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Netflix and Samsung form Alliance

by on27 October 2008

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More than meets the eye from our first report

Netflix Inc., the online DVD rental company, announced that some of Samsung Electronics Blu-ray DVD devices can now play video streamed over the Web from Netflix. This is news because the DVDs are being streamed over the Web, rather than through the usual Netflix DVD through the U.S. mail delivery method.

Customers who already own a Samsung BD-P2550 or BD-P2500 Blu-ray player can upgrade these devices at no additional cost to enable instant streaming from Netflix's streaming service.

Netflix has a current library of more than 12,000 movies and television episodes. It also claims to have more than 8 million subscribers. Netflix said its members can visit the Netflix Website to add movies and TV episodes to “instant queues” and will then be able to display these choices on their TVs, using a wired broadband connection and user interface. The Netflix "watch instantly" Web streaming service is offered free to subscribers.

Its members will be able to stream programs in standard definition (high definition Blu-ray standard is not available) onto Samsung and other devices involved in partnerships. Blu-ray high definition is available from Netflix through the mail service.

Netflix has similar deals for streaming films with LG Electronics, Microsoft Corporation’s Xbox 360 videogame consoles and to Roku, Inc. (Roku makes a $100 set-top box the movies will be shown on).

The stressed U.S. economy will likely hurt holiday sales of Blu-ray players, and this looks like a good method of increasing sales of the players and also in Blu-ray in general.

Last modified on 27 October 2008
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