Up to 10 million Netflix users could be watching the service for free

[HDTV1080P]

Will Netflix Crack Down On Account Sharing?

This article mentions that up to 10 million Netflix users could be watching the service for free since some people are sharing their accounts with friends down the street, etc. Netflix charges $7.99 a month for unlimited streaming that is suppose to be per household account (Netflix allows for up to two video streams at the same time per account).

Netflix could stop piracy by only allowing one IP address to be used at a time. This would allow customers to use unlimited Blu-ray players, HDTV’s, and network connected devices as long as those devices are all in the same house. However now there is a problem with the need for more than one IP address since customers now have portable devices that use a 4G network or hotel WI-FI. So one family member on a business trip that uses Netflix on their portable device is going to be connected to a completely different IP address when compared to the other family member using Netflix at home.

The solution is Netflix should charge an additional fee for each streaming device that is connected to their network. Perhaps offering a plan with unlimited streaming devices can be used, if all the devices are connected to the same IP address at once. Then charging an extra fee for each additional IP address that Netflix is streamed from.

If Netflix wants to increase their revenue and prevent unauthorized use there is ways to make sure that only those in the same household are using the service.

The following are select word for word quotes from the article

“Washington, D.C. (April 22, 2013) - One of the great joys of being a Netflix streaming subscriber is sharing your account with family members and, perhaps, even a friend or two up the street. But one Wall Street analyst is saying that Netflix should crack down on account sharing, forcing possibly millions of people to subscribe on their own.”

“Bloomberg News writes that Michael Pachter, a Wedbush Securities analyst, estimates that 33 million people now subscribe to Netflix's streaming service. But another 10 million could be watching without paying, he says.”

http://www.tvpredictions.com/netflix042213.htm

[pagemaster]

Not sure what the big issue is, the terms and conditions allow you to share your account...How is that piracy? I use my brothers account and my dad uses it as well.

[JavaJulien]

Eh, it's not really piracy when they allow you to view Netflix off of multiple devices. If they really want to crack down on it, just limit the number of devices that can access a single account even more.

Personally, I share my Netflix with my mom (and she in turn shares her Hulu account with me.)

[pagemaster]

The terms and conditions say the account holder is allowed to share passwords. It's a stupid article.

[HDTV1080P]

Netflix Unveils a New Pricing Plan

Quotes

“After considerable buzz yesterday that Netflix may announce a plan to restrict account sharing between family and friends, the online video service instead unveiled a new 'Family' pricing plan that would allow an individual account to watch up to four streams at the same time.”

“The plan, which Netflix said would be available soon, will cost $11.99 a month instead of the usual $7.99 for unlimited streaming on two devices at the same time.”

http://www.tvpredictions.com/netflix042313.htm

[wormraper]

so are they going to restrict the amount of devices to only one stream at a time for the regular plan? or still keep it at two at a time... since the wife and I routinely stream both at once ... me on one tv and she from the other.... if they raise the prices it's going to drastically devalue netflix's already dubious value as it is.

[Penton-Man]

Today's stock price ...http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...percent-444836

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by wormraper

so are they going to restrict the amount of devices to only one stream at a time for the regular plan? or still keep it at two at a time... since the wife and I routinely stream both at once ... me on one tv and she from the other.... if they raise the prices it's going to drastically devalue netflix's already dubious value as it is.

Your existing plan will still allow you to stream from two devices at the same time. The only thing that has changed is there is a new plan for $11.99 that allows 4 devices to stream at the same time.

In the future Netflix might do something about people account sharing with their neighbor down the street with some type of IP detection software that would prevent unauthorized access. For example if someone purchased the $11.99 plan that allowed 4 devices to be streamed at once, it would be possible for 4 people anywhere in the United States to pay only $2.99 for unlimited Netflix a month if they all shared the same Netflix account. Technically the Netflix service is suppose to be for an entire household family and the same account is not suppose to be shared with other friends and families somewhere else in the United States.


Personally I do not use Netflix or VUDU since I prefer the high bit rate 1080P Blu-ray disc with up to 7.1 lossless audio. When the streaming companies start offering lossless audio with MPEG-4/AVC bit rates around 35Mbps I will become more interested. Blockbuster in my area offers unlimited Blu-ray rentals for $14.99 a month and Redbox has Blu-ray rentals for $1.50 a day.

[vargo]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

When the streaming companies start offering lossless audio with MPEG-4/AVC bit rates around 35Mbps I will become more interested.

It will be a long time before lossless audio will be offered on streaming video. It's a waste of valuable bitrate. You can afford to waste all that bitrate on a BD because you've got tonnes of space.

Same for video bitrate. You get diminishing returns with increasing bitrate. No streaming company will deliver 35Mbps video if the quality is only 5% better than 10Mbps. It is a waste of bandwidth. You should be asking for 'Bluray level quality' rather than plucking a number out of the air.

And these are realistic figures - you get 35Mbps on a Bluray is because the disc costs the same whether it is full or empty, not because you 'need' it. In fact the bitrate needed for high quality video has been steadily decreasing as encoding software matures and sources become easier to compress.

