November 1, 2010 by HDGuru
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The latest trend in HDTVs, other than 3D, is for Internet connectivity. This started as mundane weather and news items, little more than snippets of the web. Now, with the release of Google TV, full Internet surfing from your TV is possible. In between are numerous content providers, all with different content and quality, and all looking for your entertainment dollar.
The first thing you’ll need, of course, is an Internet connection. For High Definition (HD) content, most providers require at least a 2.5 megabits per second (mbps) connection. For some, like VUDU, their top tier 1080p HD stream requires 4.5 mbps. If your connection isn’t this fast, you may be relegated to only watching Standard Definition (SD) streams, or an overall lower quality feed. Connecting wired or wirelessly from your router doesn’t generally matter, as most Wi-Fi signals can handle even HD streams. If you have difficulties with a service, and you know it’s not your connection, switching to wired from wireless is worth a try.
Video and audio content comes in two basic flavors: subscription and pay per view. Providers are somewhat cagey about how many shows/films they provide, and how many are in HD. For example, VUDU claims the highest number of HD movies with “over 3,000,” while CinemaNow claims over 14,000 total movies, but with no indication of how many are in HD.
Here’s the breakdown of the different services offered. To learn the more about the TV makers that supply each service (Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, Vizio, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Philips and LG) check out the graph above, just click on it to enlarge. Please note, not all of the models within a manufacturers line may provide all the listed services. Consult the manufacturer’s website or dealer to confirm the TV you are considering offers the service(s) you desire before purchase.
Netflix
The near universal adoption of Netflix’s streaming service in TVs (and also Blu-ray players) is a testament to the quality of the content you can get. Not picture quality, mind you, which is predominantly standard definition and only occasionally 720p HD. The content quality, in terms of finding something worth watching, is excellent. Most people will be able to find something to watch any time they chose to. Not everything is available for streaming, and most of the streaming content is usually a year or so old or older. Catching up on TV shows from a few years ago, though, or modern documentaries, and thousands of movies, all make this service well worth the small monthly cost….
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