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Analyst sees Netflix adding surcharge if Watch Instantly gets too popular
Oh c'mon -- you had to know this was a possibility, right? As Netflix's Watch Instantly service becomes more viable and its library expands, more and more users are going to start tapping into those servers for instantaneous enjoyment. Eventually, suggests Cowen and Company analyst James Friedland, all that instant gratification could lead to more costs, and not surprisingly, it'll be the end-user paying up. As an increasing amount of subscribers use the online streaming feature, Netflix is asked to shell out more cash to studios for the content. Friedland predicts that "the company will charge an extra fee for the service [if it] starts to squeeze profit margins," just like it already did with Blu-ray Discs. We get the feeling most customers wouldn't balk at another $1 per month charge so long as the instant library started to include new releases, but if not, who knows what the backlash would be.
Ask Engadget HD: Is the Apple TV worth it?
The Apple TV has had some time to mature since hitting the scene years ago, and while its functionality has certainly grown, it's still one of the most low-key products to ever emerge from Cupertino. Marvin's Ask Engadget HD question is about this very product, and given that quite a few of you probably own one by now, why not take a look and contribute? "The Apple TV seems like a pretty good choice for my living room now that HD content is available and boxee can be added on. Still, I'd be buying into a mostly proprietary ecosystem, so I'm curious if it's really the best choice for a movie set-top-box / home media server. Do your readers have any suggestions one way or the other? Is it really the best, or are there better alternatives that do most of the same tasks?" Give it some thought and chime in below. Don't worry, we won't call you a fanboy -- promise.Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Netflix HD streaming shootout goes down at Engadget Classic
This is it, folks -- the shootout you've been waiting for. We've worked with our brethren over at Engadget Classic to assemble an end-all HD Netflix roundup, which pits the BD-P2500, BD300, TiVo HD, Xbox 360 and Roku Netflix Player against one another. We know you're salivating at the thought of it, so rather than just telling you who emerges victorious, we'll point you over and let you dig in yourself.
Blockbuster, Sonic Solutions team up for online movie delivery
Oh, Blockbuster -- what will we ever do with you? After first launching that branded MediaPoint box that all of four people purchased, you're now waltzing into the digital distribution party a few months late. According to a somewhat ambiguous report issued this morning, the movie giant has teamed up with Sonic Solutions in order to "give consumers access to a vast library of premium digital entertainment across a wide assortment of home and mobile electronic devices." In other words, those kosher with downloading content via Sonic's existing CinemaNow products and the like can soon have Blockbuster material on their handhelds, laptops and LCD-equipped threads. At least initially, BB will still be selling this material on a pay-per-view type system, though a subscription model could be implemented (read: should be implemented) shortly.[Via CNET]
Study finds interest high for connected HDTVs
Connected TVs are being blasted out hot and heavy here at CES, so it's a good thing that early studies are showing quite a bit of consumer interest. New research carried out by Oregon Networks has discovered that 71% of respondents would prefer a media browser to be installed within their next HDTV, and if for some reason it didn't, 45% said they'd be inclined to download one while 29% "definitely would" download one. Researchers also found that online video portals such as YouTube and Hulu were seen as value-add inclusions, and having them baked into HDTVs would enable families to spend more time together enjoying the spoils of digital video. Moreover, those polled voiced their love for being able to access networked media around the home on their sets, which makes us wonder if either technophiles were intentionally asked or if the world really is swaying to appreciate media streaming.
Fraunhofer IIS to push MPEG Surround as next big downloadable audio format
Watch out, MP3 -- you've got a formidable opponent creeping up on you. All kidding aside (yes, we were kidding), Fraunhofer IIS is hoping that at least four people will turn from their MP3 / AAC addictions and embrace yet another one of its audio formats at CES, which is simply christened MPEG Surround. Harald Popp, head of the Multimedia Realtime Systems department at the company, has asserted that the firm believes that "MPEG Surround will become a major online distribution format when downloading music, movie and TV content," noting that it offers "the music industry a way to sell iPod-compatible surround content through the existing stereo download infrastructure." We suppose the multi-channel aspect is at least somewhat noteworthy, but we still see a hard road ahead for it to gain "global acceptance" in 2009.
