Hello Idea Fox friends!
Something I don’t feel like raising blogging topics today, I decided to digress from the endless poking around in search engines and the bowels of WordPress. I didn’t really do anything during the holidays, I just watched movies and had a lot of rest. Of course, he indulged in the sin of devouring serials =)
You yourself know that in recent years in Russia there has been a zealous fight against pirate sites that host unlicensed videos. Let's face it, it's getting harder and harder for freeloaders to find the right movie.
And then I found out that a giant of the global video rental market called NetFlix.Com became available in Russia. It entered the Russian market just yesterday, on January 6th.
Of course, I immediately decided to test in order to understand how much I need it. At the same time, I decided to compare it with the Amediateka service, of which I became a subscriber a year and a half ago (de facto, this is the Russian analogue of Netflix).
Why are competitors afraid of NetFlix? Yes, because it is a huge business machine that operates in 130 countries and has a subscriber base of 50 million people. Naturally, Russian cinemas tensed up in anticipation of this monster.
And so, he came to us =)
What is netflix?
In fact, this is an Internet cinema. Pay a small monthly subscription fee and watch movies and series in high quality. Looking ahead, I’ll say that movies and TV shows on NetFlix.Com are just a breakthrough + give one month for testing for free.
I repeat that Amediateka works exactly according to the same scheme.
How much does Netflix cost?
On the this moment the rates are as follows:
If we increase each tariff by one marketing cent, we will get 8, 10, 12 euros per month. If we translate into rubles, at the rate of 1 euro = 81 rubles, we get:
- Basic plan = 648 rubles
- Standard plan = 881 rubles
- Premium plan = 972 rubles
I will say frankly that not all Russians will be delighted with such tariffs. But if you compare it with the price of a ticket in an ordinary cinema, then everyone will understand that it is very cheap.
By the way, why are prices in euros and not in rubles? Inconvenient, we have to translate prices into our currency.
How to get a month month in NetFlix for free?
But there is good news - when subscribing, they give one month for free at any tariff. (Immediately a big plus in favor of NetFlix, since there is no such bonus in Amediateka yet).
A free month is given immediately upon subscribing.
1. On home page service, press the big red button “Start Your Free Month”:
2. Choose the desired tariff
I decided to test the “Basic” tariff for 8 euros.
By the way, please note that so far everything is in English. It's sad, because going out on Russian market with an English-language interface - a VERY strange solution.
And again a strange decision. Imagine our person who wants to get a free month, and he is immediately offered to enter details bank card or unknown to many PayPal service.
There is nothing to even guess at - most of our people will leave the registration as soon as they see the requirement to fill in the subscription details. In addition, in English, yeah =)
But I still decided to break through to Netflix, because it became very curious
I subscribed via PayPal (I think that very few people in Russia understand what this is payment system such).
By the way, here you need to understand that by choosing any of these payment methods you issue MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION. That is, each subsequent month after the free one, NetFlix will charge 8, 10, 12 euros from the card, depending on the chosen tariff. And if you do not like this service, then the subscription will need to be canceled in the account settings.
For example, PayPal honestly warned that a monthly subscription would be issued:
After making the payment, we check the tariff settings again, put a tick in which we confirm that we are over 18 years old (curious why?).
And click on the button “Start Membership”
Then we choose what we will watch movies and series on. I chose a computer (DescTop or LapTop)
And ... again an incomprehensible window popped up =) Something was too smart ...
Here you are asked to enter my name. How to contact me.
Okay, let them call me Dmitry. To be honest, I'm already fed up with entering my data.
And ... we are waiting for ANOTHER WINDOW in which we need to choose the series that we like.
Just choose three series that you like. Apparently, based on your choice, they will build a grid of viewer preferences.
Everyone broke through =)
Well, maybe TV shows with Russian voice acting?
I poked at a few serials at random - nothing like that. There is no Russian voice acting for January 7, 2016 for most films and TV shows.
For example, I was able to find a Russian voice acting for the series “Better Call Saul”
How to choose Russian language?
While watching the series, you need to do as in the picture below:
And you will be happy if there is Russian voice acting =) Unfortunately, it is far from being available for any film.
What are the benefits of NetFlix?
- A huge number of series that we don’t even know about. I'm serious - eyes run wide from such abundance.
- Picture quality - no complaints at all, even at the cheapest rate.
- Brakes did not notice at a speed of 8 megabits / sec.
- If there is Russian voice acting, then it is done at a very good level.
- There is mobile application+ software for set-top boxes + XBOX + PlayStation + Apple TV
Cons for Russia
- I repeat that entering the Russian video rental market with an English interface is a very strange decision. It remains to be hoped that soon at least the site will be translated into Russian.
