Netflix for Nintendo Wii Coming Soon
Looks like the Nintendo Wii will see the arrival of Netflix soon.
Recently Netflix informed IndustryGamers that the company is now in the "final phase" of prepping its subscription-based video streaming service for the Nintendo Wii. The console is last in line to receive the service, following Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3.
Out of all three consoles, the Xbox 360 does not require a special, inserted disc to stream movies. However Xbox 360 owners are required to keep an Xbox Live subscription active in order to enjoy the service. The console also handles HD streaming.
Sony's PlayStation 3 can also handle HD streaming, but the console must have the special Netflix disc inserted for media playback. Thr same holds true for the Wii, however the Nintendo console will be the only unit that can't stream HD content thanks to its lower system specs.
Thursday Netflix said that it has already shipped the necessary Netflix streaming discs to "some" of its members for testing. "Their feedback will ensure that we deliver a great experience to everyone when we launch," the company said.
Currently there's no real street date set for the Netflix launch, only marked for sometime during Spring 2010.
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Ugh, another Wii fail. I own the Wii. Was exciting for a bit, and I'll probably play it again when the new Zelda comes out, but unless I've got friends over playing Smash Brothers, it's pretty much useless. Might get this Netflix on my bro's XBox instead.
Got an email today that it's arriving in the mail tomorrow. Very stoked. Had to haul the laptop over to the TV previously to do netflix streaming (no, I don't have a HTPC).
Looking forward to trying it.
This would have been awesome like a year ago, but nowadays, most people who would buy a wii also have an HDTV which means a blu-ray player, which means, BD-live which means they are already streaming Netflix though it. Or they may just already have an extra PC hooked up to their HDTV and have been streaming Netflix for years. Newer LED tvs and such have the feature built in. Besides, I've heard the quality through the wii is not very good.
This would have been awesome like a year ago, but nowadays, most people who would buy a wii also have an HDTV which means a blu-ray player, which means, BD-live which means they are already streaming Netflix though it. Or they may just already have an extra PC hooked up to their HDTV and have been streaming Netflix for years. Newer LED tvs and such have the feature built in. Besides, I've heard the quality through the wii is not very good.
K so you lost me. They bought a wii and then bought a blu ray player? No one has a damn bluray player. And most bluray that people can afford doesnt stream netflix. Thats like saying "Oh everyone has an HDTV, they must all have a ps3"
I'm saying that statistically speaking, the consumers that have purchased a Wii and also are subscribers to Netflix (were talking about streaming netflix right?) are more than likely not using a CRT Television for their monitor. Using this demographich that we are talking about, if they are interested in streaming netflix 'watch now' movies into their home entertainment system, they have probably are figured out a way of doing so, ie BD-Live, PC, PS3, what have you. The feature of streaming Netflix through the Wii via a slow wireless G, component cables (not HDMI), and combersome interface is not exactly appealling. I have my Ethernet hooked up through by Blu_ray to stream netflix. Before that it was a PC thru wireless. I'm just saying this feature is not well implemented and too late to be appreciated by most.
Yeah like that really matters.
Wireless G is more than enough to stream netflix though. Is you Internet connection more than 55MB/s? The Wii also has an ethernet adapter...
So this is for:
people who DON'T own PS3s, BD-Live capable player, Roku, Tivo (a lot of people)
people who can't/don't know how/don't want to bother with setting up their PC to play on their TV, HD or no (a lot of people)
people who own a Wii (a lot of people)
That sounds like it will be appreciated by someone.
This is a good concept, but the Wii is NOT HD! And when I hook up my Wii via the component cables I bought, the picture is actually worse. Even when I set up the Wii to use the "Enhanced TV" output in the set up.
I am a netFlix customer, but I understand that they DON'T stream "New Releases" via online, whether PC, Blu-Ray, or the "box" they push.
One good thing, is that my Wii is wireless to my router, so I could stream. May have to plug in a flash drive to bump the memory, which is what I think they will have us do anyway.
And I think you have to change your plan to "unlimited" which MAY cost more.
I don't like Microsoft's solution simply because you need the $15/mo for the XBox Live (I don't care if it goes down when you buy a whole year at a time), on top of the $9-$15 a month you pay Netflix. As for putting a disk into the PS3 or Wii, if you're too lazy to do that its probably better you keep that bit of embarrasing information to yourself.
As for Netflix and Nintendo, this just makes sense. 50-million Wii's sold compared to 30-million PS3/XBoxs. So if Netflix can open up opportunities in a few million more homes, why not? And for everyone complaining about the lack of High-def, do you a) even own a Wii, and b) own any other hi-def device capable of playing netflix? If you don't even have a Wii, or have something else capable of streaming hi-def Netflix to your TV, then this obviously isn't for you, and you need to get on with your life. Even if you only own a Wii and no other computer or console, standard-def Netflix is better than no netflix, right?
hellwig: Xbox Live is $30-$45 a year, not $15/mo.
Not I. I have both a Wii and Netflix, but no HDTV that would benefit from blu-ray (TV is HD, but up to 720 only). I look forward to this service =)
Street Date???????????????????????????????
At least now I have a use for my Wii and can save on the $4/mo Xbox Live fee. Jee... 3 or 4 years of this might justify my Wii purchase.
PS: Got the Wii so I could play the over-hyped Smash Bros Brawl. It just doesn't compare to the old Killer Instinct days. ULTRAAA COMMMBOOOOOOO!!!
ummm, didn't anyone realize that the connections from a Wii to the TV or display are NOT HD. Am I right? what is max resolution outpout from a Wii? 480p right?
Just got e-mail from Netflix, I'm getting it on Friday!
the 'connections' are component which are capable of hd but the wii is only capable of 480p
The Xbox 360 will stream Nexflix with out a subscription 2 ways you can use the my netflix media center plugin or you can use Playon the plugin is free Playon cost $40 one time it will also allow you to stream Hulu and many other stations. Playon will also stream netflix to the Wii without a disc I have been doing it for quite some time.
some comments from me anyways the Wii is 480P only and for the guy who said component video cables made his Wii look worse then i would say your the first i heard say that so i would check your Cables and buy new ones. now We dont know how fast the interface will be but it will be desighed around the Wii so it should be fast, and no we will not need a usb flash drive for anything as nothing video wise i doubt will be stored on the Wii if anything it would be the Movie Box art for faster loading and that would be temporary stored on the Wii built in 512 mb flash. Also as long as you have the 8.99 plan you dont have to pay anything extra to stream to Wii at all Also the Netflix CEO or who ever announced it in January along with Reggi from Nintendo said since around 97% of Netflix Streaming is NOT HD means that HD on the Wii wont matter because the catalog of titled in HD on NFX is Small . from Mike a Wii owner
I watched a NetFlix movie over the internet using my Wii last night on my Panasonic plasma 720p HDTV. It looked great to me. I guess I would need to compare a DVD (480i resolution) to the internet streamed version to see if there is a difference. Obviously you would think that BluRay would be better - but, I don't have 1080p or BluRay.
I watched a NetFlix movie over the internet using my Wii last night on my Panasonic plasma 720p HDTV. It looked great to me. I guess I would need to compare a DVD (480i resolution) to the internet streamed version to see if there is a difference. Obviously you would think that BluRay would be better - but, I don't have 1080p or BluRay.
Wow - the login process gets flakier and flakier. The Tom's Hardware web pages are wierd and bugy. I highly recommend that Tom's get a new web site with better web technology.