This past Black Friday weekend, my parents expressed interest in purchasing a Xbox 360. They told me that my siblings were regularly using the Wii to play games, so they moved it out into the rec room so the kids could play games and they could have the bigger TV in the living room. The problem is that the Wii is what they use for Netflix streaming.
I became exited, as my parents have generally shunned video games in the past, and saw this as opportunity to introduce my parents to a side of my hobby that the Wii, though I really like it, can't do for them. Then I hit a brick wall. Microsoft requires a Xbox LIVE Gold Membership to use services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus. I pay for LIVE because I enjoy the full LIVE experience. My parents really just want to watch movies and maybe download Tetris. What they don't want is to pay two different companies to stream movies.
So, I will be writing about the pros and cons of choosing a game console for reasons other than gaming, which one's meet certain needs, and also explore choosing a different device type, such as a web enabled Blu-Ray player instead. I'll pass the reigns off to Kelly for talking about the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a PlayStation 3. Keep in mind that this list is meant more for people who want to stream media to their TV first. Playing games is just icing on the cake.
Xbox 360: Xbox LIVE
I'll start with Xbox 360 because Microsoft has done the most to make sure that when you think "living room entertainment all in one thingy", you think Xbox 360. In fact, the name 360 was chosen as a metaphor for just that very reason. But does that make it the right solution for you?
Microsoft offers a wide variety of solutions via Xbox LIVE. Xbox LIVE is Microsoft's online distribution and multiplayer gaming service. Everyone who has an Xbox 360 connected to the internet is a member and has a GamerTag (profile). Your GamerTag gives you access to the Microsoft Marketplace where you can purchase and download music, movies, TV shows, and, of course, games.
The Xbox 360 can stream from Netflix, Hulu Plus, last.fm, and access facebook, twitter, and a variety of other Microsoft cloud services. You can also stream music, video, and pictures from a local PC over your home network. Xbox LIVE gives you access to on demand sports from ESPN3 and have plans to add even more services such as subscription TV (say goodbye to that awful cable provider of yours). Plus, the console plays DVDs.
If you splurge and buy one with a Kinect bundled with it, you can even forgo the controller or remote all together and do Minority Report like things to control the system, even use your voice to make it play and stop and so forth. I personally think that is ridiculous, but you're not me. [Kelly - BECAUSE USING BUTTONS IS HAAAAAARD]
It does seem like Microsoft is a great choice. There's just one really big problem. Xbox LIVE Silver, the free LIVE membership tier, does not give you access to any of those streaming services. You have to pay for Live Gold to unlock the ability to stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, and any of those other options. On top of paying for Netflix, you have to pay Microsoft. You'll also notice that Xbox LIVE Gold is the only pay wall in this list.
As a gamer, I also gain access to a lot of other services that appeal to me. You will too, of course, but you may never use them. If you're not a gamer, you're probably not itching to go head to head in Modern Warfare against a bunch of 12-year-olds who are going to threaten to rape your grandmother after they shoot you in the face and then make their in game avatar hump your deceased corps (NOTE: I don't particularly enjoy that either, but that's for another post).
So, even though I personally prefer the Xbox 360 over just about everything else being discussed here, because Microsoft has a pay wall between you and things you're already paying for, I can't recommend someone who is not a gamer choose Xbox 360 as their media center solution.
Verdict:
Xbox 360 is NOT recommended, unless you also plan to also do some heavy gaming.
PlayStation 3: PlayStation Network
Kelly here. I guess Patrick wants me to handle the PS3 section, which makes sense. I own one, he doesn't.
If your primary concern is streaming video and gaming is secondary, PS3 should be a no-brainer. Since PSN is free, you do not have to pay for a service to use the Netflix service that you are already paying for. Microsoft believes that you should pay them to access services that Microsoft doesn't have any control over. Does that make sense to you? If you said "yes," then leave.
PSN gives you access to Netflix, Hulu Plus, and their own video service Video Unlimited, which allows you to purchase movies and TV shows to watch on your PS3 and PSP. However, you can also access Sony's competitors, including Vudu (Wal-Mart) and Cinema Now (Best Buy), from PSN. Why would Sony offer services that compete directly with their own? Because Sony is showing that they are committed to making the PS3 the ultimate media center, and that means given customers options.
