DailyTech - Netflix Streaming Coming to PS3 Next Month

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Gadgets Netflix Streaming Coming to PS3 Next Month
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - October 26, 2009 9:10 AM

31 comment(s) - last by zinfamous.. on Nov 6 at 10:47 PM

Xbox 360 will no longer be the exclusive Netflix console

Streaming movie rentals and online movie purchases are seen as the future by many analysts and consumers who loathe traveling to retail stores to pick out their favorite films. Mail order rental companies like Netflix have been beating up on traditional rental locations for a while now and that trend is likely to continue.

Back in August, Microsoft announced that its Xbox 360 console would be the exclusive console to stream content from Netflix. The Netflix streaming service is now available in a myriad of products from TVs to Blu-ray players and more.

Sony announced today that it is putting the Xbox 360 streaming exclusive to an end. Netflix will be coming to the PS3 in November reports Playstation Blog. Netflix and Sony have partnered to bring thousands of movies, TV episodes, and more streamed from Netflix directly to your big screen TV.

Netflix streaming will be available directly through the XMB. The best news is that the streaming service will be available at no extra charge to Netflix customers who own the PS3. PS3 owners who don’t already have a Netflix membership can get one for as low as $8.99 per month for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs sent to their home.

“The PlayStation 3 system has always been about more than just gaming, and it will soon be the only platform in the industry to offer consumers such a variety of convenient options for enjoying movies and TV shows,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. “Whether you want to watch content on Blu-ray disc and DVD, download it from the PlayStation Network’s video delivery service, or stream videos instantly from Netflix, the PS3 system is the only solution that offers it all.”

Netflix customers will also be able to manage their instant movie queues directly from the PS3. Netflix is allowing members to reserve a free instant streaming disc for the PS3 now. Presumably the disc has the software update needed to add the Netflix service to the PS3.

“As instantly watching movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix becomes an increasingly popular way to enjoy the Netflix service, our goal is to rapidly expand the devices that stream to our members,” said Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings. “As a leading game console and Blu-ray disc player, bringing Netflix to the PS3 system is a real win for both Netflix members and PS3 system owners.”

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So many options on the PS3

By DarthKaos on 10/26/2009 10:40:00 AM , Rating: 2

If I owned and Xbox 360 I can play online with my friends, rent movies, play offline games and hmmmmm...

With a PS3 I can play online with friends, rent movies via PSN or Netflix, buy movies from PSN, play blu-ray movies, setup my PS3 to connect with my PC to stream images, music, and movies, I can upgrade the hard drive with any standard 2.5" drive to keep up with change storage needs, and I can hang out within Playstation Home to chat with friends and play casual games like pool and bowling while we decide what to play next.

So the PS3 was more expensive and is late to the party. Price is down, exclusives are amazing, full featured device to do anything you want with multimedia, and millions of PS2 owners ready to get on board. Xmas should be great but the really explosion will be when God of War 3 is released. That is when the masses of PS2 owners will switch over.

RE: So many options on the PS3

By StevoLincolnite on 10/26/2009 10:48:43 AM , Rating: 3

quote:
If I owned and Xbox 360 I can play online with my friends, rent movies, play offline games and hmmmmm...

I'll finish that for you with: Stream movies, Music, Pictures from a Storage device or a Computer via Windows Media Center/Player, chat with friends, watch movies -together- with mates, upgrade the storage device via Microsoft's expensive attachments (I love the Xbox, but seriously Expensive storage is an understatement!), Listen to Radio Stream, Muck around on Twitter and Facebook...

****

Fanboyism aside, I would personally just buy the console that your friends have, so you can have awesome Multi-player matches with your real life friends, both machines have allot of cool features, and are almost equally as capable as far as media is concerned. (Minus the lack of Blue-ray support on the Xbox).

Parent

RE: So many options on the PS3

By therealnickdanger on 10/26/2009 12:10:21 PM , Rating: 2

What's funny about this is how irrelevant Netflix, as a feature, is becoming. Nearly every new HDTV and Blu-Ray player now comes with Netflix/Youtube/Amazon playback to some extent. However, for the majority that don't have newer toys, this is a God-send.

