The Best Netflix Hardware Experience?

netflix-players

ZNF friend Tech of the Hub has round up a variety of Netflix streaming hardware for comparison. They’re not the first to go down this path, but they are the most recent. Although I’d have liked to see an Xbox 360 in the mix, the Roku, Apple TV, Wii, PS3, and TiVo analysis is thorough… if subjective in many respects.

Tech of the Hub concludes the Apple TV provides the best experience. However, I’d argue the continually updated HTML5 PS3 UI and higher quality content puts it at the head of the pack. And we can probably all agree that TiVo has the most dated Netflix interface, yet the app’s limitations are significantly offset via TiVo’s universal search capabilities and “input one” position on the television.

At the end of the day, the best Netflix player is the one you have around. Fortunately there are quite possibly hundreds of devices to choose from.

36 thoughts on “The Best Netflix Hardware Experience?”

  1. Netflix on tivo is barely usable. Tried watching a movie on it, froze 4-5 times. Switch to my sony dvd and ZERO problems, so it wasn’t my internet connection.

    Tivo search is NICE, but in their quest for universal search it makes it too hard to browse. They need a real netflix client.

  2. Scott, I have had Netflix streaming on them all too and more (Vizio TV & 360, for example) other than the Wii. Roku is my go-to player. It’s quick and easy. The Sony Dash and iOS clients are pretty cool too, but not TV accessories.

    Charlie, yeah I’ve had bad luck with stream and app reliability on TiVo. But since I gave up on it a long while ago, I didn’t put that in the post in case its improved and many commenters haven’t had the problems I previously experienced.

  3. TiVo search really is awesome because it makes it feel like you’ve extended the library of Netflix content, but I agree with Charlie, Netflix on TiVo is barely usable. At least once a week it goes dark or causes a lengthy reboot. this doesn’t really have anything to do with the UI experience, but it does ultimately subtract from the enjoyment and in my opinion disqualifies them from this competition. Out of all of them, the Xbox360 is probably my favorite.

  4. The PS3 and my LG 60PX950 plasma have nearly the identical interface (and best). Sometimes it makes sense to only turn on the plasma (and control everything with one remote). If I want a loud, surround sound (albeit mostly simulated or ProLogic on most streaming titles), I’ll fire up the PS3 and the AV receiver.

    I also have the Apple TV, an LG Blu-ray player, a Windows Media Center PC, and a 360. What’s funny is that the free Hulu Desktop on the PC trumps all of the paid Hulu Plus interfaces on all my devices.

  5. My Panasonic Blu-Ray player is OK, but my kids prefer it on the Wii, despite lower resolution. The Wii does allow searching with the Blu-ray doesn’t, but I use my iPod Touch as a “remote” to add items to my playlist if in conjunction with the Blu-ray player.

  6. class action suit on tivo for netflix problem anyone?

    I want to him them for falsely collecting sales tax as well….

    The iphone/ipod touch as a netflix “remote” is something I’ve used as well.

  7. I use an HTPC and a Series 3 TiVo for Netflix – obviously the HTPC is a lot more versatile, but since some content is still not available in HD for the PC, I use TiVo as well. I don’t have any issues with TiVo and Netflix that I don’t have on the PC (I get interruptions on both of them every once in a while).

    Since I have an HTPC, my vote goes to that for best Netflix device. :) It also gives the option of the webpage UI or the W7MC UI, so whether one uses a remote or a mouse, it works very well.

    Although I must admit I am a fan of the simple “Now Playing” list-format that the TiVo Series 3 uses. I know the image-based browsing is all the rage these days (and I think it should be an option), but I’m still a text-based kinda guy. :)

  8. I used to use the 360 to stream Netflix, but with Live increasing in price I switched to TiVo.

    I stream all the time on my Premieres and never have any of these issues with Netflix. I have well over 100 titles in my instant queue, but usually find them via TiVo search. Now I never used it with the Series 3/TiVo HD since I was using the 360 at the time.

