Set-Top Boxes

Set-top movie download boxes

Though downloading movies to a PC has its attractions, the viewing experience falls short when compared to seeing movies on a big-screen TV. To bridge that gap, there are now lots of different ways to stream movies, TV and other video directly to a set-top device, including dedicated set-top boxes, video game consoles, digital video recorders and Internet enabled HDTVs and Blu-ray players.

All of the movie download services discussed in the previous section now offer ways to unshackle their content from a computer, but none comes close to Netflix when it comes to options. TiVo digital video recorders, the Xbox 360 videogame console and some LG and Samsung Blu-ray players have the ability to connect to the Internet and act as a set-top box for streaming Netflix Watch Instantly content direct to a TV. Additionally, LG and Vizio Netflix enabled HDTVs are coming soon.

Another option is the Roku Digital Video Player (*est. $100). The Roku video player is a small set-top box that connects via Wi-Fi or Ethernet to your Internet router to deliver streamed movies from Netflix or Amazon Video on Demand to your TV. Connectivity is excellent, and includes composite video, component video, S-video, HDMI, stereo analog audio and optical digital audio. The user interface is clean, but there are some limitations. For example, you can only view titles that are in your Netflix Watch Instantly queue, and you can't search for or add titles using the box. Instead, that has to be done in advance at the Netflix website. Reports say that videos added at the site are accessible by the Roku box very quickly, however.

Reviews of the Roku video player range from good to glowing. Video quality is very good -- close to DVD quality, according to most reports. In head-to-head comparisons of Netflix-compatible streaming devices, the Roku video player comes out at or near the top. Nick Wingfield, writing in The Wall Street Journal, benchmarks the Roku player against downloading videos via the Xbox 360 (*est. $200 to $400) and LG Electronics BD300 Blu-ray player (*est. $300). He says that although there are differences in the experience of viewing Netflix content on each device, they're not great enough to overcome other considerations such as watching Blu-ray discs or play videogames. But, Wingfield adds, if you are only after a way to view Netflix videos, the Roku box is the best value.

Usability generally gets good feedback. CNET editors appreciate how Roku has implemented certain features, such as fast forwarding and rewinding, which is a little different than on a DVD because of the lack of chapter breaks. They also appreciate that you can stop a film and resume viewing from the same spot later on. If you have multiple Roku boxes, you can stop watching a video at one point in the living room, and pick it up at the same point in the bedroom. One negative is that the on-board buffer is small, meaning those with slower broadband connections might be better off with another solution, such as a TiVo digital video recorder (*est. $300 to $600), which can buffer more of the video before viewing.

A recent firmware upgrade brought the ability to view HD content from Netflix to the Roku Digital Video Player. Nilay Patel, at EngadgetHD.com, compares different ways to view HD content from Netflix on your TV. Video quality falls short compared to Blu-ray, but is comparable to broadcast high-def TV. Audio is not satisfying, however, as only stereo and not surround sound is available. In the review, Patel says the Roku box falls a little short of other solutions in delivering HD, but that it's not bad in that regard, and adds that the value is "hard to beat."

While the addition of HD content to the Roku player is certainly a welcome plus, the big news with the little box is the addition of Amazon Video on Demand capabilities, plus hints from Roku that video from even more providers will appear on the player sometime this year. CNET reports that the viewing experience, regardless of whether you are using Netflix or Amazon, is similar. Videos rented or purchased from Amazon Video on Demand are only available in standard definition right now.

Blockbuster OnDemand is a rental-only service that uses the 2Wire MediaPoint digital media player (*est. $100) to display movie downloads on your TV. The box has enough memory for about six movies. Blockbuster's normal rules for video rentals apply, including a maximum of 30 days of storage before viewing and a 24-hour viewing period after playback has first begun. Pricing is the same, as well (*est. $4). The box includes 25 free rentals, which, once used, makes the player essentially free. There is no way to purchase movies or view them via Blockbuster OnDemand and the MediaPoint player. There is also no subscription option, though there have been some hints that one might eventually be offered. The MediaPoint player is not compatible with any service other than Blockbuster.

Unlike the Roku player, the Blockbuster 2Wire MediaPoint player has been greeted with middling to worse reviews. It's not that the Blockbuster player is a terrible box, it's just that it falls notably short of other options. Reviewers at CNET and PCMag.com complain that while Wi-Fi connectivity is available, the player doesn't support the latest wireless encryption standards. Tim Gideon at PCMag suggests forgoing the wireless link altogether, saying that downloads are significantly faster via an Ethernet connection. Regardless, he adds, downloading an entire film can take quite some time.

Video quality is good, but not great. CNET's John P. Falcone says that it doesn't quite meet Blockbuster's claims of "DVD quality," and that the image looks softer, and flaws are easier to spot, on larger TVs. Still, he adds, "overall it's quite watchable, especially for casual viewing."

Experts note some other problems as well. While you can begin viewing content within a few minutes of starting a download, certain functions -- such as fast-forward and rewind -- are disabled until after downloading has begun. The remote control is widely panned.

Knowing it has serious ground to make up if it is to stay competitive with Netflix when it comes to offering lots of ways to view content on a living room TV, Blockbuster has been busy of late. In January 2009, it announced an alliance with Sonic Solutions, parent company of CinemaNow, to create a Blockbuster Powered by CinemaNow service that will use CinemaNow's technology to deliver video to Internet-connected devices. Sonic Solutions had previously announced deals with LG to bring CinemaNow's video downloads to certain Blu-ray players and HDTVs, and with Microsoft for the Xbox 360 videogame console. The companies are also apparently collaborating to introduce a new Blockbuster-branded set-top box. In a separate deal, Blockbuster announced in late March that it had reached a deal to bring its OnDemand service to TiVo's Series 2, Series 3, HD and HD XL DVRs. That capability is expected to be available in the second half of this year.

