Netflix & Roku Launch $99 Watch Instantly Player

Netflix and Roku today announced the long-awaited Netflix Player, a $99 box for playing Watch Instantly movies on a TV. Netflix customers with a $8.99 or higher plan will have unlimited access to the growing library of 10,000 movies and TV shows available for Watch Instantly.

The Netflix Player is extremely small, about the size of a paperback book, and includes a simple remote control for operating the player. Customers can connect the Netflix Player to a home network via a wired or wireless network, and then activate the Netflix Player through the "Netflix Ready Device Activation" link on the "Your Account" page. Each account can use up to 4 Netflix Players.

The Netflix Player has the following outputs: HDMI (audio and video), Component Video, S-Video, Composite, Optical Audio, and Stereo Audio. A set of 3 video and audio cables is an additional $19.99.

While Netflix currently streams video at "near DVD quality," the Netflix Player is HD-ready and will support HD video when Netflix offers it (I've been told that Heroes is close to HD quality).

The Apple TV starts at $229, and the Vudu is $295, but they offer access to new releases (rental or purchase), and the Apple TV also plays music and displays photos. Will Netflix be able to offer new releases as part of the subscription, or will they charge a rental fee? I doubt Netflix will complicate the service with movie rental fees, so will the device be limited to older movies and TV shows?

What do you think of the Netflix Player?

Thanks to Max, Jason, SG, Bryan and William for sending this in.

Comments

[Brian]

$99 .. Wow!!! Just wow!!!

I still hope they get the Xbox 360 game going (they hired the My Netflix guy, so that should be sooner, rather than later).

But $99 is a great price. And still unlimited. I might downgrade to the $8.99 plan.

[lifterus]

Great news. I wonder what this means for the software player though. Are they switching to Silverlight? Can we get finally get chapter markers in the streams, or Mac support?

[Wade Menard]

Not quite as sexy as the Soundbridge but I <3 Roku anyway.

[hueristix]

connections look good, small size is a plus, price is cheap considering what it does.

What I want to know is whether I would finally be able to play 720p if not 1080p over component cable. The PC version is terribly unflexible over component due to Msft restrictions. HDMI can bl-- --.

[MCWHAMMER]

Welp, I REALLY did not need to spend any money right now, considering my economic "Stimulus" got spent a week ago, and I haven't even got the check yet.

But Netflix, you are just so freaking smart. My money is your money. This is a work of art.

I don't need any more boxes in my living room. I will wait until these things are part of the next tv I buy which looks like it will be sooner than I can view Netflix movies on my Mac.

[idylld]

Does this take an HD TV or will it connect to an ancient type TV?

[I love Netflix]

"I don't need any more boxes in my living room. I will wait until these things are part of the next tv I buy which looks like it will be sooner than I can view Netflix movies on my Mac."

You can watch movies on this box even if you have a Mac, you just need your internet connection. Why would you want to watch them on the computer now when you can watch them on the tv? So no reason to use that excuse any longer.

And this one you can connect to your HD TV or the old one, depends on what you have

[Complication]

Remember folks, only 2 more chances left at Netflix supporting "" any time soon. Stay tunned!

Seriously though, I wonder what the internal specifications are on this thing. I bet they are using the same single chip as the Popcorn Hour device. How long before somebody opens this thing up, dumps the firmware, and makes an emulator for Linux/Mac? My guess is that they made this thing get firmware updates from the web. Let the cat and mouse DRM games begin.

I think this is a great little device for people with simple setups like my parents. For myself, hopefully there will be support soon for one of the devices I already have (PS3 anyone?). I just hope they make one that lets you buffer the movie(s) in DVD quality on a basic DSL connection. It would be nice to pick a movie before I went to bed and or left for work and have it waiting when I get home. I'm too much of a video quality junky to sit through a movie that has a bunch of video artifacts.

[Jason The Saj]

Sweet...might get one, though rumor has it my Xbox 360 might do as well.

I think they should offer it in white. Or even BETTER...the little thing should be red.

[Becky]

I've ordered one!

[kh]

I'm tempted, but I already have my TV set up as my second monitor so I don't really need it, and I'm not really that impressed with the current Instant selection. But I'd get one just for the convenience if it would let me play video from my computer (like maybe Media Center files) as well.

[joshhyde]

Very tempting. Still would like a Netflix Channel on the Wii.

[treycranson]

Am I the only one who does not have an ethernet connection at their TV? There doesn't appear to be an 802.11 option for this device.

[joshhyde]

Hold on! According to the site, you have to put what you want to watch in your queue through a DIFFERENT device. What?! Why can't you do that through the box?

[kh]

@idylld - it has composite video out which you could put in to an RF modulator if the TV doesn't have anything except an antenna input.

@treycranson - it does support a wireless network.

@joshhyde - I'm sure they wanted to avoid a complicated user interface. I'm guessing it just has a text menu of the titles in your instant queue.

[treycranson]

Nevermind. I see wireless is built-in.

[HypoPig]

CNET review - http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-media-receivers/netflix-player-by-roku/4505-6739_7-33018087.html?tag=bubbl_1

[Dave]

They don't support subtitles (unless it is a foreign film) or closed captions, which is just unfair. I don't understand why they can't just put a decoder in the box? How hard is that, really?

