Netflix ?, per suggestions

[JackButler]

We've had Netflix streaming for several weeks now and really like it. We use the Wii and it does freeze up sometimes. Planning on getting a compatible blueray player soon.
My question is...
As you watch movies, then new suggested categories or even new genres come up that might be similar that you can scroll through. Great. Problem is, with a teen, toddler, and my wife in the house, those are always changing. Is there a way to scroll through other suggestions or genres besides specific search and the homescreen ones that always come up?

For example, I tend to watch mostly documentaries. After one afternoon of watching several, the following day other suggested documentaries and a new genre section was available for scrolling through. I browsed through and found lots that I'd like to watch later on, not paying attention to specific titles. Few days later, those suggestions and genres are all gone and I can't recall any of them.
Know what I'm saying? Know how to help me get my fix of flix?:dunno

[Route234]

I use the Wii sometimes, cant you add items to your Instant que on your PC and then have that same list on your Wii?

[Mike Schriber]

Cant you choose them on the Netflix site and save them into your queue?
That's what I do.

[JackButler]

I thought que was for ones you want them to physically send in the mail?

[5E3]

I'm not certain the fix for your suggested genres. I use an Apple TV2 for Netflix Streaming, and when I pull up any title, suggested or not, there is an "add to queue" selection available. I click that and it is added to my Instant Queue for future retrieval.

Regarding the freezing up, the problem may not be the Wii console. The Wii (we have one too) is only capable of playback in low resolution, thus it uses less bandwidth. The Apple TV2 and I think BluRay players with streaming, will stream NetFlix in HD (if the movie is formatted for it) and that uses more bandwidth.

The freezing issue may be your WiFi router signal or you have marginal download speeds from your ISP. You may want to connect to Speedtest.net with one of your computers and run some tests. If speeds are good, then you may want to look into the WiFi router.

The Wii is using 802.11g WiFi and your new BluRay will probably be 802.11n. My Apple TV2 is 802.11n, and I have a dual band router that is capable of simultaneous 802.11 'g' and 'n' (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). If the router is not dual band, it can be slowed to a transmit rate no faster than the slowest device connected. Connect a 'g' device and it negates the speed of any 'n' devices that are forced to use the 2.4 GHz band.

[Gitarman]

I thought que was for ones you want them to physically send in the mail?

You have 2 queues on your Netflix home page: one for DVDs and one for streaming titles.
Also, you might want to check out instantwatcher.com as an alternative way to search Netflix :aok

As for movies 'freezing' in your Wii, you probably have a connectivity or bandwidth issue with your wireless (like 5E3 (http://thegearpage.net/board/member.php?u=39477) was referring to above). Moving your wireless router & Wii closer to one-another should fix it.

[RedRockRoy]

On the Netflix website, click "Your Queue" near the top then click the "Instant" tab. The list on the Instant tab is the list you see when you access Netflix from streaming device like TV or BD player. Netflix-speak, instant = streaming.

[JackButler]

Excellent info! Thanks. Might be my router per freezing, it is a very old one actually, probably around 6 years old. At any given time we typically have Netflix and two computers on the net.
Anyone suggest a router or just get one with dual bandwith?

[5E3]

Excellent info! Thanks. Might be my router per freezing, it is a very old one actually, probably around 6 years old. At any given time we typically have Netflix and two computers on the net.
Anyone suggest a router or just get one with dual bandwith?
Apple Airport Extreme - dual band, works with Mac or PC, easy to setup and manage, strong signals, worth every penny. This is one of those products where you get what you pay for.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC340LL/A/AirPort-Extreme?fnode=MTY1NDA0Mg&mco=MTMzNzU2NDk

[skillet]

It sounds like the Wii's interface doesn't have the search features you want, or it isn't very obvious how to get to them if they are there. That's one issue with Netflix: each 'client' (XBox360, Wii, PS3, blu-ray players, website, etc) are all different, they're not very consistent; it wasn't until recently that the 360, which has had Netflix support for longer than the other game consoles, even added a Search feature or 'add to queue' button -- you had to do all of that from the website.

For your type of searches (genre, etc) you may need to simply use the website and add them to your instant queue, then go find them on the Wii to watch them.

I was going to suggest creating a Profile (http://www.netflix.com/ProfilesLearnMore?lnkctr=viewprof_lrnmore) just for yourself or your kids, but reading up on it at Netflix's site, it appears that Profiles don't apply to Watch Instantly, only when discs are to be shipped to the customer. That's... retarded, all they need to do is add a way to move between profiles. Would've been perfect as it offers personalized recommendations for each profile.

[JackButler]

Thanks, will be getting the airport extreme soon:>)

[triple_vee]

Apple Airport Extreme - dual band, works with Mac or PC, easy to setup and manage, strong signals, worth every penny. This is one of those products where you get what you pay for.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC340LL/A/AirPort-Extreme?fnode=MTY1NDA0Mg&mco=MTMzNzU2NDk
Yep.

I've pinpointed a half a dozen neighbor's wireless problems to their router. I even tell them that I suspect it's their router before I even get there. They'll swear up and down how they bought the top of the line Linksys or whatever and it can't be the router.

I bring my Airport Extreme to their house and prove it to them every time.

The hardware on these routers are probably ok, but the firmware needs to be written by someone. And it gets more complicated as you have to support the newer protocols like N. And I'll probably be banned if i mention who's writing the firmware for most of these devices.

[niersbach]

Excellent info! Thanks. Might be my router per freezing, it is a very old one actually, probably around 6 years old. At any given time we typically have Netflix and two computers on the net.
Anyone suggest a router or just get one with dual bandwith?

Dude, grab a D-link or a Netgear N-router. THere is absolutely no difference between the Apple, Linksys, or any other router out there except for interfaces (if you want to run a printer or USB drive hooked to teh router so every computer can hit it) or any type of acceleration software (which usually NEVER works) and the range of the antenna's. The better the antenna array on them the more expensive they are.

Just ensure you get one that says 802.11n on it and you will be going as fast as currently possible via a home wireless router. THe 802.11n is a standard that all Nrouters meet and there is no difference between one to the other as far as the technology behind them, so there is really no reason to spend more from one to the other unless its a case that you need the extra peripherals that it allows you to hookup. If your router is 5 years old, you are probably on an 802.11b or 802.11g router which are both significantly shorter range and throughput. Keep in mind though...the bottleneck isnt your router, its your internet connection in your house...no matter how fast your router is, your internet connection in your house is probably 5 - 10 meg

Dont believe all the hype going from a name brand like Apple or Linksys (Cisco now)....the guysin the know have been using D-links and Netgears for years now. I was having my old linksys router replaced every year because it would blow out ports and what not and then got a Dlink that lasted 5 years without a single hitch. Only reason I got a new one was to hook a hard drive to share with the whole family on it.

I have been using this one for a few years now....and constantly get roughly 17 - 19 meg download speeds...

http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7090649&CatId=373




http://www.speedtest.net/result/1111017812.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[BlindLUCK]

Just do it from your computer...so much easier to use and find your exact style of movie than the Wii interface....