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Netflix Streaming is here! $100+9/mo for unlimited downloads

gizmodo.com — Netflix's first streaming box is finally here and it's pretty damn brilliant of a set up. First of all, the box is 100 bucks, and designed by Roku. It's fanless and quiet; has HDMI and optical outputs; and is about the size of 5 CD cases stacked together. Any Netflix disc mailing plan over $9 gets you unlimited streaming of almost 10,000 titles.

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  • MaxObliteration, on 05/20/2008, -53/+385Almost an instant buy for me... until I found out its only 480p.
    • FirstDigg, on 05/20/2008, -5/+114Yes, its only standard def dvds now, but check out this paragraph. I think this means it will be upgraded via firmware to 720p or 1080p on the same box in the future, yes?

      The Future
      Netflix is planning HD streaming and this box will support it. When Netflix gets HD streaming content, they'll update the box by firmware to support HD resolutions at higher bitrates of 4-6mbps, including 5.1 surround (everything is stereo now.) The menus will also be upgraded to HD res, too. In the future, the Roku-branded box will be upgraded to accept non-Netflix content, too.
      • BobMysterioso, on 05/20/2008, -6/+891080p on a box with 64meg cache and no hard drive?

        No, that isn't happening anytime soon. A Blu-ray (still adjusting to the stupid name) rip is huge - 10-20GB (check your favorite torrent site). The streaming quality this is offering is little more than xvid (at peak rates). Granted it is using VC1 which gets them better picture/kb than xvid - so thats a bonus.

        For full resolution, uncompressed, 1080p with some fancy 7.1 surround, you'd need every bit of Verizon FiOS at 15mb/s - and it would stutter on high motion scenes.

        My background is in the ever frustrating world of htpc - and I'd love this to be a solution, but its not better yet.. and not for the foreseeable future.

        • chrysrobyn, on 05/20/2008, -0/+26Every 1080p signal most of us has ever seen is compressed. Look at it this way: each 1920x1080 frame is over 2M pixels (2,073,600), and if you assume 24 bit color, that's 3 bytes, so that's 6,220,800 times 30 frames per second and that's higher than my calculator goes (186.624 Mbytes per second) -- and that's ignoring the 8 channels of audio you want (I assume we can AAC those at 192 KBps for another 1.536MB/s?). With sufficiently high bitrates, the compression becomes hard to detect, especially for the layperson, but for people like us who know what video compression looks like, even high bitrates can make action scenes hard to watch (butterflies and whales from Fantasia 2000, the first 15 minutes of Saving Private Ryan, the Serentiy re-entry sequence at the beginning of Serenity). I've decided that a lot of that compression is like tinnitus and as such try to ignore it as much as possible.

          Verizon FiOS, according to the numbers above, can't handle anywhere near full uncompressed 1080p and that's before we consider compressed audio.

          With one of the recent codecs like H264 or the like, using variable bitrate encoding, you can get a very high quality transcode with a few megabytes per second -- that 64M cache might last 5 - 10 seconds. But, cheap set top boxes usually handle fixed bitrates only, so your action scenes will be very compromised. I would not be surprised if the Netflix $100 box is similarly restricted to fixed bitrates.
        • saleem, on 05/20/2008, -0/+14I think you guys are missing the point that this service is still not tuned to the HD and audio-philes out there. You're not going to get 1080p uncompressed with 7.1 audio.

          it's 480p with stereo output right now. When they say "HD in the future", you have to see if the box is capable of the minimum: 720p, and lets say 5.1 audio. That will satisfy 90% of the market in 2010, and the last 10% would be too costly to pursue in this same box (maybe an upgraded box + requires fios?)
        • cgruber, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3It's very possible to stream good quality 720p mpeg2 at 10mbit. With advanced codecs you can cut that in 1/2. Compress it some more and now were down to the 3.5mbit range.

        • subliminalurge, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1You don't need full 1080p for this box to be a great addition to your home theater.

          720p is perfectly sufficient for when you've got a few spare hours and just want to watch something at the spur of the moment. In fact, a very, very high percentage of HDTV sets our there can't display better than 720p anyway.

          The part that bothers me, and is stopping me from placing an immediate order isn't the 480p picture, I could live with that, it's the stereo sound. Get me 5.1 surround and I'm on this thing immediately.
        • MaxD, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1@chrysrobynchrysrobyn there is a big difference between lossy and lossless compression, so the raw numbers don't mean much.
      • john2kx, on 05/20/2008, -3/+2Great news.. the only question is "when?".
        • cdahlkvist, on 05/20/2008, -2/+1That's what I was wondering.

          The article states "Priced at Just $99.99 and Available Starting Today" yet I can't find where I would purchase it.

          Gizmodo jumping the gun?

          I guess the day isn't over.
        • Pokez, on 05/20/2008, -0/+4http://www.roku.com/netflixplayer/

          I believe this is where you order it. At least that is where the Netflix site told me to go.
        • john2kx, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2no, dammit, i meant "when will we get the HD content?"
    • Elranzer, on 05/20/2008, -32/+4Kinda reminds me of the old Circuit City Divx.
    • bilbravo, on 05/20/2008, -3/+16How is it like Divx? One had to rent actual physical discs someplace (I don't recall if it was in-store only or if you could eventually get them other places--I'm sure that was the plan) and you could only play them on one player.

      This is completely different. First off, if you pay for Netflix's by-mail service then it's no extra cost (aside from a player) and it's all streaming. And you don't even need this box to stream it if you have your PC connected to your TV.
      • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -1/+6I assume he meant spending $100 for a device to play back media that may not always be available. If Netflix, or more likely their online streaming program, goes away you are left with a useless $100 box. I agree that it's a stupid thing for him to say, but I think that's what he's getting at.

