Navigating the New Television Landscape

Whatever happened to basic cable?

These days, television is so much more than finding a comfy spot on the couch and flipping a switch. There are a plethora of ways to enjoy your favorite programs that are anything but basic. If you’re wondering whether the Boxee Box trumps the Apple TV or if you don’t know a Roku from a Vulkano, check out John R. Quain’s article over at Fox News.

Quain mentions many of the most popular set-top boxes and also weighs the pros and cons of streaming. The good news is, there are plenty of attractive options for TV fanatics. The bad news, however, is that each option brings to the table its own set of challenges. The Apple TV may be the best option for streaming, but its lack of a substantial hard drive makes storing content impossible. Google TV offers Netflix and Pandora, but doesn’t offer an option for recording. Even more troubling, though, is the lack of content on some of these services. Some of the big networks have been reluctant to get on board with this revolution in television viewing as they struggle to protect (and get paid for) their most popular programs.

Throw in TiVo, traditional DVR boxes, Hulu, PS3, and cable companies that see all these new products as a threat to their subscriber base, and the television landscape is about as clear as mud. There may not be a clear winner, but as the holiday shopping season looms on the horizon, Quain’s column is a good start to make sense of it all.

Via [Fox News]