Next you'll also need some way to connect the internet directly to the device that will stream Netflix (more on that below). Depending on the device you may need a wired Ethernet connection or, more commonly, Wi-Fi. To connect that device to Wi-Fi, you'll need to make sure you know your Wi-Fi name and password. Netflix recommends a minimum connection speed of 1.5Mbps and most broadband services can reliably achieve this, but if you're unsure try visiting SpeedTest to measure your speed.
Once you have an account and internet connectivity, you'll need a device to watch Netflix on. Just like on your phone, there's a Netflix app for TVs and other devices including media streamers and video game consoles. The app is free, but of course you'll need to install it on the device first. Bear in mind that all of the options below presume either Netflix is on board your TV or you have a modern TV with an HDMI port.
If you have an older, analog TV without HDMI, sadly these options won't work for you. Roku used to make a streamer with analog out called the Roku Express Plus, but has been replaced with a model with HDMI only. If you really don't want to buy a new TV just to get Netflix, you may be able to find one of the former versions -- just look for the tell-tale AV-out port.
Smart TV: If you have a flat-screen TV manufactured in the last 10 years you can probably already watch Netflix on it. Modern TVs integrate streaming services like Netflix into an interface known as "smart TV." While some TVs have a dedicated Netflix button on the remote, most compatible models have a smart TV button that should let you access the streaming apps available. The app may be older, slower and not as slick as the modern version, but if you want to access Netflix right now, it should still work.
Streaming device or game console: While some TVs have Netflix apps built-in, many people watch Netflix on TV using a separate device connected to their TVs. If you're not using the TV's built-in smart platform, you'll want to be sure the TV has an HDMI port. Almost every device of the Netflix devices we'll mention below use HDMI connections.
Likewise your Blu-ray player or gaming console might have a Netflix app. If you have a relatively recent console -- from the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 and up -- you'll be able to access Netflix on it. For example, the PlayStation 3 is still able to offer the most up-to-date version of the app, which includes browser sign-in.
Mobile device: Phones and tablets can also control Netflix on a TV, although the process can be a bit more complex than either of the two methods above. If you want to use your phone to control Netflix, you can use a feature called Chromecast built-in, or for Apple users AirPlay, to stream video from your device. Recent TVs from Sony and Vizio enable users to navigate the Netflix app on their phone, and then press the Cast button (below) to stream to the TV. Apple users can use the AirPlay icon (a TV with an arrow beneath it) in a similar way for Roku devices, Apple TV and other recent televisions. You can then control the action with the phone or the TV remote. If your TV doesn't have Chromecast onboard, for example, you can add a Google Chromecast, which plugs into a spare HDMI port.
Once you've got your device set up, you'll open the Netflix app and be presented with a login screen. Recently, Netflix added the option to sign on with a separate device, even on older streamers like the PS3. No more typing long usernames and passwords with a remote, just click on Sign on from Web at the bottom right of the screen. The device will give you a choice of a QR symbol or a code to type into an already-connected device (like your phone) here. However, if your TV or streamer doesn't have this capability, and you need to enter your Netflix login (username and password) manually, first confirm the login details on a computer or phone first before trying it on your TV.
While your current smart TV, game console or Blu-ray player with Netflix is the cheapest option, it may not be the best one for you. If you have an older device, for instance, you may find its Netflix app to be sluggish or unreliable. You also miss out on interface improvements or new features, such as the ability to watch interactive shows such as the Black Mirror special Bandersnatch or You vs. Wild (though it's not guaranteed). Or maybe you'd rather use a real remote instead of your console's controller.
The best way to access an up-to-date Netflix is via a new streaming device. Prices start at $30 with the Roku Express. Just plug one of these devices into a spare HDMI port on your current TV and follow the onscreen prompts. Many streamers include Netflix by default, but each device (except Chromecast) also has a Streaming Channels list or App Store for downloading the app for free.
