SAN JOSE, CALIF: Netgear, a Silicon Valley tech firm, rolled out a new set-top box that streams online content to televisions. The new EVA2000 picks up movies, YouTube, Hulu, NetFlix, CBS and other select Internet fare and delivers it to the TV via HDMI. It also sports RCA jacks for connecting to older analog sets.
The EVA2000 is available now for around $150, HDMI cable not included. An optional wireless USB adapter is another $40. Netgear is merely one more device capable of streaming online content to TVs. Roku makes a $100 standalone set-top for the job, and recently inked a deal to carry certain Major League Baseball fare, (though like NetFlix, it’s subscription based). Vudu makes a box similar to the Roku. Samsung makes ’Net-enabled Blu-ray players.
TV set manufacturers are also starting to integrate Web-streaming capability into sets. LG rolled out streaming TVs this year. Vizio is said to be readying a streaming HDTV set. The sets are likely to be popular, as people watch more TV content via the Internet because of the convenience. One firm found Web viewing has increased about 20 percent compared to last year. (See “TV Viewing Migrates to the Web.”)
For more from TVB on similar devices:
August 11, 2009: “MLB.TV Gets Into Roku”
Major League Baseball content will be featured in Roku set-top boxes, which stream Web content to TVs.
June 17, 2009: “LG Launches Netflix-enabled HDTV”
LG Electronics is rolling out a new HDTV sets equipped with Ethernet connections. The 47-inc LCD 47LH50 and the 50-inch plasma 50PS80 are the first HDTV sets to ship with integrated Netflix support, giving users access to more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes, streamed directing from a broadband connection.