        Also, the article already mentions they plan to let you turn it into a media front end of some sort via a firmware upgrade, and a $100 HD ready streaming device is actually a pretty decent deal, even without a Netflix account.
        • sodade, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1If I can access my music/video server with this, I am all over it. I keep looking into doing something like this with my old Xbox, but I am not up for soldering chips and all the SW-only xbox bios hacks are confusing as hell.
      • ElectricKetchup, on 05/20/2008, -2/+7who are you talking to?
      • airforceteacher, on 05/20/2008, -3/+3Bilbravo - You may not be aware there is a new compression scheme called DivX. No relation to the lameness that was Divx rentals.
        • nominalgeek, on 05/20/2008, -2/+3a /new/ compression scheme? Are you stuck in 1999?
    • pkulak, on 05/20/2008, -1/+8Eh, that's still better then a standard def TV channel. For the price I wouldn't think of it as more then another HBO non-HD, except you have much more control.
    • JerMe, on 05/20/2008, -1/+19Well I ordered it. Considering that DVDs natively run at 480P (720x480), did you expect Netflix to upscale your movies, too?

      The streaming content on Netflix has been steadily increasing and it's apparent that Netflix sees this as a priority to fight against iTunes Movie Rentals and the like.

      One good application - as long as you have access to WiFi, you can stream Netflix videos to a TV. Think hotels, vacations, trips back home, etc.
      • jer2eydevil88, on 05/20/2008, -2/+1If this device is paired with a good 1080p upscaling receiver then it should satisfy a lot of the home theater enthusiast crowd as well. Too bad though that they didn't just integrate that in to begin with.
        • maxsunset, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3The heavy compression is not going to "satisfy the home theater enthusiast crowd" any time soon. If they can get the compression and quality to actual DVD levels, let alone beyond, then maybe, but until then blu-ray FTW.
      • accelleron, on 05/20/2008, -1/+4when was the last time you saw a hotel TV with HDMI or optical inputs?
        • ferrariman60, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3Hyatt is launching these new things they call "Plug Panel" that is meant to cater to businessmen and tech geeks, they've got all kinds of HD connections that are easily accessible for anyone to plug into. Here's the EngadgetHD story on it.

          http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/19/hyatts-plug-p ...
        • maxsunset, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1It also has composite, component, and s-video.
      • Bizarrkley, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1Yesterday.
    • Malevolant, on 05/20/2008, -2/+56Why is the this comment being dug? What kind of idiot would think they'd be offering anything other than 480p, which is SD DVD. If you think you're getting any 1080p content, on the cheap, you are delusional. Lets also not forget with higher resolution comes much larger downloads, and bandwidth limitations, since not everybody has broadband, or broadband that's fast enough for acceptable streaming.
      • accelleron, on 05/20/2008, -5/+3The kind of idiot who sees it as obvious that at some point, they will need HD in this box to compete with other solutions on the market (HD iTunes rentals, anyone?)

        As for the bandwidth issue, I don't think they'll give you a free FIOS subscription, but scaling compression seems like a reasonable expectation, thus letting you get the most out of your connection.
        • Malevolant, on 05/20/2008, -1/+4Did said idiot RTFA and see that future firmware upgrades will bring HD capability? Obviously not.
    • davidrools, on 05/20/2008, -6/+1Make sure to upgrade your internet connection, too. At 1.5mbps, Netflix instant streaming quality sucks hard.
      • ironsam, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1Yeah, Netflix streaming chooses your quality level, favoring stream-ability over quality. I have a 1.5mbps connection and the quality is pretty bad, at least up close on my PC. Probably would be ok on a tv from 10+ feet away.

        They should really allow for users to choose the quality level themselves with the trade off of buffering time. For that, though, you'd need more memory than this one has (64 MB).
    • anchorman, on 05/20/2008, -3/+2I have been streaming Netflix to my TV for a while now. I have a Dell laptop with S video out. I simply make the TV my second monitor. I have a fairly strong sound system that I plug into the headphone jack. Simply open IE (not yet compatible with Firefox - my main gripe about Netflix streaming service) and drag the browser window onto the TV monitor. Go full screen... and it looks pretty darn good.
    • EvilFerret, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3My question is, which 10,000 titles will they offer? If it's what they're currently offering for streaming movies, it's no deal for me. Sure it's got some nice titles on there, but 90% of them are garbage you would see in Wal-Marts "5 DVDs for $10" sections.

      I'm waiting for the days when an IPTV service will offer streaming movies the same day as launch AND have them affordable. I'm not paying $5+ to get a 24hr pass to watch a movie. HD would be nice, but I'd be happy with SD so long as they did it right.
      • merreborn, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1"If it's what they're currently offering for streaming movies, it's no deal for me."

        It is. This box doesn't give you access to anything you can't already get at netflix.com

        It's cool that the box only costs $100, but if you've already got a PC with TV-out anywhere near your TV and the right cable, you can just plug it in yourself, and have the same experience for free.
    • rothermel, on 05/20/2008, -1/+5I'm laughing at this thread... why? Because of all the people that think they're getting 1080 everytime a channel says 1080. It's a joke. I work in the commercial industry, and I guarantee you we hardly EVER make content at 1080. Its all rendered at 720 and upscaled with some grain ontop to fool the viewer. It would take weeks of intense computer power to fully produce 30 seconds of beautiful 1080 content.

      I can't say that about all tv shows that run at 1080, but from the people I know who work in that field, they are doing the same cheat.
      • emildorbell, on 05/21/2008, -1/+2"It would take weeks of intense computer power to fully produce 30 seconds of beautiful 1080 content."

        No, it wouldn't. I work in small-scale video production and I have a Zepto laptop on which I render 1080i from Sony Vegas, about an hour of footage renders in 1.5 hours. Sure, it's not 1080p, but if I can do this on laptop for 1080i, that gives me pretty good reason to call ***** on your above statement.
  • bgfinkel, on 05/20/2008, -19/+10looks good!
  • Jalh, on 05/20/2008, -38/+22looks cool but, will it blend ?
    • john2kx, on 05/20/2008, -2/+9It's black, so it should blend nicely into my TV setup.
    • BenDoverTW, on 05/20/2008, -6/+3I thought it was funny Jalh. :)
  • xplode90, on 05/20/2008, -22/+15gg apple tv
  • amawg9, on 05/20/2008, -31/+23ordered
    • chancelcc, on 05/21/2008, -0/+2no idea why people are digging you down!

