HD Netflix streaming comes to Xbox 360 first

It's something you can't get on the Roku. Nor on LG's BD300. Nor on Samsung's P2500 / P2550 Blu-ray players. Nor through Netflix's own "Watch Instantly" portal. It's high-def Netflix streaming, and it's coming first to Microsoft's Xbox 360. Just in case you glossed over this massively huge tidbit when digesting the new dashboard information this morning, we're here to remind you that when the aforesaid dash hits on November 19th, with it will come HD Netflix streaming for (US-based, presumably) Xbox Live Gold members. You should know that this is only a "soft launch" with about 300 titles available for now, and the litany of details you're surely craving simply aren't available at present time. At any rate, we'd say things just got a lot more interesting in the world of digital downloads, but there's really no need. The real question is: when will everyone else follow suit, and how quickly can we expect current Netflix streamers to get the HD upgrade?

Update: We're hearing this whole HD Netflix streaming thing may actually hit all those other boxes in late November as well. Guess we'll see in time, huh?

[Baron @ Oct 29th 2008 9:01AM]

Finally, something worth getting a Gold Membership for.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Oct 29th 2008 11:35AM]

Yup, awesome! More good new stuff for free!

[Harkonian @ Oct 29th 2008 12:52PM]

I'm not familiar with XBOX Live pricing at all how much is a Gold membership? I'm curious just how much of a deal this is when I can get Netflix Instant Queue (SD) streamed to my PS3 for free via Playon http://www.themediamall.com/playon . Having native streaming would be great, but it seems like having to pay for Gold membership on top of a Netflix membership wouldn't be a very good deal over the course of a year or more.

[Alan Strangis @ Oct 29th 2008 1:41PM]

It's worth pointing out that PlayOn (which is pretty cool) also streams Netflix to the 360 without the need of a Gold Membership.

Of course, in standard def.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Oct 29th 2008 1:56PM]

Harkonian,

I think it's somewhere around $50 a year if you pay annually, and I'm on the cheapest 1-disc-at-a-time Netflix account since I finished the bulk of my ripping. I think most of us who are excited about this are those who already have XBL and it's a free bonus; not necessarily a killer deal if you don't use the gaming.

Then again, I almost never play games on the XBox anyway.. but it's worth keeping Live around just in case, and now for streaming movies too.

[Andrea @ Oct 29th 2008 9:03AM]

Another nail in optical media's coffin... I'm talking to you Sony.

[Chris @ Oct 29th 2008 9:17AM]

Sure, because buying a game console, a Netflix subscription, a Xbox Live Gold membership, 10Mb/s+ broadband service (and being at the mercy of packet shaping, usage caps, etc) is so much easier than buying a disc. Not to mention 720p content with DD 5.1 sound, compressed to all hell barely qualifies as HD.

[Eric E @ Oct 29th 2008 9:29AM]

Sony has a digital media store on its ps3 too. It sells its movies (it actually has a movie studio) and other studios in SD and HD and lots of tv shows for rental or purchase and im sure this netflix thing will come to ps3 eventually too.

[Static @ Oct 29th 2008 9:31AM]

I doubt Sony is worrying about this. The last update brought to the PS3 allowed for you to register the device as a Divx certified player.

*ahem*
http://www.divx.com/connected/

Added to their digital video store on the PSN. I really doubt Sony is worried about Digital media taking over for Disc based media. There is alot of other reason why people will never give up tangible media (and I do Download alot) and that is mainly because of ownership, rights and trust with certain companies. It also has to do with the average speed of internet 'Worldwide' and the overall willingness of the average consumer to go completely digital.

Besides, all this talk about "nails in coffin" only makes you sound like a disgruntled HD-DVD supporter.

[wyatterp @ Oct 29th 2008 9:46AM]

@Chris

Your analogy does not add up. Yes, all those components to a degree are required to enjoy this on an Xbox 360. But you can't simply "just buy a disc" to enjoy HD content. You still need a Blu-ray player (getting cheaper), the right receiver (HDMI audio), the right cables, etc. So it's a question of front loading costs or paying for them via the service model. Ultimately the service model costs more, but in turn you gain access to more content most likely, and are usually granted the upgrades that come with that subscription at no additional costs.