Still waiting for the Roku 1.5 HD update? Get it now
Still waiting for the high definition streaming-enabling update for your Roku Netflix Player? From the support forums comes the post-Christmas tip that anyone who hasn't been blessed by the rollout gods yet, can force it upon themselves simply by manually checking for an update 3 times within a 30 second period. We cannot take responsibility for any person or persons losing the Mandate of Heaven or being ejected from the Garden of Eden as a result of following these steps, but if all that happens is 720p movie bliss, you can totally blame that on us and the Roku team.[Thanks, Bob]
Niveus and HDGiants link up on movie distribution deal
We haven't really heard much from the single entity that emerged after VideoGiants and MusicGiants ran full force into one another, but Niveus Media is keeping said outfit relevant by bringing its movie collections to the Media Server and Storage Server – Cargo Edition. Films will be made available to dealers and consumers in packages of 50 ($1,099) or 100 ($2,099) titles, and of course, each title will come with all of the snazzy cover art and metadata to make searching a breeze. At least for now, the flicks are delivered to dealers on hard drives (50+ movies is a lot to download, holmes), but at least you know you'll be getting the best quality material. Full release is after the break.
VUDU price dramatically slashed to $99* for the holidays
We know it's a touch late to be ordering up a gift for unwrapping on the 25th, but this one just might be worth the IOU you'll likely be forced to give. VUDU's movie set-top-box, which typically goes for $299, is now priced at just $99 for a limited time. Of course, VUDU forces you to purchase $50 in movie credits along with it (thus the asterisk being applicable here), but it's not like you're just going to buy this and never watch anything, right? There's also a bundle that includes a Wireless Kit at 50% off (now just $49), making the grand total for a VUDU, $50 in movie credits and a Wireless Kit only $198. Let's just say now is about the time to buy if you've been holding off on a VUDU -- we hear those HDX titles are mighty tasty![Thanks, Rob]
Roku makes it so: HD Netflix streaming comes to Netflix Player
A few lucky Netflix Player owners have been enjoying the spoils of Netflix in high-definition all weekend, but for those not selected to join the elite in the first wave of rollouts, all is now well. Roku has just announced that every last one of its Netflix Player customers are now eligible for an upgrade that brings along HD Netflix support, just as we knew would happen. Slipping in just under the wire, are we Roku? Either way, we appreciate the tidings of joy.
Roku v1.5 firmware update brings HD Netflix streaming
Good thing Netflix / Roku got those finicky quality issues ironed out, as the latest firmware update is all about clarity. Version 1.5, which is evidently being pushed out in waves, is allowing individuals to stream high-def Netflix content. So, for those of you lucky enough to have the new firmware already, how do things look and sound? Are you pleased? Not really? Speak up below![Thanks, TheManTheyCallJayne]
Blockbuster aims to boost rental prices, not fret over expanding digital delivery
It's not tough to say what ails Blockbuster, but it's incredibly hard to see what will turn it around. As the world at large decided to pass up renting from brick-and-mortar locations in favor of by-mail renting or digital downloads, Blockbuster remains stuck in 1983. We already had a clue that it may be jacking rates up further to help with near-term financials, and now those increases are all but set in stone. CFO Thomas Casey noted at a conference in Santa Monica that it would be focusing on "boosting rental prices over broadening its digital delivery service," which is quite amazing given that the outfit just pumped out its own movie set-top-box not two months ago. Oh sure, digital delivery is a much smaller market than the DVD rental sector, but how exactly does Blockbuster plan on raking in revenue with higher prices? It's not like it's about to undercut Netflix.[Image courtesy of Wired]
Bizarre survey finds digital copy preferable to downloading
Maybe we're just off our rocker, but we can't figure out what NPD Group hoped to actually discover from this here survey to save our lives. Apparently these folks asked around 1,500 movie buyers (read: clearly not movie thieves) if they preferred purchasing a video that included digital copy or simply downloading it from the internet. Shocker: 79% said they favored the digital copy, while only 21% confessed that they'd rather get a low quality rip from a shady website that could potentially infect their computer with some rare strain of virus. Seriously, what's the point? If you're buying a film in the first place, why wouldn't you want the studio to do the hard work for you and include a portable copy? At any rate, this groundbreaking poll also revealed that 38% of those interested in digital copy "appreciated having a physical disc as a backup," while 27% admitted that they would be "more inclined to buy a portable device in order to take advantage of the digital copy feature." Moral of the story? Let us know, will you?
Apple rumored to be turning iTunes into a DRM-free music store UPDATE: Not anytime soon
We can't count the number of times we've heard from one random source or another that Apple was about to pull the trigger on a subscription-based / 100% DRM-free music service, and given how those have worked out in the past, we'd highly recommend taking this one with a huge dose of salt. French site ElectronLibre has it that Apple will finally offer up all of its music in DRM-free form starting as early as tomorrow, specifically calling out Sony, Universal and Warner as outfits who would join the protection-free cause. Should this happen, it would obviously be a dream come true for ole Steve, but we're still left to wonder what would happen to bitrates, prices and (potentially most important) all other iTMS content. Something tells us Hollywood isn't quite as ready to release its death grip.Update: Don't hold your breath -- CNET says that while Apple is in negotiations with the bigs to go DRM-free, nothing's set in stone and changes are unlikely before the end of the year. Amazon it is![Via AppleInsider]
Atari focused on downloadable PSP games
While the PSP may be suffering from a drought of UMDs worth your holiday dollar, Atari's Phil Harrison is convinced that Sony's sexy portable remains a "very vibrant platform," at least when it comes to downloadables. Despite a lack of PSP titles in its upcoming catalog, Eurogamer reports that the former Sony exec is "looking to explore" the platform's digital goodies down the line.Hardly a shock, especially given Harrison's notion that kids of tomorrow will turn their noses up at the idea of owning physical media. However, without any of those big-budget, single-player games to fall back on we doubt we'll be busting ghosts or assaulting Dark Athena while waiting for the bus any time soon.