  • SeaweedWater, on 05/20/2008, -3/+35Wonder if it works overseas.
    • mciampa1214, on 05/20/2008, -1/+14I know their regular streaming service doesn't work outside the States. Leads me to believe this will not either.
    • hadak, on 05/20/2008, -0/+5Additionally, there is the NTSC/PAL issue to be addressed, as well as the WiFi frequencies.
      • castlec, on 05/20/2008, -0/+5The differences in wifi frequencies isn't really an issue. I believe Europe has one more channel than the US and Japan has one less. However the difference is, they definitely share a common subset of channels.
      • Fergy, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1If you connect it via hdmi you won't have any problems.
    • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3The manufacturers website says it will work in "all 50 states". I'm sure there's ways around this, just like everything else, but who knows.
    • JerMe, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2It won't. It'll only work with U.S. IPs.
    • encrypteduser, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1I´m sure it wont. I´m currently in Spain and have to ssh tunnel to a box in the US to be able to see my instant views. :/
    • shadowspawn, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2It doesn't. Found that out the hard way while traveling lately. Was at a Hilton because of a flight cancellation. PPV was crap, decided to try to stream from my regular Netflix account. BAM! Nada.

      But then I VPN'd into work and tried it.

      If you have access to a proxy, it does. (Some routers have "transparent proxy" settings, even for specific IP's. A WRT will do it if you really need to.
  • MScrip, on 05/20/2008, -5/+70It's just what I've always wanted. A box you buy + a subscription fee I'm already used to paying.... and boom, an almost endless supply of content.

    Now, if Netflix could get new movie releases and every TV show ever made on this box... say bye bye to every other video service. I'm not too worried about the lack of HD just yet... since the 10,000 titles they will offer aren't in HD anyway. I'd just use this box for TV shows and the occasional "hey, I wanna watch [insert random movie here]." You can use Netflix by mail for new releases and this box for a huge back catalog.

    Once this box takes off, and more movies and TV shows are available... suddenly paying $5 to "rent" a movie from the video store or from iTunes is just silly.
    • mciampa1214, on 05/20/2008, -0/+13If this does catch on, I bet it won't be too long before they start to make newer content available.
      • BobMysterioso, on 05/20/2008, -0/+11and if it takes over all tv viewing / movie watching expect your ISP to throttle it down, and limit usage.
    • maldovix, on 05/20/2008, -7/+2not everybody has access to broadband (20% of americans never checked email..err, what?) so I'm sure rental stores will still be able to eek out a living in places other than new york or silicon valley
      • MScrip, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1I never said that video stores would go out of business.

        I meant that "I" wouldn't ever go rent a movie from a video store again for $5 a night. For $9 a month you get unlimited movies with this box.

        Sure, broadband isn't everywhere. But doesn't 60% of America has broadband? And what's 60% of 300,000,000 people? That's a lot!

        The numbers are there. There are enough customers for this type of service to work. Last time I checked, YouTube, Hulu, and every network website with streaming video doesn't work on dial-up either... yet they are still online and in business.
    • arobar, on 05/20/2008, -1/+6I agree completely regarding paying for video store rentals. For $9/month you can have unlimited rentals, or you could rent two movies from BlockBuster. The price difference is phenomenal, especially given the large difference in convenience between the streaming and brick & mortar service models.
    • MisterNetHead, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2Streaming video/IPTV is where it's at. Brick and mortar rental stores will be a thing of the past, surviving only as a service to those who still read a newspaper every morning. The world of TV and movie distribution is changing rapidly toward a completely digitally distributed end, and I for one can't wait.
      • sacherjj, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2Redbox style renting will replace brick and mortar for those "newspaper" customers.
    • leffunov, on 05/20/2008, -0/+4I hope Apple drops those ridiculous prices to actually compete in that market
      • stealthspc, on 05/20/2008, -0/+0The reason Apple charges the prices they do is because they offer new releases. It's not ridiculous, it's just the cost for new movies.

        I've seen the Netflix catelog and it's not very big. If they expand it to have new releases and TV shows and all that fancy stuff then the $9 will go way up.
  • mrmejw, on 05/20/2008, -8/+45Without a doubt, I am ordering this today
    • sacherjj, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1I just reup-ed with Netflix for this today. I was used to using Miro, but I'm moving to a new house with only Comcast internet. No more bittorrents for me...
    • blackhole82, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2I decided to give it a go as well. It doesn't seem that bad for $100, and the instant viewing options can only get better.
    • ovni, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2Can someone please explain to me why everyone is so excited about this? I think I must be missing something. Netflix already offers streaming video, so aside from possible convenience, what does the $100 get you?
      • danielsan1701, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1It's for the convenience, simple as that. I want a dedicated box that hooks up to my TV in my living room, not attached to or running off a PC.
      • robalesi, on 05/20/2008, -3/+3That's like saying "besides being delicious, why would anyone eat pizza?"
    • samirms, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1Right ... but theoretically couldnt I just use my wii and sites like Ovguide.com to do this for free ... and just for ***** and giggles legally through hulu.
  • feelphones, on 05/20/2008, -9/+3nice one
  • skewl, on 05/20/2008, -23/+1Cool! But I think the rent is high.
    • Salviati, on 05/20/2008, -3/+51You think $9/month is high for Netflix deliveries to your door and UNLIMITED free streaming video?
    • plizard, on 05/20/2008, -4/+11your mom went up on rent?
  • yumlum, on 05/20/2008, -9/+3great offer
  • D1ggy, on 05/20/2008, -28/+12how do u think this will affect sites like hulu?
    bye bye rental stores.

    only 480p.. What?! there is a downside.
    • john2kx, on 05/20/2008, -2/+41its' the same resolution as a DVD.. it's not _that_ bad.
    • braddial, on 05/20/2008, -1/+3You don't have to wait long for new episodes to come out on hulu. As far as I know, with this, you still have to wait for TV shows to come out on DVD before it's available to you.
      • snagra, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1I know for sure that shows such as Heroes would be up on netflix only a couple of hours after they aired...even before they were available to watch on the network site.
    • troub, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3"only 480p.. What?! there is a downside."

