You can watch movies streamed directly from the Netflix server on your PC; Mac; Internet-connected television or Blu-ray disc player; Wii, Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 game console; TiVo digital recorder; Roku box; iPhone; and Wi-Fi-enabled iPad or iPod. You can also set Netflix up directly on one of these devices and control your movie queue through the device. Netflix provides you with the access code you need to activate your account on your chosen device.
Netflix uses its proprietary software, Netflix Movie Viewer, to connect you to its server. You digitally sign the software's license agreement the first time you log in. The viewer initially only worked with Internet Explorer, but as of November 2010, it also works with Firefox. Netflix also offers various smart phone applications.
You must subscribe to Netflix to stream movies from its server. The limited plan offers a maximum of two hours of instant viewing from your computer only. Unlimited plans start at $8.99 as of November 2010. Under these plans, you can stream as many movies as you want through the device of your choice. Once you've set up the automatic monthly subscription payments, you can begin to stream movies immediately.
Netflix movies optimally stream over high-speed connections. The site scans your computer to determine your connection speed and rates your speed as High -- above 1.6 Mbps, Good -- 1.0 Mbps and Basic -- 500 Kbps. Netflix then adjusts your stream to accommodate your speed. Expect interruptions in the movie for buffering if you don't have a high-speed connection.