PS3 + Netflix streaming = great viewing

I am not a gamer. Oh sure, I play the occasional game, but I am one of those people at whom gamers roll their eyes any time I mention something I’m playing.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that when I purchased my PlayStation 3 about a year ago, I wanted it purely for its Blu-Ray capabilities. In this respect, it was notably more desirable than the Xbox 360 and the Wii. However, it was missing one significant feature – it was not compatible with Netflix instant streaming.

Last week, Netflix shipped me a disc that now allows me to instantly stream videos on my PlayStation 3. My life is complete.

My initial reaction was overwhelmingly positive. After all, even if there are some minor problems with it, it is still better than watching movies on a small computer screen. To be certain, the necessity of the disc is a minor inconvenience, as the Xbox 360 streams straight through its system. Also, the quality of some of the videos is sub-par, but only slightly – it’s comparable to a YouTube video on full screen mode.

There are other videos, however, labeled with the beautiful letters “HD.” Don’t be fooled – even when viewed with an HDMI hookup. They basically amount to standard definition DVD quality. It’s better than the non-HD features, but it’s not high definition as far as I can tell.

But really, I’m not complaining, as it’s essentially a free extra that comes with my Netflix subscription. When Netflix instant streaming started, the choices were minimal and mostly undesirable. A quick glance down the list would show very few predicted star ratings over two and a half or so. Now, not only can I stream videos straight to my television, there are some truly great films and television shows available.

Using Netflix instant streaming, I have finally gotten around to checking out the television adaptation of “Friday Night Lights.” It’s available in HD (or, rather, the instant streaming equivalent), and I am happy to report that it is every bit as good as I have heard since the airing of the pilot. Had it not been for the addition of PlayStation 3 to the instant streaming capabilities, I would have probably never given it a chance.

Using your PlayStation 3 controller or remote, you can not only view the selections in your Instant Queue, but you can also browse new releases and genres, a feature formally unavailable on the Xbox 360 system. As far as I can gather, there is no search option, but you can always add movies online and your PlayStation 3 will recognize it immediately.

While most gamers will claim that the Xbox 360 is the best system for your money (and others will argue just as adamantly for the Wii), this new PlayStation 3 feature is a great addition for casual gamers like myself. Until the Xbox 360 adds Blu-Ray capabilities, I’m a PlayStation 3 guy, now more than ever.