Netflix Prices Went Up Again – I Bought a DVD Player Instead

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Rising Netflix prices and increasing ads on streaming platforms are pushing many viewers to reconsider how they access movies and TV, with some cancelling subscriptions and returning to DVDs, Blu-rays, or even library rentals. Commenters compare the superior and more reliable quality of physical media (especially 4K Blu-ray) and home media servers to heavily compressed streams, while also highlighting ownership, permanence, and resistance to silent edits or removals as key benefits. Others advocate rotating streaming subscriptions or resorting to piracy and private servers, arguing that current business models and content churn have made legal services feel worse value than older options like mail-order DVDs.

Return to Physical Media & Alternatives

  • Many see rising streaming prices and ads as a push back to DVDs/Blu-rays, external drives, and local playback.
  • Some resurrect old consoles (PS3/PS5) or buy cheap Blu‑ray players from thrift stores.
  • Others find physical discs’ UX (menus, FBI warnings, finicky players) clunky and end up ripping everything anyway.

Libraries, Kanopy & Hoopla

  • Public libraries are widely praised as a free or cheap source of DVDs/Blu-rays, games, and streaming (Kanopy, Hoopla, Libby, etc.).
  • Experiences differ: some report long waitlists and limited collections; others say shelves are underused.
  • Debate over library economics: some argue costs per checkout/visit are high; others call it excellent public value and note libraries also run programs and provide community space.

Video & Audio Quality: Discs vs Streaming

  • Strong consensus that Blu-ray and especially 4K UHD discs beat typical streaming bitrates, especially on large screens.
  • Disagreement on DVD quality: some find 480p MPEG‑2 unacceptable on modern displays; others say good upscaling and modest screen sizes make it fine.
  • Audio: lossless Blu‑ray tracks and proper Atmos/TrueHD support on certain devices are key reasons some prefer local playback.

Ripping, Home Media Servers & Piracy

  • Many run Plex/Jellyfin/Emby on NAS/seedboxes with automation tools (Radarr/Sonarr) and view this as “better than Netflix”.
  • Legal status of ripping is contested: users distinguish between likely-illegal DRM circumvention and widely accepted personal backup ethics.
  • Private trackers, seedboxes, and “sailing the high seas” are repeatedly mentioned as responses to “enshittified” streaming.

Cost, Value & Subscription Strategies

  • Users recall Netflix DVDs as fast, cheap, and generous; modern mail-rental clones are seen as slower and pricier, partly due to scale.
  • Common strategy: rotate a single streaming service, binge, then cancel; some want automation for subscribe/cancel cycles.
  • Others quit streaming entirely, reporting more reading, hobbies, and better sleep.

Cultural & Content Concerns

  • Complaints about constant removals, edited “for modern audiences,” and lack of physical releases for some shows.
  • Split views on current content quality: some see a post‑2020 decline; others argue there’s always been lots of “trash” around a smaller core of good work.