Comments on: Netflix Unveils Streaming Set-Top Box

By: Bill Pringte

Bill Pringte — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:58:16 +0000

Everthing will fail until the bandwidth needs for HD video is more mainstream. I can't imagine anyone wanting to buy this to watch VHS quality, and at best DVD quality movies! I wouldn't!

But, if it streamed HD content, I'd be all over it. Blu-ray movies are expensive!

By: RX8

RX8 — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:27:22 +0000

Sounds like the Akimbo dud…anything that relies on an internet connection will fail.

By: Ian Bell

Ian Bell — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:11:14 +0000

I love the idea, but there is the problem: A product like this is usually picked up by "early adopters" simply for the fact that a lot of people still use their local video rental chain, or pay-per-view through their local cable provider.

From an early adopter standpoint, this unit is pretty bad. No one will want VHS quality from something like this, and even DVD quality is in my opinion sub-par.

It's better to save the $99/bucks and use that money to rent form Netflix the old fashioned way - through the mail. That's the equivalent to 5 months of rental service at $20/mo. so you could get 15-20+ movie rentals for the price of the box alone, including Blu-ray.

Another thing worth mentioning is that Verizon Fios is now offering high definition video on demand.