On top of that, if you like sports, Sony also offers access to services for subscribers of MLB.tv, NHL Game Center, and most recently, DirectTV's NFL Sunday Ticket (yes, the satellite company offers their service on PSN, so you can access it even if you have cable)
Also, if you are looking to play your own video files (legal or illegal, we don't have to discuss that), the PS3 is capable of playing large variety of file types. Chances are, if you have a video file, the PS3 will play it. With media center streaming from your PC, you don't even have to transfer the files.
Throw in one of the best Blu-Ray players on the market, and you're good to go.
Unfortunately, the PS3 makes a rather poor music player. Yeah, you could play your music off of there if you wanted to... but if you know what you are doing, you won't want to. Sony also has a streaming music service called Music Unlimited (do I sense a gimmick?), but it is subscription based. Fair enough, but it also appears to be a decent music player... But you can't even play your own music unless you have a subscription. Why? Cause Sony has a policy of doing something really stupid for everything they do right (it's not in writing, so don't go looking for it).
Fortunately, they decided to not follow that policy when it comes to their commitment to providing quality video services for their customers. All I need is for Crunchy Roll to develop an app for PSN and I'm set.
However, if you are wanting to do some heavy online gaming, PSN does not stack up well against Xbox LIVE. Since I don't play games online, I don't miss it. But if you really, really want to play online with your friends (or with people you don't know, whatever), the cost of a LIVE subscription might be worth it to you.
Verdict:
PS3 is WIN for media service IF you are also planning on doing some gaming on the side.
(EDIT: My buddy Aaron puts me to shame. I don't actually use my PS3 as a media hub since I'd rather hook my laptop up to the TV for most things. Check Aaron's comment at the top of the comments for a crap ton of information!)
Wii: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connect
Nintendo is not known for being real concerned about making services that aren't games available for their hardware. There's only one reason to buy a Wii and that's gaming. Netflix is available for Wii (and Nintendo 3DS), but it's an afterthought and was Netflix's doing, not Nintendo's.
Also, Wii does not play DVDs or BluRay discs.
Verdict:
Wii is NOT recommended.
Apple TV: iTunes
Apple TV is a standalone box that does nothing but stream media from other sources to your TV. It doesn't play games, there's no disk drive for DVD or Blu-Ray playback, and, as with all Apple products, only works with Apple services with the exception of Netflix and Hulu Plus.
Because of the lack of a disk drive, the only way to play media you own is to stream it from iTunes. This means you have to install iTunes on your PC. If you have a Macintosh, you've probably already invested heavily into a nice sized iTunes library, so this isn't really an issue, and Apple TV might actually be a nice solution for you. But, if you're like the entire rest of humanity and own a Windows powered PC, iTunes is not something you want to mess with. It's big. It's bloated. It doesn't play nice with others. It will devour your PC like AIDS devours an immune system (slowly, but surely) and it will hold you hostage, refusing to allow you to use anything other than an Apple product.
If you haven't already subjected yourself to this hostile ecosystem, don't. If you're already in it, first ask yourself what went wrong, then go ahead and consider Apple TV as a viable option. The rest of you, stay as far away from this as you can.
Verdict:
Apple TV is NOT recommended to anyone who hasn't already made the great iTunes mistake. For those who have, my approval or disapproval is irrelevant as it's your only option.
Google TV: Android
Google TV hasn't fared very well in the wild, but the concept is one of a kind and genius. With a Google TV powered device (only the Sony Internet TV with Google and the discontinued Logitech Revue set top box exist as of of this writing) hooked up to the internet and your TV service provider, you simply search for what you want to watch and Google TV shows you where to find it and will even take you right to it.
For example, if I want to watch Breaking Bad, I type that into the Google TV search bar, and Google TV will show me that Breaking Bad is on AMC at X time and is available to stream from Netflix (if I subscribe to Netflix, of course). I then select which method I want to use, and Google TV takes me straight to it. If I choose the AMC option but the show is not currently on the air, Google TV will allow me to set the device to go to it at the appropriate time or record it to an available DVR.
Unfortunately, Google TV has not gained the popularity it deserves and many services block their content from it.
Verdict:
Google TV is NOT recommended at this time. Hopefully Google can convince service providers of it's worth and the platform can reach it's true potential.
