COMING SOON: NETFLIX MEMBERS CAN INSTANTLY WATCH MOVIES AND TV EPISODES STREAMED TO TVs VIA THE PLAYSTATION®3 COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
With Movies Streamed Instantly from Netflix, Blu-ray/DVD Playback and Downloadable Videos via the PlayStation®Network, the PlayStation 3 System Offers The Industry’s Most Comprehensive Options for Watching Movies and TV Shows
FOSTER CITY and LOS GATOS, Calif., October 26, 2009 – Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) and Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] today announced that they are joining forces to make thousands of movies and TV episodes from Netflix available to be streamed instantly to TVs via the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Netflix expects to begin streaming via the PS3 system next month at no additional cost to Netflix members in the United States who have a PS3 system.
Today’s announcement pairs two of the most popular and fastest growing home entertainment brands in the U.S. The PS3 system’s installed base has reached close to 9 million units in the United States, and Netflix recently reported 11.1 million U.S. subscribers as of September 30.
You can sign up to receive the Netflix Blu-ray disk that you'll need to access netflix by signing up here: http://www.netflix.com/NRDInfo/PS3
Oh yeah, you only need a netflix membership... no monthly/yearly charge from Sony.
xcitor
10-26-2009, 05:13 AM
OH SNAP!!! :lol: Yet another FREE service from Sony on the PS3. :p
pearl-drum-man
10-26-2009, 05:16 AM
I thought MS signed a deal a few months back with Netflix to keep it exclusive to the 360 (as far as the 3 game systems go)?
MikeRox
10-26-2009, 05:30 AM
I thought MS signed a deal a few months back with Netflix to keep it exclusive to the 360 (as far as the 3 game systems go)?
I seem to recall Cygnus having a thread with information suggesting something like that too.
Pinoy
10-26-2009, 06:42 AM
I thought MS signed a deal a few months back with Netflix to keep it exclusive to the 360 (as far as the 3 game systems go)?
They did apparently, but I suppose it's MS moneyhatting another "timed" exclusive.
OH SNAP!!! :lol: Yet another FREE service from Sony on the PS3. :p
Yep... I'd like to thank MS for putting out the cash to fund the beta testing for such great products and services for us :lol:
GLOW
10-26-2009, 08:05 AM
There have been rumors that netflix was coming to wii and PS3. I guess they can now be put to rest...
:error;)
Oh and :haha: @ Engadget for posting that story that it'll never come to Wii or PS3. This is probably the 3rd time I've seen them post something that turned out to be complete BS.
marcallo
10-26-2009, 08:08 AM
Wow decisions decisions. I am an Xbox gold member, but I use my PS3 to watch movies. I hardly ever go on line with my gold membership. Maybe let it run out at the end of the year and just use my PS3 for online. Xbox may need to cheapen/free that gold service of theirs.
awol
10-26-2009, 09:13 AM
Wow decisions decisions. I am an Xbox gold member, but I use my PS3 to watch movies. I hardly ever go on line with my gold membership. Maybe let it run out at the end of the year and just use my PS3 for online. Xbox may need to cheapen/free that gold service of theirs.
I would wager they'll be adding Netflix to their "Silver" access, rather than lowering/removing the price for Live. They make too much money from it, and people are all to willing to pay for it.
xcitor
10-26-2009, 10:27 AM
Wow decisions decisions. I am an Xbox gold member, but I use my PS3 to watch movies. I hardly ever go on line with my gold membership. Maybe let it run out at the end of the year and just use my PS3 for online. Xbox may need to cheapen/free that gold service of theirs.
This is what I LOVE to hear...:yippee:
mobiushky
10-26-2009, 11:42 AM
Wow. This is huge.
I mean. Wow. I suppose I expected it, but not for another year or so.
jjufon
10-26-2009, 01:30 PM
Competition; isn’t it grand!
MS has exclusive rights to the dashboard theme or something like that.
Also, you have to have a NF provided disc in the player before it will work and it must remain while watching.
Pinoy
10-26-2009, 01:58 PM
I would wager they'll be adding Netflix to their "Silver" access, rather than lowering/removing the price for Live. They make too much money from it, and people are all to willing to pay for it.