- To date, few TV series and films have been translated into Russian. Sorting or filtering for already translated films into Russian film does not hurt at all. Even the profile settings do not have the ability to select the Russian language.
- Pretty confusing registration (and again there is no Russian language).
- Few payment methods. De facto, there is only Visa, since most Russians do not know about PayPal at all. Ideally, you need to add Yandex.Money + WebMoney + SberbankOnline.
My verdict
In my opinion, NetFlix hastened to enter our market. Already at the first steps of registration in the service, a lot of questions arise that can be solved only by knowing English language. Well, there are gaps with the voice acting, frankly.
It turns out that today Netflix is useful only for those who know English (or want to learn it by watching films in a foreign language). To be honest, all this is more like an emergency launch, because they didn’t meet the deadlines, but they need to be launched.
I will watch for another month and most likely unsubscribe if the situation with transfers does not change for the better.
And for our video rental services, you don’t have to worry at all, to be honest. But if everyone finishes and translates, then competitors' marketers will run around the ceiling, trying to survive in competition with NetFlix =)
This is not a joke, since a truly WORLD leader has appeared in Russia, who will not stand on ceremony with smaller players.
As we already wrote, in early January, the long-awaited launch of the Netflix service took place in Russia and the CIS countries. And although the subscription prices for one of the world's most popular services for watching movies and TV shows are not the lowest, the creators of Netflix have shown loyalty to users by giving them the opportunity to get full access to the service for one month for free.
Briefly about Netflix. Netflix is a super popular service for watching movies and series. Especially serials. On Netflix, new episodes of all popular series are released simultaneously with the whole world, which gives users of the service the opportunity not to think about the need to specifically wait for the broadcast or connect to channels that show their favorite shows. And what is even more pleasant, you can watch movies and TV shows for everyone Apple devices from iPhone to Apple TV.
Attention: Netflix began to be supported in Russia and the CIS countries, however, very little content with Russian-language tracks in the service has been noticed so far. Moreover, there are no Russian subtitles for films and TV shows yet.
Step 1. Go to the Netflix website and click on the link Start Your Free Month
Step 2. Choose the right plan and click Continue
Step 3. Enter your email address, enter a password and click Register
Step 4. Choose a payment type. We note that the money for the subscription will not be withdrawn from the account, but indicate the type of payment ( credit card or PayPal) is required to start a free month of using Netflix.
Note: after registration, we will show you how to deactivate the subscription.
Step 5. Confirm the registration and selected plan by clicking Start Membership
Step 6. Specify the devices on which you plan to watch movies and series
Step 7. Choose your three favorite TV shows or movies so that Netflix will offer you the right content. Registration process completed
Step 8. If you want to immediately cancel your Netflix subscription, thereby protecting your account from unnecessary charges, click on your name account in the right upper corner and select View Account
Step 9. On the page that opens, click Cancel Membership and confirm the cancellation. The ability to use Netflix for a month for free is not going anywhere
Smart TV is a feature that is present on all modern TVs Sony. Thanks to this, on devices you can perform all the same operations as on a computer, and even more. A user who has a Sony Bravia TV can now watch online video directly from the TV without going to the computer. But you need to connect to the internet. In addition, you can surf the web and install various applications.
In addition, in order to use the Smart TV function, it is not at all necessary to buy the most expensive Sony devices, but you can opt for the budget category of TVs. Particular attention should be paid to the programs and applications that you install on the TV, since their quantity and quality largely determine what functions the device can perform.
Where to get apps for Sony Smart TV
All manufacturers of smart TVs install the original browser as standard on their devices, which is included in the package of other equipment. For Sony, this is ForkPlayer, which has a lot of interesting features and makes the TV more convenient and enjoyable. But this player can be installed not only on Sony TVs, but also on other devices that run on the Android system.
As a result, you will be able to:
- View online channels, movies and videos from various sites;
- And also the browser helps to view information on a flash drive, or stored in the TV's memory.
Add this application Any user can access a Sony TV. They download the player either from the official Sony website or from unofficial resources, of course, if you are not afraid to catch a virus or install a low-quality, outdated application.
In addition, there is a standard Smart menu, which is also used as a search application if the usual set of content does not suit the user. Through the Smart Menu, you can do anything, as this is the main tool for the operation of the device. It reflects any program that works on the TV, and here, this list can be thinned out or replenished.
What are the features of ForkPlayer for Sony Smart TV
The specificity of Smart TV is that this application on the TV receives content directly from the site. But most programs on the Internet do not work in the format in which TV will be able to perceive them. This application processes the signal and after that its format is converted. But these are not the only features of the application:
- The user can watch videos and listen to music from any site;
- Downloading applications for Sony Bravia through ForkPlayer is much easier than from other browsers, again, due to the relatively large functional potential;
- Having installed a Sony Bravia Smart TV, it already used a list of the most popular sites and online cinemas where the user could enter;
- A person has the ability to save favorite playlists. Thus, it will be possible to view content even without using your Sony Bravia Smart TV, but from other devices where ForkPlayer is installed;
- In addition, you can install and add other applications, both official and non-official, but suitable for a specific model.
