Netflix stealth launches HD streaming to PC and Mac

It appears HD Netflix Watch Instantly streams aren't just for living room set-top boxes anymore now that Netflix is streaming more than half of its 720p-encoded titles to Macs and PCs (through the Silverlight web player, no word on the Media Center add-on.) According to Hacking Netflix, you can tell which ones are ready to go by checking the mouseover box for the (HD Available) tag as seen above. Our experience matches several other reports that not everyone is seeing the tag on all the same titles, so until it's rolled out fully, YMMV. It's not the new release flicks or surround sound add-ons that many are waiting for, but it could slide PQ up another notch for HTPC owners and everyone who just has to watch Killer Klowns from Outer Space at work -- but you'd never do that.

[Thanks, @DaveZatz]

[Mike Vick Posted May 12th 2010 4:12PM]

Netflix just keeps getting better and better.

[connmannic Posted May 12th 2010 4:33PM]

@Mike Vick
You know the thing that made me the most happy?
Dr Who is on the top of that list. :D


For the people who need to correct everything wrong on the internet (ex: http://xkcd.com/386/ ) I know it is 351st, but it is still first on this list.

[coolpal Posted May 12th 2010 5:04PM]

@connmannic I see how much you hate people correcting you.

[Sarcasme Posted May 12th 2010 5:28PM]

@Mike Vick Engadget need a new tag: "US only"

[connmannic Posted May 12th 2010 6:12PM]

@coolpal

It was all in jest. :) I just wanted to reference xkcd really...

[soorma Posted May 12th 2010 6:24PM]

Great choice of the movie for the promotion!

Punjabi Pride!
-S Singh

[soorma Posted May 12th 2010 6:26PM]

@soorma

And to be truthful, I have never seen the movie, I just like that he is also wearing a turban! ;D

[brararsh Posted May 13th 2010 2:39AM]

@soorma

22 vekhi taan main vi ni.. :P

[jayayess1190 Posted May 12th 2010 4:15PM]

Excellent.

[R2D2 The droid Posted May 12th 2010 4:15PM]

Wow! That's nice. Can't wait to get back home and try.

PS: That's a crappy movie by the way.

[engadgetcomexcludeengadget Posted May 12th 2010 4:44PM]

@R2D2 The droid None of the 202 movies in my instant queue (or the movie shown) says HD available for me. I don't plan on watching netflix on my PC anyways (that's why I have an Xbox and PS3), but you'd think this would rollout to everyone at the same time since everyone is accessing the same website.

[widmer Posted May 12th 2010 5:08PM]

@R2D2 The droid
One of the worst movies I've ever had the unfortunate privilege of watching.

[Bowsa Posted May 12th 2010 4:15PM]

HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!

[Deusx Posted May 12th 2010 4:18PM]

Killer Klowns from outer space is possiblly the best movie ever made, now the possiblitity of watching it in HD is almost more than i can handle...

[ArhcAngel Posted May 12th 2010 4:22PM]

@Deusx

That show scared me on so many levels.

First-I found it actually scary in some places (and hilarious in others)
Second-I found it scary that someone actually had to dream something that twisted up AND somebody else thought it was a good idea to make AND somebody else thought it was a good idea to put money into making it.

[Alex Posted May 12th 2010 4:20PM]

Nice. I've enjoyed HD Netflix streaming on my blu-ray player for a while now, and am looking forward to getting that functionality on my HTPC!

[buffalosolja42 Posted May 12th 2010 4:22PM]

Great concept but unless they can start getting the new releases to our door steps, this wouldn't really be that awesome for me. Don't get me wrong I will not get rid of netflix but would rather pay an additional $10 = like 2 comcast rentals and see the current films or anything recent. I can't even watch the original Iron Man on instant streaming.

[HotWalk Posted May 12th 2010 4:24PM]

Finally!

[Mekkakat Posted May 12th 2010 4:24PM]

WOOOOOOOO!

That's a smile irl :D

[cameronsipod Posted May 12th 2010 4:26PM]

moon was disappointing.

[jonac13 Posted May 12th 2010 4:29PM]

@cameronsipod Your comment was disappointing.

