Samsung upgrades Netflix BD players for high-def

Users will be able to stream 300 titles at 720p

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 11/26/2008

NOV. 26 | Starting next month, Samsung’s Netflix-streaming Blu-ray Disc set-top players will have access to the online rentailer’s selection of 300 high-definition movie and TV titles.

The Samsung Netflix models, BD-P2500 and BD-P2550, currently offer just standard-definition streaming of about 12,000 titles. During the first week of December, owners of these set-tops will be able to upgrade them through a firmware update to handle high-def Netflix playback.

However, the high-def Netflix programming will not be an exact quality substitute for Blu-ray discs. The high-def content will be offered in 720p resolution, lower than the 1080p resolution built into the Blu-ray format. Additionally, Netflix high-def streaming will play in standard-def audio.

Samsung is proud of this upgrade, touting it as the first time a Blu-ray set-top can instantly view high-def content from Netflix.

“Our state-of-the art Blu-ray players truly have become the ultimate HD digital entertainment delivery system with the latest support to allow HD streaming from Netflix,” said Reid Sullivan, VP of marketing, audio/video and imaging at Samsung Electronics America. “By understanding changing consumer interests, we are making it easier for consumers to experience a vast world of captivating content, instantaneously, all at the touch of a button.”

Netflix has been ramping up its high-def streaming capabilities of late. Last week, the rentailer's went live with its partnership with Microsoft to similarly offer this high-def service through the Xbox 360 console (click for our review). By the end of this year, Netflix’s Roku player, which instantly delivers the rentailer’s content to TV screens, should have high-def capabilities by the end of the year.