[Temple @ Oct 29th 2008 10:15AM]

Probably make more impact on videos sold in XBL marketplace then on Sony. Netflix streaming movie selection is not that great and doesn't have new releases.

But I guess you have to have Gold Subscription on top of Netflix subscription so it may not impact casuals. Not sure if it works with the HDD-less Arcade either.

[TVGenius @ Oct 29th 2008 10:17AM]

Sure thing, buddy. I'll get that streaming on my 128 kpbs 'net connection. It is the fastest I can get at my house, after all.

[required @ Oct 29th 2008 12:39PM]

Andrea, I take it you prefer paying twice for the storage medium. I also understand that you like paying more for less.

[Omen_20 @ Oct 29th 2008 3:34PM]

I have a PS3 only and I for a long time thought Sony should get Netflix as a partner, along with someone like Google or Mozilla to fix their browser. M$ got there first though with most likely a payoff and they might keep it exclusive. That kind of sucks being a Sony supporter but it really doesnt affect me.

I use my PC through my HDTV as well so I've been able to stream Netflix fullscreen for a long time now. I never use it however as I'd rather just get a Bluray and HD streaming isnt going to change that since I know I can get better quality on BD. Plus the stuff on Instant is pretty crappy as far as movies go. I do use it every now and then for watching a stand-up comedy special, but then again I watch them on Youtube a lot as well.. so yeah, not really an issue..

[doniel @ Oct 29th 2008 9:04AM]

Now I'm only wondering if the 250G cap set by Comcast is high enough for me to enjoy this service...

[Bilbo @ Oct 29th 2008 10:46AM]

First thing that came to my mind as well...... F'in Comcast and their limits! Revolt!

[Rick @ Oct 29th 2008 9:09AM]

I wonder what netflixs' cut is on this deal.

Oh yeah, i'm ****ing pumped for this update!!

Thanks for doing something good for once Microsoft!!!

Keep up the good work.

[chefgon_ign @ Oct 29th 2008 9:49AM]

More subscribers? I'm signing up for Netflix as soon as this update rolls out. I never would have considered it without the Xbox integration.

[John @ Oct 29th 2008 9:07AM]

Soo....maybe I should just get an Xbox 360.

[josh @ Oct 29th 2008 9:44PM]

John, Xbox 360 is the way to go. you would have so much fun. offline and online. the best games out there. not to mention you would have the NEX that allows you to chat up to 8 ppl. download so much stuff. the price is right. $300 for the 60 gb.(hdmi out) add $50 for gold membership. the rest is up to you how you get the games. wheater to buy o rent. Now with netflix is more of a sweet deal. you rent 1 movie at a time and enjoy streaming on you xbox when you want to. Myself, I buy the best games worth playing online. and the rest i just rent from gamefly. ill get netflix cause is cheaper than buying the movie package from directv. lol. so do the math. start up cost is around $350. montly for netflix is $9/mo no late fee, monthly for gamefly is $15/mo no latefee. If you care bout Blue-ray than stick with PS3 blue-gay. lol.

[nxp3 @ Oct 29th 2008 9:07AM]

There's no such thing as HD streaming...I don't know why engadget even post such lies. These videos are so compressed I bet the quality is not much better than dvd quality. Hidef streaming does not equal BD or HD DVD qualtiy...not even close.

[Ultiman @ Oct 29th 2008 9:14AM]

Even more reason to hope the Samsung or LG Blu-ray/Netflix player can be had for a good price on Black Friday.

[Rick @ Oct 29th 2008 9:16AM]

As defined:

"High-definition (HD) video generally refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition (SD) video, most commonly at display resolutions of 1280×720 (720p) or 1920×1080 (1080i or 1080p)"


High Def video does not need to be BR quality, It is very common and easy to stream videos of 720p/1080i quality over a broadband connection greater then 3 mbps.

If your connection is slower then that, you have my pity.

[Josh @ Oct 29th 2008 10:38AM]

There are still a lot of stations that only broadcast in 720, you're right, guess that's not HD either...I'm gonna cancel my HD service...just not worth it for non BR quality...

[Matt @ Oct 29th 2008 1:09PM]

@ nxp3

Clearly, you a) are poor, or b) don't have an Xbox.

