LG Electronics has introduced the first networked Blu-ray Disc player with the integrated ability to access and play back Netflix instant-streaming video content.
The LG model BD300 will be only the second set-top device compatible with the Netflix instant-streaming offering. The first was a dedicated $99 Roku player introduced earlier in the year. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 will also add the capability this fall.
The LG Blu-ray player will ship in the fall at a suggested retail price range “well under $500 (USD). the company says that it will be competitively priced with other new Blu-ray Disc players coming to market†at that time.
The Netflix instant-streaming video service offers more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes in standard-definition format online for virtually instant playback.
For full details read Greg Tarr’s full report in TWICE.
Do you know if this is going to just be a firmware update for the 360 to be able to stream Netflix content, or will it require some sort of extension addon? I only ask because of all the chatter about a Blu-ray Player addon for the 360, so I’m curious if this is going to be integrated via some sort of internal update or what.
When will be the BD300 be available for purshase? I have not been able to find it
Just last weekend I was ad Best Buy and looked at bot the LG BD300 and the Samsung 2550 players (both have the Netflix option).
However, Costco had a Panasonic player on sale low enough to where it was cheaper to buy that player, buy the $99 netflix standalone box, and come in well under the cost of either those two players (LG close to $400 and Samsung a tad above it).
Although not advertised because of licensing issues, there is a great Sony TV that come integral with the Netflix capability (a box mounted on the back); also available at Costco.