Atari president confident about physical media's decline
While high ranking executives from high ranking companies have bickered back and forth about the longevity of Blu-ray as a format, Atari president Phil Harrison has some pretty strong feelings on physical media as a whole. In an interview with Edge, the bigwig stated that "there's a generation of kids being born today and probably already alive who I'm pretty confident will never buy a physical media product; they will never buy a DVD, they will never buy a CD, and they will never buy a game in a box." While some may jump on this as being patently absurd, we're not so sure it's a crazy as it at first sounds. Video games in particular have been distributed via the 'net for some time now (Steam, anyone?), and it's no secret that programming and movies are headed in that direction. There's no way to accurately predict how many more generations will be buying wares in boxes, but it's safe to say we're a lot closer than most people expected us to be just a decade ago.[Via G4TV]
Netflix HD streaming comes to TiVo
Man, if we aren't careful, Netflix is going to turn into a behemoth right before our very eyes. The company once known for taking physical discs right to your mailbox is now getting all sorts of attention for its workings in the online delivery space, and if you thought hooking up with Microsoft was hot stuff, have a listen at this. Starting today, Series 3, TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL owners can access thousands of Netflix movies on their set-top-box, and better still, these same owners can access a growing library of high-def titles. Of course, this new functionality comes at no additional cost, though you will need a Netflix account to take advantage. So Netflix, what's next? Infiltrating DirecTV / DISH Network boxes? Seeping inside of our actual TV sets? Breathing new life into the Atari Jaguar? Full release is after the break.
Sony execs talk up Blu-ray, digital downloads and OLED
Both Sony Electronics president Stan Glasgow and consumer sales president Jay Vandenbree were caught opening their mouths lately, with one uttering somewhat more respectable statements than the other. Put the two of 'em in a room together, and this is what you get. At a recent media roundtable at the Sony Building, Glasgow confessed that Blu-ray had not met sales expectations, but he still felt confident that there "would be growth this holiday season." Interestingly, he also noted that Sony's low-end price on a Blu-ray deck would remain "stable" at $299 (for now, we presume), though "it might be less in promotional bundling of HD products at retail." The two also felt that Blu-ray Discs and digital downloads could live happily together, pointing out that bandwidth restrictions / caps / etc. would hurt the latter's chances at existing exclusively. Finally, we're told that Sony is toiling away in an attempt to deliver big screen OLED TVs, though (sadly) no time frames were mentioned. Check the read link for the full interview, but don't expect any big surprises.
Report asserts that pay-TV should watch out for digital downloads
Seriously, who's not on watch for digital downloads these days? DVDs? Check. Blu-ray Discs? Check. Pay-TV operators? Check. According to new data gathered by Research and Markets, "console-affiliated media portals such as Microsoft's Xbox LIVE and Sony's PlayStation Network will soon become formidable competitors to incumbent pay-TV services." As the report notes, the digital downloads available via these services will eventually become "compelling alternatives to traditional TV programming by providing a more immersive, interactive video experience." Of course, this "research" comes at a time when everyone and their mother are jumping on this bandwagon, but it's still reasonable to assert that most anything providing access to content via the internet has a serious chance to replace traditional pay-TV services. Whether or not that actually happens en masse, however, remains to be seen.
Roku streaming problem really a Netflix problem?
We can't say for certain that Netflix is at fault here, but it's beginning to sound like Roku isn't at all / entirely to blame for recent quality issues that have been plaguing users. For weeks now, Roku Netflix Player owners have noticed an almost universal drop in quality dots (which range from 1 to 4 in order to show quality levels), with many finding the new feeds "unwatchable." CNET recently had a talk with Tim Twerdahl, vice president of consumer products at Roku, about the issue, and according to Tim, all he knows is that "Roku didn't make any changes." Furthermore, we've seen comments in our own posts noting that other Netflix-enabled boxes are also seeing the quality drop. The worst part is that there's still no definitive solution in sight, so we suppose our only advice is to kick back and watch Netflix and Roku bicker over who's really to blame.[Image courtesy of AeonScope, thanks Tyler]