If you had an Xbox and weren't poor, you would know that you can watch movies in high-def and they look just as good as high-def TV broadcast (I'm too poor for bluray) and they take about a minute to buffer.

[Brian @ Oct 29th 2008 2:38PM]

@Matt

Steaming HD over the internet and over-the-air HD are not the same quality. Over-the-air HD is currently only beaten by Blu-ray in terms of quality and bandwidth. Since the HD signals are being broadcast over the air, they really don't have to worry about bandwidth limits like internet streaming would have to.

[pekosROB @ Oct 29th 2008 2:44PM]

HD can't stream huh? Then how are all the HD channels on my TV coming through? It uses the same cable the TV does. And then there's OTA antennae you can get that pick up HD channels. Streaming movies and watching "live" TV and movies on cable both use the same connection. Think about it.

I know the XBLM isn't streaming but a temporary download. This is in great quality and I could care less if it's streaming or downloaded, as long as it looks great. You can't watch the XBLM downloads after a certain time period so storage amount isn't a problem unless you have an HDD that is almost filled.

On a side note I can't wait for the switch to digital. I really think getting rid of all the analog channels for good will open up a huge amount of bandwidth for internet connections!

[Colin @ Oct 29th 2008 2:51PM]

"High-definition (HD) video generally refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition (SD) video, most commonly at display resolutions of 1280×720 (720p) or 1920×1080 (1080i or 1080p)"

While technically this is true, I mostly have to agree with Nxp3 here. The compression required to stream video at HD resolutions drops the video bit-rate to below the bandwidth of regular ole standard-def DVD. In the case of Apple TV, HD downloads are a measly 4mbps, where DVD is 8, and blu ray is 40. While compression techniques are getting better all the time, this is still a drastic drop and results in details that get mushed together, color banding, and all sorts of compression artifacts that you dont even get with regular SD DVD's. So while HD streaming exists, it aint that great just yet. Obviously, it will only get better with more bandwidth.

Nevertheless, as a Netflix subscriber, and a 360 owner, I am freekin excited by this news!! As far as I'm concerned I'll still continue to collect movies on blu ray, but for renting, this is just the bee's knees. I cant wait for the NXE!!

[raven_m @ Oct 29th 2008 9:12AM]

Is it going to be available Worldwide ?
or only for US (...as usual) ?

[Andrew @ Oct 29th 2008 4:16PM]

Is that a rhetorical question?

[Bob @ Oct 29th 2008 9:12AM]

Great news! Can't wait.

[Patrick @ Oct 29th 2008 9:25AM]

For all you who will start screaming 1280p blah, blah..nobody cares!!!!! The HD stream quality will be good enough for 96% of people. BD will remain a niche market. So sorry Sony.

[Patrick @ Oct 29th 2008 9:53AM]

Here's the proof:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/storage/?p=365

[dan @ Oct 29th 2008 9:18AM]

So, are the UK getting anything out of this Netflix deal?

[Jose @ Oct 29th 2008 9:22AM]

Seeing how I get to pay Netflix anyway, I would rather get the Blu-ray discs that come with my membership than stream low quality HD streams. Just because it is in 720p/1080i does not mean it looks as good as a high bitrate HD file. How do you think they get a file to fit into a 3Mbps stream? By eliminating detail, of course!

[Rick @ Oct 29th 2008 9:49AM]

The cheapest Netflix subscription with unlimited online streaming and one dvd out at a time is 8.99 a month. at 12, $107.88

Xbox 360 Live 12-Month Gold Subscription Card (FREE 1 Month Bonus) is $38.98

Being able to stream about 300 movies at release, unlimited for 38.98....


last time I checked 38.98

[StreetStealth @ Oct 29th 2008 10:15AM]

Rick, you do realize you need *both* a Netflix subscription *and* an XBL gold membership for this, right?

[Rick @ Oct 29th 2008 11:44AM]

Hmm, I guess I stand corrected..

So your telling me that streaming HD netflix movies, is going to cost me approx 150 dollars a year? (for someone with out xbl gold)

Thanks, but no thanks.

I'll stick to just XBL gold. The additional 107 a year is not worth it for me..

(....after all , I DO have the large..haha..free..haha...Comcast... haha..On Demand HD library....

hahahaha... joking of course.)

