much higher quality delivered every other day, and I use MakeMKV to copy them onto my computer

I actually just subscribe to Netflix' DVD service. I get films in much higher quality delivered every other day, and I use MakeMKV to copy them onto my computer for when I want to watch them. Films I can't get there, I just pirate. I'm not interested in installing DRM platforms on my computer to be able to watch very heavily compressed videos if they haven't been yanked offline yet.

supercanuck 9y ago
That sounds like a lot of work just to plop my kid in front of Dora on the tablet so I can have an hour of sanity before dinner.
- gm-conspiracy 9y ago
  I've often heard that parenting requires a great deal of responsibility.
- scottLobster 9y ago
  A lot of initial work maybe. I rip all of my movies with MakeMKV to a Plex Media Server running on an old 2009 desktop. The setup can take a while, mostly picking through extras on the disk and naming them properly. But the interface is just as slick as Netflix and they have an app for practically every device. And if you don't care about the extras ripping the movies is essentially just pushing a button on MakeMKV. If you're looking for a weekend project and have a movie/TV collection I'd highly recommend it. The base software is free and it runs on linux (and Windows/OSX).
givinguflac 9y ago
Honestly, that just seems like a waste of time to me. Regardless of "much" higher quality, at best you're getting 480p from a DVD. I'll take acceptable quality 1080p over great quality 480p every day of the week. What's more, you're still pirating, so why not just download full quality BD rips if you're going to bother?
- swsieber 9y ago
  You can get BD through Netflix's DVD program.
- fulafel 9y ago
  Nitpick: SD DVD is be 576p at best.
  - Dylan16807 9y ago
    PAL-only, and without a corresponding increase in horizontal resolution. 480p is a lot more accurate, though it's in some ways more like 400p.
    - fulafel 9y ago
      Nitpicking intensifies: There is no PAL/NTSC in DVD as they are analog TV color encoding systems, DVD has just resolutions and frame (field) rates. So you can practically have 576p dvds in any region.
      - Dylan16807 9y ago
        At 25Hz. (plus interlacing) Edit: Or that might be wrong and the framerate can be changed separately.
- Rebelgecko 9y ago
  Jeeze, I wish Netflix would stream in DVD quality for me. Their DRM hates my setup for whatever reason, so I'm stuck at a 1 or 2 mbps stream.
- veridies 9y ago
  Sorry for the late response. I get BDs from Netflix, not DVDs (when possible). And I'm already pushing my bandwidth to its limit at home, so it's much easier to get the BDs delivered. Also, for a lot of the films I want to see, I can't find full-quality BD copies anywhere online, only recompressed rips.
kbenson 9y ago
> I actually just subscribe to Netflix' DVD service. I get films in much higher quality delivered every other day That probably doesn't help with things that aren't on DVD/Blu-Ray, such as some of their original content. I don't think you can get Stranger Things in that format yet. > I'm not interested in installing DRM platforms on my computer I believe the majority of people don't watch Netflix on their computer, but instead on set-top devices connected to their TV's That may also include hybrid solutions like Chromecast, where something may be installed on a local computer (likely a phone) as well, but those generally already have DRM platforms installed...
- veridies 9y ago
  Often true, though I know a lot of people who don't own a TV and just watch Netflix on their laptops, even when watching with a large group. I personally have a dedicated Chromebox running LibreELEC with Kodi plugged into my projector, though I also sometimes television on my laptop when I don't want to set everything up.
ghaff 9y ago
Unfortunately, their back catalog is getting worse and worse. If it weren't for ripping what they do still have for later watching I probably would. But I've started thinking of just dropping their DVD service and putting the money toward purchases, paid streaming, and Redbox.

supercanuck 9y ago

That sounds like a lot of work just to plop my kid in front of Dora on the tablet so I can have an hour of sanity before dinner.

gm-conspiracy 9y ago
I've often heard that parenting requires a great deal of responsibility.
scottLobster 9y ago
A lot of initial work maybe. I rip all of my movies with MakeMKV to a Plex Media Server running on an old 2009 desktop. The setup can take a while, mostly picking through extras on the disk and naming them properly. But the interface is just as slick as Netflix and they have an app for practically every device. And if you don't care about the extras ripping the movies is essentially just pushing a button on MakeMKV. If you're looking for a weekend project and have a movie/TV collection I'd highly recommend it. The base software is free and it runs on linux (and Windows/OSX).

givinguflac 9y ago

Honestly, that just seems like a waste of time to me. Regardless of "much" higher quality, at best you're getting 480p from a DVD. I'll take acceptable quality 1080p over great quality 480p every day of the week. What's more, you're still pirating, so why not just download full quality BD rips if you're going to bother?

swsieber 9y ago
You can get BD through Netflix's DVD program.
fulafel 9y ago
Nitpick: SD DVD is be 576p at best.
- Dylan16807 9y ago
  PAL-only, and without a corresponding increase in horizontal resolution. 480p is a lot more accurate, though it's in some ways more like 400p.
  - fulafel 9y ago
    Nitpicking intensifies: There is no PAL/NTSC in DVD as they are analog TV color encoding systems, DVD has just resolutions and frame (field) rates. So you can practically have 576p dvds in any region.
    - Dylan16807 9y ago
      At 25Hz. (plus interlacing) Edit: Or that might be wrong and the framerate can be changed separately.
Rebelgecko 9y ago
Jeeze, I wish Netflix would stream in DVD quality for me. Their DRM hates my setup for whatever reason, so I'm stuck at a 1 or 2 mbps stream.
veridies 9y ago
Sorry for the late response. I get BDs from Netflix, not DVDs (when possible). And I'm already pushing my bandwidth to its limit at home, so it's much easier to get the BDs delivered. Also, for a lot of the films I want to see, I can't find full-quality BD copies anywhere online, only recompressed rips.

kbenson 9y ago

> I actually just subscribe to Netflix' DVD service. I get films in much higher quality delivered every other day That probably doesn't help with things that aren't on DVD/Blu-Ray, such as some of their original content. I don't think you can get Stranger Things in that format yet. > I'm not interested in installing DRM platforms on my computer I believe the majority of people don't watch Netflix on their computer, but instead on set-top devices connected to their TV's That may also include hybrid solutions like Chromecast, where something may be installed on a local computer (likely a phone) as well, but those generally already have DRM platforms installed...

veridies 9y ago
Often true, though I know a lot of people who don't own a TV and just watch Netflix on their laptops, even when watching with a large group. I personally have a dedicated Chromebox running LibreELEC with Kodi plugged into my projector, though I also sometimes television on my laptop when I don't want to set everything up.

ghaff 9y ago

Unfortunately, their back catalog is getting worse and worse. If it weren't for ripping what they do still have for later watching I probably would. But I've started thinking of just dropping their DVD service and putting the money toward purchases, paid streaming, and Redbox.