Netflix coming to a TV near you

This is pretty spiffy. I haven't used the 'Watch It Now' function with my Netlfix subscription, mainly because I'm not confident about the ability to successfully stream such a large file to my PC. I've tried watching a DVD on my computer, and that was barely acceptable. The small resolution, not great sound quality, etc.

But this, this is a better deal. Hopefully the boxes won't cost too much though...

Netflix movies to go directly to TV
Company to expand service through a set-top box

SAN FRANCISCO -- DVD-by-mail service Netflix Inc. will begin delivering movies and other programming directly to televisions later this year through a set-top box that will pipe entertainment over a high-speed Internet connection.

The set-top box, to be made by LG Electronics Inc. as part of a partnership announced late Wednesday, is designed to broaden the appeal of a year-old streaming service that Netflix provides to its 7 million subscribers at no additional charge.

LG Electronics didn't reveal how much the set-top box will cost when it hits the market in the summer or early autumn. Similar devices made by Apple Inc. and Vudu Inc. cost $299 to $399.

A bevy of other gadgets designed to bring more digital entertainment into living rooms is expected to be unveiled next week at a major consumer electronics show in Las Vegas.

Although Netflix says its subscribers have watched more than 10 million movies and TV episodes through its "Watch Instantly" option so far, the streaming service has been too constraining for many subscribers.

That's because all the streaming service's programming must be watched on a personal computer, unless the viewer knows how to link a high-speed Internet connection into a TV monitor.

The set-top box is supposed to serve as a bridge that will enable just about anyone with a high-speed Internet connection to plug in a few wires so they will be able to access Netflix's Watch Instantly feature on their TVs.

Subscribers will still need to use a computer to pick out which programs they're interested in streaming. The selections, culled from more than 6,000 titles available in a streaming library, will then show up on the TV screen.

"It's going to be very slick and easy," said Reed Hastings, Netflix's chief executive. "We want the TV experience to be very relaxing and not like visiting a Web site."

Depending on which subscription plan they have, Netflix customers can watch five to 48 hours of programming through the streaming service each month at no extra cost.

The LG Electronics alliance is just the first of several partnerships Netflix hopes to strike this year to extend its delivery options beyond the mail. Although he wouldn't provide specifics, Hastings listed video-game consoles and high-definition DVD players as other potential channels for Netflix.