| Provider | Equipment | Price | Location | Content | Pros | Cons | |
| Apple TV | Set Top Box | $229 for Set Top Box | Anywhere | Movies from Apples ITunes, Youtube Videos and Flickr photos |
N/A | Upfront Cost | |
| Boxee | Download Software but Set Top Box coming Soon | Set-Top Box expected to be less than $200 | Anywhere | TV Shows
Online |
N/A | Cord is required to connect to the TV | |
| ComCast - Fancast | Cable Company Equipment | Monthly Cable TV Bill | Watch Online Anywhere. But Cable TV only provided in certain States | Cable TV Content | Cable TV can be put in any room n the house at no extra charge. | ||
| Hulu | Internet
Access required |
Free - Advertiser Supported | Anywhere in the United States | Shows are available after first airing on TV, advertisements are minimal | Owned by NBC Universial, Fox and Disney so has a large catalog of shows. | Some TV shows are only available for a limited time, some shows are unavailable. Also access is restricted to US viewers only. | |
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Streams movies and TV shows to the PC | $8.99 per month with more expensive plans also available | Anywhere in the United States | Large selection of movies available | Works with the Roku and has a competitive price | ||
Sony PlayStation 3
|
Playstation 3 | $300 for the base model | Anywhere | TV Shows and new movies | No subscription required and works on the Playstation portable handheld. Also includes Netflix Service | ||
|
Roku |
Set Top Box Required | $79.95 for the base model and $129.99 for high definition version | Anywhere | TV Shows and Movies can display Netflix movies. | No Annual Fees. Easy to Install Wireless access eliminates need for added cable | Subscription is required for premium content with includes Major League Baseball and Netflix movies | |
| Sezmi | Digital Video recorder | $299 for the box and $19.95 for monthly subscription | Anywhere | Local Broadcast channels, on demand content and cable channels. | Cheaper than traditional cable the box provides cable DVR and internet content. | Upfront Costs are High | |
| Sky | Sky Box | 1 Pound per programme and 15 pounds per month | Anywhere | Sky Movies and TV Shows | N/A | ||
| Slingbox | Sling Box | $299 but free
with Dish Network DVR Service |
Location | Streams content from the TV to the PC | Works anywhere in the world | Works best with Cable or satellite service | |
| Sony Bravia Internet Video Link | Works with most new Sony TVS | $199 | Displays Amazon VOD | ||||
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Box that streams movies and TV Shows to the TV and also is a Digital Video recorder | $149 for the cheapest of 3 models plus monthly fee | Location | Movies or TV
Shows |
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| Xbox360 | Box | $299 for base model plus monthly or lifetime fee | Location | TV Shows from Netflix and high definition movies | N/A | N/A | |
| Vudu Box | Vudu Set Top Box | Movies on Demand in HD | Good quality picture at resolutions at 1080p HD. Also no monthly subscription is required. A large selection of shows are available. Good onscreen interface | The best HD content requires download queing. At the moment cant stream media from networked PCs. Rentals limited to a 24 hour viewing period, cant transfer video to portable devices, no built in Wi-Fi. Video library is still not as big as say Netflix or Blockbuster. | |||
Amazon.Com
|
Several options content can be shown through the Amazon Unbox software, plus the Roku and the Tivo and also display Amazon content. Some Tvs also display amazon videos including Panasonic's VIERA CAST enabled HDTV. | Pay per video or TV shows | Only available to US customers | TV Shows and Movies | HD Videos are available | ||
