http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
Advantage: Netflix.]]>Nov 24th 2008 9:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 11:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 2:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 2:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 7:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Maybe they should try buying Circuit City, again.
]]>Nov 24th 2008 11:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 7:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
I guess my parents and blockbuster didn't see the internet coming.]]>Nov 25th 2008 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 7:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 10:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 26th 2008 9:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
based purely on their poor math (it'd have to be 50 movies, not 25) i will be choosing the Xbox360 or the Roku/Netflix box instead. not that they were even a consideration, ever.]]>Nov 24th 2008 10:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
So I'm supposed to get a Roku box, vudu, apple tv and this thing? Why dont these companies get hardware makers to support all of their services (ok I expect apple to do it's own thing) that way I could buy 1 box and be able to use any or even all of these services. ]]>Nov 24th 2008 10:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/It seems they are betting on the Brand Loyalty here too, rather than become more competitive by offering something new or improved.
Netflix still has an advantage over other rental services.]]>Nov 24th 2008 10:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 10:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 11:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
I've had Blockbuster online account since the time it started, and I was happy. The reason is - you don't need to wait until the next DVD arrives in mail (like Netflix), but you bring it to the Blockbuster store next door and get the free DVD from the shelf. And it cuts the time to send the DVD back in mail, because as soon as you bring it to the store they ship you another DVD. This model allows you to watch many more movies than on Netflix. So I was happy and waited for the download era to start.

The download era started with Roku but it was SD only, so I though "let's wait for Blockbuster's response". Blockbuster responded with movie downloads, $3.99 each. Bummer. Now Netflix started streaming in HD, and Blockbuster promised the set-top box too. And it came out, but they STILL CHARGE PER MOVIE!!!

This is no brainier now, switch to Netflix and get unlimited movies. That's what I am going to do.


P.S. Though Netflix is now much superior for online geeks, do not bury the Blockbuster. It's brick-n-mortar stores will stay there until the last American gets the high-speed Internet in his house. Or until DVDs and Blu-Rays become obsolete. Which will not happen soon considering how many poor people/immigrants America has.

So comments like "does Blockbuster still exist?" look very childish to me. Blockbuster will be there for a long time.]]>Nov 24th 2008 11:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
That was a pretty spot-on comment until that P.S. part.]]>Nov 24th 2008 11:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 24th 2008 11:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
Sorry if I abused anybody, but what I meant was: not everybody can afford a high speed internet. The majority (not everybody, but majority) of immigrants coming to US are busy with establishing themselves, finding job and place to live rather than spending $60+ a month for fast speed Internet. And there are many Americans who just can't afford it anyway. So Blockbuster stores will remain the major place for them to get a movie on weekend.

Maybe I am too pessimistic, then sorry. I am all for the download era!!!]]>Nov 24th 2008 11:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
If blockbuster really wanted to compete, they'd take the monthly subscription idea and let you download as many movies as you want on their box for $30-50 a month (I don't know if I'd pay more than 50 a month). I would do that in a heart beat. It would save me time and gas. Not to mention they'd make more in the long run with a subscription fee.

That's my 2 cents. ]]>Nov 25th 2008 12:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
$1.99*25 =/= $100

If they threw this in with their BlockBuster online, it had good HD, a great library, AND you still got some in store rentals, I might be down with it. But I doubt they will ever do that.

Video rental stores are a dying breed.]]>Nov 24th 2008 11:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 2:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
This sounds like a Deal, even though I don't usually rent movies.
I keep my own DVD's safe in the closet and my backups in DivX on a D-Link DNS-323 NAS box. Currently Using a D-Link DSM-510 player which is even smaller than the MediaPoint(pro), but it was $170(con) and there are issues with the HDMI port(con).

I'd NEVER pay $99 for one day each with 25 movies, but if I could get a straight answer of whether MediaPoint will play Divx I might be happy to "buy" it for $99 and have the movies be free.]]>Jan 6th 2009 5:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
- Great initial offer (25 movies)

- No subscription to blockbuster necessary

- Ethernet and WiFi Ready

Cons:

- Only one HDMI port?!?! What about those of us who have 4 HDTV's side by side and want to watch the same thing from a single source on all four televisions

- 8 x 8 x 1 inches? How do they expect us to keep this behemoth in my entertainment center? This was a make or break feature for me. Wayyy too big to be useful.



