NULLFLIX

My Netflix fail continues.

I actually had a nice online chat with someone who spent about 40 or 50 minutes with my trying to address the issue.

In the end they could not help me and suggested I try talking to my ISP to see what they are doing regarding the wifi signal.

Which makes no sense.

Drawing up long-dormant Signal Corps skills, the signal flow points to a problem with Netflix programming.

Basically, I can watch Netflix with no problem on my hard-wired desktop computer.

But no, hardwiring my game consoles to the modem is not an option given the distance across the room. That would be some expensive cabling snaked across my ceiling.

But I cannot watch it--except for once a couple days ago after 10:00 p.m.

The Netflix rep did note that at peak times it can be difficult to get in, period. But it didn't work just now. So just when is non-peak time? 3:00 a.m. to 4:15 a.m.?

But that doesn't make sense, either. If it is access to Netflix, why can I watch Netflix on everything I own but my game console connections and my toaster?

Anyway, back to signal flow and wifi.

Using wifi, I can watch Netflix on my laptop. And on my phone. And iPod Touch. And my daughter can use her tablet. So wifi magically works there.

Aha, you say. But that's not through the Wii and XBox 360 on my TV! Clearly, there is a problem with the TV, right?

No. I test connections and they work. I even watched YouTube on my TV, after searching. So there is two-way communication from game consoles to and from my router that allow my TV to show videos from over the web.

The only place the signal flow breaks down is through the Wii and Xbox 360. And the consoles connect to the Internet so it isn't a problem with the consoles themselves.

It simply has to be the programming for the consoles in the Netflix apps.

Really, I once had no problem at all--until a few months ago--in just turning on a console and getting Netflix no matter what hour of the day it was. But now it is all gummed up.

I like Netflix. I do. But this is entertainment, for Pete's sake. I should turn it on and watch. Not spend a half hour troubleshooting every time I want to watch with no assurance it will work.

So I'm edging for the exits. When I feel I have a good option for an alternative, I'll take it.

Or maybe I'll just decide the service just isn't worth it on top of a cable TV bill. Netflix is lucky my daughter loves the service and likes to watch it either on my computer or her tablet. If she grows tired of it, I may run for the exits under the current service situation.

Television shouldn't be this annoying.

UPDATE: Wow. They're just effing with me at this point. My desktop won't work for Netflix with a totally new problem. Apparently I need to close all my open brownser windows, uninstall Microsoft Silverlight and then reinstall it when prompted while trying to use Netflix again.

Kudos. Really, bravo. This totally took me by surprise.