  9. While I know this is not the conventional wisdom, I’m a big fan of the TiVo Netflix experience, since it leverages the TiVo remote and UI conventions that I use with the rest of my TV viewing. I greatly value things that let me use already proficient muscle memory.

    —–

    As far as freezing problems with Netflix/TiVo, here is my experience:

    When I first started using Netflix on my TiVo HD, (and I’m still on a TiVo HD, though I will upgrade to a Premiere soon), I had an inconsistent internet connection to my TiVo. I was using 2.4ghz WiFi, which would get hiccuped by cordless telephones. And I got TiVo freezes while using Netflix with unpleasant regularity.

    However, once I established a hiccup-free internet connection to my TiVo, the freezes completely stopped. (I’m on FIOS, so my ISP gives me a consistent IP dial-tone.)

    So, at least with the TiVo HD, you can eliminate the freezes by getting a hiccup-free internet connection to your TiVo – aka either ethernet or 5ghz WiFi, along with a good ISP.

    I can’t speak to whether or not TiVo has improved the situation on the Premiere or not. But you can make Netflix never freeze on TiVo as long as you have things clear downstream.

  10. Chucky, my experiences were different. On the S3 or HD, I’d struggle pulling in Netflix via 802.11g but had no problems doing the same with higher bitrate Vudu content (or playing Xbox Live). Same network, sometimes the same gear, and no cordless phones present. Maybe I have bad luck or my network confused TiVo in some way. Although, like I said, it’s been awhile since I’ve spent much time trying.

  11. I’ve got both of my TiVo wired with Cat6 cable and my Series3 works flawlessly with Netflix, it’s only the premiere that I seem to have lockup problems with. Some of the updates have helped fix other hangups, but I still come across this bug with alarming frequency.

  12. “my experiences were different … On the S3 or HD, I’d struggle pulling in Netflix via 802.11g but had no problems doing the same with higher bitrate Vudu content (or playing Xbox Live)”

    My guess is that there is no inconsistency in our experiences.

    My theory is that, at least with the HD, TiVo’s Netflix client is just extremely sensitive to any hiccup in the IP connection. Your 2.4ghz WiFi network could’ve been 99+% solid, and the missing packets still would’ve would’ve been enough to trip up Netflix/TiVo into failing non-gracefully, while other devices could recover without the user ever noticing.

    Beyond theories, all I know is that when I moved from 2.4ghz WiFi to line-of-sight 5ghz WiFi, my TiVo freezes with Netflix went from unpleasantly regular to zero…

  13. I’ve got a TiVo HD, Series 3 and Premiere with Ethernet connections. When Netflix was first added to TiVo I had problems, but after a few months absolutely no problems and I regularly use all three typically for kids content.

  14. @chucky; nope, I have problems with wired ethernet.

    I suspect Comcast might partially be a fault; they have a “burst” which maybe confused Tivo after streaming video for 2-3 minutes.

    Right now, either ethernet, Tivo/Netflix is unusable.

    There are some advantages to Tivo search. But a lot of times you just want to browse and see what’s new. Sure, the iphone works well for that, but is that so hard to do. Same issues with AmazonVOD.

  15. “@chucky; nope, I have problems with wired ethernet. I suspect Comcast might partially be a fault”

    Like I said upthread, the “solution” here is to have everything clear downstream. I’m happily on FIOS, so I get a steady IP dial-tone fed into my home.

    I’m certainly not saying that this isn’t an issue for TiVo to solve. Lots of folks don’t have everything clear downstream. I’m just saying that if you can manage to get a rock steady IP dial-tone to your TiVo, the problem won’t appear.

  16. Having used Apple TV, PS3, Roku, Wii and xBox to view Netflix I didn’t find anything in the article that I would disagree with. However, the PS3 would probably get my vote for best overall experience, thanks in large part to the audio and video quality. The xBox experience is pretty good and I am definitely looking forward to Kinect integration.

