Netflix on Wii??

It's been rumored for ages. The official Netflix survey went out about the same time as the PS3 one, last March. I'm sure the next time you'll hear about it, it'll be the launch announcement.

Japan & the UK (I believe) have various Wii online video services right now. It's just a matter of time here in the States, I think.

I believe Netflix's CEO has basically given a 'nudge nudge wink wink' statement to the effect of intimating it will be on virtually everything sooner or later, including the Wii.

I don't think it would be much of a stretch to imagine a Netflix Channel on the Wii, being similar to the non-HD roku box.

Playon will work with netflix on wii, and you can also stream media from your network with a simple plugin.

I've been using it for a couple of days and it's pretty cool. The quality isn't as good as buying a stand alone network media player though

PlayOn uses the PC encodes (which are the worst ones available), so it won't look as good as the other machines that offer Netflix natively.

I still use PlayOn for tons of content though (Hulu, Youtube, NBC, CBS, South Park Studios, Justin TV, etc.). I use it on my 360 though, but it works on Wii and PS3 as well. I think it even works through my DirecTV DVR.

Oh yeah. There are rumblings that a Wii Netflix disc is going to be announced today, much like the PS3 disc. Not ideal, as the 360 offering is, but serviceable, and better than nothing for the Wii-only consumer.

Hadn't heard about that. If true, I'll be curious to compare to my 360 and PS3 (I have all 3 consoles) but I don't see how the Wii could do the HD feeds....it can't even kick out 720, right?

Regardless, it would be better than nothing for the Wii-Only consumer, as you pointed out.

It's been announced!!! Sweet. Looks like this Spring. I've already reserved my disc!!!

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10433823-17.html

Reserve your disc here: http://www.netflix.com/Wii

Not like they're plentiful

"Not like they're plentiful"

Name a better source anywhere for HD video. I watch streaming Netflix daily, and while I commonly find things that I say "Ah man, I'd watch that if it was HD", I also almost never watch streaming Netflix that isn't HD. Seriously, there is a lot of HD content on streaming Netflix.

I suspect that while the 720p stream downmixed on the Wii to 480p would look the best, the Wii will probably only have access to the 480p streams.

There isn't a single item on Netflix that is High Def, unless you rent the bluray disks.

Just because they uncompress the stream to 720p, doesn't make it HD.

Sorry but there is a lot of HD content available to stream over netflix and more is added all the time. Whole seasons of shows are up in HD to stream.

"There isn't a single item on Netflix that is High Def, unless you rent the bluray disks.
Just because they uncompress the stream to 720p, doesn't make it HD."

Might I suggest having the slightest idea about what you are talking about before commenting? You look like an uneducated nub right now.

Seriously, I am downright amazed at how just unbelievably ignorant your statement is. If you don't know the correct answer, then don't try to correct people.

What darklordjames said. Times, like, infinity.

That's entirely true, for varying values of 'isn't a single item'. Where 'isn't a single item' translates into whole seasons of current TV shows, recent movies and some video specials.

Hell, in some cases Netflix is getting shows within a week of airtime. IN HD. (see Leverage season 2, for example)

Totally called it, BTW.

ps netflix sucks
pps enjoy season 4 of murder, she wrote

From the Seattle Times...

"Netflix subscribers can manage their full accounts on the Wii using the consoles remote."

I currently have Netflix built in on my TV, however it only allows access to the queue, and no ability to manage my account. Having the ability to do this through the Wii, and then watch it in whatever resolution via the TV's viewer will be nice!

"ps netflix sucks"

Step away from the crack pipe buddy, it's starting to effect your brain.

Yes, you and everyone else who's been awake for the last six months.


If you think that's all that's on the streaming service, you're really missing out. I was thinking more of watching the Boondock Saints tonight, season one of Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes and maybe Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. Unless my daughter is watching "The Clique". Again.

A TV show from the 80s/90s and an awful sci fi flick from last year - you really showed me.