I'll pass.
]]>Nov 25th 2008 12:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 12:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 2:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/these are popular wireless routers.

ironic that a wireLESS router requires 2 wires.]]>Nov 25th 2008 2:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 10:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
Second, an 8x8" square isn't a behemoth by any standard. You must be minuscule for that to be a behemoth.]]>Nov 25th 2008 12:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 12:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 1:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 2:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
I'd say for this to be a big take off here in the states, it would need something like a PS3 pushing it, which just might be in the future, if I want to pay per film I'll just get it from Xbox Live or PSN and thats if I REALLY dont feel like waiting for Netflix to ship, this is almost too little too late, my entertainment center is about stuffed between all that other stuff I just mentioned and throw in the HTPC(Home Theater PC) and well yeah Blockbuster dont fit]]>Nov 25th 2008 1:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
Sorry, Blockbuster. You still FAIL.]]>Nov 25th 2008 2:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
1080p video = no
live streaming = no
video subscription = no
ugly looking box = yes

Failed in all counts!
]]>Nov 25th 2008 2:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/Nov 25th 2008 7:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
Someone compared this to their Tivo. That's a silly apples-to-oranges comparison. Sure you get Amazon movies, but you (generally) pay more up front, pay a monthly subscription for nothing, AND pay per-view for movies (and generally more than $1.99). If you already have Tivo, then perhaps this may be the better option, but otherwise it doesn't deserve comparison.

Compared to Apple TV, you have a far cheaper up front cost and cheaper movie rental. This seems only a better option for those extremely devoted to Apple.

The 360 and PS3 are expensive, big, power hungry, loud, and overkill for simple movie watching. If you already have one on the TV that you watch movies on, are willing to put up with the aforementioned negatives, and navigate through all of the complexities required just to watch a simple movie (thankfully the 360's new experience makes this a little less painful), then this may be the right solution for you.

Some folks are screaming about how superior Netflix is. Again, you pay for a subscription and you get a CRAPPY selection of streamed movies. If you want something that isn't available online (like just about everything made in the past 10 years that didn't get two thumbs down), then you have to queue it up and wait. This is a terrible comparison.

The best argument against is streaming vs. download model. Yes, I too like streaming's instant access. However, 1) likely you'll be able to start viewing a movie mid-download (just a guess, but likely), and 2) streaming almost always has inferior quality due to compression and stuttering.

No, this isn't the end-all-be-all perfect STB, but it seems pretty darned good. Especially if you don't already have one of the other options, there's little up-front investment and I'm betting that non-gadget-geeks might actually be able to use it. It'd be nice, sure, if it fully integrated with their other online services (especially streaming their selection of online movies for subscribers and perhaps integrated queue management), but this is v1.0. Give it a few months.

Is there something major I'm missing in my analysis or is this just a Blockbuster hate-fest?]]>Nov 25th 2008 3:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
Though I'll have to admit that if you don't already have something in place that does this (PS3, Xbox, Tivo). And you don't want to hook up the PC to the TV or watch from your PC. Then this is one of the few choices that you have and the only choice in this price range. There's the Vudu box, but that would cost you 300 bucks up front and you still have to shell out some cash once you received it and actually wanted to watch something.

But if you already have something in place this box won't impress anyone. And for the people that simply doesn't like Blockbuster, I'm sure they won't mind paying a few extra bucks for something that does a bit more and has access to more sources (like the Tivo series 3).
And if you already have a PC hooked up to a TV or don't mind watching on your PC monitor. Then there are lots of other options for you out there that doesn't require any up front charges to get started.

I honestly don't see this a that big of a deal. Blockbuster is now doing what other companies have been doing for a few years now. And I think that anyone that was interested in on-line distribution of movies hasn't been sitting around waiting for Blockbuster to show us their offering. If Blockbuster really wanted to make a splash they should have teamed up with a platform that's already out there. Tivo comes to mind. Let Tivo owners decide if they want to rent from cable (it they are using cable cards), Amazon, or Blockbuster. Then after testing the waters release a stand alone box for people without a Tivo box. Or team up with the Media Center folks. Then they could have had HTPC users and people with Xbox extenders renting from them also (because I don't believe that Microsoft is going to let them directly compete with their Xbox Live rental service). ]]>Nov 25th 2008 4:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/24/blockbuster-joins-the-movie-set-top-box-game-with-2wire-mediapoi/
The only way to beat this would be to integrate it into a box that people are already getting anyways (like a 360 or a telcom STB like the AT&T uVerse) to eliminate the up-front cost.]]>Nov 25th 2008 3:55AM