      It says right in the article that Netflix plans HD streaming for the future and this box will do it, too!
  • holzp, on 05/20/2008, -16/+220Yeah except of the 10,000 titles about 100 are decent. The rest are basically the 2/$1 DVDs from Wal-mart.
    • FoolishMortal, on 05/20/2008, -0/+23True, but im hoping that as they continue to add to the collection, they might accidentally grab a stack of good movies. :)
      • locke2002, on 05/22/2008, -0/+0I'm not about to spend 100$ on a hope. Until the selection is there, I'm content to hook my laptop up to the TV.
    • whiskeymb, on 05/20/2008, -1/+42Are these the same movies that are available on the Play Now section of Netflix? Cause I think I've watched all 7 of those movies that look interesting.
      • TLV78, on 05/20/2008, -0/+4I think so which is why I won't be buying it...for now!
      • wendelgee2, on 05/20/2008, -1/+7They'll get better. Cut them some slack.
    • blessing, on 05/20/2008, -9/+3So basically all old movies aren't 'decent'?
      • holzp, on 05/20/2008, -0/+9You know those movies Gary Busey did to finance his coke habit? Or those National Lampoon movies that don't even make it direct to video?
    • theeddyadams, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1I agree, but here's their justification:
      "That makes the Netflix box and disc system a great supplement to those systems [Apple TV], which seem to specialize in new releases."
    • KMye, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3This used to be true, but over the last few months they've been putting a lot of good movies on there. Not brand new releases, but very good movies and documentaries. And their TV content is very good and up-to-date. And with a good broadband connection, they all look really nice even on a larger screen.

      I'm sure content will only get better once they roll out this box, too.
    • jspegele, on 05/20/2008, -1/+65Top 50 titles on Netflix "Browse Instant":
      1. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
      2. The Boondock Saints
      3. Day of the Dead
      4. Blade Runner: The Director's Cut
      5. The Office: Season 1
      6. Weeds: Season 1
      7. Kama-Sutra
      8. The Orphanage
      9. The Office: Season 3
      10. Carrier
      11. Weeds: Season 2
      12. Tripping the Rift: Season 1
      13. The Amateurs
      14. 30 Rock: Season 1
      15. Justice League: The New Frontier
      16. The Office: Season 2
      17. Wedding Daze
      18. Dexter: Season 1
      19. Spider Lilies
      20. Matchstick Men
      21. Heroes: Season 2
      22. Dilbert: Season 1
      23. Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity
      24. The Contract
      25. Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth
      26. Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection
      27. The Man from Earth
      28. Heroes: Season 1
      29. Mean Girls
      30. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
      31. Superman Doomsday
      32. Scooby-Doo: Pirates Ahoy!
      33. Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself
      34. 100 Girls
      35. Mars Attacks!
      36. Spider-Man: New Animated Series: Season 1
      37. Conspiracy
      38. Day Zero
      39. Caillou: Caillou's Playschool Adventures
      40. King of California
      41. National Lampoon's Adam and Eve
      42. The King of Kong
      43. Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy
      44. The Business of Being Born
      45. Car of the Future
      46. Appleseed: Ex Machina
      47. Commune
      48. The Secret of NIMH
      49. Who's Your Daddy
      50. Passenger 57
      • thatsmyaibo, on 05/20/2008, -10/+3To think I was considering getting rid of my Apple TV for this ugly black box. With content like that I think I'll hang on to my ATV for a while.

        Right now I'm ripping my Netflix rentals to my HD and just stream them through ATV...better in my opinion.
      • Rocketbird, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1843. Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy

        o_O;;
        • Metis2be, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1He's a comedian and that dvd is actually pretty damn funny. The hot refers to how he sees himself, and the fluffy part refers to being obese.
      • Pritchard, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1I have all this stuff for free with my cable... Cox cable has a free zone with some decent stuff on it every now and then.
        • Philter, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2And it's on-demand and costs under $10 a month, and they send you DVDs in the mail as well with no commercial advertising that you can't skip over? Oh wait....
    • mhender, on 05/20/2008, -1/+8Thanks! I saw Tripping the Rift on there -- that show ***** sucks balls.
    • itsabrandnewday, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1i cant even imagine what your idea of a "good" movie is.
  • ale0n, on 05/20/2008, -13/+101I'll be in once it goes HD.
    • MScrip, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1Or, get it now, and enjoy the Netflix experience. Netflix is primarily DVDs anyway. And 10,000 movies ain't bad... since it will be years until there are 10,000 Blu-Ray titles.
    • Fergy, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1Get the service and let them know you would pay extra to get HD.
  • WVUChrisF, on 05/20/2008, -5/+8I want this.
  • Armor1901, on 05/20/2008, -11/+76Nearly unlimited downloads from the Internets to a box I can then use to put movies on my TV? I prefer to call it my computer, except it's free!
    • wanderingsun, on 05/20/2008, -11/+7Not to mention my monitor is FAR superior to my TV.
      • Quaterni0n, on 05/20/2008, -1/+26Sounds like you need a new TV.

        What good is increased screen resolution if you're limited by the media's resolution anyway. I'd rather watch stuff on my 65" screen over a computer monitor any day.
      • NJank, on 05/20/2008, -0/+17but i find it much more comfortable lounging on a sofa with the family rather than all of us squeezing into the office chair in front of my monitor.
      • wanderingsun, on 05/20/2008, -2/+3I live in an itty bitty apartment, so the monitor is easy to see from any part of the living room... AND the monitor was a tax write off! (I do freelance graphic design)

        My tv still works, so I can't justify replacing it.. but it's crap.
        • sacherjj, on 05/20/2008, -2/+4Sounds like you need a new house.

          What good is increased income if you're limited by the apartment storage space anyway. I'd rather mow the yard on my 50" lawn tractor over an apartment any day.
          (/parody of Quaterni0n)
    • GiggleStick, on 05/20/2008, -3/+68Where did you get a free computer? I want one.
  • RudeTurnip, on 05/20/2008, -2/+7If this thing offered a podcast directory and Youtube streamer like Apple TV, in addition to what it already does, I think I'd have a nerdgasm.
  • plizard, on 05/20/2008, -7/+1if i could connect my tabletop dvdrw to this - epic win
    • NJank, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1Looking at the photo, I see component, composite, S-video and HDMI out. what input does your dvdrw take, and/or what is preventing you from recording? Just the fact that you'll have a D/A-A/D interface? for standard def, if you have component or even S-video, you'll be fine.
  • mrogi, on 05/20/2008, -16/+2"We defecate on Neflix and their $100 contraption" _ Usenet & Rapidshare
    • igyigyigy, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2Don't both usenet and rapidshare cost more than the proposed netflix service?
      • Ocelot13, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1not if you have usenet access included in your monthly isp fee.
        so far i know verizon, comcast, and suddenlink all have usenet access included in
      • LocalDocal, on 05/20/2008, -0/+0Unlimited downloads in Usenet is only about $25 or $15 in some services. As for Rapidshare, $85 gets you a year of premium service or you can pay $11 monthly.

