Disc-free and better than ever
As of this morning, PS3 owners should notice a new icon under the video section of the menu: Netflix. The PS3 gained the ability to stream Netflix back in November of 2009, but it required using a special Netflix disc and the user interface now looks outdated compared to newer offerings from Apple TV and Xbox 360. (The Nintendo Wii can also stream Netflix without a disc now as well.)
Quick setup
Setup is painless. Select the Netflix icon from the "Video" icon of the XMB interface, and the PS3 will start a quick download of the new Netflix program. Enter your Netflix subscription info and the new interface pops up.
Main interface
While the PS3's old interface got the job done, the new interface is a joy to use. There's a left-hand menu that includes sorting categories, such as "Genre" and "New Arrivals."
Additional info
When you jump into each section, you see additional rows of movies and if you hover the cursor over a movie, you get additional information like runtime and Netflix's guess as to how much you'll like the movie.
Instant Queue
You can still browse your Instant Queue like before, but now you can even search straight from the interface.
Search right from the interface
The search results update as you type, which mitigates most of the frustration of using an onscreen keyboard, since we generally only had to type a few letters to hind what we were looking for. Our only nitpick is there currently isn't a way to filter movies by video quality; a simple "HD" filter would be appreciated.
Detailed search interface
Movie info
Like the previous interface, selecting a movie gives you a synopsis and additional movie information.
Even more options
The suggestions section has several in-depth filters based on what Netflix thinks you'll like.
New arrivals section
Genre section
New HD image quality
While Netflix streaming has always had passable video quality, videophiles could find plenty to complain about. Even HD streams had plenty of visible compression artifacts, especially in scenes with lots of camera motion. We looked at a few of Netflix's HD programs, including "The Office", "Archer" and "Space Cowboys". Overall, we were impressed, as the new HD content looks significantly better than what was previously considered "HD". We could still see some noise and compression artifacts in backgrounds--we noticed plenty of false contouring in the sky at the beginning of "Space Cowboys"--but it only shows up during a handful of scenes. On the whole, it's on par with what you'd expect from most cable HD channels, which also feature compression.
More Galleries
My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?