HDTV Home Theater Summer Blockbusters

Let's face it: movie theaters aren't what they used to be. Between the overpriced tickets and snacks, the chatty grandmas and obnoxious teenagers, the endless trailers and commercials, and the likelihood that the minimum-wage projector monkey in the booth won't even bother to focus the film, it's no wonder movie buffs increasingly prefer to stay home.
Fortunately, giving up the local multiplex doesn't mean giving up movies. If you've got an HDTV and a decent sound system -- well, they don't call it a home theater for nothing.
Thanks to a growing number of on-demand devices and services, you barely have to get off the couch to order up last summer's blockbusters, the latest home-video releases, and beloved classics.
The only caveat, at least for now, is the limited selection of HD titles. But that will change over time, and if you believe the Hollywood rumor mill, it might not be long before you can dial up new theatrical releases the same day they appear in theaters.
Let's take a look at a few systems for bringing the cinema into your home.
Apple TV
Don't let the name fool you: Apple TV does more than just television. Indeed, the stylish white box can play music from your PC, stream YouTube videos from the Web, and rent movies from the iTunes Store -- no computer required. Better still, the store carries both standard-definition and HD titles, though you have to pay a bit extra for the latter.
Apple's "library titles" (i.e., older movies) cost $2.99 apiece, while new releases run $3.99. Tack on an extra $1 if you want high-def versions of either -- assuming that's an option. The entire library contains only about 1,000 movies, and, of those, only about 100 are available in HD. On the plus side, all movies feature Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
Once you commence downloading a movie, you can start watching it within a few minutes -- though you can also wait up to 30 days. Once you press play, you have to finish watching within 24 hours before the movie "goes back to the store" (i.e., your rental period ends). As for quality, standard-def movies look, well, standard-def (don't be surprised to see artifacts and other image aberrations). And HD titles, while nowhere near the quality of, say, Blu-ray, look at least as good as up-converted DVDs.
Apple TV's babysitter-friendly interface and more-than-just-a-movie-box versatility make it an excellent choice for home-theater buffs. But we'd hold off buying until Apple expands its library of HD titles.
Blu-ray
Far and away the best option for watching movies at home, Blu-ray delivers theater-quality video and audio. Indeed, pair a Blu-ray player with an HDTV and surround-sound speaker system and you'll say goodbye to the multiplex for good. However, there are a couple big caveats to consider, not the least of which is that Blu-ray requires physical media: You'll have to head to the local video store or wait for the likes of Netflix to deliver movies to your mailbox. So much for on-demand.
Check Blu-ray movie release dates here.
You'll also have to pay a pretty penny for a Blu-ray player: They cost around $400 on average and aren't expected to get much lower than $300 for the holidays. Your best bet: a Sony PlayStation 3. The popular game console includes a full-featured Blu-ray player, costs the same as a standalone player, and serves up killer games to boot.
Vudu
Boasting over 6,000 movies and TV shows for purchase or rental, the Vudu set-top box falls somewhere in between Apple TV and the Netflix Player. The $295 box includes a 250-GB hard drive for storing downloads and an ample set of outputs: HDMI, component video, composite video, and digital audio. However, it lacks wireless connectivity: You'll need to plug it directly into your router or invest in a powerline Ethernet kit.
Vudu charges no monthly fees; rentals cost between $0.99 and $3.99, while purchases range from $4.99 to $19.99. When you rent movies, the standard 30-days/24-hours rules apply. Although Vudu's library includes a good mix of new releases, indie fare, and older titles, it currently offers just 121 HD selections. Everything else: SD.
Although it takes a big step in the right direction for on-demand movie boxes, Vudu can't quite compete with Apple TV. The latter costs less (for the lower-end model), connects wirelessly to your network, and streams content from your PC (including music and photos).
Xbox Live Marketplace
With a movie library that has yet to pass the 400 mark, Xbox Live Marketplace offers little incentive to rush out and buy an Xbox 360. That said, if you already own the popular game console, there's every reason to browse the selection. It's a decent mix of older fare and newer, higher-profile titles (including The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and No Country for Old Men). Plus, a good percentage of the movies are available in glorious 720p HD, though you pay a little extra for the privilege.
Speaking of payment, the worst part about renting from Marketplace is Microsoft's ludicrous points system. A standard-def movie costs 360 points; the HD version, 480 points. A dollar is worth 80 points, so the rentals work out to $4.50 and $6, respectively. It's bad enough that you have to do math, but Microsoft sells points only in multiples of 400 (i.e., $5 increments). Thus, to rent a $6 movie, you have to spend $10. Sure, you'll have points left over, but not enough to rent even a standard-def movie. Ugh.
The Xbox does have one impressive ace in the hole: It can double as a Media Center extender, streaming content from your Windows PC. That means you can watch ripped DVDs or rent movies from CinemaNow. Oh, and it's pretty good at games, too.
Netflix Player By Roku
Imagine Netflix without the mailman and you've got the Netflix Player by Roku, a small set-top box that streams movies directly from the rental service to your TV. You have to be a Netflix subscriber to use the box, which costs $99.99, but there's no extra expense beyond that: Your monthly rate stays the same. Even better, you get unlimited access to the Netflix Player library, which touts more than 10,000 titles.
Sounds ideal, right? It is almost, but beware a few key limitations. For starters, you have to venture onto the Web to add movies to your Netflix Instant Queue -- you can't just browse the full library on the box itself. Furthermore, the selection includes relatively few recent releases, instead comprising mostly older and indie titles (along with a generous helping of TV shows).
The Netflix Player can connect to your TV via HDMI, component video, or composite video and to your home network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. However, for now it's limited to streaming at standard definition (480i), meaning you'll get image quality that's roughly on par with DVD. If you have a large HDTV, expect a soft-looking picture. High-def content is in the works, but because the player streams video rather than downloading it, bandwidth could prove problematic: A slow connection would likely produce stuttering.
Even so, it's hard to ignore the appeal of a $100 box that delivers over 10,000 movies and TV shows on-demand. If you're already a Netflix subscriber, this could be a great addition to your home theater.
TiVo
As if you needed another excuse to buy a TiVo, the venerated digital video recorder (DVR) now enables you to rent or purchase a whopping 12,000 movies from Amazon Unbox -- all from the comfy confines of your couch. This option is available on TiVo Series2 and Series3 boxes, including the TiVo HD.
Rentals range from $1.99 to $3.99. Tivo HD owners can start watching a movie while it's still downloading, but owners of older models have to wait for the download to finish. Like Apple TV, Unbox gives you 30 days to start watching a rented movie and 24 hours to finish it once you start.
Later this year, TiVo will add Disney movies (by way of a partnership with CinemaNow) to its roster of available rentals. Just one problem: both the Amazon and Disney catalogs are limited to standard-def resolution. As with the Netflix Player by Roku, you'll get DVD-quality images -- acceptable for smaller screens but less than ideal for big HDTVs.
See original article on InformationWeek.com