Launch Netflix from Directly from XMB Starting Next Week

Kris Erickson • Oct 14, 2010 • Comments ()

Ding Dong, the Disc is dead. Starting on Monday, October 19th, Playstation 3 owners will be able to access the movie streaming service directly from the XMB. And its not just the convenience that is going to improve. Films supporting Dolby 5.1 will now be able to be played in full surround sound from the PS3 console, and the browser interface is going to get a much-needed facelift. Some content will be made available in a higher-resolution 1080i format, making HDTV owners happier, if not 100% satisfied. On one hand we're happy about the improvements, but on the other it's hard to get excited about such obviously needed features. Its as if these things should have been available from the start. Meanwhile in Europe, a competing service from LoveFilm is about to be launched on PS3, which also does not require a special disc.

Here are some of the planned Improvements to the PS3 Netflix service:

*Movies and TV shows from Netflix will be accessible from PS3's XMB menu under a new Netflix icon under the Video category. To access Netflix, PS3 owners will need to sign-in with their PlayStation®Network account.

*Support for Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel surround sound will enable users to experience premium-quality audio.

*A new user interface, including the recently added search functionality, will deliver a much richer and faster browsing experience, making it easier to find the specific titles you're looking for or to discover new content.

*Some movies and TV shows will be viewable in 1080i resolution, offering an enhanced visual experience as more consumers adopt HDTVs.

*The amount of time to start playback will be improved.

*An increasing number of movies and TV shows will be viewable with subtitles or alternate audio tracks.