Samsung is adding the ability to stream Netflix videos and Pandora’s online music service to its latest Blu-ray players. Starting today, a free firmware update will add both services to the BD-P2550. (The nearly identical BD-P2500 will get Netflix support, but not Pandora.) The Samsung players join the LG BD300 Blu-ray player, the Roku Netflix Player, and (once a forthcoming firmware update goes live in November) the Xbox 360 as the only devices to date–outside of a PC–that can access Netflix’s online viewing service.

Both Samsung players have been available at retail for several weeks. In addition to Netflix and (for the 2550) Pandora support, a subsequent firmware update due on October 30 will add DTS-HD audio support (on-board decoding for DTS-HD High Resolution, bitstream output for Master Audio) for both players, and BD-Live support for 2550 (it’s already available on the 2500). Those features are in addition to the players’ already impressive feature set, which includes HQV video processing (which, in previous players, provides improved quality when playing standard DVDs); 7.1-channel analog audio outputs (good for interfacing with older AV receivers); and 1GB of on-board flash memory (no need for adding an SD card or USB flash drive to deliver compatibility with online BD-Live features).

The Netflix viewing experience should be nearly identical to that offered by the Roku player; it offers unlimited viewing of the growing (12,000-plus) library of on-demand movies and TV shows to any Netflix subscriber on the $9/month plan or above. The ad-supported Pandora personalized Internet radio service is free.

Both players carry a list price of $400, so anybody with even a passing interest in music should opt for the BD-P2550 (available at Best Buy). CNET will have a complete hands-on reviews of the players as soon as the full firmware updates become available.

Source: Cnet.com

Tags: Samsung, BD-P2500, BD-P2550, Blu-ray, Netflix, Pandora

While you worrying about Xbox Live being down for another 4 hours last night, a new feature was added to the New Xbox Experience feature list. Xbox Live users who this fall take advantage of the Netflix Instant Stream service, can now experience Starz Play. Starz and Netflix inked a deal to provide Netflix users with Starz Play access as part of there Netflix subscription.

Not stoping there, Netflix also added CBS and ABC to their list of partners. This fall Netflix will have all CBS and ABC shows on demand 24 hours after its original show time. These deals add significantly to a growing library of over 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly through your Xbox 360.

Source: Analoghype.com

Tags: XBOXLive, XBOX Experience, XBox Live Experience, Netflix, Starz Play

Netflix on Xbox LIVE will have to wait for this fall’s update to the Xbox 360 Dashboard. LIVE subscribers will get access to complete Netflix’s library of streaming movies. The library is massive but consists of generally older films. The best thing about the Netflix deal is that if you’re already a LIVE subscriber the service costs nothing extra. The biggest disadvantage to Netflix is no HD and sub-DVD quality video.

PlayStation Video Store is a download service much like the one Microsoft already has in place. You can rent from a selection of about 300 movies and 1,200 TV show episodes. Sony promises its library will grow in coming months but for now selection is limited. Like Xbox LIVE, many movies and TV shows are available in HD. One key advantage to PlayStation’s system is that many titles are available to buy rather than just rent.

If you’ve bought into the PlayStation family you may even own a PSP to go with your PS3. Sony has maintained interoperability between the devices by making the movies uploadable to your PSP so you can watch on the road. If you’re buying movies through your PS3 don’t worry about your hardware 60GB limitation. You can easily upgrade the PlayStation 3 hard drive so archiving is made easy. (See: PlayStation3 Hard Drive Upgrades Made Easy)

Both are worthy and unique movie delivery systems for a game consoles. But as a user of both consoles and a home theater enthusiast who values quality over quantity, ease of use or scalability, I would personally not use either system… ever.

Despite PlayStation Video Store’s better quality HD video exact resolution is ambiguous. You won’t know if you’re getting 720P, 1080P or some mash-up of pixels your display is forced to scale. And forget lossless audio, downloads are highly compressed. As for Netflix…I’d rather trim my toenails with a Bowie knife than sit through a Netflix streamed movie over my Xbox 360.

Fortunately for console gamers the best option for high-def movies with high-res audio is still PlayStation 3. Sony is after all the winner of the HD format war and the PS3 is still arguably the best and most affordable Blu-ray player on the market.

Tags: PS3, Playstation Video Store, XBOX Live, Netflix, HD XBox 360, Dashboard, 1080p

* For now, Netflix will only stream in about-SD resolution (DISSAPOINTING!)
* As Netflix transitions to HD, Microsoft said it stands to reason that streaming HD to the Xbox should be feasible. (Read: eventual.)
* Netflix will be for Xbox Live Gold members only, so you’ll be paying that $50 per year if you want it.
* Netflix video sharing ONLY works with other Netflix / Xbox Live Gold subscribers. You can’t share video with a Silver member, or who doesn’t subscribe to Netflix.
* Microsoft doesn’t seem to have concerns about redundant content between Netflix and XBLM, or Netflix cannibalizing XBLM sales. Makes sense — if you had content available to rent or stream with Netflix, you probably weren’t going to pay to
rent it on XBLM anyway.

Xbox Dashboard / Guide and Live

* “No functionality goes away” in new Dash — so you won’t be missing anything you have now.
* Microsoft’s Shane Kim says the company has “no plans to create a [Sony] ‘Home’-like environment. … It’s about delivering base functionality at the service level.” So it sounds like the avatars won’t have a Home-like virtual theme-park to run around in.
* No comment was made about Xbox price drops or how long it will take to get to the all-important $199 price point.
* There will be no increase in your number of Xbox Live friends. Psh.
* Don’t like the new Dashboard look or avatars? Sorry, it’s a mandatory update.
* Players will be able to rip any Xbox 360 game past, present or future from their discs to their hard drive. This may speed load times, but more importantly for those of us who can’t hear our vacuum and lawnmower over our 360, this means we can play games without a noisy disc-drive spinning.
* Microsoft didn’t have any comment on what it intends to do about the whole modded controller thing.
* The content Marketplace will be overhauled and revamped to ensure it’s easier to navigate and much more scalable for the huge amount of content it’s got.

If you’re a Netflix subscriber and like gaming in any way, drop what you are doing immediately and go buy an Xbox 360. If you have an Xbox 360 and like movies in anyway, go sign up for Netflix immediately. Yes, the rumors were true. Microsoft and Netflix are teaming up to bring its “Watch Instantly” feature to the Xbox 360 gaming device this fall.With one fell swoop, Microsoft may have dealt its strongest blow to Apple in years. Considering Microsoft also added new release films from the likes of MGM and Universal to its Xbox Live service, the addition of Netflix could render the Apple TV a second-tier living room product.

N4G.com : Netflix comes to the Xbox 360. Did Microsoft just destroy the Apple TV?

Tags: netflix, xbox360, apple TV, XBox Live, watch instantly

People aren’t waiting for Microsoft to announce a deal with Netflix.Someone has already figured out how to hack the Xbox 360 video game console and enable it to play Netflix streaming movies. At Lifehacker.com, Adam Pash writes that all anyone needs is an Xbox 360, a Windows Vista PC, a Netflix account, and a free Windows Media Center plug-in called vmcNetflix.

Xbox 360 hack lets owners play Netflix movies | Crave, the gadget blog – CNET

Tags: Microsoft, Netflix, Xbox, Roku