July 31, 2008

LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Player: Stream Netflix Movies Instantly To Your HDTV

prnphotos073923-NETFLIX-BLU-RAY-DIS(2).jpg While Blu-ray struggles to steal market share from good ol' DVD, digital distribution of TV shows and movies via pc-to-TV streaming devices, video-on-demand services, and even gaming console communities seems to be the silent but deadly threat. In fact, within a few days of HD DVD calling it quits many industry insiders and consumers alike predicted digital content would kill off Blu-ray in the not-so-distant future.

LG seems to be taking the best-of-both-worlds approach, announcing the BD Live-enabled LG BD300 Network Blu-ray player, the first player to instantly stream over 12, 000 Netflix offerings to the TV for subscribers at no additional cost. The BD300 is capable of upconverting standard DVD's to 1080p, features LG's SimpLink technology allowing control of other SimpLink home theater products via on-screen menus, and can playback Netflix video in about 30 seconds. Look for it early this fall.

Both LG and Netflix are taking major steps to more easily offer home theater fanatics digital content. Just yesterday we told you about LG's signing of tru2way's Memorandum of Understanding with the big 6 US cable providers allowing owners of 2009 and beyond LG HDTV's to easily access video-on-demand offerings and other interactive features. Netflix, known as a DVD-rental-by-mail service, now not only offers Blu-ray rentals but has come out with its own Roku set-top box for on-demand rentals and has partnered with Microsoft's Xbox 360 to allow streaming of Netflix rentals straight from the console to the TV.