Things you should know about Netflix.
So, it’s been a month since Netflix launched in India (as well as 130 other countries). And over the past thirty days, I’ve spent hundreds of hours watching the walking dead . Yes, I know this is too much, and I’m trying to get it under control. But hey, that’s good.
As I always say, if you do something quite often, then do it effectively. So, here’s a complete beginner’s guide to Netflix and some tips on how to use it like a pro.
So what is Netflix?
Well, Netflix is ​​an internet service that streams movies and TV shows for a monthly subscription. Think of it as a mixture of YouTube and regular cable TV.
Like your cable TV, Netflix shows you movies, but instead of watching them through a cable or dish antenna, you need to have a decent internet connection to watch it. So, in simple terms, Netflix is ​​an ad-free YouTube that offers movies and TV shows for a monthly subscription.
Another significant difference is the original Netflix series. These are TV shows like Orange Is the New Black or House of Cards, etc., which are only available on Netflix.
But why has it become so popular now?
Netflix has been on the market for ten years, but previously they were only available in a few countries – for example, the US, Canada, UK, Australia, etc.
But in January 2016, they expand their services to the whole world, with the exception of countries such as North Korea, China and Syria. And so you hear a lot about him.
Source: Netflix
Sounds good, where to start?
Registration is pretty easy and only takes two minutes. Go to their official website and create a new account. Usually you will need to enter your name, email address, and credit / debit card details. And it’s all.
The first month is free, and after that you will be charged according to your plan, that is, about $ 8, 10, 12 per month for regular, HD and Ultra HD, respectively.
These prices are now rough estimates. But on this Reddit thread, people from different countries reported a similar pricing structure. So, it’s safe that almost everyone pays the same price for Netflix.
Note. After registering, you can see a $ 1 soft payment. But they will return it in about a week. And yes, you can cancel your subscription anytime during the first month without charging a dime. So go ahead and try.
I was sold, but how do you watch Netflix?
Well, you can watch Netflix however you want.
There is a Netflix app for Android, iOS, popular consoles like Xbox, and smart TVs. If you don’t have a smart TV, you can use Chromecast.
On your computer, you can watch Netflix using your web browser. They don’t have a dedicated desktop app, but they don’t need to. Once you deploy your browser, you won’t even feel the difference.
However, if you want to stream in 1080p, use IE on Windows or Safari on MAC. Popular browsers like Chrome, Opera, Firefox, etc. can only stream in 720p. And that’s why. Now, the difference won’t be big if you’re watching it on your laptop, but it’s still something you should be thinking about.
How to change Netflix playback settings?
Netflix offers three subscription plans – standard 480p, HD, and Ultra HD. And if your current broadband plan has a data limit, you need to make sure you switch to lower playback settings.
You can do this by going to your account My profile settings. Or click on this link.
While you are doing this, also turn off the option to automatically play the next episode at the bottom. Or trust me, you won’t be able to do anything productive, especially if you look at the walking dead. First-hand.
How do I remove movies from the Netflix recently watched list?
Let’s say you start watching a movie just to see what it is. But since you don’t like it, you moved on to the next one. Now, even if you are not going to watch this movie again, it will still appear on your home page with the heading “Continue Watching”.
So, to remove a specific movie from your watchlist, go to the Netflix website or open app account my profile watching activity. Here you see a list of all the movies and TV shows you’ve watched. Click on the little cross next to it and that’s it.
Or click on this custom link.
Is there a way to add IMDB rating on Netflix?
Netflix has its own user rating system, but it’s biased. Plus, many of the highly rated movies on Netflix weren’t my type. I think IMDB is better. There is now a workaround for this, but it only works in the Chrome browser on the desktop.
Just install NEnhancer, this little Chrome extension will add IMDB and Rotten Tomato ratings to your Netflix page. And if the movie has a YouTube trailer, it will also include a link to the video. I have been using it for the last month and it works really well.
How to watch Netflix without country restrictions?
Netflix has its own directory for each country. Some countries have really good films and TV shows, while others don’t. For example, in India, Netflix doesn’t even offer a third of what they do in the US. Although the prices are similar.
Now I understand that this is due to content rights and various other licensing requirements. But still, what if I want to watch the Netflix catalog of other countries. Or say, “If I go to another country, how can I see the materials from my own country.”
Well, there is a simple workaround for that. Netflix determines your location based on your IP address. And if you change your IP address, you change your country.
There are 3 ways to do this.
# 1 Use a free VPN service like Tunnelbear or Zenmate to change your IP. You don’t have to keep the browser extension on all the time, once the movie starts playing, turn it off and it will still work. This works for both desktop and mobile apps, but you can’t get it to work for a Chromecast or console like x-box.
# 2 Smartflix is ​​another emerging service offering unlimited Netflix. Apparently this app is free and available for both Windows and MAC. I’ve been using it since the day I joined Netflix and have never had any problems. Best of all, Smartflix shows you the entire Netflix catalog, not just one country at a time.
# 3 The best way to watch Netflix, Hulu or any other country restricted content is by using services like SmartDNS. This is where you change the router-level DNS setting. This means that Netflix will also work on all devices on your network, including Chromecast and Smart TV. But it costs $ 10 a month.
Tips and tricks
# 1 If you want to watch a specific movie but it is not available in your area, go ahead and fix it. Enter the title of the movie and you will see which country the title is in. Then change your country using a VPN and you’re done. Or better yet, use Smartflix, it gets headlines from all countries.
# 2 Netflix has categories like Comedy, Action, Horror, etc. Pretty common thing. Right? But did you know that there are hundreds of other secret categories like biographical documentaries (3652) or werewolf horror films (75930), etc.
These secret genres have specific code attached, and if you add this code at the end of this url – http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/____ , you will see all the movies that fall under this. For a complete list, go to the Netflix Codes section. There is also a chrome add-on, but for me it is definitely overkill.
# 3 Netflix also supports all common keyboard shortcuts. for example, space to pause and play video, m to mute, etc. But I most often use shift + left / right arrow to speed up a clip by 20 seconds. Useful to skip the intro.
# 4 If you’re not sure what to watch on Netflix but want to watch something good. then try netflixbestof. Thousands of people are active on this subreddit and you can find some really good underrated content.
Conclusion
Netflix is ​​a defiantly warm welcome for people who love to watch the latest TV shows and movies, but can’t do it, as local cable TV doesn’t.
It has also reduced digital content piracy – because now people have a legal way to get it. Yes, I know there were DVDs, but they came late and each one is damn expensive to buy.
Overall, we can now support the provided content while enjoying their show. And I really hope they add more content in the future. Let me know what you think of Netflix. Do you like it? Did you find it too expensive for your content?