Netflix Raising Blu-ray Prices By 20% Starting April 27th

Just got this email:

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Dear XXX,

You are receiving this email because you added unlimited Blu-ray access to your account for $1 a month. The number of Blu-ray titles has increased significantly and will continue to do so. As we buy more, you are able to choose from a rapidly expanding selection of Blu-ray titles. And as you've probably heard, Blu-ray discs are substantially more expensive than standard definition DVDs.

As a result, the monthly charge for Blu-ray access is increasing for most plans and will now vary by plan. The charge for monthly Blu-ray access on your 2 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan will increase from $1 a month to $3 a month. The price of your 2 DVDs at-a-time (Unlimited) plan is not changing and remains at $13.99 a month.

The new charge for Blu-ray access will be automatically added to your next billing statement on or after April 27, 2009 and will be referenced in your Membership Terms and Details.

If you wish to continue unlimited Blu-ray access for $3 a month, you don't need to do anything. If not, you can remove Blu-ray access anytime by visiting Your Account.

If you have questions about this change or need any assistance, please call us anytime at 1-888-923-0898.

-The Netflix Team

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I can understand the increase, BluRay access at $1 was a steal, and I will keep it at $3. It's definitely worth it.

I have 6 movies that are available in Blu-Ray on my 125 movie queue... I'm not very likely to pay $3/month for something I use once or twice a year.

I dropped the blu-ray once I got the email. Availability is horrible and plus I don't see that much of a difference between a regular DVD and blu-ray. I have a 52" 1080p TV and still doesn't make that much difference.

I have a Playstation 3 as my blu-ray. Does a better blu-ray player look better?

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I can understand the increase, BluRay access at $1 was a steal, and I will keep it at $3. It's definitely worth it.

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That is LOL IRL funny. Good luck with the dying technology there. Tripling the price is a great way to increase market share.

I guess you guys don't remember when both HD-DVD and BD were competing there was NO ADD-ON FEES at Netflix. Now that Sony has a monopoly, they're really cutting the consumer a break.

This made my day.

Oh and sony.

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Actually, the reason there isn't much difference is because the PS3 is such a good up-converter for regular DVDs

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as is most $50 upscasling DVD players.

And FWIW, PS3 upscaling sucks compared to OPPO.

bullshite.

Its not just me saying it...

CNET
LINK

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Which brings us to Blu-ray. Sony's Blu-ray is on the winning side of a format war having outlasted HD-DVD, but I wouldn't bet on Blu-ray's long-term prospects.

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FOOL.COM
LINK

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In the grand scheme of things, I see Sony's (NYSE: SNE) Blu-ray format as a stopgap between DVDs and online streaming. Since many Blu-ray players happen to include networking capabilities, they may end up playing more online video streams than plastic discs before long.

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...I won't keep going on here because you get the point. These are hardly hack-blog websites.

As for Netflix, depending on your plan, you could be paying as much as EIGHT DOLLARS MORE A MONTH for the priviledge of having BD movies.

Call it like it is..quit trying to sugar coat it as only 'a couple dollars more a month'.

You're taking it up the arse, courtesy of sony.

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it's a $1 increase

$12/year

good grief

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FAIL and FAIL.

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The price for a basic subscription with one DVD out at a time on an unlimited basis, plus Blu-ray, will go to $10.99 a month from $8.99. The unlimited plan allowing eight DVDs to be taken out at a time with Blu-ray will cost $56.99, up from $47.99.

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Struggle with basic math much?

Yah, I have to agree that the format is, if not dying, not expanding and this will do nothing to help it.

Just curious how doubling the cost of Blu-Ray plans equates to a 20% raise in prices.