Netflix streaming purportedly hitting Nintendo's Wii next
By Darren Murph 
posted Oct 28th 2009 5:24PM
posted Oct 28th 2009 5:24PM
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
yeah first one....to bad i dont have a Wii
PREPARE TO FEEL THE WRATH OF MY DOWNVOTE!!!
that got old in 2004.
So why would there be a one time disc fee for Netflix streaming on the Wii, but not on the PS3?
Because the Wii is the #1 console. 1/10 of the total Wii owners try the service Netflix/Nintendo is looking at 50+ Million Dollars.
or
Because Nintendo doesn't want to pay a sort of fee that MS gets around by charging XBL Gold and Sony by paying out of pocket or advertising on PSN.
But we won't know until it comes out because that can all change...
I was wondering the same thing.
There probably won't be one, but you never know.
Same survey came out for Playstation 3 and had $9.99 fee in it, but now disk is free. So Wii disk will probably be free also.
Besides it costs them pennies to make that disk, and while development of software may have taken a good chunk of money out of Netflix pocket they will make it back withing first month of new subscription by a Wii owner.
Next announcement I expect from Netflix is that they actually have newer movies to stream, COME ON ITS TIME.
Because the Wii is better. Duh.
All joking aside, I have no clue.
I believe there was once a survey asking users if they would use the service on the PS3 with the same requirements ($9.99 disk) if I remember correctly. We now know that the PS3 disk will be free. I think the disk was made free due to public feedback, so make sure you let them know how you feel before this rolls out for the Wii.
I was planning to get Netflix when it comes to the wii. But this 9.99 charge might just irritate me enough to hold off the purchase.
We already knew this was coming. I think the bigger news in the article is that Nintendo's debating leaving this services out for the next-gen Wii.
They have no reason not to do it now, unless the next-gen Wii is insanely more expensive than the current one.
where did you see there is a fee?
I have serious doubts that the Wii will be able to perform the tasks needed to do with well. Anything regarding streaming and media selecting for me has resulted in stuttering, memory leaks, terrible display quality etc.
Look at the second bulletin at the top of the article...
Actually never mind I'll just quote it for you
"A Netflix Instant Streaming Disc (one-time fee of $9.99) This disc must be put in...."
That image is from a survey that was sent out in March. A similar survey was sent out concerning the PS3 at that time that had the same $9.99 fee in the survey. There is no way to know whether the fee that was mentioned 7 months ago is still relevant (it apparently isn't for the PS3).
....I think I might have a Wii, not 100% sure though.
It must be a very wee wii.
try looking under the pile of dust.
i kid, i kid.
I remember reading somewhere that Netflix plans on over 50% of their service shifting from DVD's to online streaming within 2yrs. We can clearly see how they plan on getting there. They are getting into every device. One can only imagine that blockbuster maybe has 2yrs of life left in it.
And don't think for a second that Netflix isn't frothing at the mouth to get on smart phones. I can only imagine that's not too far away.
In related news, every Blockbuster within five miles of my home went out of business in the last two weeks.
the blockbusters by my house went out of business recently too
I'm actually surprised that the wii is even able to handle this. I know its a huge pain to adapt it to new purposes.
It probably can't handle HD though.
If I remember correctly the Wii's component output will only do 480p so HD on the console is a moot point.
From what I've seen the Wii can barely handle YouTube without getting choppy. I'm pretty skeptical.
And I've seen it playing full frame video from different codecs off of an SD. And playing smooth off DVD. And full frame via wifi (locally served). Via homebrew
I've then seen it stutter on the Nintendo Channel, take outrageous amounts of time to update etc. The Internet is random but YouTube has been okay
I reckon Nintendo either is proxying and/or wrapping their downloaded material with too much protection and checksum or something
that's because it was running through a browser and flash isn't well suited, hell even linux can't stream flash smoothly
if it runs on its own dedicated software the Wii has plently of power to play 480P DVD quality video, just look at the MPlayer app for Wii
I thought that the Netflix Stream uses Silverlight? So the disk as silverlight on it and uses the BDLive profile to snatch the stream. Wii should be able to handle this task - though 480P is tops for output.
