Netflix is undoubtedly the king of streaming services as its current 203 million subscribers can attest. The platform is updated weekly with excellent shows and movies either produced by themselves or from other large studios. Their own shows such as Stranger Things, The Crown, and When They See Us have taken their place as some of the best ever made alongside their Oscar-nominated movies such as The Irishman, Roma, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
As big as Netflix is though, you might not be aware of exactly how to access it and take advantage of the mind-boggling selection of documentaries, shows, and movies that the platform has on offer. There are multiple methods of accessing Netflix but the easiest and more accessible include:
- Digital TV Providers
- Official Website
- Mobile Devices
Digital TV providers such as Sky, Virgin, and TiVo make it extremely easy to access Netflix through their intuitive interfaces while simply going to the official website is quick and easy and the nature of the platform means that it is available on many modern smartphones and tablets capable of running it.
Easy Access
You might already have access to one of the excellent digital TV providers out there and depending on where you live you won’t have access to some. But some of the best include Sky, Virgin, and TiVo however these require a monthly fee to use their services and can tie you into packages that include phones and the internet. However, once installed these providers make it exceptionally easy to upgrade your packages and Sky especially makes it easier to watch Netflix.
When signing up for Sky TV you can get access to Netflix as part of their standard package (see this guide on tips for cheaper SKY packages) that includes internet and access to over 200 channels. The great thing about Sky is that they will take care of all the work to get you up and running with Netflix whether you are a new or existing customer. Once installed on any of these devices you should be able to access Netflix through their main menus.
Original and Not the Best
Of course, the easiest method would be to just log on to the Netflix website on your desktop PC or laptop and watch from there. While this is obviously very easy, sometimes a PC or laptop doesn’t provide the best image or audio quality and there are some things you can do to make this better but you might need to purchase some items.
First, if you have an HD or 4K capable PC, laptop, and TV and depending on your Netflix subscription you can connect your PC or laptop to your TV to stream in HD or 4K. To do this, use an HDMI cable that is long enough to connect from your PC or laptop and simply plug it into your TV. This will relay the image from your device to your TV and you can now sit on the couch rather than at your desk. For non-HDMI Netflix then use either a VGA or DVI cable and connect it to your TV if it has the relevant connections plus a 3.5mm audio cable going from your device’s headphones socket to your TV.
Stream Anywhere
The online nature of Netflix means that it converts well to mobile devices that can stream online content such as smartphones and tablets. The good thing about this is that Netflix has been designed to be versatile and doesn’t require a top of the range smart device to stream, just one that is capable enough, and as long as you have a good internet connection you should be fine with Android 2.3 and higher but the current version requires Android 5.0 to play on Android OS phones.
However, given that there are many mobile devices available, accessing Netflix isn’t exactly the same (although very similar) on all devices. Some are a little different than others depending on the device’s operating system and/or the device manufacturer. For most devices, to access Netflix on phones and tablets simply download from your phone’s corresponding store (Google Play, Apple App) and install. The app should appear on your Home Screen to play, but be aware that depending on your plan you might be limited to how many devices can stream Netflix at the same time and at what quality.
