Netflix, in their position as the world’s largest online movie rental service, have teamed up with Samsung Electronics America in order to offer consumers the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes directly from the Netflix Web site right smack into the middle of their living rooms, courtesy of Samsung’s BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 Blu-ray disc players. Both companies are also brainstorming for ways to further collaborate so that instant streaming from Netflix to Samsung’s wide range of home entertainment products can be integrated in the near future.

How is this instant streaming done? Well, the BD-P2550 and BD-P2500 must be connected to a wired broadband connection beforehand. Netflix members will then pay a visit to the Netflix Web site so that they can add both movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. These choices will then be displayed on the members’ TVs automatically (I suspect it won’t be instantaneous as all that information needs to take some time to travel), where they can then use the Samsung players to begin their home popcorn experience. Selected movies will begin to play in as little as half a minute, so make sure those pre-movie toilet breaks are kept short and sweet. The accompanying remote control will also allow one to read various synopses and rate movies on the screen itself, introducing an element of community input into the entire scenario as well. Just in case you want to watch an old movie but prefer to skip the boring parts, there is the option to fast forward (and rewind, obviously).

Samsung’s two BD-P2550 and BD-P2500 Blu-ray disc players are available at $399.99 a pop, and those who already own either Samsung player will be able to upgrade their device for free so that instant streaming can be experienced. Interestingly enough, you can choose from an ever expanding library of over 12,000 movies and television episodes from Netflix. Those who want to upgrade can download it here. Image courtesy of Obsessable.

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