RSSPS3 Netflix: The best use of BD-Live yet
By Tim Conneally | Published October 26, 2009, 2:20 PM
Finally, Sony's PlayStation 3 home video game console and Blu-ray player will be receiving Netflix Instant streaming, a feature which has appeared on a number of other pieces of hardware, including rival console Xbox 360 and connected Blu-ray players from manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, and even Sony itself.
But unlike those other platforms, which connect to Netflix Instant Streaming through an interface native to the console, PlayStation 3 users will be required to boot up the service from a Netflix Blu-ray disc, which utilizes BD-Live to access the online content. BD-Live is a Blu-ray standard which lets a disc have downloadable bonus content instead of limiting it to content burned onto the disc.
Wedbush 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.
But whatever the reason, the inclusion of Netflix on PlayStation 3 means big things. Firstly, and most obviously, it takes away one of the major exclusive capabilities of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and offers it for free. On the 360, Netflix subscribers must also be an Xbox Live gold member, which costs $50 a year, raising the price of Netflix streaming-only access by some 46%. This adds fodder to the debate that the PS3's online capabilities are not as good as the 360's, but are at least offered freely.
Secondly, this will help expose even more consumers to Netflix Instant streaming. The PS3 has an estimated 9 million users now, and numbers have been swelling rapidly thanks to the recent -- and long demanded -- console price cut. The Netflix disc can be obtained free of charge and opens the PS3 to the streaming library of more than 17,000 titles. Rather than pack the disc with the PlayStation 3, Netflix is only making the Instant Streaming discs available through the mail, which could ensure higher customer conversion.
Thirdly, this has potential to be the single largest use of BD-Live yet. In September, Deluxe Digital Studios said users were connecting to BD-Live about 4 million times a month, with the majority of interest coming in the form of downloadable trailers. Meanwhile, the first three months after Netflix was introduced on Xbox Live, more than 1 million users were connected to the service for 1.5 billion minutes. Even if users were connecting to BD-Live in five-minute increments, which is long for a trailer, that would still only amount to 20 million minutes a month.
sweeeetttt!! although I use my xbox360 for it.. I just prefer the ps3!
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No- it's around for a while. But since it's used more by consumers than business users, I think opening it up will allow for some interesting consumer level products. In the enterprise, it's all about eliminating .pst files because of all of the technical and legal hurdles they present.
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|Spam your dresses somewhere else.
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|"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." This statement seems to imply that the disk is a temporary measure and that Netflix functionality will eventually be baked into the PS3 OS. Still, points go to Microsoft for avoiding the clumsy step of requiring a disk. On the other hand, Xbox users have to be a "Gold" (aka paying) member of Xbox Live to access the Netflix service; Sony's Playstation Network doesn't have a paid tier so all PS3 owners with Netflix accounts will be able to use the streaming service."
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|Do people actually pay the 50$ for 12 months of Gold membership? Really? When just about every online seller is doing 40$, and some of them for 13 months (12+1 cards), no tax, no shipping? Just... bizarre.
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|Exactly...I am pretty sure I have seen the occasional deal that drops even lower than $40 as well.(Usually a temporary promotion)
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|The Netflix exclusivity agreement is comming to an end.
This news also comes at a time where Netflix is now available out of box in Windows 7 Media Center for those that have HTPCs.
Good to see Netflix service becomming available in so many platforms. But it is still sad that this type of services aren't available in Europe.
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|Wait, you have to put a disc in your PS3 every time you want to use Netflix?!?! HASSLE! The XB360s implementation of NF is probably the best I've seen, no thanks. (and yes I own a PS3 too)
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|Is it really a hassle? Want to watch a movie, put in a disc....Sounds like the same thing that happens when I want to watch a disc now.
Did you read that the disc is free, as is streaming netflix content? XBOX 360 has a yearly cost which I, as a low-end gamer, and others who enjoy being able to shop and buy items from the PSN for free would not be able to justify spending.
But hey, as I always say, use whatever makes you happier.
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|Yes, it's a hassle. As it is now when I'm in my XB dashboard I can very quickly and easily go from XB market place movies, my own, and Netflix. All without getting up or being taken out of the experience.
This PS3 disc should just "install" like all the other modules in the PS3. Hell even games can be installed so why not this netflix software?
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|"Firstly, and most obviously, it takes away one of the major exclusive capabilities of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and offers it for free."
If I have to pay for a netflix subscription than I certainly wouldn't consider it free.
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|its free because you dont have to pay for an xbox live account in addition to a netflix account.
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|I already subscribe to an Xbox Live account for gaming anyway. *shrug* If I wanted a box just to watch Netflix I would get a much cheaper Roku.
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|No kidding. That's not free!
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|Unless it does HD. That would be neat.
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|Some of the netflix stuff is HD.
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|I bet this experience is better then PlayOn. I tried PlayOn and it didn't work well for me.
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|Live streaming directly from netflix is not comparable from reflecting off of your home media server. This is by far a better solution. I'm looking forward to it!
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|PlayOn, works pretty well for me. I only use it for streaming shows off Hulu, to my Xbox 360. The picture quality is meh, but it's a nice way of watching Hulu on your TV in the living room.
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|I too was not thrilled with PlayOn. It will work, but I've had many issues where I get DRM errors and issues with trying to fast-forward, rewind and resume after pausing. I have a Roku attached to my bedroom TV and the PS3 on the living room TV. I will hopefully have a better viewing experience on the PS3 with Netflix.
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|You can currently get HULU and Netflix on the ps3 by using the playon media server. I believe you can use Hulu using Tversity as well. They are free to try, even thing Tversity is free to use. Play on is better though, has Hulu, Netflix, Crackle, etc, all streaming onto the ps3. Its awesome
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|This is good. Wonder if Hulu will do something similar.
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|Yea... cept they are going to start charging next year :-(
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|All I can say is if they are going to charge their content better improve and the quality better improve as well. They also need to fix their stuttering issue. Whenever their video framerate drops on a Q6600 and a 9800GT something is not right. I know it is not just me having this issue either. I googled it and looks like a lot of people have been having this problem for a while now.
IMO Hulu in its' current state can not survive if it starts charging. If I am going to pay for a show I will get it in HD on my Xbox streamed right to my TV with no hassles. The only thing that draws me to Hulu is that it is free.
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|I already use Netflix on my PS3, by using PLAY ON media server. So this is kind of not a big deal to me. :(
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|same with your power bill lol.
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|So you paid for Playon to use a slackjawed way to get Netflix streaming where this can be done through a free Netflix created method? Gotcha.
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