        Oh, and yes, I do agree with you. Typing 'Giganews' and 'Rapidshare' into Google and simply looking at their join page for the prices was very difficult.
  • konamicode, on 05/20/2008, -10/+15This sounds like an interesting START, but not something I'd bother with yet. Sounds like I'd be paying 100 bucks for the chance to watch movies on my tv instead of computer.

    Here's what I would pay $100 bucks for, and an additional monthly fee: a much larger catalog of streaming movies and tv shows, many full-HD choices, ability to act as a media center by streaming music/video from local computers. Someone let me know when that happens, K?
    • ElAssoWipo, on 05/20/2008, -2/+6That's called a Pc.

      The cost of it would defeat it's purpose. What you describe requires an HDD, a DVD or blu-ray drive, an OS, media player, internet connection: that's a PC.

      Just get Netflix streaming on the pc and plug it on the TV.

      You can build a media center PC, small form factor for about 400$ plus the OS.
      • VinceNoir, on 05/20/2008, -2/+1It might be called a "PC" but it's what people should be getting for that kind of money. All this hooha about worthless options like AppleTV and this thing are simply interim formats and devices that will be discarded in two years. When we hit a point where you can buy a device for under $100 and pay 10 cents a movie with a 90 day period to watch the rented film, then we'll have something... I'm telling you the old AT&T system's plans from "video dialtone" from back in the late 80s was THE way to do it. "A la carte" selection of every movie or television show (world wide) ever made. You only pay for what you watch. You have intelligent agents that assemble custom channels for you while you sleep. And it gets integrated into your phone bill so you're not paying ridiculous monthly fees even when you don't use the service. All of this monthly service crap needs to die a quick and painful death.
      • avgbody, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1The thing is, if you subscribe to Netflix, you probably already have a PC (gotta update your queue). Why not just find a easier way of streaming data from your computer to a TV, I bet there are options out there for less then $50.
      • khaavren, on 05/21/2008, -1/+1uh XBMC, used xbox is about $100 nowadays, why buy this?
        • ElAssoWipo, on 05/21/2008, -0/+110,000 movies for 9$ vs 1 movie for 5$
        • ssn697, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1Access to 10,000 movies, for $200, vs. $3.99 per rental is move like it.

          So, if you rent one movie every 10 days, this is cheaper (including gas and auto wear and tear + time)
  • scottnash, on 05/20/2008, -11/+5Why waste your money on this box? Just connect your computer to your TV. That's what I did.
    • Linh, on 05/20/2008, -2/+3that's a pretty close minded view... there are plenty of people who aren't computer geeks and don't have a computer anywhere near their tv.
    • secrity, on 05/20/2008, -3/+2For many people it wouldn't be a waste of money. For many people it would be impossible, difficult, or inelegant to connect any of their computers to their TV.
      • VinceNoir, on 05/20/2008, -2/+3Then those people shouldn't be using this either because it's going to be harder to use and set up and a lot less flexible.
    • BobMysterioso, on 05/20/2008, -1/+4HTPC is a great idea on paper. In reality, it is a pain in the ass.

      I have a AMD dual core HTPC, hooked up via component and optical audio to my HDTV and receiver. It is wireless, but I have those issues worked out (it was never much of an issue). What is an issue is video drivers. Tearing at certain framerates, blockness, stuttering, judder. So many things to spend your life working out.

      I believe, after many months of daily tinkering, I have all but a few small issues resolved, but the HTPC (one you build, not buy) is way over any casual computer users comfort level.

      So if this box did everything an HTPC would do, but in a stable format for $100 - I'd buy 3 today.
      • scottnash, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2Really? I just plugged a VGA cable from my computer to my TV and that was all I had to do. No stutter, judder or framerate issues. I think most people could do that.
    • ElectricKetchup, on 05/20/2008, -4/+2why waste your money on a computer when you can just use this box?
    • bigdsinferno, on 05/20/2008, -0/+10you can't stream netflix videos to a mac. there's one reason.
    • Joepg, on 05/20/2008, -3/+0DRM Dude...
      If your TV has a VGA/Digital Monitor input then I have heard it can work. But when I tried to hook it up via my Video Card's s-video output it knew it was a TV and gave a DRM error everytime. Switched back to the VGA monitor and it worked, back to the tv-out and DRM error.
      This box will solve that problem for me...so I placed my order 5 minutes ago.
    • flishman, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2I run parallels (with XP) on my Mac and do this now. My only complaint, its a little sluggish from time to time and the library is not that great.
  • smergs, on 05/20/2008, -6/+12I really wish Netflix would partner with Microsoft and release an optional download (extra link on the media blade) that would allow netflix subscribers to watch the instant movies on their tv's.

    However, at $100, I might be willing to get one of these once they release the HD firmware upgrade.
    • munkyxtc, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2There have been many rumors lately of an alliance between netflix & MS.

      I'd love a new option added to the media blade that would allow you to enter your netflix info and launch an interface to the netflix streaming catalog [similar to how it opens Media Center today].

      With the built in user-base of xbox owners Netflix could exponentially grow their business. Not to mention they could do some special pricing structure for xbox owners who only want streaming content etc.

      It'll be interesting to see what happens with streaming in the future.
    • tremor_tj, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2http://myweb.cableone.net/eluttmann04/projects/vmc ...

      Skip the middle man.
      • smergs, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1Actually, I tried that last night and couldn't get it to work. It gave me an error about it not being a supported format. Was able to sit at the computer with the Media Center pulled up and play videos fine though.
    • minorthreat, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3Once they release an HD firmware upgrade? wtf are you talking about? How do you know it's the firmware in the box keeping it at 480? Do you honestly believe they are streaming the movie across the internet at 1080 and then downscaling it to 480?
    • ExRe, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1OMG, streaming Netflix on my 360 would make me get Netflix again immediately.

