Netflix to fight rivals with full HD this year

(Updated with Netflix commentary) Netflix will try to claim an edge in its media service by offering streaming full HD, a rumor maintains this afternoon. The company will supposedly roll out 1080p streams with 5.1-channel surround sound at some point later this year. It currently offers 720p to just a handful of devices, most notably the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 but also Roku's Internet Player.

The source for the information hasn't given CNET a more exact timeframe or said how much, if any, bandwidth requirements will increase to match the twice-as-large resolution. To date, 720p Netflix has demanded as much as 10Mbps to stream in real time and would limit 1080p to currently very high end Internet connections. However, the company may use a technique similar to VUDU's HDX, which avoids updating most pixels that don't need to change and lets VUDU provide 1080p with 5.1 sound but without having to dramatically increase the bandwidth used.

An upgrade of the sort may be necessary for Netflix. Its unlimited Internet streaming has been key to steadily growing business but has trailed behind the quality of competitors offering more traditional download or streaming stores. It also trails behind services with similar quality but wider selection: Apple's iTunes has had 720p and 5.1 audio for some time but takes advantage of its per-title purchases and rental business models to offer a larger catalog that includes more recent releases.

Update: Netflix now says 1080p isn't slated for this year but does expect 5.1 surround sound and closed captioning.

By Electronista Staff