Devices to Stream Video and Surf the Internet on Your TV

Now is an exciting time for the household television. New options for easier multimedia connections have arrived. Increasingly, the home computer, tablets, game systems, and smart phones are competing with the television for attention. Fortunately for that big screen HDTV in the living room, the choices are growing for streaming media directly to the TV and connecting to the web.

For the TV to keep it's traditional place of honor in the home, average consumers will need simpler ways to connect to the multimedia content they are used to on other devices.

People want to stream television shows, movies, and videos directly to the biggest screen in their home. A well-connected TV is possible with any of the four options here, without needing a geek to create a media center by connecting a computer to the sleek, flat HDTV.

So how is a person to decide which accessory to buy for a better-integrated TV? First, let's take a look at who may be buying and why. Then we'll take a layman’s peek at what each of these four options have going – Google TV (both the Logitech and Sony devices), Boxee Box, Roku and the new Apple TV.

Chiefly, drawing people back together. Interacting with people in the room while sharing the same content normally experienced on their solitary small screens.

The television was once the locus of entertainment in a home. Now it is neglected. Instead of congregating, we scatter using our computers, tablets, and smart phones.

High-definition televisions have had the potential to stream high quality video and sound for a while. So, has connecting them to the internet. The difference is in ease of connection and comfort.

Home users will be a large target market. There may be others. Let's take a look at why certain people might be interested.

TV Viewers:

• TV fans may skip the scheduled showing.
• Stream full episodes from the web legally or from paid content such as iTunes and Amazon Video on Demand.

Music Lovers:

• Typically, the home entertainment center has the best sound system in the house.
• Music can be streamed from your PC or Mac using your existing iTunes library or purchased through the Apple TV.
• Listening to music together with family and friends.

Cinema Aficionados:

• Streaming movies from iTunes, Amazon Video on Demand, and Netflix.
• Use Google TV to check the web right on your television for what other movies an actor was in or what else the director made.
• Indie movie lovers may like that Boxee can deliver independent films from OpenFilm, IndieMoviesOnline, MUBI, and EZTakes. Roku also has EZTakes. If you love film, there's also a few Sundance Film Festival rentals and the AFI's channel (with filmmaker interviews and more) on YouTube.

 Sports Fans:

• An onscreen check of a player's stats or a fantasy league website in the middle of a game. (Google TV)
• Streaming sports media.

Parents:

• A solution for corralling the family into one room instead of several, with everyone on their own machines.
• A media streamer educational and family programming.
• Enjoy television and the web as a family.

Fitness:

• Watching fitness Podcasts (Apple TV) or workout videos while working out at home.

Seniors:

• Easy set-up. Social networking and internet on TV. (Boxee and Google TV for the internet)
• Video calling their families from the living room with Logitech's Google TV.
• Enhancing movie night in a retirement home or community room.

Travelers:

• Business travelers who are often away from home may like video calling their families who may already be gathered in the family room.
• Always missing a favorite shows when it airs. It might be nice to fire up the television, log in to an appropriate account and watch full episodes on your time.

Hotel Industry:

• Video calling from the hotel room. Accessing the Internet from the HDTV.
• Offering a social TV room perk to customers.
• Guests: Video conference with your friends and family to tell them where you went that day on your dream vacation. Check the web for the best restaurants, email friends and interact on social networking sites without the need to pack a gadget. (Google TV)

Educational Institutions:

• Streaming media to large screen HDTV's may make it easier for teachers to bring internet content to the classroom.

• Anyone who is already satisfied with their television content or existing set-up from game systems, Blu-ray players and televisions.
• People who have already created an internet-capable, multimedia center with a wireless keyboard, using a PC or Mac plugged into their television.
• Anyone who is not that into television, movies or the web.
• Some of the groups listed above. For instance, the hotel industry already offers similar perks with game systems in the room, wireless for your personal devices, and video-on-demand. Streaming and internet solutions, designed for home use, might cause concern for user information security from one guest to the next.
• Those who already feel their home entertainment center is over-accessorized.
• Some who prefer to wait.

In this case, need is the wrong word. If you want to optimize the potential of that expensive HDTV and enhance the television experience with online content, then a well-connected TV is possible without adding a lot of clutter. Most of these devices are very small.

