On Netflix
Netflix began as a simple DVD rental service but since then has evolved into the world’s leading Internet subscription service for movies and TV shows. For a mere $7.99 a month, customers can stream movies and TV episodes to computers and TVs. Netflix is so popular that many companies have found it lucrative to add a Netflix application to their devices. Here I evaluate the Netflix application for the Playstation 3, Roku, Apple TV, Google TV, LG Blu-ray Player, and Samsung Blu-ray Player by looking at the interface and usability of the application.
Generic Netflix App
The following pictures depict what I consider the Classic Netflix setup. The Playstation 3, Google TV, and Samsung Blu-ray all have this Classic Netflix setup.
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The Classic Netflix setup consists of a gray box containing “Suggestions for You,” “New Arrivals,” “Genres,” “Instant Queue,” and “Search.” On the right side of the screen is whatever you have selected in the gray box. Scrolling over a particular program prompts a caption box to appear giving a description and rating of the program.
Boxee Box
While the Boxee Box says it will have Netflix soon, it has yet to deliver.
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 setup for Netflix is the one of two setups modified to fit the theme of the device. The following pictures are of the Xbox 360 Netflix setup.
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This setup has the same feel as any other Xbox application. A list of categories, which include “Instant Queue,” “Recently Watched,” and other genres, can be found on the left side of the screen. Selections in a particular category line the middle of the screen. The search option for the Xbox also follows Xbox protocol. The letters of the alphabet are lined across the top of the screen. Possible search items are lined across the middle of the screen.
Wii
The best way to accurately describe the Wii setup for Netflix is that it has a lot of options. The following pictures show the Wii setup for Netflix.
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The versatility of the Wii-mote provides all these options. A user can choose to either use the buttons on the Wii-mote or use the Wii-mote as a wireless pointing device to navigate Netflix. The setup for Netflix on the Wii follows a similar protocol as the Roku Netflix. The initial screen is an “Instant Queue” row. Scrolling up or down allows the user to browse different genres such as “Recently Watched” or “Thrillers.” Scrolling over a particular selection prompts a caption box to give a brief description and rating of the program. One thing I particularly enjoyed was the browse button at the top right corner of the screen. This allows you to see all the different genres rather than having to scroll through each one. The search option is also very nice. Searching for a program brings up a list of titles to the right of the screen. Scrolling over the title prompts a picture and rating of the selection—a feature that none of the other Netflix setups offered.
Roku
The Roku layout for Netflix slightly strays from the “Classic Netflix” setup. The following pictures depict the Netflix setup for Roku.
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The Netflix in Roku is organized by rows, the first row being a search row, the second being ‘Recently Watched,’ and then different genres to follow. In the top right hand corner, there are numbers that indicate which selection you are on out of all of the selections in that category. Similar to the “Classic Netflix” setup, scrolling over a particular program prompts a caption box that has the rating and a description for the program.
Apple TV
The Apple TV is only other device to modify all of its applications to fit the theme of the device. The following pictures are of Netflix for Apple TV.
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The initial menu for has a vertical list including “Suggestions for You,” “Recently Watched,” “Movie Genres,” “TV Genres,” “New Arrivals,” “Instant Queue,” “Search,” and “Logout.” Clicking on one of these categories takes you to a new page with rows of selections divided into different categories. This setup is very similar to the “Classic Netflix” setup. The main difference between the two is that the theme is customized to fit the theme of Apple TV.
LG Blu-Ray Player
The most unique setup for Netflix belongs to the LG Blu-ray player, as shown in the following pictures.
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Netflix for the LG Blu-ray player follows a tab system. Near the top of the screen is a list of categories, from “Instant Queue” to “French Movies.” To see the movies in a particular category, you select the tab and then press the down-arrow to see what is in that folder. You are then able to browse the movies in that category. The LG Blu-ray lacks is a search option. The only alternative to flipping through movies in a category is to add the movie to your ‘Instant Queue’ on your PC or Mac.
Evaluations
The following diagram evaluates these six distinct Netflix setups based on usability and efficiency. Usability was measured by how easy it is for the user to navigate the setup. Efficiency was measured by how fast it took to reach The Big Lebowski.
Efficiency: measured by how fast it took to reach The Big Lebowski from the Netflix home screen without use of the instant queue. Note: Efficiency largely depended on the input method for the device.
| Device Name | Seconds to reach movie |
|---|---|
| LG Blu-ray | No search option, could not perform test. |
| Roku | 14 |
| Apple TV | 14 |
| Wii | 12 |
| Xbox 360 | 11 |
| Playstation 3 | 8 |
| Logitech Revue (Google TV) | 4 |
Usability: measured by how easy it is for the user to navigate the setup Ranked with 1 being the highest.
| Device Name | Rank | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Wii | 1 | Directions on screen of how to navigate the setup; browsing made quick with the ‘browse’ button which prompts a menu of genres to show up; has caption boxes with descriptions. |
| Samsung Blu-Ray Player | 2 | Menu of categories is always accessible on the side of the screen; has caption boxes with descriptions. |
| Logitech Revue (Google TV) | 2 | Same setup as Samsung. |
| Playstation 3 | 2 | Same setup as Samsung. |
| Roku | 3 | Scroll through categories—each category is a row of 5 programs that give a preview of what might be in that category; has the caption boxes with descriptions. |
| Xbox 360 | 4 | Menu of categories are always accessible—selections only show up after settling on a particular category. |
| Apple TV | 5 | Had to always return to main menu in order to explore different categories, no pop up caption box to give description of selection when scrolling over it. |
| LG Blu-ray | 6 | No search option, having to press down to open a tab and see the selections is annoying. |