I think some people would question MS if they didn't give it to Silver members, so yeah I could see them allowing it.
Competition; isn’t it grand!
MS has exclusive rights to the dashboard theme or something like that.
Also, you have to have a NF provided disc in the player before it will work and it must remain while watching.
Dashboard theme? Not sure what that's about. And yeah you'll have to have a netflix disc for it work, but we already have been puttin a disc into players to watch a movie for years... don't think that putting in a disc to access a LOT of movies will be much of an issue :lol: I guess Sony might be able to incorporate it into the next firmware update but I'm not too sure about that.
From what I can gather it will be using the BDLive feature of Blu-ray to allow you to pick and queue your movie choices and for the actual streaming.
MattRCT
10-26-2009, 02:15 PM
meh ive been enjoying netflix HD streaming for over a year on the 360. It's cool thats its coming to the PS3. It is sweet owning and liking 2 systems. :D
awol
10-26-2009, 02:17 PM
From what I can gather it will be using the BDLive feature of Blu-ray to allow you to pick and queue your movie choices and for the actual streaming.
This is exactly what it sounds like. Which makes me think it might not be the speediest of interfaces.
Pinoy
10-26-2009, 02:25 PM
This is exactly what it sounds like. Which makes me think it might not be the speediest of interfaces.
Probably true, but we'll see. Using the BDLive feature will also allow you to update your netflix queue from your ps3 rather than having to go over to your PC and do it (not that I see a problem with doing that, it would almost assuredly be faster)
Mase
10-26-2009, 02:28 PM
This is the solution PS3 owners were needing, PlayOn was nice but for SD only content.. I know I have watched some pretty good movies on the streaming service that I normally would not have rented. I also got into some pretty good tv shows I somehow missed when they originally came out (Dexter, Californication and such)
I look forward to trying this service out..
kamspy
10-26-2009, 03:01 PM
This is probably going to stop me from renewing my XBL Gold in ~8 months.
jjufon
10-26-2009, 03:43 PM
"
http://ad2.netshelter.net/ad/ns.betanews/articles;kw=;tile=2;sz=300x250;ord=123456789? (http://adserver.adtechus.com/adlink/5159/429992/0/170/AdId=414975;BnId=1;itime=589741317;key=key1+key2+k ey3+key4;nodecode=yes;link=http://ad2.netshelter.net/jump/ns.betanews/articles;kw=;tile=2;sz=300x250;ord=123456789?)Wedb ush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter believes the BD-Live technique was chosen to work around some exclusivity clauses between Netflix and Microsoft, but the real reason is unknown. We've contacted Netflix and Sony for comment on Pachter's hypothesis, and will update with their responses as they arrive."
mobiushky
10-26-2009, 03:50 PM
from the source in the OP:
"Initially, watching movies instantly streamed from Netflix via the PS3 system will be enabled by a free, instant streaming Blu-ray disc that is being made available to all Netflix members. The free instant streaming disc leverages Blu-ray’s BD-Live™ technology to access the Internet and activate the Netflix user interface on the PS3 system, which must be online via Wi-Fi or Ethernet."
Implication is that while it will require a disc at first, at some point that will not be needed anymore.
Also, makes me wonder if only the PS3 will work with this... If the system is BD-Live, how do they prevent other BD-Live players from working? Not that they didn't, just a question.
jjufon
10-26-2009, 03:57 PM
i think this is a short term solution until Sony can get software built to handle it.
kamspy
10-26-2009, 04:03 PM
Funny Netflix jumping the contract with MS like that.
What are they gonna do? Drop the streaming?:lol:
Pinoy
10-26-2009, 04:10 PM
from the source in the OP:
"Initially, watching movies instantly streamed from Netflix via the PS3 system will be enabled by a free, instant streaming Blu-ray disc that is being made available to all Netflix members. The free instant streaming disc leverages Blu-ray’s BD-Live™ technology to access the Internet and activate the Netflix user interface on the PS3 system, which must be online via Wi-Fi or Ethernet."
