Building on a partnership that was first announced in January, LG Electronics will soon serve up a device that will stream Netflix movies and TV shows directly to televisions.
South Korea-based LG Electronics said the Blu-ray disc player will go on sale this fall in the U.S. The device, called the LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, will play high-definition (HD) Blu-ray discs, upconvert standard DVDs to 1080p, and allow Netflix subscribers to stream more than 12,000 choices of movie and TV episodes to their TVs for no additional charge.
LG Electronics and Netflix are positioning the device as an alternative to DVD set-top boxes, and it can be plugged into a home network via a jack in the back.
The LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player will rely on a wired broadband connection and Queue-based user interface (UI). Netflix members will use the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those choices will automatically be displayed on members’ TVs and will be available to watch instantly through the LG player.
Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. With the BD300’s accompanying remote control, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections right on the TV screen, and they will also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream.
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