HD Netflix streaming coming to Samsung's BD-P2500 / BD-P2550 Blu-ray players

by Darren Murph posted Nov 26th 2008 at 12:18PM

Around this time last month, we learned that Netflix streaming would be making its way onto Samsung's BD-P2500 / BD-P2550 Blu-ray players. Today, Sammy has dropped another related bombshell: HD Netflix streaming is just around the bend. Beginning the first week of December (which isn't vague at all), owners of the aforementioned decks will be able to suck down a simple firmware update to enable high-def Netflix streaming. Enjoy the exclusivity, Xbox 360 -- it all comes to an end soon.

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Players, Samsung, Internet

Tags: bd, BD-P2500, BD-P2550, blu-ray, blu-ray player, Blu-rayPlayer, breaking news, BreakingNews, digital downloads, DigitalDownloads, films, hd netflix, hd rentals, hd streaming, HdNetflix, HdRentals, HdStreaming, movies, netflix, rental, renting, samsung, stream, streaming

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

Dominic @ Nov 26th 2008 12:36PM

let's hope it's a matter of time for the PS3 to do the same :)

Neutral

T-bone @ Nov 26th 2008 12:56PM

I can see LG doing this to their players (BD300 / BH200) before the PS will ever allow it. (After all, how would Sony make money on its downloads)

PlayOn works well on the PS3 and is a good interim (maybe permanent) solution.

Neutral

Dominic @ Nov 26th 2008 4:02PM

T-Bone: what makes you think so? before netflix came to xbox 360 you could download/rent movies from the XB market place. The same concept would go for PS3, eventually IMO

Bozster: you sound like the guy who said DivX was NEVER coming to PS3... not only did it come, but it became DivX hardware certified. Such a h8r

Neutral

JBDragon @ Nov 26th 2008 10:11PM

Unlike the 360 which of course is still renting SD and HD Movies and TV programs on Xbox LIVE, the Sony is pushing Blu-Ray with the PS3. That's where the money is to be made for Sony. Not Games, Games are Minor, it's Royalties for Blu-Ray Players and Movies. Having another company stream movies to the PS3 isn't making Sony the money they want. Sony has a lot invested in Blu-Ray. PlayOn works pretty good, I'm using it on my 360, not for Netflex but for everything else and it works great. It may not be Built-In Netflex, but it gets the job done.

Neutral

Dominic @ Nov 27th 2008 2:40AM

JBDragon:
I still disagree. your point would only make sense if the PS3 did not currently rent/sell HD/SD movies tv shows. Yes, they do have a lot invested in their precious blu-ray. And if your point was valid... why the hell is Samsung doing something like this? They're selling diversity, a cheap slogan would suggest "we play blu-ray and your HD streams".

I'm not saying you intended this, but you're thinking is very linear and you need to change your mindset on BD players playing netflix... they CAN count on blu-ray to make the sale, but for those who want to grab an HD show, or a quick HD rental, now they have that option...

As for me (and not saying i'm the entire BD market)... i'll buy the must own BD movies, while i may use the HD netflix to grab a movie to plan ahead of my impulses for entertainment value.

You're right.... DVD players didn't have this... your thinking = too linear / dated... break the mold my brutha :)

Neutral

brett gardner @ Dec 13th 2008 10:15PM

Spoke with Samsung tech Dec 12th. They say Netflix streaming will be coming Jan or Feb 2009 to BD-P1500.

Neutral

crawdad62 @ Nov 26th 2008 12:38PM

Where's the Roku love?

Neutral

Darren @ Nov 26th 2008 12:42PM

HD Netflix streaming should be on the Roku box by the year's end.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/03/rokus-netflix-player-handling-hd-content-by-the-end-of-the-yea/

Neutral

Big Wizz @ Nov 26th 2008 1:34PM

I think I just found my 2nd Blu-ray player....

Highly Ranked

mntwister @ Nov 26th 2008 1:37PM

Nice thing is that this model has the HQV Reon upscaling chip for regular dv's, this is an awesome buy, $299 right now at one of the leading online retailers.

