Why you’ll Love Netflix Even If You Don’t Watch TV

Although televisions have been one of the icons of the English home life for more than sixty years, many people do not own one simply because they don’t find much enjoyment from watching TV. With the rise of instant, on-demand content from the Internet in recent decades, computers are pulling consumers’ attention away from television shows even more. Do you fall into the category of people that rarely or never watch TV? If so, here’s three reasons that you might still love Netflix’s streaming service anyway.

1. Your Time Is Valuable

With regular cable TV, commercials will account for one quarter to one third of the time it takes to watch a television show or movie. You’re also limited to forming your schedule around when the show airs; if something comes up halfway through a movie, it may be weeks or months before its aired again. Netflix is commercial-free, saving you up to 10 minutes for a half hour show, and airs around your schedule.

Do have have an extra ten minutes free before work? Start a show on Netflix; you can finish it while waiting for dinner to cook that evening. Although recording devices like Virgin TiVo and BT Vision allow you to fast forward through commercials and watch shows after they air, it requires planning ahead to program the device to capture the show. Netflix can be used at the drop of a hat to find a movie that interests you.

2. Extensive Movie and Show Library

Netflix has tens of thousands of movies and TV shows in its online library, any of which can be watched whenever you feel like it. Was there a movie you saw years ago and loved, but is never on TV and none of the local video stores stock it? Search for it on Netflix and there’s a good chance they’ll have it. If they don’t, check back in a few weeks; the online library is constantly growing.

In the mood for science fiction? Maybe horror? Action? Netflix has numerous movies from every genre, including a large selection from independent filmmakers. If you get ten minutes into a movie and decide you don’t like it, it’s just a few clicks to find something else to watch. Perhaps your young niece is visiting for the day, it’s easy to find a kid’s movie to entertain her.

3. Portability

Most people think of watching Netflix on their computer, but it’s also available on numerous other devices. You can start a movie on your office computer, then switch to the Internet-capable TV in the living room while you watch the kids. Once your spouse gets home, you can go to the game room and continue watching the movie on your game console. Bedtime comes, so you grab your iPad or Android tablet and watch a little more in bed with headphones. You fall asleep just before the end, so you finish watching it on your 3G smartphone the next morning in the back seat of your carpool.

Almost any device with Internet connectivity is capable of running Netflix either in a browser or as an app. It runs surprisingly well even on older or cheaper devices, such as the Nook Color or many smartphones. The Wii, Playstation 3 and X-Box 360 all support Netflix, as well as many Internet-connected televisions and Blu-Ray players. The only major platform not supported is Linux due to copyright protection concerns.

Netflix’s streaming service is only £5.99 per month for unlimited shows and movies; there’s no extra fee for additional devices. Compare that to a typical £26.50 a month for Virgin cable or £3.50 per movie from a video rental store. Netflix removes all of the inconveniences of cable TV and just leaves what you’re really interested in: movies delivered where you want, when you want, and with no commercials. If you’re still on the fence, Netflix often offers a free 30 day trial; give it a try and you may find you really do like watching television after all.