How Many Netflix Player Do I Need

As I was cleaning up my media center I noticed that almost every device I have connected to my TV now has Netflix included.

Here is a list of the devices I have with Netflix built in.

Boxee Box
Apple TV 2
Blu-ray player
Xbox 360
Netbook

I now have the choice of playing Netflix content on any device I have connected to the television. As more and more device come preloaded with Netflix it seems people just can't get away from this service. As many readers already know I love Netflix and watch many hours a week, but do I really need every device to connect to Netflix. Since it's just a free app on these device and it did not cost me any extra I guess it nice to continue the Netflix experience as I mover from on device to another. When I watch a Blu-ray movie I do not have to change devices once my movie is done I can just watch another movie through Netflix that's not a bad thing. When I am away from the device connected to my television I get Netflix on my iPad and netbook my Android phone seems will never get an Android Netflix app due to copyright issues on this platform, but I still have access to Netflix every time I am on the go.

Now to find more time to enjoy my Netflix content.

Boxee Box Gets Netflix

The good news this week fro Boxee Box owners was the addition of the Netflix app. It is a welcome addition to this great media streamer and will add much need content to the Boxee Box. The app is not at the same level of appearance or usefulness of the Apple TV 2 version. If I had to pick between watching Netflix on the Boxee Box or on Apple TV the Apple TV would be the clear winner. The app looks and feels a little raw maybe an update will fix some of the issues. The movie and TV show cover art does not look as detailed as on the Apple TV, but getting around to find something to watch was not much of a hassle. The only real problem I had was not getting sound from a few shows I tested. Not sure at this point if it was just a glitch with Netflix or there is a problem. When I get a chance I will have to visit the Boxee forums and see if anyone else has had this problem.

The Netflix app is a much appreciated effort and I think the Boxee Box community is very happy to have this amazing service added to their units.

I also added a live TV app via repository and have been able to get some of the top cable channels to work. The video quality was not the greatest, but getting live TV on the Boxee is also another great use for this device. Look for a future post on getting live TV on the Boxee Box, I am in the process of getting the list of links need to make this work.

Network Television Still A Great Choice

As I sit here writing this blog post I have the TV tuned into a local network station. This channel is coming in crystal clear with the help of my HD Antenna. It’s not as often that I tune into over the air broadcast as most of my content now comes from the Internet. The shows I do watch on Network Television complement my TV viewing. There are times when I catch a show or the local news and it makes me appreciate the stations that broadcast for free. These stations spend a lot of money on programming and broadcasting costs. This is one reason I like to support these stations by watching as much programming as I can. 

The local news is a must and I make sure that if I shop at a store that advertised during the news, that I let them know I appreciated their support for local television and that I will continue to shop there due to their advertising.

The networks have over the years brought some of the most loved shows to viewers for free. As cable cutters we cannot forget the networks and their investment in providing free television.  There is also something magical about playing with the antenna and getting that local station to tune in properly. It makes it even that better that you are lucky enough to get that channel.

As more cable cutters join the movement it’s very important that we keep local stations alive and support efforts to get new licences for new stations to broadcast or share their frequencies or sub channels.

Canadians Getting Back Unlimited Bandwidth

This week the Canadian government asked the CRTC to reverse a decision that would have capped usage. The regulation that was set to end unlimited bandwidth offered by smaller ISP's has now been blocked. As more Canadians find online video sources it looks like the major telecommunication providers had pushed bandwidth caps through the CRTC. If this law had been allowed to take place many new service would not be economically viable for Canadian Internet users.

The CRTC needs a little house cleaning. The rules and regulations that this government body imposes on Canadians is not helping to foster competition and growth in the industries that are supposed to benefit from have such an organization. The end results for almost all CRTC rulings is that Canadian consumers get screwed and big business wins.

It was a major blow to the CRTC to have the Prime Minister get involved and have to order a reverse of the ruling. Shame on the CRTC for not being government body that Canadian can trust.