2Wire's MediaPoint HD streamer box is special, just like everybody else

2Wire's announced a 7-inch square set-top box designed to "bridge television and the internet." Called MediaPoint, it seems to be nearly identical to every media streamer we've seen -- it will multitask as a digital media player that delivers HD video and access streaming media on your home network via broadband. The box will boast HDMI ouput, WiFi, USB expansion, UPnP and DLNA compatibility. Sounds unbelievably enticing, right? Well, unlike most media streamers, you'll have to buy MediaPoint through a broadband service provider which will distribute the boxes under their own branding, and you'll presumably have to pay a subscription fee -- hopefully so you can enjoy some WWE Raw. Wow! So a product that's pretty much the same as a bunch of things that already exist, but we get to deal with a cable / internet service provider? Sounds fun, where do we sign up? They're expected to be available "very soon" though there's no word on pricing plans for the box or the subscriptions.

[Via Electronista]

[Homer @ Nov 11th 2008 7:04AM]

Excellent.

[chrisp @ Nov 11th 2008 7:14AM]

I think you've been spending too much time around Mr Burns, Homer.

[j_g_puff @ Nov 11th 2008 7:40AM]

Smell my apathy!

[netdroid9 @ Nov 11th 2008 8:14AM]

2wire's products are actually pretty good looking, and from what I've seen from their modems they're also pretty stable. Only problem is they're locked down tight, no sshing into any of their products as far as I can tell.

[ITRanger @ Nov 11th 2008 8:20AM]

These guys are psychic!

They knew that what I wanted most was to pay another subscription for a service and media box that I don't need, during the greatest credit crunch ever and right at the start of a major recession!

Did I mention I was currently jobless too?

.... I just HAVE to have one of these things NOW!

[Esat Dedezade @ Nov 11th 2008 8:24AM]

WWE sucks ass.

RIP WWF Attitude era, I miss you...

[lawyer bird @ Nov 11th 2008 1:27PM]

sing it girlfriend

[Jonno @ Nov 11th 2008 9:09AM]

But how will you afford it if you don't have a job ITRanger?

[ITRanger @ Nov 11th 2008 9:27AM]

Sarcasm is my currency :-)!

[Chad @ Nov 11th 2008 9:51AM]

I wonder if 2Wire is looking to supplement ATT's U-Verse set tops as they already provide the gateway for the service?

[Valicore @ Nov 12th 2008 3:37AM]

I don't know why they would do that. The boxes they already have distributed at capable of MediaShare (If U-Verse were to enable it).

[Sam Costello @ Nov 16th 2008 2:52PM]

Seems like an interesting product. I'm not sure how comfortable I feel about buying the box through my cable/'Net provider, though. I'd rather have more freedom of choice - but maybe that's not entirely possible when the box needs to work with the provider's system.

[Charles @ Dec 12th 2008 9:07PM]

Update! Offered via blockbuster and you don't have to be a blockbuster subscriber to download movies from them. $99 get you the player and 25 downloadable movies for starters: http://www.blockbuster.com/ondemand