Neutral

Bozster @ Nov 26th 2008 2:45PM

Darren Murphy said: "Enjoy the exclusivity, Xbox 360 -- it all comes to an end soon."

I don't know what you are talking about as Xbox 360 still has exclusivity, for game consoles. You can bet your ass that you won't see this on PS3 and most likely not on Wii.

It was obvious that Microsoft couldn't ask Netflix to limit their service exclusively to Xbox. CE and standalone players will be getting this but you won't see it on consoles except exclusively Xbox 360 which is pretty much ensuring that people buy $199 or $299 Xbox 360 with this feature included.

I think that Blu-ray players getting Netflix HD will further reinforce the decline of Blu-Ray because once the consumers who buy a Blu-Ray player. see how good all this stuff looks compared to Blu-Ray and that they can watch all they can for $9 a month, I don't see them getting discs on Blu-Ray, even rentals. Sure it's not fully on par with Blu-Ray, but the difference between this netflix HD and Blu-Ray is much less noticable then comparison between SD and Blu-Ray and the quality will only go up.

Samsung is reacting to their Blu-Ray only has 4 years or so left estimate obviously. They are future proofing.

Neutral

Big Wizz @ Nov 26th 2008 3:06PM

I disagree.

Streaming (especially HD) requires broadband connection. Broadband penetration is at 55% for American adults. (http://www.podcastingnews.com/2008/07/03/us-broadband-penetration-jumps-17-but-digital-divide-growing/)

How many of those people utilize streaming devices vs. how many of those people embrace Blu-ray (physical media) vs. how many people don't give a damn about high-def?

I'm just saying that Streaming / Downloads will not be the quick death of Blu-ray.

Neutral

mirage @ Nov 26th 2008 3:47PM

@ Big Wizz

You make a good point, but you need to take those statistics a little further. Broadband penetration is much deeper than HD penetration. More people have broadband than HDTV's and I would be willing to bet that almost everybody with an HDTV has broadband internet. Therefore Streaming HD is possible for most people with HDTVs. I personally will always prefer physical media over streaming or downloaded simply due to DRM and other limitations of digital media.

I have a 360 and the netflix streaming is amazing! That said, the quality and quantity of the HD offerings is abysmal and unless it increases dramatically, I will still be purchasing either a PS3 or a Blu ray player in the next year.

Neutral

T-bone @ Nov 26th 2008 3:57PM

Yeah, but once you go Blu, you won't go back (unless it is Red). I've seen some of Hulu's HD streams and for non-action pieces it is fine. With my 6Mbps connection and a fast PC, scenes of people (just walking) moving quickly still seem to stutter when compared to Blu-ray.

Now that Redbox has gone into the $1 BD rental, I'm even more intrigued. It would be nice if they added the Netflix capability to the BH200, but then I'm wishful thinking :)

Neutral

scyber @ Nov 26th 2008 9:02PM

To expand on what mirage said. Since broadband penetration is higher than HDTV penetration, you may see people pick up things like the roku netflix box for the SD TVs before they get an HDTV. Then when they do go HD, they could already have access to netflix in HD.

Bluray is here to stay, but I think this netflix service may take a decent chunk of potential market share from it.

Neutral

foxb @ Dec 1st 2008 1:31PM

Bozster,

I disagree. I've seen Netflix HD on my XBox 360. And it is no where near BD quality. It never will be. It's lower quality than even the cable HD programming and just 2-ch stereo. No thanks. I'll keep my BD movie.

Until everyone is getting 25mbps broadband bandwidth, streaming can never compete with BD.

Neutral

JBDragon @ Nov 26th 2008 10:32PM

I just find it amusing that a Stand Alone Blu-Ray player is also streaming Netflex. I just don't get it!?!?!?! What, they can't count on Blu-Ray to make a sale, so throw on Netflex Streaming for cheap and now they do? I'm sure they're really happy over at Netflex getting their service on all kinds of hardware, it just seems strange to add it to a Blu-Ray player. DVD players never had to resort to this type of thing.

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