Installing Smart TV applications on Sony through ForkPlayer, like other functions, is possible only if you register on the official website of the application. When this procedure is carried out, the user will have to go to Personal Area and add to the list other devices that can cooperate with each other.
How to refresh web content through the main menu of Smart TV
Updating web content on a TV is one of the most important steps in getting the device to work as it should, no matter what year it was released and how long ago the software was updated. You need to update the installed content with no less frequency than flashing, so we are trying to download new and update old applications that are already on the TV list.
This procedure is done in this way:
- Take the remote control, and find the “Home” button on the panel. It will display in the menu where you need to find the “Settings” section and select the “Network” sub-item;
- In the "Network" menu, select "Update Internet Content" and wait until auto tuning will not end;
- When the update is finished, return to Sony Smart TV again, that is, press the "Home" button again. In the "Processed" field, you will see those programs without which television cannot work. They are installed by default. If there are not enough of them, it is possible to add a few more. To do this, go to the "All applications" section;
- If you find some additional widget that is not yet in the menu, you can add it to "My applications", after which it will also appear in the main "home" list.
After these settings, you can use Smart TV on your Sony TV, watch TV and view Internet content without any problems.
How to install widgets on Sony Smart TV using ForkPlayer
There are several ways to install widgets on Sony Bravia Smart TV using ForkPlayer. Now we will try to consider the two most popular ways.
First way:
- Open the "Network connection settings" in the TV menu;
- Choose a manual installation method that will allow you to enable or disable any module at the request of the user;
- Next, in the settings, you should change the primary DNS. The added number should look like this: 46.36.218.194. But it's not certain that it will work. If you still couldn’t connect to the network, you can try to get around the other side and use a slightly different set of numbers: 85.17.30.89. When that doesn't work, then last option, as a rule, is ideal: 217.79.190.156. Much depends on the TV model, so it is advisable to try everything;
- Wait until you connect to the Internet;
After the connection is over, you should launch the NOW.RU Theta application, although you can also use Lifeshow if you go through the Opera Store. As a result, the ForkPlayer widget will be launched. It remains to carry out simple settings and you can work.
Since January 6, 2016, Netflix has expanded its broadcasting influence to 130 more countries, including Ukraine and Russia (and excluding Crimea). Now we have access to a civilized subscription to media content without registration and SMS dances with vpn and payment methods. I have been waiting for this service in Ukraine for a long time, so I subscribed, since the first month you can get acquainted with the service for free. Service overview below.
We launch
Miraculously, the application automatically logs me into Netflix (this is because I registered with an email from a Google account)
The main screen still looks the same except for the interesting “secondary screen” icon.
By clicking on the icon, we get a list of TVs on your network that already have Netflix installed. Those. videos can be played from a smartphone/tablet directly to the TV. The application on the TV will automatically launch and playback will begin. Moreover, if you started broadcasting on TV in the middle of the movie, it will start from the same place, minus 5 seconds.
The series card looks like this
Description, “broadcast to TV” and “share to different social networks” icons, “add to my list” button and selection of seasons and episodes
But when I tried to take a screenshot of the player interface, nothing happened. This is the notification it shows
Those. the application blocks the ability to take a screenshot of the video. The player interface is slightly reminiscent of YouTube. There are icons for changing the audio track and subtitles, selecting a series and season, the sound adjustment icon calls the system slider. The brightness and speed of the video is not adjustable.
The search button activates the search, which is logical :)
Search by movie and TV series titles, actors, directors, genres, etc. Voice search present and working. Only a well-honed English pronunciation is required :)
Content
No matter how large and foreign the company is, no matter how beautiful applications she did not create, the most important thing is the content. For access to which people will pay money. And then there was a huge hole. There is no content, as such, for Ukraine. Sad but true.
Some personal statistics. To date, I watch 23 series. And they are massive. 4 of them are available on Netflix. And only 1 is complete, because it ended in 2013. And 1 more has a Russian audio track. For example, the same House of cards, the pride of Netflix, is not available to us. Like Breaking bad. And they are there. People from America write that Netflix has almost all the top video content that goes on cable channels.
The situation is the same with films. I spent 30 minutes clicking through different films and couldn't find one with a Russian track. Not to mention Ukrainian.