Those interested in the very best video quality -- and willing to pay a small premium for it -- might want to give Vudu a look. Vudu offers videos in three formats: standard definition, high definition and a new format it calls HDX. Standard-definition video quality is very good, writes CNET's John P. Falcone. "'Near-DVD quality' is a term thrown around with reckless abandon these days, but for once, we found the description to be pretty truthful," he says. Vudu's high-def (1080p) quality is better, but still a far cry from Blu-ray.

However, the very best video quality of all is delivered by Vudu's HDX format, which debuted in October 2008. While it still falls a little short of Blu-ray, "HDX movies were, hands-down, the best Internet-delivered video we've seen to date," Falcone says. He adds that they are the first Internet-delivered video to significantly outperform DVD. Those who want sound that's as good as their video should be pleased to learn that HDX offers audio in 5.1-channel surround.

There are some downsides to HDX, however. Most significantly, HDX videos require massive files that can take hours to download, and they must be completely downloaded before viewing. Vudu's other video formats arrive at the box much more quickly, and can be viewed within seconds of ordering.

Vudu is also on the expensive side. Despite a significant price drop, Vudu's basic BX-100 set-top box (*est. $150) costs more than those for Blockbuster or Netflix. Rental costs for standard definition content is competitive with Netflix and Blockbuster (*est. $1 to $4), but the higher quality HD and HDX formats raise things up considerably (*est. $3 to $6). Vudu also allows customers to purchase videos (*est. $5 to $20), but only in standard definition. One nice plus is that expiring Vudu rentals can be extended an additional 24 hours for an extra dollar or two; most similar services require you to re-rent an expiring rental at full price.

With 13,000 movie and TV titles, Vudu's content offerings are generous, but that count can be misleading. While Vudu offers more current hits than Netflix, there's also lots of second-rate fare. HDX content is currently limited, but David Pogue of The New York Times reports that titles added to the service going forward will be available in HDX. Unlike Netflix and Blockbuster, Vudu also offers adult films.

Vudu videos can't be off-loaded to a PC or another device, and can only be viewed on the Vudu box it's downloaded to. Wi-Fi Internet connectivity is not built in, but can be added with a wireless kit (*est. $80), and you can, of course, connect to your Internet router via an Ethernet cable as well. The 250 GB of onboard storage is plenty for standard-definition video, but gets eaten up quickly if you download a lot of HD and especially HDX content. For those who need more storage, the Vudu XL (*est. $500) boosts things to 1 TB (terabyte). For fancy home theater setups, the Vudu XL2 (*est. $800) is a rack-mounted version of the Vudu XL; both the XL and XL2 are sold primarily through authorized installers. While the Vudu box is not compatible with any other video download service, support for Pandora Internet radio has been added. The included remote is radio-frequency-based, but an accessory kit (*est. $40) adds infrared control for better integration with universal remote controls.

Apple TV (40 GB *est. $230; 160 GB *est. $330) is a set-top box that lets users stream content from iTunes directly to their television. iTunes video content includes a good selection of movies and videos, including lots in 720p HD. Videos can be rented (*est. $3 for library titles, $4 for new releases plus $1 surcharge for HD). TV shows are also available for purchase (*est. $2 per episode). Renters have 30 days to view a downloaded movie, but only 24 hours in which to finish viewing it once they've started. You can also purchase movies (*est. $10 for standard definition, *est. $20 for HD).

The big knock against Apple TV is its limited library. When first released, Apple failed to meet its goals in terms of the number of titles available. Things have improved markedly since then, but at 5,000 movies, most other services still offer more selection. The Apple TV hardware is also more expensive than any other dedicated set-top box.

Up until recently, Apple TV was required for HD content from iTunes, but in March, Apple began allowing iTunes customers to purchase and rent HD content without needing an Apple TV. Though the available content is skimpy, Washington Post technology columnist Rob Pegoraro says that the move deprives "Apple TV of one of its major reasons to live by ending its monopoly on iTunes HD movies."

Owners of Microsoft's Xbox 360 video game console also have a convenient way to rent movies and TV shows online and have them downloaded direct to their TV. Movies and TV shows have been offered on the Xbox Live Marketplace since late 2006, though they still seem to take a backseat to the game-related offerings there. Movie content is meager -- just 1,150 titles by early April 2009.

Rental pricing at the Xbox Live Marketplace is unnecessarily confusing thanks to the use of Microsoft points, which must be bought in advance (*est. $6.25 for 500 points). For example, a new-release HD movie costs 480 points, or about $6. Most prices are comparable to those from other online movie rental download services (*est. $4 for SD "new releases," $3 for SD "classic" films and $4.50 for HD "classic" films). TV programs are available for purchase only (*est. $3 for HD, $2 for SD). HD movies and TV are delivered in 720p resolution. Downloaded movies expire in 14 days, compared to 30 days with Apple TV. You can also stream movies from Netflix to the Xbox 360, however that requires a Gold Xbox Live membership (*est. $50 per year). As noted earlier, CinemaNow/Blockbuster Online content will be added to the Xbox 360 later this year, though you can now view CinemaNow content by networking your Xbox 360 and your PC.

Video quality for movies and TV programs downloaded via Apple TV and the Xbox 360 is pretty good, but not perfect. Rob Pegoraro at The Washington Post says that standard definition fare for both "looked blurrier and fuzzier than DVDs." He adds, however, that HD rentals look "magnificent, with far less evidence of the compression used to squish a movie into a downloadable file." Gizmodo.com's Wilson Rothman says the Xbox 360 offers the best pure video quality, and readers on the site agree, according to an unscientific poll that's posted there.