Premiere and Netflix

[BlackBetty]

Will you be able to search all of Netflix's instant viewing catalog via the TiVo search function?

Does it currently work this way with the S3 or TiVo HD?

[jmpage2]

From what we've seen in the demos it will be far easier to get the Netflix catalog via search than it is on S3.

For example, if you type in "T" "U" "D" on the keyboard it will match the most popular shows and immediately "The Tudors" will come up.

Note that you didn't have to type "The" at the beginning for this to work, it simply does a pattern match on your letters and figures out what the most likely thing you want is.

It will then give you options to watch via Netflix, order the shows from Amazon, etc.

From what we've seen in the demos it looks like it will be quite a bit better than the current way of doing things.

[Mike-Mike]

Does Tivo make any money off of having Netflix on their boxes? or is it the other way around? Do they pay Netflix to have them on there? Or is it just considered mutually beneficial and even steven?

[nrc]

Will you be able to search all of Netflix's instant viewing catalog via the TiVo search function?

Does it currently work this way with the S3 or TiVo HD?

This works today with TiVo Search on the S3 or HD. If a program is available for instant viewing via Netflix it will show a Netflix logo and give you the "Watch Now" option.

[jmpage2]

This works today with TiVo Search on the S3 or HD. If a program is available for instant viewing via Netflix it will show a Netflix logo and give you the "Watch Now" option.

It's a bit more complicated on S3 than you are making it out to be. As can be seen from the following it's rather convoluted to get to the point where you can actually "watch instantly".

http://www.tivoblog.com/archives/2009/12/02/search-netflix-instant-watch-catalog-via-tivo-search-beta/

[gweempose]

This works today with TiVo Search on the S3 or HD. If a program is available for instant viewing via Netflix it will show a Netflix logo and give you the "Watch Now" option.This is correct, but it would be nice if we could browse the Netflix catalog by category the way we can with Amazon or Blockbuster.

[nrc]

It's a bit more complicated on S3 than you are making it out to be. As can be seen from the following it's rather convoluted to get to the point where you can actually "watch instantly".

How so? TiVo search is nearly identical to the Search feature they've showed on the Permiere.

[nrc]

This is correct, but it would be nice if we could browse the Netflix catalog by category the way we can with Amazon or Blockbuster.

If you mean like new releases, top rentals, etc. Yeah, no help on the S3 there.

Looks like the Premiere will add some cross-source categories like that may provide what you're looking for.

[belunos]

You mean like on the Xbox 360? Man, I have yet to find a better implementation of Netflix than on the 360

[Virgil]

Trying out my new Premiere, one thing that has definitely stood out as needing improvement is the Netflix component. Because I will be relying on only OTA antenna, this Netflix is pretty important in our house.

Tivo needs to implement a UI for Netflix similar to XBox 360 and Wii, specifically adding the ability to browse different genres.

I was really surprised that the Wii's interface--that disk just arriving last weekend--is superior to Tivo. Hopefully, that will change soon.

That said, I found the picture and playback quality for Netflix on the Premiere to be very good.

[aaronwt]

but even with those you still can't browse all titles can you?

[Virgil]

With Xbox and Wii you can browse by genre, then by title within that genre, which much better than Tivo's 'Instant-queue-only' approach. For instance, on the Wii, my daughter can go to the 'Children and Family' genre and have a look until she finds something she likes. It would be nice if the same were possible on the Tivo. Hopefully it will be soon.