Free Videos and Funny Clips!

According to a recent announcement, Tivo has launched a brand new revolutionary service called TivoCast that will bring broadband video content to your TV. While revolutionary may be a bit of a stretch, the announcement does have some significance in that it does address one of the main hurdles in the distribution of internet video – the ability to watch on the television. As much as internet video has exploded in the past year, the real growth of content delivered via high-speed internet connection has always been hindered by the fact that consumption has been limited to the PC and other portable devices. While this does work for certain content, specifically short-form clips, most people still wish to consume video where they do now – on their television. While a true convergence device has been talked about since the earliest days of the internet, consumer electronics companies have struggled with the technology to deliver the content seamlessly. Even more so, they have struggled with creating a product that truly excites the consumer. Getting someone to plunk down hundreds of dollars for another box on the TV is never easy.

So is TivoCast the winning combination?  Tivo, the trailblazing, well branded, and somewhat struggling DVR pioneer is certainly in a better position than most set-top box manufacturers. The box has a loyal following and has a history of success in integrating new features and technology. According to the recent announcement the new service will work with any Tivo Series 2 DVR and will feature content from NBA highlights to news segments from the New York Times. The service is free to Tivo subscribers and Tivo will have the ability to insert advertising as well.

So, while TivCast does provide Tivo owners with a promising new way to access the growing breadth of online video content, there is still nothing that indicates this will become the convergence device the industry so desperately desires. Still, it does show that broadband video will continue to be a driving force for all future TV-based devices.

Popularity: 3%

I’ve Got Videos – Now What?
Where to post and upload your videos for the entire world to see (or make fun of)

Whether you’ve got hours of footage of your baby’s first steps, highlights of the time you scored 3 touchdowns or some video of your buddy’s failed attempt to light his fart on fire in college (or the other day), you’ve got video that is ready to be shared. Now the question is, what to do with it so that others can stream or download these mini-movies. The good news is, there are plenty of options and MovieDownloadSpot is here to help you sort through the best of the best.

YouTube.com
The number 1 video site has become a fast rising cultural phenomenon. A quirky combination of homemade videos, recorded versions of hard to find videos and just about anything else you would ever want to watch, nowhere has the transformation to digital video been more evident then with YouTube. Much of its success can also be attributed to the ease of which your uploaded videos can be implemented into your blog or MySpace page or even tag your video for easy searching.  The easy to use site makes uploading videos simple…as long as you don’t waste all your time viewing other people’s vids!

Grouper.com
One of the great things about grouper.com is that it lets you upload your videos for free and then have them viewed either publicly or privately. This means you can post videos that can only be viewed by family or friends making it great for the graduation video or the graduation “after party” video. Grouper also makes it easy to take your video and transfer them to your ipod or PSP.

PutFile.com
If you are just looking for simple storage of your videos, then you may want to check out PutFile. This site offers unlimited file uploads and up to 25MB per file. Putfile supports all kinds of video files as well as audio files and photos. They also provide you with your own personal homepage so you can manage the files. Less frills then Grouper or others, but plenty of storage which is better then leaving that video on your camera another day.

Other sites to check out:
Guba.com
DailyMotion.com
IFilm.com
StupidVideos.com

Popularity: 3%

The Download on Downloads
 
The latest news on movie and video downloading

Is there anything hotter right now then video downloading? I don’t think there is a week that goes by where another TV show doesn’t find it’s way on to the iTunes or another network doesn’t announce the availability of free (read: plenty of commercials) or for purchase video. So what does it mean? What is the future of video downloading.

With video downloads there are a few trends beginning to take hold. First, the explosion of user generated content. Sites like iFilm.com (now owned by MTV and Viacom) have been showing short films created by you, the struggling auteur have been around since the earliest days of streaming video. And now, the big boys are entering the fray such as the recent launch of Google.com/video. There is also YouTube.com and MySpace.com/video which have provided more outlets for short clips and homemade movies. These sites often offer free streaming video and more recently have added options for downloading to devices. Much like MySpace, if you’ve got some time to kill, you can get lost for hours browsing the seemingly endless amount of video content already online. But what about those looking for video content with a higher production value? Where does one go for TV and Movies that we actually know?

