And, as I mentioned above, Netflix still has the best and simplest Netflix experience of any of these STBs.For $7.99 per month you get access to the entire Watch Instantly library no DVD rentals, but those can be added, for prices ranging between $9.99/month and $27.99/month, depending on how many discs you'd like to rent at a time. In bringing this to the TV, Netflix has brought us closer than anyone else to the goal of eventually having the whole history of movies and television shows available on demand over the Internet and playable on any screen.
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Roku started out primarily as a streaming box for Netflix on Demand - a library of catalog movie titles and complete seasons of past TV shows that Netflix originally made available for streaming to PCs. You can even get the Roku XD through retail channels such as Best Buy now for $89, since Netgear sells it as the NTV250 (pictured above). For most buyers, the XD will make the most sense.
It offers three versions: the HD ($59), XD ($79), and XD|S ($99). And, it absolutely nails that goal.Īnd, it's inexpensive. The thing about Roku is that its mission is simple: Take high-quality video content that is published over the Internet and deliver it to your HDTV in an ridiculously simple way. Once this goes live, it will be interesting to see how well it works and how much it gets used.Īpple narrowly edges Boxee for second place for one reason: It is simply more useful, and that's mostly due to the fact that it has more and better content. Apple also has an interesting scheme with AirPlay, which it intends to use to allow devices such as the iPhone and iPad to stream content over-the-air to Apple TV. However, Apple does have a great library of new release movie rentals, easy access to lots of audio and video podcasts, and a great gallery of movie trailers (a feature that I surprisingly have turned out to use a lot). Although Apple claims it has the best Netflix experience of any device, it still doesn't quite match the Roku for speed, navigation, and simplicity.
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It doesn't overheat, it doesn't have the goofy local syncing with a Mac or PC, and it now integrates Netflix (the best Internet-enabled content library). The new Apple TV also solves a number of the nagging problems from the original Apple TV.
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The new Apple TV update for 2010 ($99) has two things going for it: 1.) It is amazingly small, which makes it easy to add to any TV or entertainment system, and 2.) It has a ton of content available, especially if you're already entrenched in the Apple and iTunes ecosystem. The Google TV interface makes it easy to search the web for video clips (although it's skewed toward YouTube and Google video search) and then play those clips on your big screen.
Even without the two extra accessories, this is the most expensive option of the four.įor that premium price, you get a system that integrates with your cable or satellite set-top box and gives you the ability to switch back and forth between your traditional TV experience and an Internet interface on your TV. I tested the Logitech Revue ($299) along with its Mini Controller ($129) and TV Cam ($149). Unfortunately, it's also the most complicated, and that's its ultimate undoing.
Of these four, Google TV is by far the most ambitious. I have also ranked them from worst to best. Here is a quick summary of what each of these Internet STBs have to offer and who they will appeal to. For those who are ready to take the plunge and add an Internet-connected box to their entertainment center, it's suddenly become a crowded market and a tough choice.
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