[King Troll]

That's a bunch of bull. Now I have to pay?

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Personally I do not use Netflix or VUDU since I prefer the high bit rate 1080P Blu-ray disc with up to 7.1 lossless audio.

Ditto!

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

. It's a stupid article.

+1,000

Michael Pachter is the one that predicted it's 10 million. Anyone familar with Michael Pachter knows he's a complete idiot.

[postulio]

I always wondered how long it would take Netflix to look to all their customers that share accounts with friends and see $$ in their eyes.

I pay for Netflix and let a friend use it for free. Virtually everyone I know that uses Netflix either uses their friend's account or shares their account with another friend. I am not talking about splitting the bill either, I mean just letting a close friend use it.

I agree it is not piracy by any means, but I would not be surprised if they started to crack down on it soon. Little by little Netflix is succumbing to corporate greed. I can hardly believe it cost $15 a month to rent 2 Blu-rays out at once on their plan. BD is the new DVD but the scaling from when they were a new DVD only company doesnt add up.
And dont forget how they pulled their API and took away the ability of developers building apps that tie into your netflix streaming account (manage queues, ratings, social stuffs etc).

Originally Posted by vargo

It will be a long time before lossless audio will be offered on streaming video. It's a waste of valuable bitrate. You can afford to waste all that bitrate on a BD because you've got tonnes of space.

Same for video bitrate. You get diminishing returns with increasing bitrate. No streaming company will deliver 35Mbps video if the quality is only 5% better than 10Mbps. It is a waste of bandwidth. You should be asking for 'Bluray level quality' rather than plucking a number out of the air.

And these are realistic figures - you get 35Mbps on a Bluray is because the disc costs the same whether it is full or empty, not because you 'need' it. In fact the bitrate needed for high quality video has been steadily decreasing as encoding software matures and sources become easier to compress.

Well said, sir!

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by vargo

It will be a long time before lossless audio will be offered on streaming video. It's a waste of valuable bitrate. You can afford to waste all that bitrate on a BD because you've got tonnes of space.

Same for video bitrate. You get diminishing returns with increasing bitrate. No streaming company will deliver 35Mbps video if the quality is only 5% better than 10Mbps. It is a waste of bandwidth. You should be asking for 'Bluray level quality' rather than plucking a number out of the air.

And these are realistic figures - you get 35Mbps on a Bluray is because the disc costs the same whether it is full or empty, not because you 'need' it. In fact the bitrate needed for high quality video has been steadily decreasing as encoding software matures and sources become easier to compress.

When it comes to the masses out there, most do not care that the audio is lossless. Netflix appeals to the masses....

[cobravenomous]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

When it comes to the masses out there, most do not care that the audio is lossless. Netflix appeals to the masses....

Likely so true, but also so disappointing................I won't rent a Blu ray that doesn't have "lossless" audio as I can truly hear a significant difference between lossy and lossless audio; having performed multiple "A" "B" tests on various Blu rays. The sound difference is truly remarkable with lossless being so much better.

Cobra

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by cobravenomous

Likely so true, but also so disappointing................I won't rent a Blu ray that doesn't have "lossless" audio as I can truly hear a significant difference between lossy and lossless audio; having performed multiple "A" "B" tests on various Blu rays. The sound difference is truly remarkable with lossless being so much better.

Cobra

For me, I am not to concerned with lossless audio, makes no difference to me. I think people get a little too caught up with bit rates, compression and such, people forget that we always had higher bit rate audio in the late 90's with DTS and not too many really cared. I get to see a lot of screener blu rays and they just have standard Dolby Digital most times.

Too be honest, I actually much prefer laserdisc audio over blu ray, but blu ray over dvd.

[KRW1]

I wonder what they think of people watching worldwide content on it? I don't think I'd bother if I were tied to UK only Netflix as the content is crap and I don't think I'm alone.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Personally I do not use Netflix or VUDU since I prefer the high bit rate 1080P Blu-ray disc with up to 7.1 lossless audio.

There’s even competition to Blu-ray discs for that now - http://www.electronichouse.com/artic...descape_system

It's a tough world out there, everyone wants a piece of the pie.

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by pagemaster

For me, I am not to concerned with lossless audio, makes no difference to me. I think people get a little too caught up with bit rates, compression and such, people forget that we always had higher bit rate audio in the late 90's with DTS and not too many really cared. I get to see a lot of screener blu rays and they just have standard Dolby Digital most times.

Too be honest, I actually much prefer laserdisc audio over blu ray, but blu ray over dvd.

not too many people cared but 1.5kbps dts was a SOLID jump over DD 448kbps audio and it showed. the masses are just stupid for the most part

[pagemaster]

Originally Posted by wormraper

not too many people cared but 1.5kbps dts was a SOLID jump over DD 448kbps audio and it showed. the masses are just stupid for the most part

Which kind of goes to show you that the masses are really not that interested in whether there is full bit rate or half etc....DTS eventually had to cut the bit rates in half for DVD..

I have never really understood why so many get all worked up about lossless when it does not sound all that much different.