Most TVs today are 4K models, and our favorite steamer for 4K TVs is this Roku device. It combines Roku's simple interface with the improved image quality of 4K and HDR -- both of which are available on Netflix if you get the most expensive plan.
If you don't have a 4K TV and just want the cheapest option, our pick is the basic Fire TV Stick. In addition to streaming Netflix and a bunch of other apps, it has a remote with built-in voice search, thanks to Alexa.
The Apple TV 4K is the Rolls Royce of streaming devices, with a luxurious feel and all the fixins. It supports Dolby Vision HDR for higher-quality visuals on certain Netflix shows. It also enables iPhone users to stream from the Netflix app using the AirPlay button. The device was updated earlier this year with a faster processor (which is great for playing games) and an upgraded remote.
If you're going to buy a new TV anyway, chances are it will have an up-to-date smart TV system. Our favorite is Roku TV. It's easy to use and it offers the most comprehensive selection of streaming services out there. And it's cheaper and more readily available than a new Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, with prices starting around $150.
Narcos is a gritty drama that explores the birth of the Mexican drug war that has received rave reviews from the critics and picked up several accolades, including for Best Ibero-American TV Miniseries at the 2019 Platino Awards.
Narcos is also one of the best ways to learn Spanish on Netflix: The show, like the others that feature on this list, uses subtitles, so is a great way to pick up Spanish words and phrases while being thoroughly entertained at the same time.
One of the best shows to learn Spanish on Netflix is the brilliant and brutal Vis a Vis, which tells the story of Macarena who, as a result of trusting the wrong person, finds herself thrown in jail, where she encounters a host of very different - and dangerous - characters.
Perfect for effortlessly learning Spanish - and for practicing your Mexican slang! - committing to a few episodes a day of Club De Cuervos is a great start to your New Year resolution to get speaking Spanish.
Set in the 1950s, Velvet centers on one of the major fashion houses of Madrid at the time, and the fallout occurs when the heir to the company falls in love with one of the seamstresses who works for it.
This series follows several wealthy socialites in upscale Polanco in New Mexico and is a fascinating look at Mexican high-society in a way that challenges some of the most prevalent stereotypes about Mexican culture.
Gran Hotel has notched up eleven award wins, and twenty-two nominations in the course of its run and is perfect for new learners to start gaining familiarity with the Spanish language and for those at an intermediate level to polish up their conversational and listening skills.
Translated as The Time In Between, this big-budget, sprawling Spanish drama is set in the period leading up to the Spanish Civil War and follows the fortunes of Sira Quiroga, a young seamstress from Madrid.
El Tiempo Entre Costuras is not only beautiful viewing but is an excellent source of knowledge regarding this point in Spanish history. It was filmed on-location in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal with a budget of approximately half a million euros per episode.
Another lavish Spanish costume drama, Isabel, takes us even further back in time, to fifteenth-century Spain and the life of Queen Isabella, who ruled at a time when women were not permitted to hold positions of power.
The dialogue is in Spanish dialect, making this easier for the beginner learner to understand. Although the language used is archaic, watching Isabel is still a useful way to pick up some common conversational phrases and vocabulary.
The ensemble nature of the cast means that there are lots of opportunities for learners to get familiar with the vosotros form of verb conjugation: this can be difficult to explain in a textbook, but actually hearing it is a great way of learning both how and when to use this form.
The show tells the story of Carmen, a young seventeenth-century witch who travels forward in time to present-day Colombia and has to make her way through the fantastical modern landscape she finds herself in while seeking a way back home.
The show features many characters with Colombian accents, so it is the perfect choice for those wishing to learn this particular dialect or who already have a good grasp of Spanish and want to further develop their language skills.
Lingopie is the world's first language learning platform that helps you learn new languages with real foreign TV shows and movies, including Netflix shows! You can choose from nine languages and enjoy over 2,500 TV shows and movies from all around the world. What sets Lingopie apart is its AI-powered language learning tools built into the shows, which create a fun and personalized language lesson just for you, whether you're a beginner or an advanced learner.
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