Aesthetics:

With the newest designs for integrated television, there is no need to sacrifice style for function.

Sony Internet TV Powered by Google TV comes built into a slim, full HDTV with a white back. The Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player with built-in Google TV has a slick new look for a player. Both include a small hand-held remote with a QWERTY keyboard on the bottom and what looks like a tiny sideways remote on the top.

Logitech Revue Powered by Google TV is an elegant black box with rounded edges and comes with a wireless black QWERTY keyboard which includes a touchpad.

Boxee Box is a very small, quirky cube box. Flip the simple remote over for a full QWERTY keypad.

Roku streaming players are simple and very small black boxes. Small remote control.

Apple TV's newest model is a tiny matte-black box with a small, seven-button remote.

I was asking myself that same question and more. Which device depends on what you want from it. Hopefully by sharing some my own research and notes in a non-technical fashion, you will find it easier to decide.

General Notes:

• While one person may be satisfied with renting a TV show, others will want to know they can watch it again and again after purchasing. So, which providers are supported by each device may influence your decision.
• Streaming video and non-video is about convenience and accessibility. Not all content providers are offering 1080p even if the device supports it. Even then, ISP speed will have an impact.
• Disputes between manufacturers and networks arise as networks resist already growing changes in how viewers get their content. Example: ABC, CBS, and NBC are blocking Google television devices from accessing full episodes of their online shows. They will probably do the same for Boxee Box.
• A high-speed internet connection is needed for streaming large files such as movies. Wireless is possible but you will find that a wired broadband connection is best.

I have tried to include as much information as I can without going overboard on technical details. Emphasis is on what each media-streaming device will do for you, how it hooks up, and how the reviews stack up. Comments are welcome below.

Currently, you have 3 choices powered by GoogleTV - - - Logitech Revue, Sony Internet TV sets in four sizes, or Sony Internet TV Blu-ray player. This information should apply to each one.

Search the entire web with a Google Chrome browser. Flash 10.1 will allow viewing Flash video and playing Flash games. Picture-in-picture layout. Watch TV while browsing the Web.

Controlled by device-included keyboard, Android phone, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Homepage on your TV to make Bookmarks, organize content, see what's on or access apps.

Content:

With the ability to search anything on the Internet, the possibilities are vast. IMDB to look up a movie or actor. Wikipedia and other sites to learn more when watching a documentary. YouTube to share funny videos with people in the room.

Pre-loaded Apps with more available soon: Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, Twitter, Facebook, Pandora, Napster, CNBC and NBA Game Time.

Positives:

• Some report the interface is fast and smooth, and the content is enjoyable.
• People like the ability to interact with the Web on the big screen television while sitting on the couch.

Negatives:

• If you do not have a cable or satellite box, you can still use Google TV but not with the same level of integration.
• The app marketplace is spare right now. Waiting for the Android app marketplace in 2011.

Quick Specs: Wireless-N and wired Ethernet. Optical audio output. Requires HDTV with HDMI port.

Your existing Harmony One remote can control the Revue.

Watching and controlling regular TV with Logitech's Google TV is best with a cable/satellite box.

Positives:

• DISH Network DVR integration.
• Some reviewers report the set-up is simple.
• Video calling from the couch is nice if you have family/friends in another state or country.

Negatives:

• A few others report problems with set-up and picture quality.
• Some complain that the fan is loud. Others say it is quiet.

• If you're not a DISH Network subscriber, you don't get the DVR access.

• Some will like the larger keyboard, others will not. A smaller keyboard with a D-pad is sold separately.

Logitech HDTV Widescreen Video Cam (sold separately)

Makes 720p video calls from your HDTV in conjunction with the Logitech Revue with Google TV.

Call any webcam on a PC or Mac that has installed the software.

Carl Zeiss wide angle auto-focus lens and mic.

(I think the camera should also work on your computer but not with the Sony Google television devices. I would confirm before purchasing for other purposes.)

Available through SonyStyle online or Best Buy. The disc player and televisions come with a QWERTY keypad remote that has a round D-pad and other buttons on the top.

