Tech News

1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010?

Netflix Watch Instantly fans could be due for a big upgrade, as CNET has heard the company will roll out 1080p and 5.1 surround sound later this year. No word on timing or any other details, but this could mean its moving to version 3 of Microsoft's Silverlight streaming platform with its additional tweaks for adaptive streaming and hardware graphics acceleration. Also unknown is how much bandwidth would be necessary, but considering Microsoft already uses very similar technology for its 1080p Instant On videos on Zune Marketplace through the Xbox 360 while only requiring 3 Mbps and VUDU HDX 1080p videos only state a minimum of 4500 Kbps, a massive jump in available bandwidth might not be necessary if you already get clear 720p video. The last big hurdle? How much content will be available that way, Gizmodo points out only about 6 percent of current offerings stream in HD we'll be watching carefully if the pace picks up going forward.

1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
More News
• Motorola CLIQ XT hands-on
• Entelligence: Aiming high or another Mylo?
• Microsoft shows off XNA games running on Windows Phone, full 3D is a go
• Does Android dream of DIY cushions?
• Palm's webOS PDK beta adds Pixi native development, PDK'd apps will hit the Catalog mid year
• Samsung NaviBot SR8845 / SR8855 vacuum cleaner hands-on
• Eternal optimist Verizon calls iPad launch 'an opportunity' to sell some data plans
• brite-View LinkE pipes content to four Ethernet sources over existing powerline network
• Screen Grabs: the Marriage Ref trots out an iPad for all its 11 viewers
• Seven45 Studios talks Power Gig details, we go hands-on with its six string guitar peripheral
• Newegg selling ASUS Eee Box with Red Flag Linux pre-installed
• Is Amazon hiring devs to build a robust web browser for Kindle?
A NSM Network Site.