Ridgefield Park, N.J. — Samsung said Wednesday that the Netflix and Pandora online entertainment content services are now available for current Blu-ray Disc player models.
Access to the Netflix streaming movie/TV program service is made possible through a firmware update available starting today to current owners of Samsung models BD-P2500 and BD-P2550.
The update, which is available at no additional cost, is offered online at www.samsung.com/bluraysupport. It will enable subscription-based instant streaming of video titles from a growing library of more than 12,000 movies and television episodes.
The capability marks the second such agreement for a Blu-ray Disc player, following LG’s BD300 player with integrated Netflix video streaming.
The Pandora online music streaming service will also be available through the update link starting today to owners of the model BD-P2550, Samsung said. In addition to the content services, Samsung will provide a BD-Live update for that model.
Samsung said it will also provide an update, which is to be made available starting Oct. 30, to heighten audio format options. The DTS-HD high-resolution firmware upgrade will be available for both the BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 and will both expand the surround sound options with DTS-HD and improve high-definition picture playback, Samsung said.
All updates can be applied through Samsung’s Auto Firmware Update feature, which, when the player is connected to a home network, will now prompt users to availability of new firmware as soon as it becomes available, Samsung said.
“In its new form, Samsung Blu-ray players become the ultimate content delivery box, combining on-demand access to movies and music as well as jaw-dropping full HD viewing,” stated Reid Sullivan, Samsung A/V and imaging marketing VP.
Access to Netflix through both players is made first through a welcome screen where Netflix members may click on the Netflix icon to reach their instant Queue (the list of movies they have selected on the PC want to watch instantly.)
After choosing a title to watch, a user presses play and the movie starts in about 30 seconds. Netflix members also can use the BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 to watch any one of the 100,000 titles Netflix has on DVDs as well as the more than 800 titles Netflix has on Blu-ray.