      ...well, at least once they get some decent titles that can be streamed.
  • insomniacal, on 05/20/2008, -3/+6Now that just confirms what I've thought about Apple TV all along, even in its latest incarnation: not enough bang for too much bucks.
    • capran, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3Too bad Apple couldn't partner with Netflix instead to put this on the Apple TV. That would be the killer app for it.
  • Shaggy63, on 05/20/2008, -13/+51. Is it hackable?
    2. Forget the box. Just use Xboxmc
  • jamnew, on 05/20/2008, -1/+0If only there was something like this for Australia. On a side note that is a beautifully designed little piece of hardware.
  • Pchan, on 05/20/2008, -5/+5Add ability to stream content from local network, including HD content, and this is a winner. Until then, HTPC or http://www.popcornhour.com .

    • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3They did mention in the article that an upgrade to stream "other content" is in the works. No idea what the means (that is, will it stream media from your PC, or from another online service?) but it's coming.
    • Boofster, on 05/20/2008, -1/+3PS3 does this too
    • carlosos, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1The developers of the Popcorn Hour A-100 mentioned today that they are already working in the direction of supporting netflix. The first part that they work on is getting the microsoft DRM running that netflix uses.

      If they really get that working than I'm sure that I will but it and get rid of cable TV. Even better if the Popcornhour or the netflix player get hulu support.

      *starts to dream*

      Source used:
      http://www.networkedmediatank.com/viewtopic.php?t= ...
      http://www.networkedmediatank.com/viewtopic.php?t= ...
  • punkcat, on 05/20/2008, -13/+7$99 for a box that is only usable on Netflix.
    so only your Netflix content is viewable from this onto your TV. not too exciting a tech for me, more like subsidizing their costs that allow you to stream.

    this will still be a good deal for some people though, im just not a fan of single purpose boxes.


    • smergs, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1So you don't have a regular DVD player or a cable/satellite box?

      For me (if they had the same catalog as they have with DVD's) this would replace my need for a dvd/blu-ray player. Think about sitting at home and you decide you want to watch a movie. You don't have to go to the video store, you don't have to wait on a movie to arrive in the mail, you don't have to pay the high cost of renting a movie on demand or with Apple TV or Xbox Live Market place. All for the standard rental cost of about 2 movies a month. Unlimited rentals!!! The best part, this is a legit service. The right people are getting paid. This is the kind of thing that could cause me to downgrade my cable package to just a standard boring package.
      • punkcat, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1its ok, i don't think its necessary.
        there isnt anything about the box (besides the outputs) that a laptop can't do by itself.

        its more a drm dongle.

        remote control would be nicer if if had more of a buffer but it doesnt. its only real world function will be to pause. dont even think about fast forwarding or rewinding. again if it used the HDD of the computer problem would be solved.

        service is excellent sure, box still is a bit on the lame side.





    • peestandingup, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2Dude, I dont know what planet you're from, but this is CHEAP hardware for what it does & the connections it has.
  • chubbymidget, on 05/20/2008, -20/+48Cons:
    -That is one ugly box -
    -selection is the same as the instant download -that doesn't cost another $100.
    -480P
    • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -1/+45I don't know why you, and everyone else, is complaining about "only 480p". Netflix watch now content is only 480p anyways, and that's clearly the target source material of this device, and they already said they will upgrade it to support HD once Netflix offers HD material.
      • VinceNoir, on 05/20/2008, -26/+2Nobody who is anybody watches 480p anymore. It's all 1080p or bust! Teh 1337 has espoken!
        • Mizzike, on 05/20/2008, -0/+5...but I'm somebody, and I only watch movies on my paltry 19" flat panel LCD. *sniff* ... so 480 pee on you.
        • meinhookah, on 05/21/2008, -1/+2I'm pretty sure he was being facetious.
        • VinceNoir, on 05/21/2008, -1/+1A digg to meinhookah for "getting it".
    • vikki77, on 05/20/2008, -9/+3Another remote to loose.
      • DrummerAndrew, on 05/20/2008, -0/+7How in the ***** hell can people misspell the word lose? Seriously. Are you mentally deficient? Lose. Loose. They're two different words with completely different meanings.
      • Sneezyx, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1Loose joi ... remotes?
    • dogoon, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1But with the instant download you cant watch it on your t.v. You have to sit in front of your computer screen.
      • merreborn, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1*****. Most PCs built in the last 5 years have TV-out. I even picked up a s-video/component video adapter for my macbook for $20.
  • hodedofome, on 05/20/2008, -5/+14You can already do this with a Media Center Plugin and a 360, I am doing it now. Check out http://myweb.cableone.net/eluttmann04/projects/vmc ... ... for the plugin. The quality of Netflix on-demand isn't quite DVD, you can tell it has been compressed and it is not in 5.1 surround at this time. A lot of stuff is not in widescreen either. However, for tv shows and documentaries it is good. I am watching it on a 50" plasma at home and it is acceptable for me, and I'm a pretty picky video/audiophile. I am sure they will make it better in the future, and they are adding content all the time. Check out this netflix post regarding their content for on-demand http://blog.netflix.com/2007/08/instant-watching-o ...
    • indecks, on 05/20/2008, -8/+5It requires Vista.

      I mean.. lol. Who uses Vista? No one.
    • jjpertusch, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1all the current solutions for the xbox require vista or media center edition something or other. streaming to my xbox easily is one HUGE thing i miss since switching to linux.

      even so, i used to share my media through WMP. the media center extender on the xbox was slow, ***** and annoying to use. sharing so you can just jump through things right on the media blade was where its at.
      • indecks, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1The PS3 is like that. I use MediaCenterXP and the extender for my 360 and it works OK, but I have to use Transcode360 to play almost anything because its not the *exact* version of DivX. I found out you can share media with the PS3 via WMP and it works like a champ. No set up what-so-ever on the PS3 and it will play nearly anything you throw at it.

        I like the 360's Dash better than the PS3 XMB though.
    • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -3/+10So I have to buy a $200+ OS, a $300+ gaming console, and maybe a $400+ computer? OR a $99 plug and play box. Tough choice.
      • smergs, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2If you have already have those things there is no need to buy anything else though. So there would be no reason to spend $100 to buy that device since I have those things.