I've been kicking around re-upping w/ Netflix - this pushes me in that direction.

NO - won't get any HD - but that's what both my BD player & DirecTv's HD OnDemand stuff is for.

I can, however, see this as a great way to catch up on TV shows I have wanted to check out but have not yet.

As to video streaming, when the Nintendo Channel update came to pass a while back - video quality there jumped a bit. Netflix via Wii should look fine, but we shall see.

Actually, my point was that there is far more than you seem to think. What do you want, episodes of Leverage, Heroes, Lost, Mythbusters or the Office in HD?
They're there. You want indie art flicks like Sunshine Cleaning, Tyson, Primer, Gomorrah or Che? Same. More popular movies like Doubt, Race to Witch Mountain, Brokeback Mountain, The International and Paul Blart: Mall Cop? Plenty of them. And for older classic movies, they've got TONS.

Does it match the contents of netflix proper? Not at all. But it's chock full of good content. And with the new deal with Warner, we're going to see a lot more content on the streaming side. Expect similar deals to be worked out with other companies.

If you don't like Netflix, that's fine. But claiming that the service is no good and implying it doesn't have any good content rings pretty false.

I expect the Netflix Wii disc will push a few codec updates...but the Nintendo Channel streams pretty darned well if you have the bandwidth. Nintendo Week, for example, looks pretty good. Given that it's a 10-12 minute show, the same principle should work for Netflix.

You don't see brand new DVD releases because the studios have to protect their revenue streams. But that's why I like netflix, it covers both avenues. Physical media for the latest and greatest and streaming media for the "I always ment to watch that" stuff.

We've beat this to death before, and regardless of whether or not Netflix HD content is sufficient, Reggie is telling us we don't care.

http://www.dailytech.com/Wii+Owners+...ticle17422.htm

He's probably right from a business standpoint, most Wii owners aren't on 70" 1080p sets... but we are, and I for one would love to see a little more effort put behind graphics and HD content. not at the expense of gameplay, mind you, but c'mon Reg...



-vdz

The Wii almost certainly doesn't have the hardware to decode HD, and Reggie is right in that if it was such a deal breaker nobody would own the hardware.

Considering the sales, there's simply no reason for Nintendo to spend a dime on HD content at the moment...

"but c'mon Reg..."

Reggie is in charge of Nintendo US. His company's titles are absolutely the best that you can expect out of that hardware, graphically. Seriously, Mario Galaxy, Metroid 3, Mario Kart, Smash Brothers? You expect better looking titles than these with the hardware at hand? If you want to complain about graphics, then complain about Ubisoft, Capcom, and Sega's lack of effort, cause frankly you've got nothing on Nintendo.

As to whether HD Netflix is important on the Wii? Reggie's right. People bought a 480p console, just like the vast majority of people still buy DVD players, though Bluray is an option. For most, SD streaming Netflix is "good enough" and "good enough" wins out over "advanced, complicated or costly" every day of the week.

This thread has gathered some kind of argument-inciting karma...


Let me explain a bit, I still think we're all on a similar wave here, but there's a different point I'm looking to make- I'm just happy Wii gets Netflix. Ninty's rightly earned more dollars than several third world countries combined in the last 12 months, so they're getting the current market right on the nose. AND have schooled MS and Sony. Well played indeed..

My point: by saying "I said it don't matter", no make stuff no matter. If it did this would be called avbasherforums.com. If N wants to keep the pace after the next round of price drops (I'm thinking there's 2 more for PS3, at least one for 360) and the next-next gen kickoff at the pole position, Reggie et al. need to start at least alluding to the fact that while this isn't the platform for HD, they're happily listening to consumers, not just following 2006 speaking points. This hardware is what it is, but we all know there's more that can/will be done. Make this about more conent for Wii users, fine. But saying "nah, not a prob for OUR segment" isn't what I hoped for.

Besides, would anyone *really* be upset about a sly nod at HD Mario, Zelda, Metroid, video, etc.?