[Big Wizz @ Oct 29th 2008 9:23AM]

I've had my Xbox for nearly 14 months and I *just* signed up for Netflix.

Suck it PS3!!

[Gridneo @ Oct 29th 2008 9:24AM]

So how are they going to work out the additional cost when it comes out for the PS3?

[Temple @ Oct 29th 2008 10:18AM]

No its free on the PS3 if you have PlayOn.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/playon-media-server-streams-netflix-to-ps3-xbox-360-today/

[Patrick @ Feb 12th 2009 8:41AM]

Ummm, PlayOn isn't free

[Ryback @ Oct 29th 2008 10:47AM]

It's free on Xbox aswell. If you have XBL Gold and Netflix.

[Alan Strangis @ Oct 29th 2008 1:57PM]

@Temple: Who cares? The TRIAL for PlayOn is free, and it only streams the standard def version of Netflix. Similarly, PlayOn is also available for Xbox users (and works with the free Silver XBL accounts).

In other words, same functionality for the same price, for either console..

The point is that if you're an XBL/Netflix subscriber, you're gonna be first in getting Netflix HD.

Which is a cool thing for those who are.

[hypermark @ Oct 30th 2008 4:20PM]

Playon is also poorly designed and doesn't work all that great. For some stupid reason they've used the .NET 1.0 framework to program the damn thing, which means that it doesn't play well with all machines. I'd rather pay Netlix a small monthly fee, which you would also have to pay PlayOn after the trial, and rest assured that not only will I get HD video, but WORKING video.

[Eric E @ Oct 29th 2008 9:26AM]

sony doesn't own optical media? sony wants blu ray to last but they don't own that either. However Sony Pictures (like every other movie studio) wants disc media to fail.
They want you to not have a physical copy of the movie, that you can keep for years, watch over and over for free, share w/ friends and borrow, make copies of etc.
if it was there way you would have to pay per view everything per person.
and what are the other nails in its coffin?

[Static @ Oct 29th 2008 9:53AM]

Sony makes money of off Blu ray and they are in charge of licensing. I am sure BR is an extra source of income. But you are right about sony pictures trying to sidestep Disc based media.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/17/sony-details-ps3-firmware-2-50-upgrades-divx-vod-support-av-tw/

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/09/sony-pictures-televisions-serving-up-content-to-divx-certified/

As evidenced here they are going to try to use the PS3 to push on multiple fronts giving consumers even more options. So the PS3 is going to be able to stream HD Divx, already can stream flash media (stutters on some HD), Upscales DVD's, Plays blu rays, display content streamed from any DNLA certified program or device (which ironically brings netflix streaming to the PS3 as well), Has a video store where you can purchase or rent movies and TV shows, and on top of that can play media stored off of external hard drives and other memory sources.

People trying to paint Sony as dependent on Blu ray only are just sounding childish in the face of the flexibility and freedom that sony has allowed PS3 users to watch both standard and high def content on their PS3.

[Jason W @ Oct 29th 2008 9:26AM]

Ha ha Ha ha ha... All you people bitching about this... Dont use it if you dont want to. For us who will use it this is just another great option. Now I need an N router. I just dont think G will do it anymore.
This is a win for MS and Netflix. Netflix gets a new influx of customers and MS gets HD video back from BR or at least shares it now.

[Blacksheep @ Oct 29th 2008 9:28AM]

I have been a Netflix subscriber for three, almost four years now, I watch videos on my PC through the watch instantly feature and soon I will be getting a new TV and connecting my PC to it, with the hopes that I can periodically watch streaming Netflix content through my PC on my TV. Just the other day I was thinking, "it would be great if this was at least DVD quality or better because it would look really grainy on a larger TV."

But no, they go ahead and put this on Xbox360 first, I don't own an Xbox! That ticks me off big time! Why not launch it on the Web site and Xbox at the same time? Did MS fork over millions of dollars for this privilege or something? Netflix, I am not happy about this, HD better be coming to the site soon or your "loyal customer" may cancel.

[Eric E @ Oct 29th 2008 9:32AM]

Thank Microsoft, they pay out the ass for timed exclusives.
You can bet if Apple was going to get HD service soon too they would pay for windows to have it first and faster