Netflix Watch Instantly Coming Soon to the Playstation 3
Filed under: Deals, Distribution, Home Entertainment
Netflix subscribers rejoiced when Microsoft partnered with the incredibly popular online rental service a little shy of a year ago to bring Netflix Watch Instantly streaming service to the Xbox 360 free of charge to members with a Gold Xbox Live Subscription. This move boosted Netflix' subscriber base considerably while also being a feather in Microsoft's multimedia cap; the 360 may not have a Blu-ray drive, but it does allow a user to stream all of Netflix' WI library to their TV. Well, now that feather has lost a little bit of its luster, as Microsoft's exclusive arrangement with the movie provider is no longer all that exclusive.Starting this November, Netflix Watch Instantly streaming will be available for Sony's Playstation 3, also completely free of charge to anyone who owns a PS3 and subscribes to at least the $8.99 per month Netflix plan (that would be the 1 DVD out at-a-time plan with unlimited instant watching). It's a deal that should give PS3 owners a great feeling, as they now have the most multi-media friendly console on the market. I'm not picking sides here, but the system will soon be boasting the impressive combination of A) Sony's own online rental service, B) a Blu-ray drive, C) a built in web-browser that allows users to access sites like YouTube and Hulu, D) unrestricted access to Netflix' Watch Instantly library, which includes a several thousand strong selection of movies and TV shows. Oh, and it plays games too.
Read on for more details, including how to enable your PS3 for the new service, which is slightly more complicated than a system update.
Considering Microsoft's refusal to make a Blu-ray peripheral for the 360, it'll be interesting to see how they react to this move from their strongest competitor. Previously the only set-top players that could handle Blu-ray and Netflix' streaming service were higher-end devices, but now with the recently dropped price of the PS3 (the new slim model is $299), the barrier to entry for such a multi-purpose device is fairly consumer friendly.
Playstation 3 owners wanting to access Netflix in November will have to go to this link and request an Instant Streaming Disc. When it becomes available (no date has been cemented) Netflix will ship it out like they would any other movie and you'll have to do the software load the old fashioned way; by physically inserting a disc when you want to use it. Okay, so it's not all that complicated, but it's the only way to take advantage of the service as soon as possible. If you're really lazy, feel free to wait until next year when the software is included in a PS3 system update.
Another bonus: since the PS3 has a built in web-browser, users can search the entirety of the Watch Instantly library on their TV for titles to add, whereas 360 owners are confined to genre-specific and queue browsing. Again, not picking sides here as I surely don't want to invoke the ire of fanboys of either gaming console, but little touches like this have certainly moved the ball back into Sony's proverbial court.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-26-2009 @ 2:45PM
Jason said...
Netflix on the xbox360 is not free you have to have a gold membership ($50 per year) to use it. Also the ps3 web browser does not allow you to view videos on hulu. Please check your facts in the future. Thanks
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10-26-2009 @ 2:53PM
Peter Hall said...
Sorry, Jason, I forgot that the 360 required a Gold membership. However, while you're right that Hulu currently blocks connections straight from the PS3, it does not prevent usage on the system. Free workarounds like this (http://www.kikkoman.org/blog/2009/08/09/hulu-the-ps3-fixed-with-a-small-vm/) and pay services like PlayOn should allow access to sites like Hulu, unless something has changed from the last time I used it.
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10-26-2009 @ 3:05PM
jason said...
I am aware of and use play on. i was referring to "a built in web-browser that allows users to access sites like YouTube and Hulu" Hulu videos cannot be accessed from the web browser.
10-26-2009 @ 3:15PM
Peter Hall said...
Hulu doesn't block the PS3's web browser, it blocks the User Agent ID of the browser. Setting up the PS3 to use a simple proxy server hides said ID telling Hulu to behave as if it were any other machine. Takes as much time to set up as PlayOn and is free.
10-26-2009 @ 3:32PM
jason said...
I'm just saying the phrase "built in in web browser allows access" implies that out of the box a ps3 will play hulu videos, which it won't. if this isn't worth noting then this entire story isn't because there are already numerous workarounds to use netflix watch instantly on the ps3.
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10-26-2009 @ 3:36PM
Peter Hall said...
Fair enough.
10-26-2009 @ 3:59PM
MCW said...
I've already heard some stupid things from non-Netflix subscribers who aren't knowledgeable about the service. One person on the PlayStation Blog asks 'how is this any different from what the PS3 already has in their video download store?".
The biggest difference is that Netflix is a subscription service you pay a monthly fee for, to get unlimited movies & TV to watch. You can have a streaming only account, or streaming + discs for one monthly fee. Streaming is free for disc subscribers.
PSN as it is today, only allows rentals and pay-per-download movies & TV. No subscriptions available.
In my opinion, for the normal person, Netflix is the better option, because you have access to much more content, and can easily pick something, and not regret your choice, because you aren't paying for individual views. PSN does not give refunds for renting Watchmen.
I am most interested in seeing how the interface will compare to the Roku player, my player of choice. I wonder if the PSN will utilize the XMB as it's design style, or perhaps cover-flow. Odds are, it'll be the same as you've seen from the many other Netflix set-top boxes now available.
One recommendation - get this remote: http://bit.ly/2RmVpA If you already watch Blu-ray movies, you know that it's essential. It's 100 times better to use than the including Six-Axis, because it models itself after a standard DVD remote, but it's Bluetooth, so works from any direction and room, and it packs in the pop-up menu functionality (for use w/ Blu-ray movies) at a button press.
I should mention the site I co-run as well. Streaming Soon tracks upcoming releases to Netflix's watch instantly service, to save you unnecessary disc rentals: http://www.streamingsoon.com We try very hard to keep track of these titles, and share the combined knowledge of our visitors and ourselves through our site, and Twitter.
Most people that own PS3's are tech-savvy, I would like to think, but that doesn't mean they understand, or know everything about Netflix's superb service. I urge people to at least give it a free trial... I did, and I've been a member since 2006.
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10-26-2009 @ 8:23PM
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