        That said, I tried this last night and I couldn't get it to work right. Might need to test it out some more tonight though.
        • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2So for the 100 people out there who have a Vista media center PC, a 360, and a Netflix account that's great. For the other 99.999% of Netflix customers this post is completely irrelevant.
      • lynx44, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1I'd agree with you if this was the end-all device, but the problem is that these things keep coming out. There's the AppleTV for iTunes, there's this one for Netflix, there's the 360 for Xbox Live marketplace, and I'm sure there's more. It would be nice if these companies could come together and agree on a standard so each time a new streaming service went live you could simply connect to it with an existing device, rather than spending $100 on each. How nice would it be if you could simply put a URL to each of the services you wanted to use into a set top box?

        In the long run its probably most cost efficient just to buy a cheap small PC to connect to your TV. I got one for $300, it can play any content I throw at it (including 1080p) just fine. Its technically future proof, the problem is that you or someone else needs to write the software to do whatever you're looking to do.
  • rizla420, on 05/20/2008, -1/+15Now this is interesting and I like the idea. Now, couple this new service with the current comcast/charter issue with capping people's speed/downloads per month. What happens once they move to streaming HD content. Lets say half of netflix's user base decide to get in on this service and start watching tons of HD movies. wouldn't this start to saturate their pipes, granted its one way traffic, but still they no longer could complain that the people that abuse their service are people downloading illegal material. Now people that "abuse" or use their service the most will be regular joes watching flix.

    I bet eventually its going to go with a pay for what you consume service by the isp's. BUT to counter, if the majority of the traffic is now legitimate it would make it so that a competitor could offer unlimited download service since the traffic would now be used by regular joes.

    I think this service as 'normal' as it seems could really have an impact on the way ISP's define their SLA's.
    • Grogtron, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2Comcast's proposed "caps" of 250 gig would get you about 500 "hour" shows a month from iTunes. Netflix service makes iTunes look pretty nice quality wise.

      I think they'll be ok, even if they move to HD.
      • rizla420, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1Would you trust their caps? I bet they throw that number out to make it seem like a great deal, but then in reality start capping at 125GB.

        Also this would just be one service. I cant forsee what the next "it" thing is, but I can imagine that new things coming down the pipe will be more bandwith intensive.

        ISP's will have to suck it up and actually start being competitive assuming they all dont merge into some mega entitiy that will dictate the rules.
  • Chimone, on 05/20/2008, -6/+3Now if you could save the movies to burn for your "backup" collection, then it would be cool
    • beck5, on 05/20/2008, -0/+3but why would you want too, its unlimited streaming? want to waste some blank dvds?
    • bobartig, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1You could always capture the output and redigitize it, but I think the quality is low enough that this won't be an issue. Security through mediocrity?
  • ElSnuggles, on 05/20/2008, -4/+20I was sold until I heard "no hard drive". I'm ok with 480p, but only a 64M cache? That's a little bit scary, especially once they upgrade to support higher resolutions.

    Still, I'll probably buy the second gen of it. We're already a netflix household, this would be an awesome addition.
    • Ericular, on 05/20/2008, -0/+6I agree. Comcast caps my traffic to Netflix to 1mbps or less on my 8mbps service (all other sites run 8mbps, day or night). This leaves me with streaming poor quality, or waiting an hour for the movie to buffer enough. I thought with a Netflix-endorsed box, they would at least allow you to download a movie or two to save for later viewing. :(

      I hate Comcast.
      • merreborn, on 05/21/2008, -0/+2"Comcast caps my traffic to Netflix to 1mbps or less on my 8mbps service"

        What makes you think the problem is on comcast's end, and not netflix's, or anywhere else in between?
        • Ericular, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1I know it's not Netflix, because from my 50mbit connection at work, the movies stream instantly with no buffering or pauses. There are some router hops along the path that are different at home, but every other site I have ever monitored speeds from at home run at 8mbps all the time, without fail. Netflix Instant Watch is the only site I have a slow connection to. I don't know what to think anymore....
    • bobartig, on 05/20/2008, -0/+664 MB cache at ~.5 - 2 Mbps streams = 4-16 minutes of caching, depending on your stream quality. That is rather slim, but the point is just to avoid skips and bandwidth fluctuations. That could be sufficient if the streaming is done right.
    • whyufail, on 05/21/2008, -0/+1Buried for identifying your household by a corporate entity.
  • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1I'm very interested, but I'll hold off till the update that allows non-Netflix content streaming... will make a cheap front end for my DVD rip library - cheaper than the AppleTV both in hardware and the available (legal) online material.
    • mbraynard, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2Why would there ever be an update to allow that? The cost of the hardware is probably partially subsidized by the subscription.
  • sonaboy, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2once they get better content in their Instant Watch section, I'm all over this. for now, I use my laptop to do exactly what this does, minus the remote.
  • cowsgonemadd3, on 05/20/2008, -2/+2If you just want to watch movies without the wait on a regular definition tv then this is cool. I stream tv shows over the internet now from sites like fancast and its free. I know you can even find movies and do the same its just that its illegal and the quality stinks. Why not use 720p? Or give the option to the people with big boy dsl accounts(6mbps or 3mbps?)
    • JunkStar2k, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2u call a 6mbps a big boy dsl account? i consider my connection crappy and its 6mbps... alot of my friends got 20mbps, and soon they will be able to get 50mbps...
  • prleet, on 05/20/2008, -7/+1that ***** sucks, should use existing technology to stream, no more damn peripherals.
    • BobMysterioso, on 05/20/2008, -0/+5What existing technology? A PC based solution? Mac? Perhaps a card that goes into your computer, requiring your computer to be in your living room?

      These don't sound very elegant at all, and there are lot more support issues with peripherals than a closed box. I don't like this offering for other reasons, but I find it very elegant and sleek.
      • prleet, on 05/21/2008, -0/+0....think outside the box. Don't you have a DVD player/bd player/ integrate it into those systems rather than standalone. I am not even speaking of pc/xbox/ps3.....

        standardize certain technology into one player that way we don't have multiple perpherals...and i know every would like this rather than having 5 things for different reasons.
  • technofiend, on 05/20/2008, -1/+0Interesting. I think this explains why there is no Myth or Media Center Edition plug-in for Netflix's streaming service --
    it would cut into sales of this device.