I've been using (and loving) the Netflix integration on Xbox Live for a while now. One distinction that may still give Xbox 360 the edge is HD-streaming and the Netflix Party system. I'm not sure, but I think the 360 is still the only Netflix streaming device that supports Netflix HD. At first I thought watching Netflix with friends over Live was a gimmick, but now that I've used it, I really like it (go figure).

Not that they care, but Microsoft still needs the following integrated upgrades:

Wireless N
Blu-Ray
3rd party hard drive/memory card support

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RE: So many options on the PS3

By Hiawa23 on 10/26/2009 12:25:51 PM , Rating: 2

Not that they care, but Microsoft still needs the following integrated upgrades:

Wireless N
Blu-Ray
3rd party hard drive/memory card support

The wireless N is coming...
You can forget about Bluray this gen on the 360 as it isn't needed for MS's business model, & you can forget about 3rd party HDD/memory support, as the next update will block non MS memory cards & HDD.

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RE: So many options on the PS3

By wolrah on 10/26/2009 1:19:55 PM , Rating: 2

Right about the first two, almost on the last.

The upcoming update blocks the Datel Max Memory and other similar unlicensed memory cards, but does not block hacked hard drives (yet). Whether that will happen eventually is up in the air, but at the moment I have the "Preview" version of the new update on a 250GB Western Digital which is currently flashed as a 120GB Xbox drive. As soon as they get released in the US I will be upgrading it with a security sector from the 250GB drives and I expect it to continue working.

Microsoft really needs to give up on the storage, it is absolutely absurd what they're charging for 2.5" HDs and USB flash drives.

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RE: So many options on the PS3

By kattanna on 10/26/2009 1:36:53 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
I'm not sure, but I think the 360 is still the only Netflix streaming device that supports Netflix HD.

incorrect. even the ROKU, the 1st netflix device can do HD streams.

plus all of the blue ray players that have netflix can do HD streams.

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RE: So many options on the PS3

By inperfectdarkness on 10/26/2009 1:56:09 PM , Rating: 2

wish it was coming for the Wii. Guess i'll be buying ROKU or a slingbox.

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RE: So many options on the PS3

By threepac3 on 10/26/2009 3:37:20 PM , Rating: 2

Netflix HD is pretty much offered on Samsung/Sony/LG/etc. Blu-Ray players and some of there higher brand TVs.

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RE: So many options on the PS3

By zinfamous on 11/6/2009 10:47:26 PM , Rating: 2

except that "HD streaming" is not HD.

no thanks.

still need media for the same quality, and will continue to need it for at least 10 more years.

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RE: So many options on the PS3

By Hiawa23 on 10/26/2009 12:17:35 PM , Rating: 2

been a member of Netflix since day 1 & love it, it's nice to have this feature on the 360, now the PS3, so to me this is nothing but great news, especially for Netflix as their subscriptions are sure to increase.

Parent

RE: So many options on the PS3

By dubldwn on 10/26/2009 1:47:30 PM , Rating: 2

Does the 360 have something like PSN where you can look through movies and rent them? I'm not talking about Netflix because I guess you have to pay a monthly fee.

Parent

RE: So many options on the PS3

By corduroygt on 10/26/2009 1:28:20 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
I'll finish that for you with: Stream movies, Music, Pictures from a Storage device or a Computer via Windows Media Center/Player, chat with friends, watch movies -together- with mates, upgrade the storage device via Microsoft's expensive attachments (I love the Xbox, but seriously Expensive storage is an understatement!), Listen to Radio Stream, Muck around on Twitter and Facebook...

You can stream just as easily with the PS3, using the lightweight and awesome PS3 media center program.
Also You can go on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and any other site you want since the PS3 has a web browser.

Parent

RE: So many options on the PS3

By lmeynig on 10/27/2009 12:06:32 AM , Rating: 2

"Netflix customers will also be able to manage their instant movie queues directly from the PS3"

I believe that all other devices require that you add titles to your instant queue on a PC, prior to the device being able to play it.

This seems to imply that you will be able to browse the Netflix library and add/remove titles directly on the PS3.

Parent

By jvillaro on 10/26/2009 9:29:47 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
As a leading game console

What is it leading? Generally third place gets a bronze medal but it´s third out of three...

