Official: Netflix to support HD-DVD and Blu-ray at launch (1 Viewer)

[Ken_F]

Netflix Will Support High-Def DVD & Blu-ray at Launch

Discuss.

 

[Juan C]

Suggest topic title change. They are going to carry both HD DVD ("it will carry the first movies available in HD DVD when the new high-definition format launches") and Blu-ray ("it will similarly offer titles in the Blu-ray format when that product launches").

 

[Ken_F]

So no extra cost to rent HD-DVDs...

 

[Jeff(R)]

After both formats launch, it will be interesting to find out which disc design holds up better under mailing/renting conditions.

 

[Eric F]

If they keep offering them at no extra cost over standard DVD I'll eat my shorts.

 

[Stan Rozenfeld]

This is huge! I rent most of my movies, and buy only a small amount. To have access to the entire catalog of high def dvds as it grows... well, I think I just decided that I am definitely getting that Toshiba... and a blu-ray player when it becomes affordable.

 

[Brent M]

It's good to know that while you will have to spend a couple grand buying both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players you'll still be able to rent Hi Def DVDs cheap.

 

[Ken_F]

HD-DVD - $450 ($350 this fall?)
Sony PS3- $499 (maybe $399?)
=============================
Total: $849-$949 for both formats

 

[Brent M]

Ken,

I was talking about the high-end Toshiba($799) and a dedicated Blu-Ray player by Pioneer(probably $1000 or more). You're right, though, that you could buy players for both formats under $1k if you don't care about top-notch quality.

 

[Stan Rozenfeld]

Brent,

I am willing to bet that the 'cheap' Toshiba playing hd-dvds will beat the best quality of sd-dvd playback by top sd players. With things moving so quickly, there is no reason for me to spend a lot of money for first generation.

My enthusiastic reaction stemmed from the fact that netflix announcement changed the economics of the hd playback for me. Without rentals, I would be interested in maybe buying four to six titles, hardly worth getting an hd player for, but with rentals, I'll have access to a lot more.

Of course, I would prefer that they would come out with one format (but then I doubt they would come out with such competive prices and features as we will have now), and that the first wave of players would be equivalent of denon 3910 plus hd playback, but we take what we can get.

Stan

 

[Ken_F]

We've sort of gotten off topic here...

The $799 Toshiba uses the same internals -- same decoder, analog DACs, and video DACs-- as the $499 model. The extra $300 just buys you a heavier, black chassis with a motorized front panel, a RS-232 port, and a motion-activated backlit remote. Unless you want a heavier, pricier-looking unit or want the better remote, there's no reason to spend the extra money.

 

[JediFonger]

excellent, i can rent these discs... now... i can't play it in full resolution even if i have the player because i have no HDMI. man that sux. =(.

 

[Paul.S]

I wonder if Netflix will tweak their tiered pricing structure to add a monthly subscription cost premium for those interested in renting HD DVD and Blu-ray?

 

[Ken_F]

Netflix has already said there will be no extra cost for renting HD-DVD and Blu-ray disks.

 

[Paul.S]

Thx, Ken--hopefully Hastings won't change his mind.

Did you read this in comments he's made that weren't included in the press release?

 

[Ken_F]

Paul,

See my second post to this thread, it was indicated by Hastings in their earnings conference call. There have been several other new articles published since that quoted the 'no extra charge' statement, although none were linked to this particular thread.

 

[Paul.S]

"Netflix Primed for High-Def Introduction" story up at HomeMediaRetailing.com now. (The HMR links at the HTF home page continue to not work for me.)

Interesting Hastings quotes:

"[The format war] has become an extension of the video game wars and Microsoft is unwilling to back down because of the video game implications, and Sony won’t back down because of the video game implications.”

""Downloading is “a very important area to us,” Hastings said. “We did name the company Netflix and not ‘DVD By Mail’ consciously and for a reason.”"

 

[Yumbo]

We will carry hi def discs for rental in addition to xBox 360.

 

[Paul.S]

Scroll down in this index of recent HMR stories to find a brief bit entitled "Netflix Is Ready For HD" dated March 15.

"The first movies on HD DVD may or may not arrive March 28, but Netflix is wasting no time in letting customers set up their accounts for the new format.

"With far sharper images, better sound and more features, HD DVD will greatly improve home entertainment,” promises Web site copy in a new feature titled “Set up your account for HD DVDs.”

The site further states: “There is another type of high definition format called Blu-ray, which is not yet available. We will carry movies in this format as well, so check back later this year!”

Netflix promises customers they can get HD films when available at no extra cost and asks users if they have the necessary equipment and whether they want movies in HD DVD when available."

But I have yet to find this "Set up your account for HD DVDs" section. Anyone?

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Once you're logged in, go to "Your Account" in the top menu. Under "Account Preferences", click on "Set up your account for HD DVDs", read the text and click on the button on the bottom, check the box, select whether you want to always add HD DVDs or not, click "Finish", and you're set! I don't know when it goes into effect, though. I tested it with "Batman Begins", one of the titles that may or may not come out on launch day, and there's no HD DVD option yet.