Implication is that while it will require a disc at first, at some point that will not be needed anymore.
Also, makes me wonder if only the PS3 will work with this... If the system is BD-Live, how do they prevent other BD-Live players from working? Not that they didn't, just a question.
That's a good question. I'm going to guess that the HDD in the PS3 is going to make a little bit of a difference, should be easier to buffer the movies slightly. Other than that I don't see any reason any other BD live capable player couldn't use it...
kamspy
10-26-2009, 04:19 PM
I guess it depends if it's really using pure BD+.
Because otherwise I think it's kinda violating the deal between MS and Netflix.
It's probably just an app that could run fine without the disc, but it's needed to avoid some type of legal mumbo from MS.
I wonder how the ol EDD is reacting to this news.
scsa
10-27-2009, 03:51 AM
I like how Cyn and a few others on here were laughing and loving that the netflix was and would always be exclusive to the 360 and yet here we go with the opposite. The funny thing is that netflix knows that only going to the 360 would of been stupid so instead of just taking the payoff that Microsoft gave them they decide lets find loopholes around this deal instead smart of them I say. Though does anyone know when the service should be available for the ps3.
Q & A: VP Steve Swasey explains how video service works on the PS3; firmware update planned for 2010, will offer same options as PC and Xbox Live streaming.
After nearly a year of game-console exclusivity on the Xbox 360, Netflix branched out today. This morning, the company announced it was bringing its video streaming service to the PlayStation 3 starting next month.
PS3 owners will need a disc to access Netflix…for now.
Despite a different interface, the Netflix viewing experience will be essentially the same on the Xbox 360 and PS3, according to Steve Swasey, the company's vice president of corporate communication. However, accessing Netflix from the two consoles will differ. Whereas Netflix is integrated into the Xbox Live dashboard and firmware, accessing the service via the PS3 will require a Blu-ray disc, which contains the required software. (Those wishing to be sent a disc can reserve one on the Netflix site.)
To get more information on Netflix's future on gaming consoles, GameSpot caught up with Swasey, who revealed a few new things about how the service will work on the PS3.
GameSpot: I know you've indicated for several months now you're planning to expand your service onto all three consoles. How long did the PS3 deal take to arrange?
Steve Swasey: Well, Netflix desires to be on all the screens and all the platforms you can watch movies on. However, we don't disclose how long particular projects take. We are excited to announce that we are bringing Netflix to the PS3 in November.
GS: Is there an exact launch date?
SS: Not yet. Just November.
GS: So break down how the process works. You need a special Blu-ray disc to access the service, which you sign up for…
SS: Yeah, you just order a disc, and you'll get it generally the next day.
GS: You're already shipping them out?
SS: No, we'll be shipping them out in November. You keep that disc forever, and you plunk it in the tray and connect to the Internet. That gets you to your instant queue, and you're ready to watch it.
GS: Are there any plans for a firmware update that would add this functionality to the PS3's XrossMediaBar (XMB)?
SS: Yeah, actually we'll have that sometime next year.
GS: OK, so Netflix is obviously mail based, but you're focusing more and more on digital distribution. Are you going to offer a streaming-only subscription plan?
SS: No, it's bundled. You get the DVDs by mail and you get streaming too.
GS: And will the service still offer the same standard- and high-definition titles as it does on the PC and 360?
SS: It's the same thing on all the devices, whether it's a TV, Blu-ray disc player, or game console. The streaming functionality is the same.
GS: Now I know you guys announced earlier in the year that Netflix would be available on Internet-capable Bravia HDTVs. Will there be any kind of special Netflix functionality between the PS3 and such TVs?
SS: No, the streaming functionality goes directly to the devices. They're independent.
GS: In today's announcement, Netflix said it had 11.1 million subscribers and that over 9 million Americans own a PlayStation 3. What's the overlap between the two groups?
SS: I'm sure there is some, but we haven't disclosed that. We haven't broken that out.
GS: Are there any plans to have viewing parties, such as those available through Xbox Live, on the PS3?
SS: That's an Xbox initiative. You'd have to ask the folks at Sony about that [coming to the PS3].