I rely on the captions since I am hearing impaired so this won't work for me.

[joshhyde]

@trecranson

It does wireless. Check the site.

http://www.roku.com/netflixplayer/easy-set-up/

I'm sorely tempted, but ... no.

I would pay twice as much if it would let me subscribe to audio and video podcasts.

But a device that only plays DRM'd stuff? No. I'm not putting any more money into DRM.

I'm just barely willing to pay TiVo, even though TiVo uses DRM and can't subscribe to RSS feeds. That's because, in every other way, TiVo does exactly what I want.

This Roku box doesn't do enough for me that's new, so I'm not willing to support its DRM.

[Baff]

As long as your TV supports HDMI, this is the way to go, since it offers the best video/audio in 1 cable. Component offers the same video/audio quality, but in 5 cables. Monoprice.com has some of the cheapest cables around.

Amazon has an HDMI cable for about $5 with shipping, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002L5R78/

[Josh]

This item is kind of pointless for Netflix subscribers who have an HTPC setup and simply watch movies on their TVs already such as myself...

[Matt]

Do you guys do anything but bitch and moan? This thing is awesome and an absolute steal at $99. I expected tivo-like prices from the first few generations of these things.

[Eugene]

Is roku.com the only place I can buy from?

[arthur]

@ I Love Netflix
"Why would you want to watch them on the computer now when you can watch them on the tv? So no reason to use that excuse any longer."

Because I have my Mac hooked up to a 60" HDTV so I can watch DVDs... and MP4s... and MKVs... and virtually anything and everything EXCEPT Netflix On Demand. Lack of DRM support for the Mac is a joke and paying $99 for another box that can do what any Mac should be allowed to do isn't a viable solution. At some point that box will be worthless but my Mac will live on. So, yes, there is still reason to use that excuse.

[brk]

arthur,

the lack of DRM support on the Mac is an Apple issue not a NF one. If you don't like the joke call up Apple and let them know.

[bill]

"This item is kind of pointless for Netflix subscribers who have an HTPC setup and simply watch movies on their TVs already such as myself..."

great analysis, furthermore this item is kind of pointless for people who don't have a TV...

[CJ]

Thanks for the tip - just ordered one. Appears to be exactly what I was waiting for - I have an open HDMI port on TV (1080p 27" LCD), an open Digital Optical audio port on sound system, and a 5 port internet switch (2 are open) behind the TV. This box should fit nicely between the TW cable box and the PS-3.

I'll report back how it works...

[Wolfeman]

I'm surprised no one is pointing out the obvious, that being that this is restricted to high end netflix customers. I rent one movie at a time and I can view watch-it-now content, why does this box, for an additional cost mind you, block ME from watching content I'm already entitled to see? Makes no sense. Bah humbug.

[Wolfeman]

my bad... it's 1 at a time unlimited, which I have already... so this is pretty cool, but I'm still holding out for a mac/ps3/360 standalone solution.

[Rieanna]

Wolfeman... how does it block you from seeing content?

If you don't want it, don't buy it, continue to use instant watch on your computer. A lot of us are excited that we don't need to sit and watch our netflix on demand content just on our 15-20inch computer screens anymore.

[Dr. Quasius]

I currently have the video/audio out from my computer connected to my tv, and use a wireless keyboard/mouse to watch movies. Very very clunky, but it works.

The set-top box is an enormous improvement over what I have now. I have two small personal problems with a set-top box. The cost - $99 dollars vs. the free solution that I have now. The other thing is if I bought a box, I would be reluctant to cancel my subscription even if it were in by best interest to do so.

[Becky]

Dr. Quasius, you are right on the money! Buying the Netflix Player means I have to watch a lot of streaming movies to get my money's worth. It means commitment. I will never again question my monthly payment to Netflix, any more than other folks question their cable or phone bill. Netflix will become another "utility bill" for me.

But it already has.

@ Dr. Quasius

You could always sell it to someone else it you stopped using it. Just a thought.

[Jeffrey]

In the words of Homer Simpson...OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! I hope they don't sell out of these before I have a chance to buy one.

[Josh]

@Matt: For true movie fans, this gadget simply does not live up to it's potential. No high definition picture means movies will likely be pillarboxed or displayed in stretch-o-vision on most HDTVs and no 5.1 surround makes for a lackluster product overall.

You're better off simply plugging your laptop or PC into the nearest TV set.

[Werd]

Good lord, some people do nothing but complain...

Personally, ill probably get one (hopefully they'll make some deal with TiVo too :) )

Right now the "watch now" selections are just kinda eh but im sure they'll be adding more and more new ones and new releases will be available just like that too. Netflix knows DVD's are slowly going to be on their way out so they're trying to jump ahead of the curve as soon as possible.

[ScottM]

It sounds cool. I watch NF Instant all the time anyway (and have to futz around with moving my monitor and pulling up a comfy chair), so $99 doesn't sound too bad. (I think the selection's quite good; I just loaded up my Instant Queue with BBC Shakespeare plays.)

I'm not really a techie. I have one computer hooked directly to my modem via Ethernet. If I want to connect a Netflix box as well, do I need to buy a router?

[Dr. Quasius]

@ScottM

I don't think so. I think you can connect the box to your computer via a usb networking cable the same way you can connect a game console. I could be wrong, however.