RE: Ok

By Innocent Hawk on 10/26/2009 10:16:22 AM , Rating: 2

Well, given the crazy sales numbers of the PS3 slim and how well those numbers are being sustained, it could potentially move to second place. Especially if the 360's sales numbers keep dropping like they are.

Adding NetFlix is just one more reason to own a PS3.

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RE: Ok

By Hiawa23 on 10/26/2009 12:22:10 PM , Rating: 2

I own all three of the consoles, the 360 is my favorite but I wouldn't buy a console just for this feature as you can already stream & all that on you PC, but it's cool they finally are getting on Sony's Playstation pickle, now, up, hopefully the Wii is next cause if they want to go global they have to get this on the Wii. Netflix can almost print as much money as they want if this happens.

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RE: Ok

By jkcheng122 on 10/26/2009 12:58:34 PM , Rating: 2

PS3 came out on top (between it, xbox360, and wii) in last month's console sales.

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Wow...

By bradmshannon on 10/26/2009 9:19:26 AM , Rating: 2

I don't own a PS3, but it sure did take them long enough!

RE: Wow...

By Brandon Hill

(blog) on 10/26/2009 9:26:43 AM , Rating: 3

Who cares how long it took? :)

This announcement was enough for me to sign up for Netflix using the basic $8.99 service + an additional $2 for Blu-ray. I also get a two week free trial, so I'm happy.

I'm loving my PS3 even more now.

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RE: Wow...

By chick0n on 10/26/2009 12:25:42 PM , Rating: 2

Hmm

When the Firmware update comes (Im sure it needs one), I will sign up. :)

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Consoles Aside

By Mitch101 on 10/26/2009 1:02:29 PM , Rating: 2

This really is a major blow to Blockbuster more than the 360 vs PS3 functionality.

RE: Consoles Aside

By kattanna on 10/26/2009 1:39:06 PM , Rating: 3

blockbusters biggest enemy is itself, and has been for many years.

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I like it.

By rburnham on 10/26/2009 10:49:51 AM , Rating: 2

This is very cool. Those of us put off by high hardware failure rates of the 360 should appreciate this news.

RE: I like it.

By Akrovah on 10/26/2009 6:37:52 PM , Rating: 2

Amen brother.

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Xbox = getting worse all the time, PS3 = getting better all the time

By muhahaaha on 10/26/2009 1:45:50 PM , Rating: 4

I did a custom upgrade on my Xbox360 hard disk to get it to 150 GB for $50 instead of Microsoft's ridiculous $150 add on.

The word is that MS's upcoming "patch" for the 360 is going to disable custom HDs and Flash drives.

So help me, if my Xbox gets jacked up by this patch, I will throw it off a bridge and but a PS3 slim. Good idea MS, piss off your customers.

Woohoo!

By SiliconJon on 10/26/2009 10:42:25 AM , Rating: 2

[scene of Jon running with open arms across the beach to a giant Netflix envelope]

They better treat me right or this will be strike three. I'm comin' back, Netflix! My PS3 misses you, and there's no way I'm paying for XBL Gold just for Netflix.

World wide.

By StevoLincolnite on 10/26/2009 10:42:38 AM , Rating: 2

So does this mean that Netflix is one step closer to world Domination and intends to bring it's services world wide some time in the not-so-distant-future while I am still young and healthy?

Netflix and the PS3 are naturally a match made in heaven with the PS3's already powerful media capabilities already at hand, which is great for PS3 owners!

Unfortunately if Netflix is available only in the US, then I see the Xbox 360 being the better option for -me- because of the Zune video store that's coming in the new update, and the Windows Media Extender capabilities. (Along with Twitter, Facebook, and the US+UK only Last.fm - Which is unfortunate).

Sa-weet!

By msheredy on 10/26/2009 12:03:46 PM , Rating: 2

Funny I just tried viewing Netflix this weekend on my PS3 in hopes there'd be a way. Then I come to find out it's all going down next month. Awesome!!!

Alright Do

By aGreenAgent on 10/26/2009 2:24:48 PM , Rating: 2

You can already stream Netflix on the PS3, it's called playon.tv

Streams Hulu/Netflix/MTV/CNN, etc. to the PS3/360/Wii(!) if you have a computer on the network to act as a server.