AfterDawn: News

LG and Vizio to sell Netflix compatible HDTVs

Just last year some in the financial community were highly critical of Netflix for making streaming video their focus. Just over 6 months later it looks like Netflix CEO Reed Hastings must know something those analysts don't because the number of consumer electronics devices capable of playing his company's online video seems to grow faster every month. Last week the company added a new category of devices to that list - HDTVs.

Last week, during the leadup to CES, both LG and Vizio announced plans to make TVs that can play Netflix streaming video without the need for even a set-top box of any kind. LG is showing off their Broadband HDTVs at CES this week, and will start selling them sometime in the spring. The Vizio Connected HDTVs are slated to be available at an unspecified time later in the year.



Last May the first set-top box to support Netflix streaming video was introduced by Roku. It was an immediate hit and was followed by an announcement that LG would offer a similar feature on Blu-ray players.

All the interest among consumer electronics manufacturers, along with the deals like their partnership with premium cable service Starz make Netflix executives look smarter by the day. Combined with increased competition from video games for home entertainment dollars, it may be a sign of where the home video industry is headed in the next few years.

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 12 Jan 2009 11:52

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• 13 comments

• emugamer

  Ahh...the natural evolution of media right before our eyes. In this economy, wallets are tighter and maunufacturers need to find ways to keep their fingers in them. Assuming that HD will be available, this is defeinitely another obstacle that bluray players and media need to overcome. If this takes off and more television manufactureres do this, prices would need to drop on bluray movies in order to keep up. Why buy a bluray for $25+ when you can immediately stream that same movie instantly with as little as a subscription to Netflix? (audiophiles and videophiles excluded) Why have physical media delivered, some of which you may be on a waiting list for, when you can stream instantly. I thought the box was cumbersome, but having it all built into the TV....well, if the price is reasonable, that is a very very smart move.
  
  Great competition for VOD services also. Competition is great. Morre please :)

  12.1.2009 12:18 #1

• Mr-Movies

  I don't see this effecting BD Players anyone who has streamed video from Netflix knows the quality isn't enough to compete with a true full HD player besides the occasional pauses you go through before the stream buffer is working well.
  
  This is a smart move by Netflix but for myself I really don't need another device to hookup to my VPN nor do I really want to pay $200 to $300 more for a TV with this technology, I would prefer a stand alone box but know we are talking the price of a BD player to play movies even in HD that are less quality then my BD player. So in the long run it just isn't worth if for me unless it is a feature added to my BD player lets say.

  12.1.2009 14:01 #2

• ZippyDSM

  Are we ever going to see a clear universal subscription card system so people can buy their content and have it streamed in some form to their device?

  12.1.2009 14:34 #3

• emugamer

  Originally posted by Mr-Movies: I don't see this effecting BD Players anyone who has streamed video from Netflix knows the quality isn't enough to compete with a true full HD player besides the occasional pauses you go through before the stream buffer is working well.
  
  This is a smart move by Netflix but for myself I really don't need another device to hookup to my VPN nor do I really want to pay $200 to $300 more for a TV with this technology, I would prefer a stand alone box but know we are talking the price of a BD player to play movies even in HD that are less quality then my BD player. So in the long run it just isn't worth if for me unless it is a feature added to my BD player lets say.Yeah, I've only seen SD video from Netflix and wasn't impressed. But if the Netflix content offered was HD and it was comparable to ones HD TV signal, then one may be satisfied with it over buying external peripherals. As for the extra $300, do you think it would be that much? After all, Vizio and LG TV's are a lower class than say, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony. It seems to me that this may appeal to those of middle class with a tighter budget. Considering the cost of bluray movies, which may be the one thing that will make people hold off on buying a bluray player, even with sub-$200 players popping up.

  12.1.2009 15:21 #4

• BobL

  I love Netflix and the direction they're going with their streaming video, but it's all poop until they deliver it with closed captioning for the hearing impaired. Are you listening, Netflix?

  12.1.2009 16:05 #5

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by BobL: I love Netflix and the direction they're going with their streaming video, but it's all poop until they deliver it with closed captioning for the hearing impaired. Are you listening, Netflix?Or at least subtitle options. :X

  12.1.2009 16:26 #6

• SProdigy

  DirecTV is working on streaming/on-demand video through a broadband connection, but offers nowhere near the amount of movies that Netflix does.
  
  Netflix has already crushed the brick and mortar video chains. How long before they start eating into the cable/satellite providers' bottom line?

  12.1.2009 16:49 #7

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by SProdigy: DirecTV is working on streaming/on-demand video through a broadband connection, but offers nowhere near the amount of movies that Netflix does.
  
  Netflix has already crushed the brick and mortar video chains. How long before they start eating into the cable/satellite providers' bottom line?How awsome would it be if they could get TV channel feeds and sell them through their streaming service, I would take a quality hit to chose what channels I watch at a cheaper price....

  12.1.2009 16:53 #8

• khmernize

  I have netflix on my xbox. Netflix doesn't add movies that just release into watch instantly because IMO, they don't want other company to lose sales. If people were to watch instantly at home when new release movies after it came out, companies like microsoft, dish network, comcast, and local cable company would be piss.

  12.1.2009 21:34 #9

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by khmernize: I have netflix on my xbox. Netflix doesn't add movies that just release into watch instantly because IMO, they don't want other company to lose sales. If people were to watch instantly at home when new release movies after it came out, companies like microsoft, dish network, comcast, and local cable company would be piss.It's a clever little thing Hollywood calls licensing. It's the reason why theater releases aren't on DVD the same day, and why you can't order PPV on demand for a DVD coming out today. I doubt Netflix is being "nice" especially if streaming on the street date would add to their bottom line. :)

  13.1.2009 12:55 #10

• cyprusrom

  And when you think Netflix was thought to be dead numerous times in the battle against Apple/Wal-Mart/BlockBuster, and now TVs are getting it built-in. Most likely they will improve selections/HD content and such. I doubt Netflix is just trying to stay ahead of the competition, but insted to crush it.
  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_39/b4051059.htm

  14.1.2009 03:29 #11

• redux79

  Well there's defiantly one bottle neck to all these new streaming options, isp's throttling your bandwidth. The ability to stream netflix through my 360 is great at least while it's technically free. However it's still a crap shoot when it comes to getting decent quality video or even working at all. The only time that I can guarantee that streaming will work is 3 in the morning. It's one of two things, either XBL needs more servers or my isp is screwing me over... and there's no real way to tell. I doubt the problem is on netflix's end; after all they've been doing this for a while.
  
  As streaming technologies becomes more widely used you can bet that isp's will begin to crack down on the lower tier packages and raise prices.

  14.1.2009 13:22 #12

• gnovak1

  Streaming has a long way to go to get people to abandon dvds for it. I use Netflix streaming and it's horrible. It always says my internet is slow so it lowers the quality immensely.
  
  I do like the technology though. Streaming is awesome but considering the Bandwidth issues this will face, who knows how it will turn out. If standard quality has issues being streamed how are they going to stream HD which would require more bandwidth?

  14.1.2009 13:40 #13