GS: Now I know Sony also makes movies through its Sony Pictures arm. Will there be any kind of Sony-produced streaming content exclusive to the PS3 and Bravia?
SS: You'd have to talk to Sony about that.
GS: So this Sony deal will not affect your arrangement with Microsoft to stream movies on the Xbox 360, correct?
SS: No, we're continuing on the 360.
GS: And do you know how many 360 owners use Netflix currently?
SS: We know, but we don't break it out publically.
GS: Well, I guess the big advantage of streaming Netflix via the PS3 is you don't have to pay a premium membership cost for Xbox Live Gold. Do you know if Netflix will be available to Xbox Live Silver members in the future?
SS: That's a question you'd have to ask Microsoft. We just think they're both great platforms. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Microsoft has since confirmed Xbox Live Gold membership will still be mandatory to access Netflix on the 360.]
GS: So now, with you being on the 360 and PS3, the next question is--when will Netflix be coming to the Wii?
SS: It's a great platform, but there's nothing we've announced. We're continuing to grow both sides of the business, both DVD by mail and instant watching, and it's gratifying to see the market respond.
Pinoy
10-27-2009, 06:40 AM
From Gamespot:
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Microsoft has since confirmed Xbox Live Gold membership will still be mandatory to access Netflix on the 360.]
Ouch... WTF MS :huh
$100 wifi adapters, $100+ HDD's, annual fee to play online or even stream movies. No wonder your entertainment division shows profit...
MikeRox
10-27-2009, 08:08 AM
It's an approach that works though. Look at mobile phone contracts. People would rather pay 2x as much to get a top of the range phone at £40 a month, than buy the phone up front and pay half the price for the handset.
It seems better value because there is a smaller lump payment, but I believe the 360 is actually the most expensive console on the market right now. Very clever pricing strategy from Microsoft that is clearly paying off for them.
PFC5
10-27-2009, 12:16 PM
I wonder how long it will take for someone to figure out how to install that Netflix disc to run off the internal PS3 hard drive? That would be nice huh? :D
I also will try this in my BD35 player after seeing if others can get the disc to work with their non Netflix players that have BD live.
Wow. That was intensely weak. Oh crap I can't watch a netflix movie being streamed over the internet with my friend in france.... Oh wait, I don't care about that. Never mind.
With everything and your camera able to facebook, twitter-pate, and every other social networking deal, who cares? Xbox is now behind the curve.
My only kudos to MacroShaft (and I may actually have to stop calling them that now...) is that Windows 7 is actually pretty cool. I can finally stream AVCHD to my PS3 without a 3rd party application.
PFC5
10-27-2009, 10:30 PM
I cannot see how MS can continue to charge a premium for Netflix access in the future without losing more people to PS3. I don't hate MS, but I am glad I got a PS3 instead of a 360.
Pinoy
10-28-2009, 02:36 AM
Wow. That was intensely weak. Oh crap I can't watch a netflix movie being streamed over the internet with my friend in france.... Oh wait, I don't care about that. Never mind.
With everything and your camera able to facebook, twitter-pate, and every other social networking deal, who cares? Xbox is now behind the curve.
^ pretty much my opinion on the whole thing. MS can beat its chest and yell 'we offer twitter, facebook, and last.fm' all they want but anybody with more than 100 braincells will realize they could offer you a plain, simple, web browser and have all those features... something which should not cost money period. Hell... at least offer the netflix streaming free to silver members and keep the movie sharing and facebook crap for the paying gold members MS!
My only kudos to MacroShaft (and I may actually have to stop calling them that now...) is that Windows 7 is actually pretty cool. I can finally stream AVCHD to my PS3 without a 3rd party application.
Wai... wha? Sweet, I did not know that. I must check it out soon :thumbsup:
railven
10-28-2009, 07:57 AM
^ pretty much my opinion on the whole thing. MS can beat its chest and yell 'we offer twitter, facebook, and last.fm' all they want but anybody with more than 100 braincells will realize they could offer you a plain, simple, web browser and have all those features... something which should not cost money period. Hell... at least offer the netflix streaming free to silver members and keep the movie sharing and facebook crap for the paying gold members MS!
