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Roku Box Adds HD, Grows Beyond Netflix

Posted by kdawson on from the watch-anything-anywhere dept.

DeviceGuru writes "Roku has announced two free updates to its Internet-enabled Netflix movie-streaming set-top box. The initial update adds advanced compression capable of streaming HD video over average consumer broadband connections, while the second (expected during the first quarter of 2009) will add A/V streaming from sources other than Netflix (e.g. YouTube, Hulu, Comedy Central, MSNBC, etc.). Roku faces growing competition from other providers of Internet-based video-on-demand STBs, such as Blockbuster's STB, Syabas's Popcorn Hour (aka NMT), AppleTV, and others. Roku hasn't said anything specific, but perhaps it'll partner with Boxee, which already provides a popular AppleTV hack."

7 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe I'm just not aware of it... by Corpuscavernosa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... but seriously when is porn going to get into the streaming scene? (insert joke)

    --
    We figured out a long time ago that it's easier to elect seven judges than to elect 132 legislators.
    1. Re:Maybe I'm just not aware of it... by thedonger · · Score: 3, Funny

      but seriously when is porn going to get into the streaming scene? (insert joke)

      When R. Kelly starts filming again.

      --
      Help fight poverty: Punch a poor person.
  2. XBMC by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Someone just needs to build a nice small XBMC replacement. Something the size of Popcorn or Apple TV. Donate some engineers / money to the XBMC guys to get it to work with your chipset. Maybe some 1080p hardware decoding.

    My XBOX is starting to show its age, but XBMC hands down beats every single one of those players hands down.

  3. Mythbackend ! by 0x4a6f6e43 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Just add the ability to talk to a Mythbackend and output HD at 1080p and I'll get two!

    1. Re:Mythbackend ! by Duradin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What's to miss about better picture quality for the same bit rate?

      Compare h.264 to mpeg-2.

  4. "Presumably" Hulu by MrDelSarto · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The article says

    "Presumably this will include sources such as YouTube, Hulu, Comedy Central, MSNBC, etc."

    I'm pretty sure this would be a licensing issue, not at technical issue about streaming formats.

    It's one thing to have to sit at your computer, or faff about with a media PC to watch content. But I imagine the networks would be very scared of a simple, cheap, no subscription, plug-in box. I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if they let Roku get to that content.

    Once Hulu comes to my Tivo (I hate having a million boxes for different things), I'd reconsider why I even pay for even the cheapest tier cable.

    If anyone wonders what the Comcast 250G caps are about, they have nothing to do with bandwidth contention and everything to do with them realising soon they will loose half (more?) of their business when cable TV dies.

    1. Re:"Presumably" Hulu by exhilaration · · Score: 3, Informative

      I don't see any licensing issues as long as Roku doesn't try to block commercials. After all, it's just another web client, relegated to a niche audience.