[SikSlayer Posted May 12th 2010 4:27PM]

Great news. Now gimme HD support in Media center!

[Tayyab73 Posted May 12th 2010 4:28PM]

Pocket mein rocket hai, pocket mein....

[Pradster Posted May 13th 2010 1:08AM]

@Tayyab73 Thanks so much! Now that tune is stuck in my head!

[Bobbo Posted May 12th 2010 4:28PM]

Can't wait till they come up with an Android app

[wako Posted May 12th 2010 4:31PM]

too bad you can only stream the crappy movies

[Rainier Posted May 12th 2010 4:33PM]

I must be sleepy - I just tried to click on the PLAY link for Caddyshack. Fail.

[btyler227 Posted May 12th 2010 4:34PM]

That's great news.

HOW ABOUT AN iPHONE APP, PLEASE?!

[Waltah Posted May 12th 2010 4:36PM]

How about just having the blu ray movie on my queue in stock without me waiting a month. K, thanx.

[gamedude360 Posted May 12th 2010 4:36PM]

sweet so killer klowns from outer space in hd :) I love that movie. clown boobs ftw

[Hussain Rahim Posted May 12th 2010 4:38PM]

Waited a while for this.
Awesome.

[penetronn Posted May 12th 2010 4:38PM]

Not yet HD on the Media Center add in. Crap.

[andysexton Posted May 12th 2010 4:55PM]

@penetronn Yeah, give us that soon, please.

Hope it's not held up by the rumored MS desire to protect xbox gold accounts. That would be silly since it's available from the browser now.

[Grubasaurus Rex Posted May 12th 2010 4:46PM]

They need to put new releases on their streaming program.

[andysexton Posted May 12th 2010 4:56PM]

@Grubasaurus Rex Do you think they wouldn't love for the studios to allow them to do that?

That's not Netflix's fault.

[coitis1 Posted May 12th 2010 4:57PM]

So no HD streaming for consoles? I'm streaming through a Wii.

[andysexton Posted May 12th 2010 5:08PM]

@coitis1 If you have a nonHD console like the Wii, then it's pretty much impossible.

360 and PS3 have had HD streaming all along.

[BryCivicSi Posted May 12th 2010 5:09PM]

@coitis1

Please tell me you are joking.

[citrusfizz Posted May 12th 2010 5:12PM]

@coitis1
I need to stream through my wii, brb

/penis joke

anyways the Wii is not HD at no point in the future will your unit be able to output HD

[verruckt8 Posted May 12th 2010 4:57PM]

That's odd, that list looks almost exactly like my Instant Que.

[RichardLawler Posted May 12th 2010 5:25PM]

@verruckt8 Because you have fantastic taste.

[ryandarr1979 Posted May 12th 2010 5:06PM]

Not sure this is news, as I am pretty sure that HD content has been available for months to be streamed to PCs. Atleast, I have been able to stream HD content to my PC and laptop for months...

[grydlok Posted May 12th 2010 6:04PM]

@ryandarr1979 I thought so as well.

[TheNetAvenger Posted May 12th 2010 6:10PM]

@ryandarr1979

Exactly. I have been streaming HD movies on Netflix for several months now on my PC that controls our main LCD in the entertainment room.

I do remember the XBox had HD for a long time.

Not long after Netflix updated their PC client to Silverlight, HD content has been available on the PC as well.

So stealthy it happened months ago?

[RichardLawler Posted May 12th 2010 6:11PM]

@TheNetAvenger and why do you think you were watching HD?

[Deaf Posted May 12th 2010 5:15PM]

Are the HD streaming movies closed captioned?!?

[analogx Posted May 12th 2010 5:18PM]

Rocket Singh .... eeeww

[ben55124 Posted May 12th 2010 5:23PM]

There may be 3d available by the time you get to #356 in your queue.

[mattcoz Posted May 12th 2010 5:23PM]

I don't think you're ever going to get through that queue.

[RichardLawler Posted May 12th 2010 5:26PM]

@mattcoz All I can do is try. It just doesn't work, there's way more stuff to watch than I possibly have time to watch it.