Wai... wha? Sweet, I did not know that. I must check it out soon :thumbsup:
Just a quick one before I get caught surfing the net.
Does Twitter/Facebook/Last.FM work with the PS3 browser? I don't have accounts in either but I know when I used to blog the website I used worked perfectly fine with the PS3 browser.
This website works with the browser too.
Pinoy
10-28-2009, 12:21 PM
Just a quick one before I get caught surfing the net.
Does Twitter/Facebook/Last.FM work with the PS3 browser? I don't have accounts in either but I know when I used to blog the website I used worked perfectly fine with the PS3 browser.
This website works with the browser too.
Last.fm I'm not sure about, never checked since I have more music I want to listen to on my own media server. Twitter/facebook do work though.
railven
10-28-2009, 02:55 PM
Last.fm I'm not sure about, never checked since I have more music I want to listen to on my own media server. Twitter/facebook do work though.
Does Microsoft know that? Doesn't that technically mean the PS3 is the first console to offer you Twitter/Facebook?
I guess it only counts if it has a blade/icon on the dashboard/XMB.
Oh well. With all these new features does it even matter if they play games anymore? Haha.
mobiushky
10-28-2009, 07:13 PM
Wai... wha? Sweet, I did not know that. I must check it out soon :thumbsup:
100% tested and functional. BLEW me away. In fact, media center and media player now have FULL AVCHD support and can play my AVCHD files straight off my camera without any conversion or 3rd part application. I literally installed Win 7 and ran a test without installing any thing else. Then ran to the PS3 and streamed a home video across wifi to the PS3! Full AVCHD with 5.1 surround straight off my PC to the PS3, no extra software. Kicks butt big time. I am not joking when I say that if for no other reason, this is worth the win 7 upgrade alone. I'm so loving this.
railven
10-29-2009, 01:20 PM
Well I put my name into the Disc Reservation Queue.
Just another reason not to pay for XBL Gold. I was using my brother's account for whenever I got that feeling to watch a crappy encoded ondemand movie haha.
Not a fan of the PC version (it's still to clunky, even after the mandatory upgrade.) The XBL version was nice. I wonder if the PS3 version would be as nice.
Mase
10-29-2009, 05:26 PM
I am having some doubts it will be as nice, at first.. Once they can bypass using the bd live and run it off of software then I can see it matching XBL.. But if you dont have XBL this is going to be awesome and reccomend all netlfix users with a PS3 to give it a shot.. Show Netflix the demand in hopes that the software is released sooner rather than later.
kratos316
10-29-2009, 06:23 PM
this is good for us ps3 owners, xbox owners have to pay $50 a year, but ps3 gets for free. well you still need a netflix subscription.
railven
10-30-2009, 06:46 AM
I am having some doubts it will be as nice, at first.. Once they can bypass using the bd live and run it off of software then I can see it matching XBL.. But if you dont have XBL this is going to be awesome and reccomend all netlfix users with a PS3 to give it a shot.. Show Netflix the demand in hopes that the software is released sooner rather than later.
I'm going to have to agree with you Mase. Something tells me out of the box the BD+ software is going to be laggy as shit.
I hope it offers an install option, but I think the XBL version will still be superior (just not $50 a year worth's superior.)
Pinoy
11-07-2009, 12:25 PM
Video of it up and running, looks good though I think they could optimize the speed of it all a little bit. Otherwise looks very comparable to the 360 version.
(embedding is not working for me today so I'm going to just post the links :banghead: )
Video of it up and running, looks good though I think they could optimize the speed of it all a little bit. Otherwise looks very comparable to the 360 version.
(embedding is not working for me today so I'm going to just post the links :banghead: )
The speed is actually not that bad. If you skip the first movie preview, the rest of the previews will load. It's laggy but not bad.
railven
11-08-2009, 10:48 AM
Video of it up and running, looks good though I think they could optimize the speed of it all a little bit. Otherwise looks very comparable to the 360 version.
(embedding is not working for me today so I'm going to just post the links :banghead: )