For TV shows, the options are really picking up. Just recently Fox announced the availability of the hit drama “24” on MySpace (MySpace now being owned by Fox’s parent company News Corp.). Those episodes will be available for ad-supported streaming and for download at $1.99 per episode. In other ad-supported news, ABC.com has really stepped up the video programming by offering such hits as “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives” for free. In addition to ABC, AOL and Warner Bros. also have launched a service for free streaming of TV shows. Called In2TV, the service offers classic TV programs like “Welcome Back, Kotter” and “Perfect Strangers”. Of course, if you are looking to take your TV shows with you you’ll probably want to purchase the latest iPod Video. That’s because when it comes to TV shows, nothing beat’s Apple’s iTunes service. With most of the major networks and cable providers already partnered up, iTunes offers a breadth of TV content that can be purchased, downloaded and played on your PC or your iPod. While many complain about the stranglehold Apple has in Music, there are plenty of options for video at this time. However, when it comes to download and watching video on the go, the iPod and iTunes make quite a pair.

As for movies, the outlook is still a little murky. Stay tuned for our latest review of Movie Download sites coming soon.

Popularity: 3%

Online DVDs – More Than NetFlix?

Okay, even grandma knows how to set up her queue so obviously we have reached the point where online DVD rentals has reached the mainstream. Clearly, renting DVDs online is one of the best options out there for the movie lover. No late fees, home delivery and numerous pricing plans around the number of movies you can keep at a time mean one of the most convenient ways for you to satisfy your movie jones. And much of this can be attributed to the granddaddy (can we call a 7 year old service the granddaddy?) of the online DVD rental game – Netflix.

Netflix started the online DVD rental craze and is still the leader in the space with more than 60,000 titles and almost 5 million subscribers since launch. They offer a choice of 9 subscription plans starting as low as $9.99 per month and the best part is you can try it now with a free trial. Netflix is also one of the top ranked services in terms of customer service thanks to 39 distribution centers around the US. Finally, NetFlix also features a superb recommendation engine that gives its members a great outlet to find new movies as well as other useful features such as a buddy list that lets you see what your friends are watching. Netflix is definitely worth trying and with a Free Trial you have nothing to lose.

Of course, the chief rival for Netflix would have to be the retail DVD chain Blockbuster. They have launched a similar service to Netflix. With Blockbuster.com you also have a quality service that features plans as low as $9.99 per month. One of the nice benefits of the Blockbuster service is that you also get up to 4 free in-store movie rentals. That’s a great deal as Blockbuster has successfully integrated the online and in-store experience giving you the best of both worlds. Plus, Blockbuster.com also offers a free trial of its service.

One service that is changing the way we look at online DVDs is PeerFlix. PeerFlix is an online DVD trading service that is easy to use. Simply sign up for the service and list the DVDs that you own. Then, list the DVDs that you want. For every DVD you send out you earn credits toward DVDs you receive. And once you receive your DVD you own it. Plus PeerFlix offers a protection plan that makes sure you can trade DVDs worry free. Signing up is free and is a great option for anyone with a DVD collection that is sitting around collecting dust.

Online DVD renting and trading isn’t your only option for online DVDs. There are also numerous club programs that allow you to get great deals on buying DVDs. DVD clubs are nothing new and ColumbiaHouse DVD Club. This great club lets you get your first 5 movies for only 49 cents and is an excellent way to help grow your DVD collection.

Looking for something specific? There are several niche oriented DVD clubs that cater to specific tastes. That mean’s you can get a great deal on your favorite Disney DVD, hard-to-find anime DVDs or even a DVD recommended by Captain Kirk himself William Shatner. With DVD clubs there really is something for everyone.

Popularity: 2%