We've been following the rumor since
January, today it's official: LG's BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player will begin streaming Netflix movies in the US this September. The player will cost "well under $500" and allow Netflix members to stream more than 12,000 standard definition TV and films through the device at no additional increase to their monthly paid subscriptions. Members will use the Netflix website to add movies or TV to their individual instant queues. Movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds when selected from the TV where users can browse, make selections, read synopses, rate movies, and fast-forward / rewind video streams using the BD300's remote control. While specs on the player itself are scarce, we do know that it supports BD Live and LG's SimpLink technology to integrate easily with LG TVs and AV products. One thing's for sure, with this deal announced and those with
Roku and the
Xbox 360 in the bag, it looks like Netflix is grown-up and ready for the digital age.
posted Jul 31st 2008 12:35AM
is the 360 exclusive limited to gaming consoles?
Yes.
...
You do know what exclusive means, right? Because if so, you may want to restate the question.
...until it hits the PS3 in mid-November. Or so I've heard in the back alleys of rumorsberg.
Niiice!
is netflix accessibility going to be the next youtube must have addon thing?
This is a great idea but I wonder what ISPs think of it. In this article by Lawrence G. Roberts (inventor of packet switching and “Father of the Internet”) http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=499&doc_id=160047&f_src=flffour , he talks about flow control, and how it should be implemented in order to support a “equal capacity for equal payment” system. Dr. Roberts advices that P2P traffic was the first to use multiple flows to increase its capacity, but that if we don’t control it - we might end up in a huge jam.
Not bad... get all your SD content from your couch, and high-def content through blu-ray. It still seems like a lot, though, and you have to figure physical media is on it's way out once Netflix and other companies figure out this whole HD thing.
Yes and no. For those of us who are content with streamed HD content on our large screens, yes. But for those who value picture quality above all else, then no, physical media is here to stay for a while to come. Customers are already noticing and complaining about the reduced HD picture quality that they are receiving through cable because of the increased compression the cable providers are using these days.
I don't think physical media is going away, and I use Netflix's download service.
Their download movies are not even DVD quality, never mind Blu-Ray. And bandwidth issues will probably keep them at that level for some time yet.
For me, the download service is good for a quick "I'm bored, let me watch something right now" type thing. But it doesn't replace disc rentals.
BALLER!
i expected more of you jesus.
Jesus saves...
... by subscribing to Netflix and canceling cable!
I would say that physical media isn't quite done yet. Not because it can't be done, but because i'm sure the studios make way more money per disc sold than per view on Netflix or which ever service is used. That to me is why the content on Netflix watch it now is either bad movies, much older movies or documentaries. They want to squeeze every last cent from physical media that they can and I think Blu-Ray is their last chance. just my $0.02
not true. i see lots of cool stuff there; recent semi popular movies like A Long Engagement for example
Okay, so this is my problem with this.. I like the integration but for movies like A Long Engagement, if I wanted to watch them I imagine I wanted to watch them in HD. And 1080p, no less. And since the system (with a disk) is capable of this, I anticipate finding myself torn on settling for the SD streaming version. "But it's free if you've already got a subscription!" Yes, but I only got that subscription so I could get Blu-Ray movies in the first place..so now I'm forgoing those for an SD stream of them? I don't know.
On a positive note, I guess this means there's no doubt this player has ethernet so I'm thinking fairly certain on the 2.0 profile.
Now only if Netflix is available in Canada.
I agree. Why does it always take so damn long for things to come to Canada? In the words of Rick Mercer, we're bigger than they are, and we're on top. If we were in prison, America would be our bitch.
Blame Canada ;p
Probably, we wouldn't be your bitch.
See, Canada has a lower population. Lower population means you're having less sex, so you have a lower sex drive. The US, with all the connections and the higher sex drive, would be making our icy northern neighbors our bitches.
(BTW: Just wait; we're willing to invade a middle-eastern country halfway around the globe for oil. Just wait until the general public realizes how much is held in Canada and Mexico).
I do need a Blu-Ray player, but I would be a lot more excited about this if they hadn't just announced Netflix + XBox Live Gold already (I'm sure I'll keep my XBL membership even though I rarely play games).
My hp Pavilion with bluray is coming in August Hurray!
yOU NEED TO RELEARN CAPITALIZATION RULES. tHANKS.
Now how about they put some halfway decent content out there for streaming.
Check their list of TV shows. There's plenty of stuff there.
Their Watch Now movies suck, but they can only offer more... but the TV shows are awesome.
why is everybody crazy about streaming netflix movies to their tvs?? they have a pathetic online movie collection
I'm not crazy about streaming their pathetic collection of movies...
It's the HUGE collection of TV shows, both new and old.
