Guide to Watching Movies on Your Netbook

Watching movies is one of the cool things that you can do with the super-portable netbook that makes it yet another travel essential. No, most netbooks were not designed with movie watching in mind, but they work well in many circumstances.

Pros and Cons

While they are small, compact and convenient, most netbooks don't have a DVD drive. To watch movies from discs, you will need a USB external DVD drive, according to Bright Hub. Alternatively, you may place a movie that's in file format to a USB drive. Then you can simply connect the USB drive to your computer. That is more complicated, and you're better off with a DVD drive, unless you know someone willing to help who is particularly tech savvy.

Streaming Movies on a Netbook

The simplest option for watching movies on a netbook is streaming. This works very well on sites like Hulu and YouTube. When your internet connection is strong, simply select your movie of choice, and it starts playing on your netbook. You can typically choose whether you want it full screen or a smaller version in Windows.

Connect your Netflix account to your Netbook. Since DVDs are out of the question without a portable DVD drive, many people turn to Netflix Instant Watcher. Because of the resolution, it does not work for all netbooks. On most netbooks, however, Netflix streaming works well, whether on Windows or at full screen.

However, be sure to "test drive" movie watching on your netbook before purchase, if this is a major attraction of the device for you. As stated earlier, most netbooks do not have a DVD drive. Also, netbooks in general do not have the resolution (1,024 by 600) that's ideal for viewing most movies that are in 16:9 aspect ratio standard. You may watch a movie that relies more on story than cinematography on a netbook, while saving the most visually stunning films for a more advantageous format.

Tips for Watching Movies on the Go

First, consider how to extend battery life of your netbook when watching movies while traveling. That will result in more movies watched and less time spent looking for a power outlet. If traveling to Europe, you may be dependent on however long you can extend the battery.

Before travel, be sure to update your netbook's drivers and bios. Adjust the brightness down to the lowest level that you can still enjoy the movie within. Turn off Wi-Fi connectivity, unless you are streaming, because this drains the battery, and be sure to get a full charge before you go.

Sources Cited:
Bright Hub, "Finding the Best Netbook for Movie Watching"
Netbook Notebook, "Movie Watching on a Netbook"