LG's Blu-ray Player Accessing CinemaNow And YouTube

LG Electronics has added features like CinemaNow and YouTube access via through Internet to its Blu-ray disc player.
The new services will be available on Network Blu-ray Disc player, which is going to be launched in first half quarter of 2009. It will complement the Netflix support already in the devices, the company said.

Recently it was seen that player for the high-definition movie format have failed to be consumers favorite and the major reason for this cause was their high prices in comparison to standard DVD players. A Blu-ray DVD also cost more than standard than a standard DVD.

However, pricing of Blue-ray player have fallen significantly. For example, LG brand was available at Amazon for $290, and other players are hitting market at less than $200. Companies like LG, are hoping to get a higher price for their machines by adding broadband connections for accessing Web Services.

Analysts expect the market for on-demand movies over the Internet to grow in time and will replace DVD, as music download did to CD's. "LG is bridging the gap between packaged media and video-on-demand services to provide entertainment solutions for consumers' demand for content," Tim Alessi, director of product development for LG, said in a statement released Tuesday.

On one hand, where hardware vendors are trying to attract customers by providing Web services in machines. Online video rental services like Netflix and CinemaNow are using consumer electronics manufactures to get more customers. Netflix is also available through Samsung's Blu-ray player, and rental service says it hopes to get similar support in Sony and Panasonic.

Analysts say subscription models similar to Netflix's are likely to gain in popularity as an alternative to individual movie rentals. Netflix subscribers, who pay a monthly fee for having movies mailed to their homes, can also get access to films online at no additional charge.
LG plans to unveil its new Blu-ray players at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which runs Jan. 8-11.