Netflix coming to xbox360/ps3!

[Usacomp2k3]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/netf ... 0-and-ps3/

[JJCDAD]

I look forward to more details. Sounds promising.

I already use my Xbox360 as a media hub, so more content possibilities are always welcome.

[PerfectCr]

The 360 already has a movie rental service. The Xbox Live Video Marketplace.

[Usacomp2k3]

The 360 already has a movie rental service. The Xbox Live Video Marketplace.

But an $8/month flat rate? Live doesn't have that last I looked.

[derFunkenstein]

this will be much (much!) cheaper than the XBLive Marketplace. So much so that I'm surprised that Microsoft hasn't refused to digitally sign app so it'll run on an unmodified 360. Maybe MS is getting a cut of each subscription? I'm sure they are, and I'm sure that Sony is too.

edit: this might actually convince me to get Netflix...Their DVD rental services aren't anything to get excited over because you have to wait an uncertain amount of time to receive something, but this is near-instantaneous.

[PerfectCr]

this will be much (much!) cheaper than the XBLive Marketplace. So much so that I'm surprised that Microsoft hasn't refused to digitally sign app so it'll run on an unmodified 360. Maybe MS is getting a cut of each subscription? I'm sure they are, and I'm sure that Sony is too.

edit: this might actually convince me to get Netflix...Their DVD rental services aren't anything to get excited over because you have to wait an uncertain amount of time to receive something, but this is near-instantaneous.

If the movies are not HD then I am not interested.

[Usacomp2k3]

If the movies are not HD then I am not interested.

I was thinking about that, and other than bandwidth, there is zero difference between SD and HD from the content provider's side. I'd gladly pay a slight (10-20%) premium to be able to watch live in HD.

Has anyone used the netflix watch-on-pc thing?

[paulWTAMU]

I tried but the download times on my connection were beyond terrible; think 6-9 hours to D/L a movie in standard def. In theory I get meg and a half, usually I can get more like 400 K/second. So YMMV. But it was really nice in theory, and not hard to set up.

[Usacomp2k3]

I tried but the download times on my connection were beyond terrible; think 6-9 hours to D/L a movie in standard def. In theory I get meg and a half, usually I can get more like 400 K/second. So YMMV. But it was really nice in theory, and not hard to set up.

400kB/s = 10.3 Gb if sustained over 7.5 hours. That's actually not unreasonable. 1.5mbit sustained over 7.5 hours is... 4.94GB which is almost exactly the size of a non-DL dvd. So that sounds about right.

[Usacomp2k3]

I don't know how many of you saw this:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/netflix-lg-team-up-bring/...

[Usacomp2k3]

http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/02/19/ru ... xbox-live/

GDC is underway in San Francisco and the physical format war is dead. So what do the two have to do with one another? Well, it appears Microsoft might make an announcement this week at GDC about a partnership with Netflix. Microsoft definitely played their cards right by not including an internal HD DVD drive and downloadable content appears to be the next big thing. Microsoft has been known to drop a few bombs at GDC in years past, but I’m not sure how likely this rumor is going to materialize. A developers conference hardly seems fitting to announce a content deal.

Michael Pachter, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan, had this to say about a possible deal.

“A partnership with Netflix gives Microsoft a partner that already streams movies to over 7 million subscribers through their PCs, and encourages these subscribers to sign up for the Xbox Live service in order to stream movies to their TVs.”

Netflix spokesman Steve Swasey was quoted earlier as saying,

“Netflix intends to be in a lot of boxes that get into the TV, whether its game systems or set-top boxes or next-gen DVD players. We want to be in a 100 devices to get the Internet to the TV.”

It could happen. I’d probably sign up for Netflix again if this happens. What about you guys?

[Usacomp2k3]

Another interesting Netflix news note:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/11/myne ... -released/

Anthony Park just released his MyNetflix Media Center plugin. The application lets you add/remove movies from your Netflix queue, browse for movies, and view history and recommendations. The part that will tempt you into installing the beta software however is the ability to stream "Watch Now" movies from the warm comforts of your Media Center.