Netflix and LG recently agreed to distribute Netflix movie rentals through a set-top box. Unless LG releases a must have device, this can only be seen as a short-term fix and not a long-term solution for Netflix.
Set-top boxes and one-room solutions are archaic and seem contrived, when technology that can provide equal service with less restriction is readily available.
Question you can ask yourself as a consumer:
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- Do you want to buy yet another set-top box?
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- How is this going to benefit you more than OnDemand movies?
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- Do you want an entertainment solution that ties you to one location?
In the age of mobility, set-top boxes are unnecessary clutter and any effort to create the need to buy more than one is an attempt to grab cash and not meet consumer needs.
For Netflix, you have to wonder if it is smart to tie their growth to one hardware manufacturer. Take Slingbox, who at first chance created mobile players to allow users to move content as they wish.
The mobile player is an enabler for Sling Media and makes the Slingbox a viable option for new media consumers. However, unlike the Netflix solution, the Slingbox is not competition for cable and satellite services.
As the desire for immediate media delivery increases, rental providers like Netflix must finds ways to both establish and differentiate against existing options. Let’s hope they find a better solution than one based on limited hardware and set-top boxes.
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