set-top

Roku has delivered 1 billion streams via its set-top boxes, the company said yesterday.

According to Roku, which also announced that it has sold 1 million set-top boxes, the average user watched 11 hours of content on a Roku device in December. The company said that at the end of 2010, its set-top boxes had 135 channels available, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Video On Demand.

Roku currently sells three set-top box units, the Roku HD, the Roku XD, and the Roku XDS. Prices start at $59.99.

Roku, which launched its first set-top box in mid-2008, finds itself … Read more

Vudu's streaming service is now offering 3D movies, the company announced today.

The company's 3D content is currently available to select Samsung HDTVs and Blu-ray players. It will be made available to PlayStation 3 owners in "the next few weeks," a company spokesperson told CNET in an e-mail. Vudu's 3D films are coming to devices from Vizio, LG, and others in the next few months. The service will also be made available to 3D-capable Blu-ray players from Mitsubishi and Toshiba (among others), as well as the Boxee Box by the end of 2011, the Vudu … Read more

Who said the Apple TV was just a hobby?

Apple announced today that unit sales of its tiny set-top box are expected to reach 1 million by the end of this week.

The Apple TV, which launched in September, is one-quarter the size of its predecessor, and allows users to rent and stream television shows and movies from iTunes on their televisions. The set-top box also features access to Netflix, podcasts, and Flickr. Users can stream music content from their computers, and use AirPlay to send multimedia content from their iOS-based devices to the Apple TV. It retails for $99.… Read more

Google has updated its Google TV software in an effort to make it more user-friendly.

After installing the new update, Google TV users will find improved Netflix integration. Aside from an improved interface and the ability to watch Netflix content, users can also add movies or shows to their DVD-by-mail queue from the updated app.

The search giant's decision to update Netflix is an important one. The previous version of Netflix on Google TV was antiquated. In fact, CNET's Matthew Moskovciak, who reviewed the Google TV-based Logitech Revue, said the software's "Netflix app is about two … Read more

Good news, square-eyes: TiVo is back in Britain. Virgin Media launched its TiVo-powered set-top box this week, allowing your telly to access an app store and record things it thinks you'll like. Magic powers, basically.

The TiVo set-top box includes a whopping 1TB hard drive, which means you'll be able to store huge amounts of television, even in high definition. It has two tuners, with a third tuner being added in 2011.

Crave UK got a quick look at the box and it's everything we wanted: an incredible PVR with a powerful recommendation engine and a brand … Read more

TiVo has crafted a holiday offer for its DVRs that will save customers cash in the short term, but potentially cost more over the long term.

The company announced today that consumers can buy the TiVo Premiere for $99.99 if they agree to a one-year service commitment. Even better, TiVo once again has a $0 down offer on its Premiere box with a two-year commitment. Those who want to get their hands on the Premiere XL will pay $299.99 upfront with a one-year commitment.

At first glance, this "limited time" offer seems like a winner for … Read more

Western Digital is trying to build upon the success of its WD TV Live Plus with the launch of the WD TV Live Hub, a set-top box that delivers even more functionality for entertainment seekers.

The WD TV Live Hub comes with a built-in 1TB hard drive, allowing customers to store all kinds of video and audio content on the device. In fact, Western Digital said the product includes support for 1080p video formats, .mkv, .mp4, and .mov. In addition, video, music, or photos stored on the device can be streamed to any DLNA/UPnP-compatible products, including the Xbox 360 … Read more

The Boxee Box's launch finally has a date.

Those who preorder the set-top box from Amazon.com or Best Buy will be get their hands on it November 10. Those who plan to wait will find the Boxee Box on store shelves a week later.

The Boxee Box, built by D-Link, is a media player that allows 1080p HD videos to be streamed to a TV from the Web or a local network. It can also run a browser on the TV, including Flash content.

The standalone device will offer "nearly 40,000 TV episodes" and a &… Read more

Editors' note: As of July 2011, this product has been discontinued and replaced by the Roku 2 XD.

A Netgear-branded Roku XD box is making its way to several retailers.

Dubbed Netgear Roku Player NTV250, the device is the Roku XD featuring Netgear branding. It enables users to access several channels from Roku's service, including Amazon Video On Demand, Netflix, Pandora, and others. The offering also includes the ability to view Flickr photos and UFC content. Unlike the competing Apple TV, which boasts 720p video content, the Roku XD supports 1080p content.

Netgear isn't selling branded versions of … Read more