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July
20
Are You Hooked Up to a Set Top Box?

TivoboxIt seems that one of Matt Dentler's new roles at Cinetic Rights Management is consciousness raising.

He's asking, are we aware of what we can do with our TVs already? (In my case, I have TiVo, which means I never do VOD. And I don't have HD, although my TV is HD-ready, because I have old TiVo without broadband. One of these days I'll get a new Phillips box.)

Applelogo512x341

Here's Dentler's latest posting:

You can watch plenty of films instantly through your high-speed Internet connection, without leaving your sofa. Most of the time, this is possible with a "set-top box," which is similar to your cable box. Imagine having thousands of films available at the click of your remote. You might even have one now and not know it, if you own an Xbox, Playstation 3, or TiVo. Here are some of the set-top box (and game console) contenders out there so far today:

Roku Netflix Player


Apple TV


VUDU


TiVo (Amazon downloads)


Xbox Live


Playstation Network


Stay tuned for many more coming soon.

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Comments

From what I remember, Xbox Live has the most titles. 3000 movies?
Xbox Live has the advantage of the Netflix catalog.

iTunes rentals are pretty cool but take forever to download with DSL and Apple only has like 1000 movies and tv shows? They were supposed to have 2000. But I haven't seen them.

Vudu looked the best to me last winter but required like a T1 speed connection.

Roku Netflix? I bet that will be the one for selection.

Not interested unless the device can also play DVDs from all regions.

Wow. Thanks Anne!

The Roku looks incredible. It could shepherd me through a recession or two on my couch. Netflix apparently won.

Is this an exclusive? Haven't seen tv ads yet.

The Xbox 360 currently interfaces with Windows Media center, and thus replaces a TiVo in all respects, and grants access to Xbox Marketplace which is a wonderful and ever expanding catalog of shows and movies. Amazon Unbox works with Media Center, and thus with the Xbox so the whole Amazon catalog is available on the 360.

This fall when they ad Netflix functionality, most other set top boxes become obsolete. Apple TV was obsolete the day it became available, but the Macolytes ate it up.

As for "multi-region," sure I'd like a multi-region dvd player -- even though they skirt international copyright agreements -- but there is too much content domestically for me to require that I have one.

Can anyone tell me if these boxes are cross compatible? Meaning can I download from Amazon onto my Roku or are they proprietary?

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Variety blogger Anne Thompson is your trusted source for film industry news. She tracks Hollywood, Indiewood, awards season and film festivals for this daily blog.
Member: Alliance of Women Film Journalists


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