The Dallas, Texas-based Blockbuster said that the on-demand service will be integrated into Samsung high-definition televisions (HDTVs) and Blu-Ray players starting in the fall.
"Once a customer rents or buys a movie, they simply press play to begin instant viewing," Blockbuster said in a statement, adding that its streaming technology ensures "immediate and uninterrupted playback."
"This agreement underscores the growing opportunities around digital delivery," said Blockbuster chairman and chief executive Jim Keyes.
"Our strategic alliance with Blockbuster means that we will provide consumers another significant avenue to access rich content and a great viewing experience," said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America, the US arm of the South Korean electronics giant.
Samsung said that owners of existing Samsung HDTVs and Blu-Ray players can upgrade their devices to receive the Blockbuster service.
Blockbuster operates more than 7,200 stores in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia but has been chasing Netflix in streaming video to television screens over the Web.
In March, Blockbuster began making movies available on-demand to users of TiVo digital recorder devices that connect to television sets, a service also offered by Netflix and online retail giant Amazon.com.
Both Blockbuster and Netflix also rent DVDs through the mail.
Source: AFP
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