DVD-rental company Netflix has been working aggressively to expand its delivery options beyond the U.S. Postal Service. In its latest move, the company has struck a deal with Samsung Electronics to embed software in Blu-ray players that will allow consumers to stream video selections from Netflix’s library of more than 12,000 titles. No financial terms were disclosed.

“Samsung has been at the forefront of innovation in consumer electronics and has established a market leadership position in Blu-ray and digital television,” said Netflix cofounder and CEO Reed Hastings. “We’re excited about the upgraded Blu-ray Disc players. Moreover, we look forward to working with Samsung in the years to come to deliver a variety of outstanding products on which consumers can watch movies delivered by the Web from Netflix.”

The software to access the Netflix library will be preinstalled on Samsung models BD-P2550 and BD-P2500, which are currently available for $399 each. Consumers who have already purchased the machines can download new software from Samsung to gain access to the Netflix library.

Hybrid Devices

Consumers who purchase the Netflix-ready Samsung players will probably not be able to stream movies at the same resolution as a Blu-ray disk. Most streamed high-definition movies meet the minimum resolution of 780p, while Blu-ray movies are 1080p. However, Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy at Jupitermedia, said that won’t be a sticking point for most consumers.

“It’s not the question of quality,” Gartenberg said, “it’s the question of ‘good suitable,’ and that’s a standard they should have no problem meeting.”

The real point of the deal, Gartenberg suggested, is that the consumer media market is in transition from the DVD format to online downloads, and manufacturers are experimenting with hybrid products.

“We’re not there yet, but it’s clear that’s where that market is headed in the future,” he said. “Products like that are…

[Source] dhiram