  17. While it’s difficult to prove, there’s something to what Charlie saying. Since I switched from Comcast to FIOS, the TiVo client has been more stable. In my testing, the different Netflix apps were more stable when using ethernet versus wireless. I’m giving a broad definition to stable: Anything between crashing and rebuffering.

  18. I gotta say, FIOS is the place to be for TiVo owners at the moment. If you need to sell your house and move, so be it.

    No freezes with the Netflix client. No tuning adapters. No CCI byte craziness.

    It’s just a sweet DVR with a sweet wire.

  19. I still prefer the 360 interface to most of the others I’ve sampled, but then I’m not enough of an audio/videophile to appreciate the higher quality available on the PS3. Ultimately, you’re right, though: my favorite is the one that is around when I want to use it.

  20. I have no problem with Premier TIVO and Netflix. I prefer TIVO because I already know how to stop rewind, start over or whatever on TIVO and don’t want to relearn on another system. I am hardwired (Cat 5) to Verizon FIOS and everything works very well. I don’t understand how it could be any better on another player. I was late purchasing my TIVO Premier and maybe all the problems had been worked out by the time I got online.

  21. Ive got netflix on a hd tivo, series 3 tivo and a ps3. Nextflix on tivo is easiest because its already booted up and available. But man is it a pain in the ass. Frequent buffering (wired and wireless N) and lousy UI just make it a bad choice. Ps3 is a great way to access netflix but its hampered down by ps3s lousy update schemes where they force you to update when there is one available making the wait time to watch a movie way to long.

    The top Roku device is seeing some good discounts and I will eventually get that. Mainly for the tvs that arent close enough to wire thru Ethernet.

  22. The PS3 I just bought last week featured a superior interface the first time I used it, then without me doing anything, it changed to another one that doesn’t have the flexibility of the first. How can I rest it to get the first UI back? I can’t find anything on the console indicating how to go back to the first. The 2nd UI really is that bad, search is gone, and with a large queue, you must now go one at a time in a straight line with only 4 dvd covers displayed and the 5th is partially obscured by the summary box.

  23. I have 3 Roku boxes that i really like. (Many more choices than other boxes) Bu for Netflix I like our Panasonic BluRay player best of all. Much faster & smoother.

  24. Regardless of one’s internet connection, the TiVo shouldn’t just hang. Sure, if you have slow or otherwise poor internet service, then Netflix streaming through TiVo is going to pause, buffer, etc., but NOTHING should lock up the TiVo solidly requiring a complete power cycle. It’s ridiculous. I had considered upgrading to a TiVo Premier Elite, but after reading that people are still suffering from this problem as I am PLUS the fact that per a rep at TiVo that they STILL are only capable of running on only one of the cores of the TiVo Premier, there’s no way I’m going to give TiVo more money for continued poor operation.

  25. Tivo + netflix = frustration. Don’t touch that rewind button!… oh, well…let’s get a snack and come back in 2mins.

  26. The Tivo doesn’t do, and never will, fix the Netflix issue. Or being able to stream the free Amazon Prime videos. We have waited too long… Now, their reputation, even if they upgraded, makes it real hard to stay or buy a Tivo…

    The Roku always seems updated and plays them all to include the Hulu +. I wish Tivo would figure it out….

  27. TiVo Premiere owners should receive an updated Netflix experience within the next few weeks. Amazon seems to be up in the air at this point and in AMZN’s court. Roku has broader penetration, with a more accessible ecosystem and SDK, so I imagine many providers would prioritize Roku ahead of say TiVo or Boxee or WDTV Live.

  28. We have 6 different devices that work with Netflix. I am kinda partial to the PS3 interface, but the Panasonic BDT210 buffers better. On the Bluray player, you can start an episode or movie, pause it for a few minutes and then watch your show in HD without interruption from a poor connection. With my cheap Internet connection the PS3 will stop and rebuffer atleast three times during a 30 minute period.

    I would like to find an honest review that discusses the ability to buffer for a poor internet connection.

  29. I stream on my ps3. It has he most options to watch almost everything. The Apple TV probably has the best interface, but I hardly use the device, not enough channels.

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