Netflix streaming limit?

If I heard it right, there's gonna be a Netflix streaming limit that's only gonna let you stream one movie at a time. Well that just sucks, I wanna be able to watch Netflix streaming movies on more devices since I don't always want to watch the same movie the rest of the family is watching.

So is there any way to download Netflix movies and work around that Netflix movie streaming rule or anything like that?

Comments

[tragicallyhip]

There was speculation that Netflix indeed caped streaming but they have responded by dismissing the rumor.
There is a piece of software that you can purchase that WILL record Netflix or anything else that is on your desktop so checkout *Audials*. It is not cheap ($60)

Good Luck
Tragic

[thematthatter]

Thats the price of a good VCR!

[tragicallyhip]

Whats a vcr?

[thematthatter]

its a device that hooks to directly to your television set. You can not only play video cassette tapes but also RECORD television onto video cassette tapes to show your friends.

[thegeeke]

There's a free program called ANT Video Downloader that does the same thing for downloading streamed files, but netflix fixed it so that A. That no longer works, and B. it wasn't practical. (See my answer below for info.) So I highly doubt that the program you mentioned would still work for netflix. (Maybe it would, but I have never used it, so I'm guessing that it works the same way ANT does.)

[tragicallyhip]

I have used this program recently and functions as advertised.
I downloaded it from PirateBay so it may be that ANT is not as similar in functionality.
Good luck

Tragic

[thegeeke]

Hmmm... ok, maybe it doesn't work exactally the same way. How recently though? I think they just fixed it less than a month ago. When you download, does it download into just one file, or are there a whole bunch of little files? Also, is it actually downloading, or are you just recording screen shots? I wouldn't be using it for netflix or any site like that ileagaly, but I have a client that might have a use for it.

[mackbuck]

If your client still has some use for the app, I think if he only uses it for personal use he should have nu problems with it.

Anyhow, it's pretty useful since it actually works to capture and save streaming videos and movies from a ton of sites, VOD subscriptions and so on.

There are some how-to's on how to use Audials to capture streaming videos that might be helpful for him, I guess.

Hope this helps u.

[mackbuck]

Actually, that Audials app works pretty good, I haven't noticed anything fishy with its Netflix Downloader feature.

Plus, even if Netflix tweaked its movie streams, this one wouldn't be affected since it does not actually download Netflix streams but it screen captures Netflix streaming movies.

Doesn't work in the same way as that Video Downloader you mentioned but I think it's for the best since as you said it it was too impractical to download a Netflix movie and get thousands of files per one movie.

This one gets you one good clean video file in pretty good quality.

[thegeeke]

Yes, this looks like it will work for my client. Thanks. In terms of netflix capture, if all it does is screen capture, then I wouldn't pay for it. :) There are LOTS of good FREE screen capture programs out there. And besides, there really isn't a whole lot of sense in capturing a movie, since you have to let it play through anyway. :)

[tragicallyhip]

glad every worked
Good luck

tragic

[lemonie]

If Netfilix restricts one stream per connection(?) you'd have to either use another separate (hardware) connection, or find some software that allowed you multiple connections through the same internet connection (I would not know how).

L

[thegeeke]

That wouldn't work. They would be tracking how many people are logged into the account, not how many people are at the same location. If they did track people at locations, then all you have to do is spoof some ip addresses. :)

[lemonie]

What wouldn't work?
It was too obvious to mention not using the same account.

L

[thegeeke]

They would be blocking more than one simultaneous stream... not the location. Reason would be, they want you to buy more than one account. What they are talking about in this post is streaming more than one movie from the same account simultaneously. (Which assuming netflix knows what they're doing... which they do... they would be able to block it from the account... not the location.) For instance, my Dad and I have separate accounts. If they implemented this policy of one stream at a time, then I could bring my laptop to his house, use his wifi, and both of us could watch a movie at the same time. But I couldn't use his account while he is using it.

Many people use just one account for their whole family, so they don't have to pay for more than one. Neither my family or I believe that it is legal or morally right to do so, therefore, we don't share the accounts we have. (Come on, people, it's $8 a month... if your movies are that important, get more than one account if they decide to implement this policy.)

[furrysalamander]

I know that they already have a cap, I think it is 6 or something like that, or maybe 3.

[mackbuck]

Yeah, as far as I read they denied that they were limiting users to one streaming movie per account and that this is a technical glitch they were working to fix or something like that.

Anyhow downloading I dunno if it's really that easy cause their streams are protected, but tragicallyhip is right.

There's some Audials app that lets your record Netflix streaming videos and shows to your hard disk and even convert Netflix movies for you.

Works pretty good for the job plus you can indeed use it as well for recording streaming videos from a ton of other streaming sources.

Should get the job done, if you don't have any other way out of this.

[thegeeke]

Downloading: no. There used to be a way, but they fixed it. Even when there was a way to download, they had the movies split up into thousands of files per movie, so it really wasn't practical.

I don't keep close tabs on what netflix is doing in terms of limits like this (since I'm the only person who uses my account), but maybe you should call and confirm that they will be limiting it before you freak out. The only LEAGAL way that I know of would be to get two streaming accounts. I think that technically you are supposed to only have one person per account anyway. If they are limiting it, that's probably why.

[frollard]

+1

@Asker:
In the fine print that you agreed to when you sign up you agreed that they could change the TOS at any time (likely with reasonable notice to you).
so yes, they can make this change.

I'm also pretty sure that you don't buy an account for your HOUSE, you but it for YOU to use on your multiple devices in the house. Letting your family use the service while you're not there is technically against the rules. It sucks but thats how they legal'd it.