Sony's Google HDTV models come in 24”, 34”, 40” and 46”. Ethernet and built-in WiFi. 8Gb storage. 4 USB ports. Capable of 1080p video. HDMI inputs and outputs. The 24” model will differ from the others. Check the specific model for further details.

Sony's Google Blu-ray player is capable of 1080p resolution with built-in Wi-Fi or use the Ethernet connection. One each HDMI input/output. Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby TrueHD. Four USB slots.

Positives:

• Reviews are mostly positive and relate to using Google TV, which appears to be smooth.
• People like that there is no need to add another item to the entertainment center, other than what they would have already - TV and Blu-ray player.

Negatives:

• One specific negative mentioned is the use of the D-pad (like a video game controller) to move the pointer.
• Google TV DISH DVR integration is not currently available on the Sony models.
  

The Boxee media streaming software is available to try on your PC for free. People who don't mind hooking a computer to their HDTV have been using it for their media center for months.

App-based user experience. Beta version of their WebKit browser for accessing the web. The Box supports HTML5 apps.

Ability to watch TV shows and movies, both paid and free.

Connect with what your friends on Twitter and Facebook are watching.

Parents may be pleased to hear that you can set parental controls.

An important item of note is the Boxee is able to play Flash Video (ex: YouTube) and Silverlight (ex: Netflix). Capable of playing videos in 1080p.

Content:

Built-in browser formatted for the TV to stream media from the Internet, giving it access to a very large selection. Boxee supports a range of video and music formats.

You will be able to access MySpaceTV, YouTube, and more. Browse your video library by categories such as genre, actor, director, title. Stream television shows from across the Internet.

Amazon VOD is not possible yet, as far as I can tell.

Boxee's Music Library automatically organizes your files in categories such as title, artist, album and genre. Access music content from sources such as Pandora and Vevo.

Quick Specs: HDMI output, optical digital audio and composite audio, Ethernet and Wi-Fi, 2-USB for your photos and other media.

Positives:

• Most reviews are positive about the experience and high-definition quality.
• Easy to set-up.
• The box itself is tiny and runs quiet.
• Supports many file types.
• Local media streaming from other storage devices. Example: external hard drive, USB drives.

Negatives:

• The Boxee Box shipped without the ability to play Netflix. They say the ability should be included by the end of the year and Hulu Plus later on.
• Some complain about the lack of free Hulu content on the box. However, I understood that content has been blocked for a while. The free Hulu service is not expected to play on any of the devices in this list.
• Users are reporting a dislike of the less-customizable interface changes compared to the Boxee beta software.
• Awkward browser.
• The QWERTY remote is not back lit.

A movie box that has been around a while, with bonus radio, news, and sports.

Quick Specs: (There are different models and prices. We'll look at only what all three have in common.) models: HD, XD, and XDS

Built-in WiFi and wired Ethernet connection. Plays high-def video, works with standard definition TVs or HDTV, and HDMI video output. The $99 version will get you added perks like extended range wireless-N, optical audio outputs and a USB port for storage.

Content:
The Roku links to a large collection of multimedia for your television. Some channels are premium and will require subscription or rental fees.

Watch movies through Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, and others.

Listen to radio content through Pandora and more.

Sports, radio and news channels.

Positives:

• Reviewers and customers report the set-up is quick and it is easy to use.
• Inexpensive.
• Seems well-liked even if it has limited content like the Apple.

Negatives:

• A few report problems with Roku customer service.
• No keyboard.

For our purposes, we're talking about the newest model - the redesigned tiny, streaming-only box.

Quick Specs: Built-in power supply, HDMI, digital optical audio output, and Wireless-N or Ethernet connection.

Content:

Stream rented video via iTunes or Netflix. Stream content from ABC, Fox, Flickr, YouTube, and MobileMe.

Currently able to control the device directly with the included remote, or stream content from a PC or Mac. The ability to control and stream using an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch is coming soon.

Positives:

• Simplicity, ease of set-up.
• An inexpensive set-top box with the ability to stream Netflix and iTunes content.
• This one or the Roku do just enough for many people and the price is nice.

Negatives:

• On the negative side, some are reporting that the maximum HD on the new Apple TV is only 720p.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are the author's own. All information contained herein is provided to the best of the author's knowledge, is subject to change, and may contain errors. Consult the product manufacturer for further details.