Total
On the one hand, I'm glad that Netflix broke into us like that and offers its service. On the other hand, everything is somehow chaotic. It seems that there are a lot of films and TV shows - see how much you like. Sharpen your knowledge of English. But after all, I watch TV shows to relax and unwind, and not to strain, understanding the pronunciation of this or that actor or trying to understand some legal or medical term. I don't talk about jokes at all.
My personal opinion is damp, very, very damp. If with music content google play music and Apple music did not lose, because knowledge of foreign languages is not a necessity when listening to music, but this does not work with video content. Moreover, the volume of this content is very limited. Again, foreign companies are stepping on the same rake. They bring us enlightenment in the form of a civilized payment for content, while limiting the availability and quantity of this very content for ordinary citizens.
They do not understand that we have all this, and even more and better, and, moreover, for free?
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Surely, while surfing the Internet, you have come across the name Netflix. "What it is?" - a sultry thought swirled in my head. You can find out the answer to this question in this article. We'll talk about Netflix: what it is, its features, series and more. Interested? Read this article!
Netflix - what is it and what is it eaten with?
Series for millions of people have become an important part of life. In TV circles, you can often hear the word Netflix. What is it, and how does it relate to the series? Everything is very simple. Netflix is a well-known company that distributes various media through streaming. Simply put, Netflix sells its users access to various feature films, documentaries, shows, TV series, etc. online. The company was founded back in 1997. You can learn more about the history of this company in this article.
The history of Netflix
As you can read above, the company was founded in 1997. However, at that time she was engaged in the rental of DVDs by mail. Netflix was founded by Reed Hastings, an IT entrepreneur who was just looking for where to invest his money. And the choice fell on a disc rental company. This decision was prompted by Reed's incident. An entrepreneur rented an Apollo 13 cassette and lost it. For the loss, Reed had to pay a rather large fine of $40 by the standards of 1997. It was then that Reid, with the support of his friend Mark Randolph, created his own rental service.
The company developed rapidly, and already in 1999, the online service Video on Demand (or, as it was called in America, VoD) was developed. The business became more and more into video-on-demand sales, but the mail-order portion of sales was about 7 million orders.
AT last years The company is actively developing. The company has its own channel - "Netflix". In addition, the Netflix system has been recognized as one of the most successful business ideas over the past 5 years. A couple of years ago, Netflix began producing its own series, which are famous for their high quality. Series from Netflix often receive prestigious awards and, most importantly, are a huge success among viewers. Why is Netflix so popular?
Netflix Success Secrets
Perhaps the first reason for such popularity is the availability of the service. Most (like NBC, FOX, ABC and others) for the standard package TV channels take about 25 dollars. And in order to add a dozen or two additional channels, you will have to pay another 30-40 green ones. A subscription to Netflix, in turn, will cost only $ 8, which is a trifle for Americans. It was also officially announced that the cost of a subscription will not increase, but on the contrary, it may soon decrease.
The second reason is multiplatform. Netflix is not tied to a specific device. You can watch series on your computer, smartphone, TV, tablet and even game console. It is very convenient and practical.
Well, the third reason is quality content. Netflix invests crazy amounts in their projects. Thanks to this, it is possible to create truly high-quality series with an excellent plot, eminent actors and realistic special effects. For example, relatively recently the company released the series "House of Cards". This political drama cost the company $60 million. Such a huge amount of money is rarely invested even in films, not to mention series (for example, only $ 40 million was invested in the world bestseller "50 Shades of Grey"). And the costs have more than paid off. The series received a lot of awards and at the same time made good advertising the company itself. Do you want to know about other series from Netflix? This article will help you with this.
Series
As mentioned above, main feature series from Netflix are huge budgets and high quality. In addition, another characteristic feature is that Netflix series come out on the same day. The company does not torment its users, but immediately shows all its trump cards. But, perhaps, let's move on to the specifics and talk about the most promising projects of the company.
Daredevil ("Daredevil") is a recent series based on the Marvel graphic novel. The story tells us about who became blind due to an accident. But having lost his sight, Matt gained heightened senses. The boy grew up and, together with his friend Foggy Nelson, opened a law office. During the day, Matt defends the innocent in court, and at night he fights crime in Hell's Kitchen. The series is famous for its subtle and thoughtful plot, well-staged fights and excellent actors. What is one Vincent D "Onofio worth as the main antagonist. At the moment, the first season of the series has been released, and the second is being prepared for release (the premiere is scheduled for April 2016).
Orange is the New Black ("Orange is the New Black") is another worthy series. The plot tells us about a girl named Piper Chapman, who, by coincidence, went to jail for 15 months. Now the girl has to not only get used to the new environment, but also to survive.
At the moment, the service works only in the United States, some countries in Latin America and Europe. In March of this year, Netflix opened in Australia and New Zealand. The service will launch in Japan this fall. In 2016, it is planned to launch Netflix in Russia, China, South Korea and other countries.