SmartFlix
SmartFlix will rent you nearly four thousand How-To DVDs in English. Subjects range from construction techniques (tile laying, cabinet making, timber framing), outdoor activities (kayaking, archery), and self-help, to such specialties as welding, lock-picking, and primitive fire-making.
The quality of the instruction varies tremendously. Some DVDs are smart and effective, some aren't. Some are old, some brand new. All come from various publishers. The SmartFlix site smartly provides customer reviews (although not all DVDs have reviews). I have found the reviews tend to be generous; I mentally deduct one star from the ratings.
It's amazing what you can learn from how-to books and videos. Most of my livelihood skills I learned this way, out of school and without teachers. A great book or video can equal, or at least compliment, an okay teacher. Through years of watching instructional videos, I've found I need to view them more than once. First I watch before I do anything; then I review parts in the midst of doing; and lastly I watch it again after I'm done, when I finally understand what they were trying to say. You to rent these videos for one week (it should be longer).
Renting these DVDs is not as cheap as using Netflix, but they are nearly as handy with their postage-paid mail-back carton and clear website. The cost is $10 per rental for a week, which works out to about half or a third or more of what buying them would be. None of these how-to's are available on Netflix, and no where else are they gathered together with such easy search, ordering, and evaluation.
SmartFlix was formerly known as Technical Video Rental; they are currently selling off all their video tapes and only rent DVDs now. The site and service is still young. As more members rent and review these very specialized factual films, this service will increase in value.
-- KK
SmartFlix
$10 per film
Available from SmartFlix
Favorite (15)
Kit Walker
I am not impressed with Smartflix service. I ordered a two part DVD in October, the first part of which is all I really needed, so did not make a fuss when the second one never showed. Lo and behold, six months later, part 2 showed up. No longer needed, I set it on my shelf, and two weeks later got notified that I was being charged a late fee for keeping it too long. Huh? I found it interesting that they have a 60 day, 120% money back gaurantee if you're not satisfied. Easy to get out of that when you take six months to send it out! I cerainly won't go near smartflix again
Doreen Maqi
Save yourself a lot of aggravation, because their service is abysmal. I signed up for their University subscription, this is where you pay a set amount each month and you get to rent 3 DVDs each month. Sounded like a good idea.
I was over charged the first month, and they did give me a refund for the overcharge. However, for the Goldsmithing and Silversmithing University they never got the service correct and never sent me the DVDs. I had to contact them each month to get the credit and for the four months this went on, they never sent the monthly DVDs. The charges to my credit card did go through just fine.
Their website states that they will contact you within 48 hours in response to your email. The responses were of the type: "My boss hasn't gotten back with you yet?" There was no attempt at resolving issues, such as getting the DVDs sent out.
Now, at one point they did give me a free month. But they didn't send out the DVDs, so I'm a little confused as to what they were trying to accomplish.
After four months and numerous emails of which most went unanswered, they finally came up with a solution. They cancelled my subscription and said they would give me a refund. No apology, no explanation as to why they didn't send the DVDs.
Interestingly enough, I did have another subscription, where after the initial problem of being overcharged, and having to send an email before they would send the DVDs. They got it worked out and it was running just fine.
Now for the topper. They cancelled the working subscription as well as the one that they couldn't get correct.
I'm with Kit, I certainly won't get near SmartFlix again, either.