Tablet/Smartphone with Video Output
This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Why would you even consider this? This is right up there with buying a whole new TV just because it has the internet on it. Get away from me and take your dumbass idea with you.
Verdict:
Whoever told you this was a good idea is not your friend and you should seriously reconsider how you choose who to surround yourself with. Have some self respect.
Web Enabled TV
See above.
Web Enabled BluRay Player
Various hardware manufacturers offer web enabled stand alone Blu-Ray disk players. This was originally used for web based bonus features and simple firmware updates to the player, but somewhere along the lines Netflix, Hulu Plus, and other services were added to the mix. This is an excellent idea and most likely, the best option for you.
The only thing these devices lack is the ability to stream media from a PC on your network. I wouldn't let that stop you from choosing this route though. If you're not looking to become a gamer, this is, hands down, the best solution.
Verdict:
Now that you have all of the useless knowledge in your head, forget all of it and go buy yourself a web enabled Blu-Ray player that includes the services you want. You can find these devices at most electronics stores such as Best Buy as well as most department stores such as Target and Wal-Mart.
6 comments:
Correction on the "Web Enabled BluRay Player" section. There ARE in fact some Network BluRay players out there that are DLNA compatible. so with a good media server on your home PC you CAN effectively stream media from your PC to your TV.
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In regards to the game consoles and their capabilities my experience starts wayyyy back when the PS3 and Xbox360 were first released and my brother and I each got one of the systems as a Christmas gift. He got the Xbox360 and I got the PS3. Both systems sat side-by-side connected to our Panasonic 42" Plasma TV and were used regularly but even within a the first few months the PS3 seemed show the most promise in becoming the family media hub. 5 years (and 2 RRoD my brother experienced) later as i prepared to move out of my parents house, i realized that my family had become more attached to my old 1st Gen 60GB PS3 than I was. My dad was constantly downloading game and movie trailers from the PS Store, Netflix was on the TV more than our DirecTV, and any/every DVD or BD we watched was played on the PS3 as well. At the time i was running EyeTV on my MacBook Pro which allowed me to stream my entire iTunes library (short of the DRM protected files from iTunes Store) to the PS3 which was a big hit at social gatherings when we wanted background music through the home theater system with a pleasing but not distracting visualizer on screen. When i moved out my father immediately purchased another PS3 system to replace the one i took with me and my old 2006 PS3 "Fat" is still running like a champ to this day. Some of my recent media-related discoveries include the ability to use Pandora Radio via the PS3's built in web browser, HD streaming from YouTube via a 3rd party site called "ps3youtube.com", and an amazing PS3 centered DLNA Server for Mac, Windows, and Linux simply called "PS3 Media Server" which, again, allows me to access my Macbook Pro's iTunes library and lets me seek out any other media simply by navigating the file system of the host. My favorite feature of PS3 Media Server so far is its ability to transcode/remux almost any file on the fly so you're not limited by the formats and file extensions the PS3 will handle.
As far as simple hardware capabilities, i love the media capabilities of my old 60 Gig Fat because it has:
1: BUILT-IN WiFi - it took Microsoft 6 years to finally include this feature BUILT IN on their consoles...
2: Bluetooth - even though the PS3 web browser is pretty limited, it's still nice to be able to use bluetooth keyboards/mice instead of having to buy special hardware or use USB-Dongle wireless peripherals. (using ANY bluetooth headset is nice for gaming as well - i can use ONE Motorola headset for my PS3, iPhone 3GS or Macbook Pro... talk about getting my money's worth out of THAT headset!)
3: Media Card Readers: I know this is a feature only on the original 1st Gen PS3 but i love having it cuz i can pop the SD card straight out of my camera and share photos on the TV - i think the Wii still has this...
4: HDMI - again Xbox was late to jump on this bandwagon as well (until they released the Elite) and HDMI is all I've EVER used when connecting my PS3 to a TV. No special AV cables, just use the same HDMI cable you would use with any other modern home media player.
5: Optical out - this was the connection of choice when connecting to my parent's surround sound receiver. Again, you dont need any special AV cables, just use your standard TOSLINK connection. (you still needed the included Xbox360 AV cable to use optical out on earlier models)
6: USB - yeah i know this is pretty standard nowadays, but not all BluRay players and Web TV's have USB ports you can access external storage with.