Everyone says the disc is dead, and that digital downloads are the future... well this is getting close. If it's not Netflix or Apple, who's gonna provide this? We can't have a dozen competing services. So, Netflix is pretty high up in the movie business.
Only because it's better than streaming movies to your computer.
I haven't even tried Netflix streaming yet. Once it's in my living room I'll at least give it a whirl.
Under $500?
Damn these players for $499.99. I pay the low price of $15/mo for movies for a reason- to save money!
why does anybody want to stream movies? You don't get the full TrueHD/DTS-MA/DTS-HD sound that way..
So they can just sit on the couch and order up a film without having to place it in a queue and wait for the disk to arrive at their door assuming the film they want is in stock and is sent straight away.
Its not rocket science is it.
This is a perfect device. You can rent or buy high quality Blu-Ray movies to watch on the player... or stream regular ol' TV show content that's not super quality anyway.
It's for the TV shows.I went through season 1 of Dexter in about 2 days.
@ Mark
In addition to ArticFox's comment, their Watch Now content is also nice for stuff that I'm interested in seeing, but don't want to use one of the slots I subscribe to for the DVD.
There are some movies and TV series that I want to own in a physical format. There are some that I definitely want to use one of my slots for to bring home, see in higher quality, and be able to see all the extra features. Then there are some I would like to see at some point, but they're not that high on my list and the Watch Now is a great place to do it.
Additionally, I can watch an entire TV series in 1/4 the time if I used one of my slots.
Well done, Netflix. Keep going this direction. And personally, I love the idea of the Xbox 360 integration - couldn't think of anything better.
Now we just need MS to swallow their pride a bit, and integrate a Blu-ray drive into the Xbox. Of course, if Netflix can soon get to the point of being able to stream HD Blu-ray content (not sure exactly how much bandwidth it would take to stream that much data), then the Xbox may not even need a Blu-ray drive, at all. But then again, having both the drive and HD streaming would be the best. I just want convergence and the greatest flexibility, and it's getting closer to what I know many of us would like. Now add that drive, MS ! (And please integrate it (no add-on) into at least *one* model of Xbox).
In terms of renting, I'm looking forward to when we can '86 physical media altogether (again, aside from purchases), and just stream everything (and do it in HD). I know things are getting started, but when Netflix has converted their entire library (including HD content), that'll be a great day - on-demand as it's meant to be. Undoubtedly in addition to others, I've been wanting that (crying out for it, practically) for years. We're getting closer!
Very interesting. I dumped my Netflix account several months back, and I was intending to drop cable and just get an AppleTV box because in the end renting the shows I wanted (or getting them for free) was going to cost less than my cable bill.
But this looks pretty interesting...I wouldn't get the shows I like right away, but that doesn't matter as much to me as having low-cost, integrated devices and services does.
If Netflix were to suddenly start renting shows like iTunes does instead of having to wait until they show up on DVD, that would definitely be the tipping point for me.
I really wish they would add Netflix streaming support to AppleTV. THAT would be the tipping point for me to finally buy an AppleTV. I can't see it happening though since it would cannibalize Apple's movie rentals.
Our little Netflix is all growns up. It's growns up and it's growns up and it's growns up."
*Groan*
That was for Jamie. Damn reply system...
Fail.
High quality HD movies from disk... Low quality SD movies from download... so far unimpressed by the Netflix download movies.
The idea of the Netflix Watch Now (Instantly) sounds really great at first, but after watching a few movies, one quickly realizes that this has got a loooong way to go before it can become mainstream. There are several problems like poor PQ, 4:3 movies, no 5.1 audio, small selection, etc.
The quality of the Netflix Watch Now (Instantly) movies are no better than watching SD TV from basic cable, even when viewed at the maximum bitrate. WHICH IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO DVD QUALITY. Many Netflix Watch Now movies (viewed at maximum bitrate) are actually worse than SD TV, with poor picture quality (noticable pixelation), and all the movies are stereo only (no Dolby 5.1).
Netflix needs to get the Watch Now movies to _at least_ DVD quality (picture/audio). Until Netflix fixes these problems (poor PQ, 4:3 movies, no 5.1 audio, small selection, etc.), I don't see devices like this going anywhere.
Streaming SD content is NOT a selling point; especially since this will be hooked up to my 47" 1080p LCD (to use the Blu-ray).
Most SD content looks horrible on such screens.
Stream HD (at least 720p/1080i) and THEN I might consider buying one!
This thing looks pretty sweet. Looks like it can stream from a PC and if so, I'll scoop one.
if they can put it on xbox then why cant they put it on ps3 i just dont get it I am new to this gaming world but isnt ps3 better? some one explain it to me please!