Jennifer LeClaire, newsfactor
1 hour, 36 minutes ago
The device allows Netflix subscribers to instantly stream the movie-rental service's library of 10,000 movies and TV episodes directly to their TVs. The player is available for purchase for $99.99 at Roku's Web site. Netflix has unlimited rental plays starting at $8.99 a month.
"Now streaming video isn't limited to people sitting in front of the PC; it's ready for the TV in the living room," said Anthony Wood, CEO and founder of Roku. The Netflix Player by Roku is the first Netflix-ready device on the market.
All-You-Can-Watch Movies
The player is about the size of a paperback book and is designed to integrate into any home-entertainment system. According to Netflix, all it takes is connecting the player to a TV and to the Internet. For homes with wireless Internet connectivity, the player is Wi-Fi enabled.
Reed Hastings, Netflix chairman and CEO, cited the device's simplicity and cost. First, he said, it allows consumers to choose movies for an instant queue, and then automatically displays only those choices on the TV screen.
"That's a major improvement versus the clutter of trying to choose from 10,000 films on the TV," Hastings said. "There are no extra charges and no viewing restrictions. For a one-time purchase of $99, Netflix members can watch as much as they want and as often as they want without paying more or impacting the number of DVDs they receive."
The Player in Action
Here's how it works: From the Netflix Web site, members add movies and TV episodes to their instant queues, and those choices are then displayed on the TV and available to watch instantly.
With the player's accompanying remote control, members can browse and make selections on the TV screen and also read synopses and rate movies. Viewers also have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream. Netflix's goal was to develop a user interface that creates a personalized experience.
On the tech side, Netflix said it has optimized its video-streaming technology, which
eliminates the need for a hard disk drive for video downloads. The company also built in connectivity for automatic software upgrades to keep the player current with service enhancements.
The Devilish Details
The player appears to be a product innovation that should generate significant consumer interest, according to Phil Leigh, a senior analyst at Inside Digital Media. Of course, he added, the devil is in the details.
"Most consumers just have too many boxes around the TV. If you've got a cable-TV box, you've got a DVD and now you have the Roku device and maybe even a TiVo, and the wiring gets very complex," Leigh said. "If this is easy to install, then it's a huge advance."
The device, he added, not only overcomes the obstacle of having to sit behind a PC to watch streaming videos, it also overcomes the barrier of having to download full-length movies to watch them on a traditional television set. But, again, the ease of use could be a barrier.
"Ultimately, all of the various boxes that hook to our TVs are going to have to go into an appliance. Why do we need the DVR separate from the DVD? We really don't," Leigh said. "Why does the cable box have to be separate from the DVR? It really stretches you to the breaking point because it's a mass of spaghetti work back there and if one wire isn't hooked right, it won't work."
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