It seems as though BB will again offer their Freedom Pass for unlimited DVD Rentals staring June 1. I was a member of this program about two years ago, when it was one a day for thirty days. I then opted out of it, and switched to Netflix. Then I started school again, and stopped eveyrting.....

Anyway, the question is, which would you go for? Netflix is $20/mo for unlimted, and BB is $26. W/BB you don't have to wait for the mail, just in those insane lines, but if you go in at a decent time of day, it shouldn't be a problem.

Was wondering what your thoughts were on this.

Ari

BB is easier in exchanging items, but doesn't have the catalog that Netflix has. You have to decide if you are only going to get new or recent dvd releases or are you after catalog/specialty items. It boils down to what you desire out of your rental experience. I would like to see a Netflix catalog in a retail store with the flat fee rentals.

Not as good a deal as an unlimited rental pass, I received a postcard in the mail today, well actually it was addressed to "Resident," but I haven't gone to Blockbuster in over 2 years.

It had a card for a free game rental, video or DVD when opening a new account. Also the card contained a card to cut-out and use as many times as you want for $2.99 rentals on anything in the store, DVDs, video-games or VHS tapes until May 31, 2003.

Netflix - much larger library, and I don't have to make a special trip to the store.

I've been able to rent tons of stuff from Netflix that I'm pretty sure Blockbuster doesn't stock. Plus, it all just shows up in my mailbox.
On top of that, I hate Blockbuster, and I wouldn't patronize them anyhow.

Ditto...I can deal with a couple days turnaround, when I just get it/drop it in the mailbox, and when NF has fifty times the selection BB does. I've got 100+ stuff on my queue, and every time I go to BB [which isn't often, I do occassionally check for their pre-owned stuff], I wander around trying to think of what I want to see, then try to find it, then find out it's out of stock.

However, that's also because the closest BB is a couple miles out of the way, and the parking lot is a pain. They are putting one in almost within walking distance to me. That won't make me suddenly drop NF and start patronizing BB anymore, but it may make me think about their offers for about fifteen seconds rather than the three it takes me now to say 'No.'

The one-a-day cards, to me, are silly. But then I and my wife both work 40+ and we have a new baby to take care of If I were single, or still in college, or a little more fancy-free it might be more appetizing for me. But even then, I don't think I'd get full use of it.

How does the Freedom Pass work? Buy a card for 26$ that lasts a month, and you can have X out at a time as long as you want? Even if I did do that, it probably wouldn't take more than one month to see everything they have that I would want to see.

I believe that the Freedom Pass let you have one movie, any movie (new release or catalog title) out at a time. Whenever you return one, you can pick up another. I believe that it is a maximum of one per day, so in theory you could watch 30 different movies for $26.

I won't be doing either since video rental prices around here are low (I rent 4 or so DVDs / week (including new releases), but never pay more than $1 / rental). But, if I were choosing between Freedom Pass and Netflix...

I would do the Freedom Pass for one month and watch all of the catalog titles / new releases that you care to watch. Blockbuster is good about getting some "artsy" films and documentaries, there will be a lot that you will want to watch. But after a month, I would have gone through all I really care to watch, so I would then go to netflix.

Besides Netflix's superior selection, Blockbuster continues to frustrate me by recently combining the DVDs with the VHS (they used to be separate and easy to find out what was available). Now it takes forever to sift through, and I tend to avoid the store more often than not. Its just not worth the trouble anymore....

No way would I do the BBr deal---WAY too much P&S (w/no OAR copies), not enough selection, & overpriced for the use I'd get out of it. No thanks.

for Blockbuster = instant gratification, you get both discs in a double disc set at the same time, no fear of lost mail

for Blockbuster = P&S releases whenever possible, limited selection, lines, crowds, stupid cashiers, driving

for Netflix = Incredible selection, zero effort

for Netflix = They break up every 2+ disc set, things get lost, slow (comparitively) turn-around time.

for Blockbuster = instant gratification, you get both discs in a double disc set at the same time, no fear of lost mail
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Does Netflix separate 2 disc sets into seperate rentals?

Yes, at least that's what they were doing when I was a member 8 months ago.

So if you wanted to watch Minority Report and all of the special features, you would have to add both disc 1 and 2 to your queue.

see here

Yep...for me, that's one of the few downsides to Netflix.....I can *kinda* see it for Movie disk vs. Bonus disk, or for multiple disks of a series [TV shows like the Simpsons, Fawlty Towers, Sopranos, or Band of Brothers are by the disk--I'm not sure how BB does it for TV shows.] But splitting the movie, with they also do, http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?...20850&trkid=73 like on The Godfather part II or Lawrence of Arabia http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?...00750&trkid=73 , I don't like that--especially when you can ship two disks in the same envelope for the same price.
But the Feature vs. Bonus disk isn't a huge deal for me--I've rented very few separate bonus disks from them. It depends on the bonuses, of course, but I'm not going to bother taking the time to get a bonus disk that has one EPK and two deleted scenes.
Regarding things getting lost: I've been with them since May 2001, and I've had two things be *delayed*, one in transit to me, one in transit back to NF, for about 3 1/2 weeks, but I've not had one actually lost yet *knockwood*. The shipping time was 3-4 days for me, then they opened a distro center in MD, [I'm in NC], and it started being two days [I'd drop one in the mailbox on Monday, they'd get it either Tuesday or Wednesday, same speed sending one to me.] But now I'm sending back to PA, and it seems to be slowing down a little bit, but I don't have enough data to tell for sure.

Buster breaks up the tv series, -separate rentals for each disc. Right now, the Netflix turnaround time in St. Louis is 1-2 days.

Like someone else mentioned, I think the best solution would be to go with Blockbuster until you've exhausted most of what they have to offer, then switch to Netflix as a more permanant solution. Blockbuster is ideal for newer/more popular releases and multi-disc sets (tv series). A tv series through Netflix is an exercise in frustration unless you don't mind watching the whole series over several months.

I actually love doing TV shows thru Netflix. I get my disk, watch each show as my time allows, then send it off for another one. The ability to watch 4 episodes all on one disk is enough to satisfy my need for instant gratification. Much more than having to wait from week-to-week in thje original airdate.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching Alias and 24 on the airdate, and I thank TiVo for catching them for me. But older shows I never saw first time around, I am enjoying immensely thru Netflix.

Lately i have enjoyed:
CSI
Sex and the City
Oz
Six Feet Under
Band of Brothers
Twin Peaks
Buffy
Angel

Thank you Netflix! I would have never spent all the $$ at BB to rent all of these multi-disk seasons. But with Netflix, it's just so damn easy!

If the Blockbuster around here had Freedom Pass, I would seriously consider doing it for one month for $26. During that month I would watch at least 20 movies / TV show DVDs that are not available at the normal place I rent (which is not Blockbuster). I could find 20 movies to watch, Blockbuster does tend to carry more independent type films and documentaries, but charges way too much to see them.

No way I would pay Blockbuster for more than one month, though.