7: Internal Power Supply - i know this is trivial but as a professional audio/video installer, external power bricks are always an eye-sore, take up too much space, create heat in all the wrong places and add one more bullet to the list of things to go wrong... Think of it this way, if companies started making BluRay players, Home Theater receivers and TV's with external power bricks do you think people would buy them when offered models that have internal power supplies? how do you conceal your cables when there's a tiny Electrical Transmission Substation complete with lights (and possibly a fan) between both ends of the cord???
8: Low noise output - i dont know about the newer PS3's but my 60GB Fat is quieter than most other devices in my house that have forced air cooling and a disk drive... i know for a fact every XBox360 prior to the "S" is a noisy beast which ruins the mood when you're trying to watch a movie in a dark room with the family. Fortunately Wii, Web Enabled TV's, BluRay players or Apple TV all have little/no noise issues as far as i'm aware... I dont know if the XBox360S is any better or not because i dont use my roommate's on a regular basis.
Media related things I hope to see improved on the PS3 in the future are:
Youtube compatibility/app/integration
Web Browser Flash Compatibility (including flash-based live streaming playback)
Pandora Radio app/integration
Verdict: I watched my PS3 MAKE itself the media hub of my household when my family originally bought it solely as a gaming console. As Kelly said, online game play can be a give and take situation at times but considering PSN is a free service i have no complaints. The PS3 is hands-down the best media playing piece of hardware I've ever connected to a TV. I wont say it's better than EVERYTHING out there, but in MY life and by MY experience it suits me the best and leaves me with very few complaints.
....I think Aaron should be writing our articles for us.
I don't use my PS3 as a media hub, so I'm actually not that familiar with what it is capable of. I'd rather hook my laptop up to the TV for most things, and eventually plan on building a PC that will act as a dedciated media center.
So I learned a lot from your comment. I'll make sure to plug it in the main article.
And I envy your 60 gig. Mine didn't fare very well, but I like the portability of my 250 gig Slim. It fits in my laptop bag very snuggly so I can easily and safely take it wherever.
i enjoy connecting my laptop to the TV too, especially to watch youtube videos and TV shows i've downloaded, but now that i've installed PS3 Media Server i can skip the whole "pull out the cable from behind the tv and awkwardly balance my laptop on the entertainment center" step and just access the media through the PS3 which already has a dedicated spot in the entertainment center and is already connected to the TV.
As far as the longevity of my 60Gb Fat i must've gotten the one with golden circuitry or something cuz this thing is unstoppable, not ONCE has it ever failed to do what it was designed to do, and then some. and even when i DO make a demanding request (like trying to stream something on livestream.com) and i DO manage to freeze it up, a simple reset always has it back to normal. This thing has lasted me longer than most of my computers.
the one thing i AM jealous of is the portability aspect of the Slim. Mine is definitely a beast to carry around, but still more convenient than the XBox360 cuz there's no external power brick you have to lug around with it. but i guess when i consider i'm essentially carrying around a PS2 and a PS3 Slim at the same time all in one case i can still justify it.
in response to me writing articles... i have a fairly limited span of knowledge, but what i DO know, i try to know well. i dont know a whole lot about the Wii, the detailed capabilities of the Xbox360 or even much about Web Enabled HDTVs. but i know the PS3, i know AV equipment, i do have a good sense of practicality so that did set me up to spew some info about my personal experiences in regard to this post. i try to remain objective though, i usually will not claim that any one way of doing things is absolutely better than another because there are advantages and disadvantages to every option out there. the key is finding the option that ends up giving you the most Pros for your situation and Cons that wont leave you missing something important.
We've been considering doing some guest articles since we clearly don't keep the site updated enough by ourselves. If you are ever interested, let me know.
Another spiffy feature of the PS3 is it's universal power cord. I have a travel bag with a spare power cord and HDMI/component/AV cables ready to go. All I have to do is unplug the PS3 and pack it in the bag and I'm good to go.
Since the PS3 uses the SAME cables as my PS2 Slim (newer model), it isn't much trouble to also pack my PS2 with it if I need to (and together they are probably still smaller than the classic PS3)
And my laptop has a place on a table where it is easily accessible to the TV and the couch. The VGA and audio cable run right to it, so if I want to hook it up to the TV, I just gotta plug it in. No digging out of cables is necessary.
It''s quite impressive.
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