I already signed up for my PS3 disc (CD,DVD,BD?) and it didn't mention a fee...the verbiage above mentions a 1-time $9.99 fee for the disc. You'd think it would be the other way around since there are 10 Wiis for every PS3. Oh well, works out in my favor, for once!
I have to admit, instant streaming old episodes of Captain N on the Wii would feel so right..
If you want good streaming performance on the Wii, use the ethernet-to-usb dongle. The builtin wifi on the Wii (and the PS3) is pure crap with its tiny, internal antenna. Even for SD video, a console's builtin wifi is going to stutter because those cheapo chips they use drop packets for any little interference from cordless phones, microwaves, your neighbor's router, etc. If you want to stream video to a console (or even have quality gaming session) you need to go either wired (MoCA if you can't run Cat5) or as a last resort have a single, dedicated MIMO n-router that all your net-ready devices near your tv share so they can't fight each other (in addition to your neighbors) for the spectrum.
Smart move by Netflix for sure.. Get it before Blockbuster does!
the wii is already handling it via playon software but as you stated, its only 480i because the wii doesn't do High Def. But with the install base the Wii has I doubt Netflix cares about the High Def.
Wait, the flyer says the disc costs 10 bucks by its lonesome (plus the subscription fee). Does that apply to the PS3? 10 bucks for an app that's free on the 360 is hard to swallow.
You mean free if you pay the $50/yr for a Gold membership.
I think I read somewhere that it costs 8 cents to stream a movie (once the servers, IT staff, etc are paid for) versus 20 or 30 cents to ship it both ways, not to mention the paper and gas that's wasted AND not to mention the effort that goes into pressing a disc in the first place. For the environment, I'm tempted to say "streaming FTW". Now if we can just get those servers running on solar power..
I will challenge the whole "for the environment thing'
More bandwidth will be required which mean more electricity, more servers will need to be turned on to handle more demand -- which means more electricity. Larger data centers with more staff -- means more electricity. A blue-ray or DVD player uses less electricity than a Wii.
DVDs and paper can be recyled -- each download requires more electricity!
Meaning, all this IT/digital stuff does more harm than plain old plastic and paper that CAN be reused.
Lets face it, its a convience thing not an environment thing!
The environment my @$$
Until these streaming boxes can beat blu Ray playing via hdmi over a 1080p LCD. No thanks. Y should u settle for inferior low quality audio n video?
{convenience}
the { } symbolize the nutshell here.
Does the Wii have the processing power for Netflix? I'm not trying to slam the wii, its a genuine question.
I would expect so since you can play a DVD movie with HomeBrew. Mind you, it takes 20 minutes to start the movie, but that's with porting mplayer and to my knowledge not using the Wii SDK. I'd imagine they could do some code optimization with full dev tools. I'd be disappointed if they have to reduce quality just to accommodate the Wii's processing power.
$10 or free, I'm ready for the Netflix on the Wii. I'd be even more happy if the disc would just install a channel and I didn't have to swap discs just to do Watch Now.
Right now I use an Apple TV for most of my online video streaming, and I cancelled my Netflix subscription because of it.
I like on-demand media, but the problem with Netflix is that I didn't have a good way to get it onto my TV (well, that and Netflix's selection of "watch instantly" movies is mostly old or B-movies).
If I could play Netflix on my Wii or PS3, however, I might be interested in renewing my subscription!
At the same time, I keep hoping Apple will offer subscription-based movie/TV show services, but for now it sounds like Netflix is as good as it gets for subscriptions.
I was on the Apple TV bandwagon for a while myself (also cancelled Netflix at the time), however I can assure you that Netflix Watch Now has gotten better. It's not great and there's still more documentaries and B movies than actual films, but Starz Play has broadened the library quite a bit. I've since sold the Apple TVs and picked up a Windows Media Center and I how have the perfect living room media center (and I'm a Mac guy). Perfect DVR capabilities, amazing interface, Netflix, Hulu, Microsoft's Internet TV (mostly Arrested Development and clips of random stuff) and it doubles as a gaming system and DVD player.
