Doug Aamoth…

Remember the great Blu-ray versus HD DVD debate of 2008? When Blu-ray finally won, some claimed that it didn’t really matter, as streaming and/or downloadable online video would soon be the reining champion of the HD movie marketplace.

Whatever your opinion, it appears that LG is attempting to head things off at the pass with the introduction of the LG BD300 Blu-ray player with built-in Netflix streaming. Excelsior! It’ll be available this fall, will play Blu-ray discs and up-convert standard DVDs to 1080p, and stream 12,000+ Netflix titles straight to the box via the magic of the interconnected network of computers (In-ter-net).

So will the Netflix movies be in high definition, too? Doesn’t look like it – at least the press release (see below) makes no mention of HD Netflix streaming. And you’d better either have a router nearby or a really long Ethernet cable, as the player won’t do wireless. That’s kind of a necessary evil, though, as a wired connection will make streaming the Netflix movies and accessing BD Live content faster and more stable.

It also appears that you’ll have to add movies to your Netflix queue from a big-boy computer first, and then those movies will show up for playback on the player. So no searching the entire Netflix catalogue from the BD300 itself.

No word on price yet, which is a bit odd since there’s so much information throughout the rest of the release, but the player will apparently be unveiled tonight sometime, so we’ll likely get pricing and perhaps a firm release date later in the day.

LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player to be Unveiled Tonight

NEW YORK, July 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Building on agroundbreaking technology partnership announced earlier this year, LGElectronics and Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) today announced plans for thefirst Blu-ray disc player that will have the added benefit of being able toinstantly stream a growing library of movies and TV episodes from Netflixdirectly to the TV.   

Available this fall, the LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player will playhigh definition Blu-ray discs, up-convert standard DVDs to 1080p and allowNetflix subscribers to instantly stream more than 12,000 choices of moviesand TV episodes from Netflix to the TV for no additional charge.

LG Electronics and Netflix will demonstrate the BD300 Network Blu-rayDisc Player for the first time tonight at LG’s 2008 Summer Line Show atMorgan Library and Museum in New York City. (The event is open to invitedmedia only.)

Instantly streaming content from Netflix to the TV via the LG BD300Network Blu-ray Disc Player will rely on a wired broadband connection andQueue-based user interface. Netflix members will use the Netflix Web siteto add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Thosechoices will automatically be displayed on members’ TVs and available towatch instantly through the LG player. Once selected, movies will beginplaying in as little as 30 seconds. With the BD300’s accompanying remotecontrol, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections righton the TV screen and also have the ability to read synopses and ratemovies. In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding andrewinding the video stream.

“As Blu-ray player sales are expected to triple in three years,consumers are craving content and seeking a premium home entertainmentexperience,” said LG Electronics USA President Teddy Hwang. “The BD300 isanother LG industry first and provides consumers with an advanced high-defdisc player with unparalleled flexibility and networked access for servicessuch as Netflix.”

Consumers craving more content will appreciate the BD Live feature,which provides real-time interactivity for movie enthusiasts seekingextras, new previews or special content while BonusView providespicture-in-picture access to Blu-ray disc special features. To furtherpersonalize and simplify the home theater experience, the BD300 includesLG’s SimpLink(TM) technology, which allows users to control similarlyequipped LG TV and AV products via convenient on-screen menus or directlyfrom the product itself.

In January, prior to the 2008 International CES(R), LG Electronics andNetflix announced their technology partnership to provide a set-top box forconsumers to stream movies and TV episodes from the Internet to the TVbeginning in the second half of the year.

“LG Electronics is establishing itself as the innovation leader inconsumer electronics, combining the best of broadband and Blu-rayconnectivity,” said Netflix Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Reed Hastings. “LGElectronics was the first of our technology partners to publicly embraceour strategy for getting the Internet to the TV, and is the first tointroduce a Blu-ray player that will instantly stream movies and TVepisodes from Netflix to the TV.”