I'm ranting. I'm also searching for an answer that I'd like to hear. Now that that's out of the way, and in the hope that any answers will to my liking (to the point and not just personal crap about my attitude) I'll rant a little more.
Netflix will not take any responsibility for delivery to my door once it's left theirs. Fair enough... almost. They say that if the issue is with the servers/service in the hands of my device manufacturer then it is not their responsibility. Beyond my initial purchase of the device, I have no contract (billing) with samsung to deliver content. "that's good for you" said a netflix supervisor "you're getting that service for free". (love it whenever anyone tells you something's free)
But, I point out to her, if that "free" service is interrupted for any length, you have already indicated to me a willingness to refund me for the loss. So which is it? Are you taking responsibilty for deliver to my door, or not?.
She said that Netflix offer of refund was only in good faith to the consumer, but under no obligation. I suggested to her that since I'm not paying Samsung, and obviously some service is being rendered on netflix behalf at samsung to get the content to my door, then samsung is their partner in this exchange and not mine. She disagreed and said that the companies work together in this delivery, but disclaimed any sort of partnership. I asked if any portion of my bill (some knucklehead here is bound to say 'hey, it's eight bucks... this guy just likes to rant. good for you) goes toward the upkeep of this working relationship with samsung. Obviously seeing where this was headed, she said not a penny.
I called Samsung again and talked to level two support. He managed to explain it very very well. Samsung does not stream anything, but, as was suggested here, runs the ap. Yes running that ap on their servers is necessary for me to access netflix. Yes, when those servers are down, I can't get netflix streams. When I offered him the analogy of buying, with cash, a new Toshiba laptop, getting connected through your ISP, and then being told that the world wide web was down and unavailable to you because of a problem at Toshiba's servers... wouldn't you have a problem with that? He said he saw exactly what I was saying but that's just the way it is right now between me, samsung, and netflix.
Then he went on to describe the most interesting angle. He said to note that the "netflix" ap, when it comes up in the setup menu is not an automatically installed application from Samsung. He said this is significant in that it is a NETFLIX app that samsung has contracted with neflix to provide with the device. He told me that neflix pays samsung to include their connectivity ap on devices. That's not some form of partnership? That's not a partnership, some part of which, my check to neflix supports? Since netflix is the sole recipient of my bill, shouldn't they be responsible for troubleshooting and servicing the delivery of that content to my door (or specifically to my ISP, who I'm paying to take it from there)?
In other words, and most to the point of my dissatisfaction here. I'm paying a bill to netflix. If netflix service to my ISP is down for whatever reason, shouldn't netflix be calling samsung to address this problem with thier application, and not simply telling a customer to spend the next two hours contacting samsung on his own?
Yeah, it's a rant. If this were a 200 dollar a month bill it would be less bewildering to some of the mincing handwringers here with what they see as an aimless obsession. If that's your take, just ignore it and move on. Nothing here for you to see. But if part of this just doesn't sit right with you either, or if you can make it clearer to me without being insulting, then please comment.
Netflix will not take any responsibility for delivery to my door once it's left theirs. Fair enough... almost. They say that if the issue is with the servers/service in the hands of my device manufacturer then it is not their responsibility. Beyond my initial purchase of the device, I have no contract (billing) with samsung to deliver content. "that's good for you" said a netflix supervisor "you're getting that service for free". (love it whenever anyone tells you something's free)
But, I point out to her, if that "free" service is interrupted for any length, you have already indicated to me a willingness to refund me for the loss. So which is it? Are you taking responsibilty for deliver to my door, or not?.
She said that Netflix offer of refund was only in good faith to the consumer, but under no obligation. I suggested to her that since I'm not paying Samsung, and obviously some service is being rendered on netflix behalf at samsung to get the content to my door, then samsung is their partner in this exchange and not mine. She disagreed and said that the companies work together in this delivery, but disclaimed any sort of partnership. I asked if any portion of my bill (some knucklehead here is bound to say 'hey, it's eight bucks... this guy just likes to rant. good for you) goes toward the upkeep of this working relationship with samsung. Obviously seeing where this was headed, she said not a penny.
I called Samsung again and talked to level two support. He managed to explain it very very well. Samsung does not stream anything, but, as was suggested here, runs the ap. Yes running that ap on their servers is necessary for me to access netflix. Yes, when those servers are down, I can't get netflix streams. When I offered him the analogy of buying, with cash, a new Toshiba laptop, getting connected through your ISP, and then being told that the world wide web was down and unavailable to you because of a problem at Toshiba's servers... wouldn't you have a problem with that? He said he saw exactly what I was saying but that's just the way it is right now between me, samsung, and netflix.
Then he went on to describe the most interesting angle. He said to note that the "netflix" ap, when it comes up in the setup menu is not an automatically installed application from Samsung. He said this is significant in that it is a NETFLIX app that samsung has contracted with neflix to provide with the device. He told me that neflix pays samsung to include their connectivity ap on devices. That's not some form of partnership? That's not a partnership, some part of which, my check to neflix supports? Since netflix is the sole recipient of my bill, shouldn't they be responsible for troubleshooting and servicing the delivery of that content to my door (or specifically to my ISP, who I'm paying to take it from there)?
In other words, and most to the point of my dissatisfaction here. I'm paying a bill to netflix. If netflix service to my ISP is down for whatever reason, shouldn't netflix be calling samsung to address this problem with thier application, and not simply telling a customer to spend the next two hours contacting samsung on his own?
Yeah, it's a rant. If this were a 200 dollar a month bill it would be less bewildering to some of the mincing handwringers here with what they see as an aimless obsession. If that's your take, just ignore it and move on. Nothing here for you to see. But if part of this just doesn't sit right with you either, or if you can make it clearer to me without being insulting, then please comment.
Comparing Netflix on your PS3 vs Tivo or comparing Vudu? You say "HDX" on your PS3 but maybe your meant "X-High." I am assuming that's what you meant, since I don't think the Tivo does Vudu, does it?