I'd never go back, really. My only complaint is that none of my Macs can stream the media. :-(
Don't forget Nova on the Microsoft Internet TV. Tons of awesome, sometimes artsy, sometimes uber nerdy documentaries :D
Hmm... I'm gonna email Nintendo and tell them that until Netflix has live streaming captioning I don't want to see this product on my Wii. If Hulu.com can do it... Why can't Netflix?
hmmm...having both a wii and 360, I'd love to get rid of the XBL monthly fee (that I pretty much use ONLY for NetFlix), but I don't want to give up HD. :-( Dang it.
With all of this console adding, I hope they beef up their servers so I dont see one green bar on a 6mb connection!
Wouldn't it be nice if the Netflix disc enabled DVD playback on the Wii.
I seriously doubt it will happen but since the Wii isn't already licensed DVD player, I'll speculate that the disc enabled a DVD playback function.
Also I'm sure I'm wrong!
Does the Wii have the graphics processor necessary to stream Netflix to a HDTV?
nope
And NetFlix is coming to Canada… never.
Not directly related to this post. However, does anyone use netflix streaming on their xbox360? I was talking to a friend, he mentioned that playback stutters and during the day, gets pixelated and grainy. He said that it works better at night. Not sure if it's his ISP or netfilx. Anyone have any experience with streaming to console? good or bad? I want to get it, but if it's low quality or skips, then it would be annoying. SD content on 55" tv looks bad. It's fine on laptop screen, but anyone tried it on tv larger the 46'?
When it first came out the buffer seemed too short and it would have to rebuffer sometimes. With the latest version I can watch the HD quality shows and its always perfect. Some shows have different quality than others, its inconsistent. Netflix often sends surveys asking you how you thought the quality was.
--Eli
I think I just pixeled in my pants.
With this coming on the PS3 and wii it seems like Netflix is pushing this more then Nintendo or Sony.
I don't see why they can't do this with just a firmware update? I mean isn't that what the Disc is going to do anyways?
Are you going to have to put the disc in every time? LIke is the disc what connects back to Netflix? So its not going to be like a wii channel or an option in PS3 menu?
This is why it seems like Netflix is pushing it. Like they went to Nintendo and Sony and said he can we allow a program to run on your system that lets it stream our movies? Its just strange. I wonder if Sony or Nintendo are even getting a cut? Probably not as much as Microsoft is with there integreted features.
I don't really see Netflix on a wii catching on unless it was a channel. I feel the bigger reason to stream movies is for HD! If I want a DVD I could to red box?
Wait - how is THIS not the bigger news?
"Nintendo is also considering holding off on the Netflix service until they release their next generation Wii HD unit in early 2010."
Say what now?!
Hoax. It looks just like the PS3 one could have been photoshoped.
Of course it looks like the PS3 one. Do you expect Netflix to redesign the questionnaire for each platform?
Not saying you're hoax idea isn't possible though. No one here seems to have gotten the survey. I know I haven't.
Too bad netflix isnt in europe. I mean honestly, instead of putting their company on every console, why dont you make the company international?
Just a thought
The Netflix CEO said in their latest earning call that they plan to go international with streaming in the 2nd half 2010.
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-netflix-to-take-its-streaming-business-international-next-year/
And honestly, based on the way that movie and TV rights are handled on a country by country basis, its probably easier for them to get it on every console/stb out there than to expand internationally.
scyber, thanks for the info.
Now folk from other countries can stop bitching about us getting streams they don't. We can start bitching about how the rights/laws gets them streams that we don't. ;)
How bout a firmware update to watch DVDs on the Wii. What a load of crap that is!!
That firmware update has been out for years...
It just isn't made by Nintendo. *cough*DVDx*cough*
@zo,
Most companies are seeing that better enviromental measures = more efficiency = bigger profits.
The data infrastructure that house the servers and pipes need to be built/run as efficiently as possible.
The electricity that is used is generated by big power stations that are very efficient because they have the time needed rather than having the power immediately.
More and more electricity is coming from renewable energy due to higher demand.
Since the Wii can't play DVD right now...perhaps the $10 fee includes the license to enable DVD playback that Nintendo is STILL to cheap to pay for.
I bought a Wii and now it just sits in my basement. Netflix streaming would bring it back to life!
Where the f*** is Netflix for my iPhone?!?
Bwa ha ha ha!!! Suck it MS.