Comments on: Netflix Silverlight Opt In (Proceed with Caution)

By: Jason Powell

Jason Powell — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:50:47 +0000

I’ve been watching online with Netflix for nearly a year and have been happy. So when they suggested I upgrade for a “better experience” I trusted them. Ouch. The new Silverlight version tears like mad, and drops zillions of frames. I hate it…. but wasn’t sure if I was being too picky. Then my wife and kids complained about the same thing (without me telling them anything changed). It’s now un-watchable. I’m SOOO mad at Netflix!

By: Rene'

Rene' — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:58:08 +0000

Is there a way to NOT instal this Silverlight? I’ve been watching instantly on Netflix using IE for months now with no problem. I try to watch something today and it tells me “Your almost ready to watch XYZ, click here to install the Silverlight plug-in”

So if you don’t want to install this you can’t use Netlix instant watch anymore?

By: JH

JH — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:20:13 +0000

I’ve used the older Netflix streaming player for years without an issue. In fact, I found it quite impressive how the video quality was excellent and no skipping. Last night I tried to watch using the new Silverlight player and it’s TERRIBLE. And to make matters worse, there’s no path back. Netflix has made a poor choice in buying into the silverlight hype. It’s junk.
By the way, my Windows XP install is only about 1 month old with no apps running in the system tray or background so don’t go blaming my PC!!

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:52:06 +0000

Hate the Silverlight version. I only use the instant viewing when I’m in hotels, and the connections at most hotels aren’t fast enough to run any movies without spending about 30 minutes buffering, and then have to rebuffer every 20 minutes into the movie.

Good bye Netflix, I’m cancelling my subscription

By: Quite disappointed

Quite disappointed — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:09:03 +0000

Disappointed to the point where Netflix and I have parted ways – it feels like a breakup. Silverlight does not work in our area yet cannot switch back, logged on through another person’s account half way across the country, that does not used instant watch and their system too has been flipped over. This type of behavior is a death knoll to a company. Bad decision Netflix. Bye bye I’ve gone to Hulu.com Abc.com cbs.com. tnt.com, pbs.com and so many others that offer what you do, for free! As for the broken disks, don’t need em. A flash in the pan industry, say goodbye to paid tv

By: Sabrina

Sabrina — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:48:18 +0000

I do not have a TV so watch movies online through netflix. This ended up in me being forced to opt-in with Silverlight. Almost two weeks later after this forced transition, movies are still pixilated and sound and images are out of sink.
Most interestingly, though, Silverlight dumps the instant viewing movies as *.wmv and *.wma files on your harddrive by the gigabyte, ignoring the space limitation settings of the internet explorer.
Yes, this probably implies that Microsoft is making Netflix break the copyright laws with every movie studio that it distributes movies for.

By: Kayla K.

Kayla K. — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:57:06 +0000

Everything David Smith says happened to me too. I thought it was some problem with my computer or internet connection speed….. Glad I read this

By: David Smith

David Smith — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:33:14 +0000

I just signed up for the beta and it sucks! The video quality is horrible. The screens are really choppy it drops thevideo feed. I have a 40MB connection on fiber so I know it is not my connection but the quality of netflix’s silverlights video. I wish i could go back to the original version. I had no idea that not all the videos are available on silverlight yet.So in short, i just shot myself in the leg until they can get their beta up to speed.

By the way this was on a dual core vista machine with 4GB of ram.