MUMBAI: In a new deal with Warner Bros, Home Entertainment Netflix has agreed to a 28-day delay on new releases being made available to online DVD rental outfit‘s subscribers.

The 28-day window is intended to help Warner Bros. maximise the sales potential of their releases, 75 per cent of which occurs through a sell-through in the first four weeks and maximize VoD usage. 
 
Companies like Netflix and DVD kiosk operator Redbox have come under pressure from the studios amid reductions in revenues from the sale of DVDs.

Netflix, meanwhile, says it will benefit from reduced product costs and an increase in available DVD units for its subscribers. The new agreement with the studio also includes a renewal and expanded license for Netflix subscribers to stream Warner Bros. content directly from the site.

"These new agreements build upon the strong relationship we have had with Netflix for nearly ten years," said Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders.  
 
"The 28-day window allows us to continue making our most popular films available to Netflix subscribers while supporting our sell-through product, " Sanders adds.

Netflix has also announced a slate of agreements with consumer-electronics manufacturers that will bring its streaming service directly to television sets.

Funai, which distributes the Philips, Magnavox, Sylvania and Emerson brands in the US, will introduce Blu-ray disc players or digital televisions that will instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix.

The company already has similar tie-ups with the likes of Best Buy‘s Insignia brand, LG Electronics, Samsung, Xbox 360 and PlayStation3.