I've been feeling down lately, with everybody buying PS3s to go with their XBox 360s and such. So much technology, so little money. So to hop on the technology bandwagon, we ordered a Roku, the new Netflix enabled video streaming appliance for your TV.
A lot has been made about how Blockbuster is fighting back against Netflix, and how Netflix is spending big bucks to get ready for the next round in the movie rental wars. The Roku is the first shot, with more salvos on the way (LG is reported to have a Netflix enabled Bluray machine launching before Christmas). I'll live with it a few more weeks before final judgment, but so far I'm reasonably impressed.
1. Its small and inexpensive. A review I read slammed it for its styling (or lack thereof). Frankly, I have ethernet switches in my junk box bigger than this. If you have a boxed set of Law and Order next to your DVD player, you've already taken up more space than the Roku. Plus, tricking it out would have pushed it over the magic $99 price point.
2. Its easy to use. The interface is clean and has very few levels. The setup is simple, the hardest part being the entry of your wireless access code using the teeny remote.
3. The picture quality is good. Not great, but good. Looks fine on a standard TV. HD sets may make this a moot point very soon.
Not so impressive:
1. It streams from Netflix. Period. It is not a browser or MP3 player or anything else. In fact, you have to go to Netflix first and put programs into your queue to use the Roku. You can't add selections from the interface. So put on your slippers and trek out to the laptop on the kitchen table, you lazy bum.
2. I had to use HDMI input to my flatscreen. I only have two, and they are hooked up to my cable box and upscaling DVD player. The component outputs did not make my HD set happy, so I had to sacrifice the DVD players connection. So I'm using a rare resource to pump SD video into my HD set. The firmware needs to be upgraded for this. Of course, since the box doesn't do HD yet, an upgrade is already in the works. (of course, upgrades promised are just that. Promised.)
3. Content. Everybody's complaint, and the biggest thing keeping this from being a kyuu or even a ju. A lot of TV shows are available, and some that aren't available even in DVD form from Netflix. But movies are pretty poor in the selection department. Until then, you can spend hours upon hours catching up on the new Doctor Who or reliving AJ and Rick's exploits in San Diego without really missing the movie selection. But You Will. Maybe not now, or next week, but soon, and for the rest of your...
...oh, who has time for blogging when you can rewatch the episode where Higgins has to give Zeus and Apollo their bordetella boosters?
Kelvin
(BTW I still haven't mastered my Sega Dreamcast, so an Xbox would pretty much be a waste in my living room).
2 comments:
I thought that Bluray would be short-lived because of the ability to download HD content...but not anymore.
My biggest issue with HD content is low bit rates. Cable/Satellite/OTA broadcasters and downloadable content providers know most people can't tell the difference, so they choose quantity over quality.
However, Blueray is 50 GB...use it how you want.
Net result: Blueray will be the best way to watch HD content for a long time. I don't expect downloads/cable/satellite to even try to compete in this area.
Since you brought up the PS3...
I like that the "info" HUD shows you the bit rate of the audio and video. I watched Pirates 3 (great sfx's...terrible movie) and noticed it got up to 36 Mbit/s for video. For comparison, the *best* (no subchannels) you get from OTA is 19 Mbit/s. Nice!
I wholeheartedly agree with your take on the situation. I don't think downloads or streaming will kill off "real" media because of what you just pointed out. Also, recall the recent fracas with some online content providers that went belly up and left people holding the bag for what they "thought" they owned.
The cable companies really get my goat with their bandwidth limits. The banding and other artifacts they leave behind drive me crazy. My new pet peeve is the faux HD content on channels like TNT, who take SD movies and put a fish-eye filter on the output to stretch the sides out to 16:9 aspect ratio. Gives me a headache just thinking about it. Watch "A Few Good Men" on TNT HD and wait till Demi Moore steps to one side of the frame. Looks like she turns into a poorly coifed blowfish.
On the other hand, streaming off the 'net gives you access to things that are otherwise not available. The Simon and Simon episodes I referenced are only on DVD for season 1. The odds of the other 7 seasons getting to DVD are slim to none, so its streaming video or nothing at all.
So as the cassette coexisted with the CD for many years, so will BluRay and the internet. Detent reigns.
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