    For $100 I can continue to do what I do now -- use the MCE browser plug-in. It is $100 less than this device
    and offers pretty much the same functionality - browse instant and play. OSS FTW!
    • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2I bet they don't make much on the sale of these boxes, if anything. They want your subscription fee, so they partner with hardware manufacturers to support their service. They have already said their plan is to have as many devices supported as soon as they can. There's a BD player from LG in the works, rumors about 360 compatibility, and likely a lot more.

      There's no Myth plugin because Linux doesn't support the DRM they use, btw. Same for no Mac or FF compatibility. It's Windows and Explorer only right now.
    • xenuxenuts, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1You can stream the stuff to your computer now, though it requires IE. This is for easy hook up to the tv by anyone of any skill level.
    • kylesherman, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1There are a couple Netflix Watch Now plugins for Media Center like MyNetflix and Netflix VMC. See links below. Both work very well.

      http://www.anpark.com/index.php/2008/02/10/new-vis ...
      http://myweb.cableone.net/eluttmann04/projects/vmc ...
  • Technoidatx, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2I am moving to a house that doesn't have cable. I would have to purchase it myself. I think I will purchase the box and go with the service. I like to watch show series and movies mostly. This application is really best suited for TV viewing only.
    • danielsan1701, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1Will you still have broadband without cable?
  • sardiskan, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2This would make an awesome mythtv frontend. Someone should get on that right away.
  • dave122, on 05/20/2008, -1/+4in for one, I already have the PC but this is quiet, takes up less space, and uses less energy. woo.
  • robinf1, on 05/20/2008, -13/+2No AppleTV killer here. No HD, no TV shows, no podcasts, no Youtube, no music, no photos slideshows. Just movies. Lame, one trick pony for a hundred bucks.
    • rightmindx, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2From the article:

      "Netflix is planning HD streaming and this box will support it. When Netflix gets HD streaming content, they'll update the box by firmware to support HD resolutions at higher bitrates of 4-6mbps, including 5.1 surround (everything is stereo now.) The menus will also be upgraded to HD res, too. In the future, the Roku-branded box will be upgraded to accept non-Netflix content, too."

      Also, "While appearing to have double the collection of Apple TV of Vudu, what do you get in Netflix's 10,000 movie collection? Basically, you get a lot of back catalog (classic movies) and a lot of TV shows (unheard of in rental situations!) right as they hit the market."

      So yes, you can have TV shows, and HD is on the way, along with potential non-Netflix content which could also mean podcasts, YouTube, etc.
    • linagee, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1WTF is an apple TV? sounds lame.
  • SubKamran, on 05/20/2008, -9/+9I have a box called an Xbox and that streams movies from my PC. Now rumor has it MS might team up with NetFlix to let us Xbox guys stream movies. I would be down for that.
    • Cowboy1015, on 05/20/2008, -7/+5Xbox Suxx
    • getbuzy, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2That's what I do too. Stream movies from my PC in my room to the Flat screen TV in the living room using the XBox as the Media Extender. And that's how we roll in my house.
  • YodaJones, on 05/20/2008, -9/+1Piece of crap. lousy picture quality and poor movie selection. I can see the movie selection improving, but not the lousy picture quality without a hardware upgrade. Folks you better deliver 1080i minimum nowadays or take a hike.
    • dave122, on 05/20/2008, -2/+1I'm happy ok with 480, and if they get to 720 I'll be completely satisfied. And the movie selection isn't that bad, i've seen a lot of cool foreign films that I never would have seen had I not used netflix streaming.
    • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -1/+2DID YOU READ THE ARTICLE? DID YOU EVEN SKIM IT? Holly ***** you people are stupid. It says, in no uncertain terms, that once Netflix offers HD streaming THIS BOX WILL TOO with just a firmware upgrade, nothing else. It has component and HDMI connections and is listed as "HD READY".

      *****, just read the article before commenting.
  • wildmXranat, on 05/20/2008, -3/+1This offer looks solid until you realize that most folks are stuck with monthly bandwidth restrictions. Many that I know have something ridiculously low like 30Gb/month and this would shatter the cap in no time.
    • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -0/+6Who in the US has bandwidth limits like that? This box will only work in the US, so that's all that applies.
      • jspegele, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1Doesn't Comcast have a pretty strict cap? I don't have Comcast, but that's what I've heard.
        • mrgreen4242, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1No. They occasionally have an undocumented cap of around 200gb, depending on where you are, but they don't have any sort of official limits.
        • Betrayer, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1lets just hope comcast deems this media type worthy enough not to filter it like they do torrents.

          what is your internet SHAPED like?
    • ZachE84, on 05/20/2008, -0/+0Bandwidth cap? You surely aren't from the USA. Net Neutrality forever.
  • pianomahnn, on 05/20/2008, -2/+3Oh, this sort of stuff is going to crush all the "tubes" in the United States. Le tears. :*(
    • orphenshadow, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1only because the isp's grossly oversell bandwidth, once the demand grows either they will throttle and loose customers, or expand.
  • removesstains, on 05/20/2008, -2/+5As soon as its at least 720p and i can watch a ton of TV episodes. I'll be ordering this. As for movies, I prefer Blu-ray because of the uncompressed sound and i can't change that need now. I'm addicted.
  • drewtown, on 05/20/2008, -8/+3I have a mac mini hooked up to a 720p 32" so all I really need them to do is mac a mac client for their streaming website.
  • Vic333, on 05/20/2008, -0/+8Is this just the "Play Now" movies?
    • adougy, on 05/20/2008, -0/+11Yes.
    • jspegele, on 05/20/2008, -1/+5That's what it sounds like. 5+ year old movies, straight-to-dvd titles and some new TV shows (The Office, 30 Rock, Dexter)
    • zzzBrett, on 05/21/2008, -0/+0You mean the old junk Comcast's On Demand already provides?.. booooooooo
  • adougy, on 05/20/2008, -8/+11What's the point if you can't backup those DVDs?

    ...woops.
    • meason, on 05/20/2008, -6/+3Because they aren't yours to backup...you rent them, not buy them....woops.
    • john2kx, on 05/20/2008, -3/+1Because backing up DVDs now is a waste, since it'll be a dead format in a couple of years.
  • awtripp, on 05/20/2008, -0/+2if the catalog is just there "watch it instantly!" or whatever it's called, it has a pretty limited selection of "watchable" movies -- i.e. movies that don't suck and that's coming from someone who will watch just about anything.
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