Paying less for streaming sounds nice, but the online catalog is still limited.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET Networks)Netflix is considering offering a streaming-only pricing tier as soon as next year, according to comments made by CEO Reed Hastings in a report by Bloomberg.
The streaming-only membership could be popular among those with Netflix-enabled devices (such as the Roku Netflix Player, Xbox 360, and LG BD300) who want streaming access without the full cost of a Netflix membership. Netflix hasn't said how much the streaming-only tier would cost, but we'd assume it would be less than the current entry-level $9-a-month unlimited plan.
On the other hand, we're still on the lookout for Netflix to start charging a premium on customers who use the streaming service in addition to DVD rentals. The company has already introduced premium pricing by charging Blu-ray renters an extra dollar a month, and it feels like it's only a matter of time before heavy streamers pay a premium as well--or at least for premium content. In other words, keep on streaming while the streaming's free, because it may not last forever.
(Sources: Bloomberg via Engadget HD)
(Credit:
Roku)
Amazon Video On Demand will be coming to the Roku Netflix Player in early 2009.
Amazon's video service will become the first non-Netflix "channel" to be available on the Roku box. The service, formerly known as Amazon Unbox, offers more than 40,000 movies and TV shows.
While that dwarfs the 12,000 or so streaming titles currently available via Netflix--and includes many newer titles as they're released on DVD--they're available on a pay-per-view basis rather than the flat-fee subscription of the Netflix.
A mid-December firmware update included the promise of "a number of great new channels that will begin to appear on your player in early 2009." That implies that Amazon is the first of several additional viewing options that will eventually be available on the box. Whether or not the Roku hardware will be rebranded to emphasize its more diverse choices beyond Netflix remains to be seen.
Amazon Video On Demand is also available on TiVo DVRs and the Sony Bravia Internet Link, as well as on Windows PCs and Macs.
Roku's Netflix Player: Getting more channels in 2009
(Credit: CBS Interactive)The Netflix Player by Roku is the latest Netflix-compatible device to offer HD video support. The free firmware upgrade (version 1.5) adds the ability to access the approximately 300 or so titles in Netflix's streaming library that are currently available in high-definition. The upgrade brings the Roku box up to speed with the Xbox 360, TiVo HD DVRs, and Samsung BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 Blu-ray players, all of which have been upgraded to support Netflix HD streams over the past few weeks. (The remaining device, the LG BD300 Blu-ray player, should be getting its own HD firmware upgrade soon.)
In addition to the HD upgrade, the Roku box is also teasing the eventual availability of new non-Netflix programming. Clicking the "what's new" button on the updated home screen reveals a message that says:
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(Credit:
CBS Interactive)
As expected, Samsung has added support for HD streaming of Netflix video to its BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 players. The upgrade is available as a free firmware update (players should automatically prompt users to install the software update, or DIYers can download it from Samsung's support site and burn it to disc). Still no word on the promised DTS-HD Master Audio support for these players, but that will likely come in a subsequent firmware update soon.
The Netflix HD catalog is currently just a fraction of Netflix's streaming selection (300 titles out of around 12,000), but it will undoubtedly expand over time. HD compatibility was available first on the Xbox 360 last month, but--as we reported in October--all Netflix-compatible devices should be getting the HD upgrade soon. Indeed, there are signs that the high-def Netflix streaming will be hitting the remaining Netflix-compatible devices--TiVo DVRs, the LG BD300, and the Roku Netflix Player--in the near future, all via free firmware updates.
The Vudu Wireless Kit ($79)
(Credit: Vudu)Like TiVo, Xbox 360, and Sonos, the Vudu on-demand movie player was one of those home entertainment products with a frustrating lack of built-in wireless networking. If an Ethernet connection wasn't nearby, you were forced to invest in a pair of power line networking adapters or a hard-to-configure wireless bridge to interface with the product's Ethernet-only connection. But that's no longer the case: as of today, a wireless option is finally available. The Vudu Wireless Kit is a dedicated pair of transceivers that creates a plug-and-play 802.11g wireless connection between the Vudu and your home's broadband router. Existing Vudu owners can pick up the kit for $79, while new customers can buy the Vudu/Wireless Kit bundle for $349, for a net saving of about $25.
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The straightforward interface of the Roku Netflix Player
(Credit: CNET)The Netflix box is finally a reality.
The Netflix Player by Roku is the first product that allows subscribers to have movies and TV shows from the service's Instant Viewing feature (aka "Watch Now") to be streamed directly to their TV screen. Previously, Instant Viewing was available only to Windows PC users through the Internet Explorer browser. With the release of the Netflix Player, subscribers need only have a wired or wireless broadband connection to access the entire Instant Viewing catalog through their TV. The full review--with hands-on video--is available at CNET Reviews. But for those who prefer to cut right to the chase, here's the short and sweet version:
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