Updated Netflix Player on PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3 is one of the most popular ways to enjoy TV shows and movies from Netflix. Today we released an updated version of the Netflix player on PS3.

The first thing you will notice an updated design that is more consistent with the Netflix player on the Web as well as our mobile and tablet applications.

The key feature in this update is the ability to easily manage your audio and subtitles selections. You can now do that directly in the player on the PS3, without having to return to the browse experience.

Here’s how it works: Select “Audio & Subtitles” and all options for that title are presented. Members who use the accessory Sony PS3 Blu-ray remote control can access “Audio & Subtitles” directly from the remote control by pressing “Subtitles.”

For users of our social features, the ability to not share the current title is also easily available in the player.

Lastly, we have improved the design and performance of our “trickplay” mode when scanning forward or reverse in play mode. The images load much faster, allowing you to quickly find what you are looking for. Also, you can easily go back 10 seconds in the title anytime by simply pressing the left arrow button once on your controller or remote control.

The updated Netflix player experience is available now on PS3 and will be coming soon to select Smart TVs and Blu-ray players.

And for more information about how to use the PS3 to stream Netflix...

Enjoy!

Chris

Chris Jaffe is Director of Product Innovation at Netflix

PlayStation 3 Leads Living Room Netflix Viewing

We’re proud to stream TV shows and movies from Netflix onto nearly every Internet connected screen, from pocket-sized screens on phones to very large HDTVs. We’re also passionate about product innovation and continually investing in making the Netflix viewing experience better for our users.

Historically, gaming consoles have been a popular way for consumers to enjoy Netflix. Today we wanted to recognize the PlayStation 3 in particular as a leader in Netflix streaming. In the US and globally, PS3 is the largest TV-connected platform in terms of Netflix viewing. This year, at times, PS3 even surpassed the PC in hours of Netflix enjoyment to become our No. 1 platform overall.

Every PS3 owner can access Netflix directly via the free PlayStation Network and sign-up for Netflix directly from their PS3. The engagement enabled by this easy access combined with the powerful PS3 system capabilities makes PS3 a natural fit for Netflix to develop and deploy our most advanced features first on PS3.

PS3 was the first computer entertainment system to offer Netflix in full 1080p video resolution with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital Plus™ surround sound and to offer post-play, second screen controls, on device sign-up, alternate audio options including subtitles. PS3 is currently the only platform to experience a new voice user interface called “Max” that’s currently being tested.  We’ve been able to easily update these features to existing users of the application and continue to update and test new features on a continual basis.

Our sentiment for delivering great living room viewing experiences is shared by Sony:

Jack Tretton, CEO and President of Sony Computer Entertainment America had this to say: “The PlayStation and Netflix communities both share a strong passion for high quality entertainment. Netflix provides a fantastic experience for watching TV shows and movies on PS3, and our joint development will continue to produce innovations for our customers that further demonstrate PS3 as the true home for entertainment in the living room.”

We now have more than 30 million members globally who stream more than a billion hours a month, making us the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying TV shows and movies. We come to work each day dedicated to improving the streaming experience of each member and helping you find and view more great content from Netflix.

Enjoy,

Bill

New “Post-play” Experience Makes It Easy To Continue Watching

At Netflix we’re very focused on making it easier to enjoy more TV shows and movies streaming over the Internet to whatever device you use. A lot of the work we do is under the hood, but we recently added a very visible feature we call “post-play” to the Netflix experience.

What does post-play do? Let us illustrate: You’re finishing an episode of Breaking Bad, Prison Break, Lost, or any of the other compelling serialized dramas on Netflix. When the episode ends, you probably can’t wait to find out what happens next. That’s where post-play comes in.

Many Netflix members love watching multiple episodes of TV shows in a row. It is almost a phenomenon; John Jurgensen of The Wall Street Journal recently even wrote a lengthy article on indulging in TV show marathons.

The new Netflix post play experience makes sitting down for multiple episodes easier. It also works for movies, if you’re watching a feature; we will make suggestions for other things to watch as soon as it ends.


Here’s how post-play works:

When you finish watching an episode of a TV show, we’ll minimize the credits and tee-up the next episode. If you do nothing, the next episode will start to play in 15 seconds. You can also stop it to get more information or select another episode.

When you finish watching a movie, we’ll minimize the credits and offer you three recommendations to try next. If those don’t suit you, you can always go directly to search from post-play or go back to browsing to find something else.

Netflix "post-play" on PS3

Netflix "post-play" on the Web

The post-play experience is now available on the PS3 and our Web site. It will be coming to other devices soon.


Enjoy!

Chris Jaffe & Michael Spiegelman

Netflix "Just for Kids" Now on PlayStation 3

I'm very happy to announce the latest release of Netflix "Just for Kids," now on the PlayStation 3. Whether you are a kid in age or a kid at heart, you will love our new section on the PS3, designed specifically for kids with content appropriate for those 12 and under.

Parents and caregivers, you can unleash your kids in this section of Netflix and not worry about titles that could be inappropriate. Our "Just for Kids" section was such a hit on the Web site, Nintendo Wii and Apple TV, that we have now added it to PS3.

Since we first launched "Just for Kids" as a dedicated section on Netflix.com in August of 2011, Netflix members have watched more than one billion hours of kids titles. That's a lot, considering that all of those hours are commercial free, as always on Netflix.

We hope you and your kids really enjoy Just for Kids on PS3 and stay tuned for more Just for Kids news.

David

David Watson is director of product innovation at Netflix, responsible for our family and kids innovations.

Search now available on PS3

Greg Peters, VP of product development, here. If you enjoy watching TV shows and movies instantly from Netflix via your PS3, check out the new search feature that is now available on your PS3. Search comes as part of a software upgrade from Netflix – delivered by our continuous improvement architecture. This architecture allows us to improve your Netflix experience by adding more and more features over time. Sony is the first of the game consoles to adopt this new software from Netflix, so if you’re a PS3 user, you can now search for a movie or TV episode on your TV via your PS3. No need to go back to your computer to add it to your Queue. We have more cool features in store with this continuous improvement architecture so stay tuned.

Netflix coming to PS3

Greg Peters, VP of product development at Netflix, here. We’ve got good news for PS3 owners! Soon you will be able to instantly watch movies and TV episodes on your TV via your PS3. Today we announced that the PS3 is about to join the ever growing list of Netflix ready devices that allow streaming of movies and TV episodes whenever you want, as much as you want, all included in your unlimited Netflix subscription. The PS3 is a terrific Blu-ray and gaming platform that will get even better in November when we start streaming thousands of movies and TV episodes!