Netflix set top box? (1 Viewer)

UncleTrvlingJim

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http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=7467

I like the move, but don't think it's going to change too much immediately. I just wish all the stupid DRM issues would be solved so I can get my single appliance level box where I can host all my music, movies, tv shows, rentals, etc -- and then stream them to different rooms in the house....
 
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=7467

I like the move, but don't think it's going to change too much immediately. I just wish all the stupid DRM issues would be solved so I can get my single appliance level box where I can host all my music, movies, tv shows, rentals, etc -- and then stream them to different rooms in the house....

they have that already, its a xbox 360 connected to a pc with windows media center.
 
in all seriousness, i see this as one big headache on the horizon.

We can't decided on a single format for high definition discs, yet now about what? 5 companies will come out with their own digital download services?

Will sony only allow movies to be downloaded on a PS3?

will studios sign contracts with different companies and have exclusives on specific boxes? will you have to have 3 download boxes to have access to all movies?

this is a nightmare in the making.
 
in all seriousness, i see this as one big headache on the horizon.

We can't decided on a single format for high definition discs, yet now about what? 5 companies will come out with their own digital download services?

Will sony only allow movies to be downloaded on a PS3?

will studios sign contracts with different companies and have exclusives on specific boxes? will you have to have 3 download boxes to have access to all movies?

this is a nightmare in the making.

I know, as a consumer, what I would like is for the hardware, the content, and the content providers to be separate and compatible, so I can choose what works for me. Unfortunately, I don't think that will happen.

I did look at the media pc and media extender solution at one point. Started a thread here about it, but decided to not go that route at this time. The main problem is I want 1 box to do everything but DRM issues get in the way, and it would require too much tinkering.

I don't want one box as my set top box, one box as my PVR, one box as my music server, and one box to play movies (with a seperate dvd juke box to hold the movies), but right now to be perfectly legal, that's what I'd have to do. The annoying thing is there is hardware out there that can do all this, it's just that providers aren't playing nicely together....

oh well...i'll probably cobble something together in the next couple of years when I have money that don't mind burning on a less than perfect solution.
 
I know, as a consumer, what I would like is for the hardware, the content, and the content providers to be separate and compatible, so I can choose what works for me. Unfortunately, I don't think that will happen.

I did look at the media pc and media extender solution at one point. Started a thread here about it, but decided to not go that route at this time. The main problem is I want 1 box to do everything but DRM issues get in the way, and it would require too much tinkering.

I don't want one box as my set top box, one box as my PVR, one box as my music server, and one box to play movies (with a seperate dvd juke box to hold the movies), but right now to be perfectly legal, that's what I'd have to do. The annoying thing is there is hardware out there that can do all this, it's just that providers aren't playing nicely together....

oh well...i'll probably cobble something together in the next couple of years when I have money that don't mind burning on a less than perfect solution.

yeh i know what you mean, i have Comcast HD dvr, and Direct tv reciver, a tivo a vhs/dvd burner, all connected to my pc via a pci capture card that networks over my wireless to my laptops and xbox 360. just moving my system from side of the room to another is a complete pain in the ***.
 
The solution will be itunes and apple tv. Announcements coming out at Macworld regarding Apple's deals with multiple companies.
 
The solution will be itunes and apple tv. Announcements coming out at Macworld regarding Apple's deals with multiple companies.

If apple tv can record high def signals from a cable or satellite provider, then we're getting somewhere. If it can also play dvds and upscale them -- that's even better. If it can also play hd-dvd/blu-ray -- then sign me up.
 
yeh i know what you mean, i have Comcast HD dvr, and Direct tv reciver, a tivo a vhs/dvd burner, all connected to my pc via a pci capture card that networks over my wireless to my laptops and xbox 360. just moving my system from side of the room to another is a complete pain in the ***.

Unless I'm missing something, you can't record high def content from your cable/directv box to your pc - right? It just annoys me that I'd have to spend so much money and effort for a less than perfect solution.

Oh well, I'm still on a standard def tv, and won't change that for a while... too many other things around the house are pressing -- so I can wait a little while. I just don't think anything will be ready when I am....
 
Unless I'm missing something, you can't record high def content from your cable/directv box to your pc - right? It just annoys me that I'd have to spend so much money and effort for a less than perfect solution.

Oh well, I'm still on a standard def tv, and won't change that for a while... too many other things around the house are pressing -- so I can wait a little while. I just don't think anything will be ready when I am....

i can't as yet no. I would have to purchase a high definition video capture card and a additional harddrive to handel the very large video files. My current 500 gig western digital is a FAT32 HD that has a max file size of only 4gig. Had i known that i would not have bought it. oh will live and learn.

right now the only real way to record high def in on HD DVR's. At some point, people are going to have to be able to record HD programing on to discs. I'm sure how the industry is going to resonpond to this, cause i'm sure they rather you have to buy an HD dvd than record a show off cable and burn it to a HD dvd.

Right now i still have burn all my saints games to SD DVD even though i watch them HD.
 
Downloads are the future. The rental market is an easy sell since you avoid the format shifting issues. The studios will have to sort out DRM issues with purchased content or continue to lose market share to illegal downloads.
 
What kind of bandwidth are we talking about needing to make this viable? What's a realistic download time for a high def movie?
 
It depends on the content. Full HDDVD/Blu-ray would take about 6 to 11 hours with 10mbps or 1-2 hours with 50mpbs (for lucky FIOS users). Satellite MPEG-4 feeds are around 10-20mbps.
 
It depends on the content. Full HDDVD/Blu-ray would take about 6 to 11 hours with 10mbps or 1-2 hours with 50mpbs (for lucky FIOS users). Satellite MPEG-4 feeds are around 10-20mbps.

I can get 50mbps with FIOS? For some reason 20 stuck in my mind, or maybe 15...

Obviously that's going to be the real sticking point with downloading content... It's the route I'd like to see things go, but I think we're a decade away before there's real penetration in that area... hopefully I'm wrong.
 
FiOS was introduced at 5, 15, or 30mbps. Some markets have been upgraded to 50mbps and 100mbps should be offered in a few years.
 

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