It's hard to imagine, but there are a few home theaters out there not yet capable of pulling in internet video. Though quality, selection and pricing are going to remain issues for the foreseeable future, that doesn't mean our friend Keith wants to wait any longer to get on the train:

"Currently I have my home theater with a projection TV, Samsung Blu-ray player and Dish Network DVR, but I've been watching a lot of streaming video on my desktop PC and want to get it on my television. Netflix, YouTube when it goes 1080p, Hulu, as much as possible. What's the cheapest way for me to get streaming internet video sources hooked up to my existing equipment?"

If price is a consideration that may knock out most Media PC builds, but while plenty of newer Blu-ray players have streaming built in he could also opt for a game console, new DVR, dedicated hardware from Roku or VUDU or wait to see what kind of Boxee will deliver. Any tips on how you got the most internet sources hooked up to your television with the least up front cost?

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Ready for yet another way to watch TV? Sezmi has just gone on the air in Los Angeles, offering its unique blend of premium OTA and internet delivered video to a few limited trial users. $5 a month brings whatever local networks you can pull in, basic IPTV (YouTube, OnNetworks, podcasts) and internet VOD (CinemaNow) access, while throwing an Andrew Jackson on top of that adds "more than 100 cable TV networks," delivered via antenna. According to the L.A. Times that doesn't include any channels from the Disney or Fox family like ESPN, regional sports networks or premium movie channels, but if those are already stations you're avoiding, it's a cheaper option than most cable TV plans. Other than the allure of sticking it to the current distribution model, the 1TB DVR package includes a rather unique UI to aggregate and even seek out new shows for you from those varied sources, while maintaining individual profiles for different users. The three month trial has just the right price -- free -- so even with little info on how much high definition Sezmi's network can handle or what areas or channels will be added next, it's at least worth a look.

[Via Zatz Not Funny]

A year removed from adding 720p streams to its repertoire, YouTube Director of Product Management Hunter Walk hit the stage at NewTeeVee Live and mentioned, among other things, that over the next few days it will be rolling out 1080p video, including going back and re-encoding all previous videos uploaded at that resolution. While other streaming services have offered 1080p for some time now we weren't exactly expecting YouTube to flip the switch just yet. With an eye towards improving quality for its 10-foot experience and moving beyond just the computer screen, clearly an upgrade was necessary, though Blu-ray or even VUDU quality is probably out of the question (though if the company jumps in the online rental biz all bets are off) the commitment is for your uploaded content to "look as good or better than the source quality." Check the video after the break for more tidbits about what's next for the site, including YouTube XL.

Comcast's Amy Banse just hit the stage at NewTeeVee Live and announced key details about the company's new On Demand Online launch. If you can't check out the video (embedded after the break) here's the important stuff: It will be available at no additional cost to existing subscribers and allow the authorization of up to 3 devices per household. Log in once from home to Comcast.net or Fancast.com, download the Move Networks powered player to authorize your PC and proceed to stream from the very healthy library of VOD, whether at home or anywhere else, despite previous rumors to the contrary. The bad news? Yes, this does still count against the 250GB monthly cap if used at home and still no word on HD streaming, but within the concept of making content available to subscribers wherever they want to view it, this seems like a good first step.

[Via Media Experiences 2 Go]

Downloads and streaming may not be ready to overtake discs yet, but it's become standard practice for anyone in the business of delivering round platters to peek into online options and Redbox is the latest one. Word from VideoBusiness is the company has a trial program going with everyone's favorite partner CinemaNow where customers prepay for rental packages and get a gift card that can be redeemed for the online movies. At a $1 a day, we don't think Redbox is close to being overtaken by the online space, but obviously it is trying to figure out where to go next with its business, and a hybrid deal for movies we don't have to get off the couch -- or put pants on -- to watch is as good of a plan as any.

Color us shocked and elated. Boxee, the white-hot startup that has risen from nothing to everywhere thanks to its internet TV software portal, has just announced that a deal has been inked between it and an undisclosed "hardware partner." If you'll recall, we actually heard that the outfit was mulling the production of its own set-top-box back in January, and now it looks like Roku, Apple TV and a host of other mini PCs will have yet another formidable rival vying for space underneath the tele. The firm isn't spilling any details whatsoever on the so-called "Boxee Box," but we are told that mockups and the like will be presented at the Boxee Beta Unveiling on December 7th. Oh, and as if you aren't excited enough already, chew on this -- the company has informed us that they believe "this will be the first of several living room devices you'll see running Boxee in 2010," so don't be shocked if your favorite game console or Blu-ray player gains an embedded Boxee app in the near future.

A good idea is worthless without adoption and we're glad to hear that ZillionTV has signed Paramount, which means that all six major studios are on board. Of course we still don't know how much we're actually going to like ZillionTV because although streaming content for free or ad-supported sounds like a new approach, who knows how it'll work. We do think we'd love the choice of either watching ads or paying if that is what's actually going to happen. According to HMM, at least in regards to Paramount, some content will be available for rent or purchase while other content will be ad-supported. If this is going to be the case for all the content, then we're sure the ZillionTV will look great in our attic sitting next to our Moviebeam.

We won't cancel our trips to Vegas just yet, but Boxee is planning on giving users an early peek at its new beta release -- with all new UI, queue, navigation and search features -- December 7 at the Music hall of Williamsburg. Beta Unveiling visitors will be the first to get their hands on the new version and see new applications being launched by partners, leading to early access beta testers giving it a four week shakedown run before the planned wide release January 7 at CES. Any ideas what form Boxee might take in this next step on its road to commercial viability?

Aw, suki suki now! Those Netflix instant streaming discs that started floating out to anxious PS3 owners yesterday are obviously splashing down, with YouTube user (and avid Engadget reader) otimus posting up a stellar walkthrough showing everything in action. We've got to admit -- the whole thing looks exceptionally sleek, but given the PS3's multimedia prowess, we didn't really expect anything less. He stated that he didn't notice any stuttering as he sifted through films and mashed play, and that any jitters you see in the video (after the break) can be blamed on the janky TV capture device. So, any others receive their disc today? How's the experience?

[Thanks, Otis]

Update: Our best buds over at Joystiq got some quality hands-on time with this (video is now after the break), so be sure and check it out!

Forget Torino and its quality issues, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver promises to be a different event, and this time it is coming home shot 100% natively in HD. Watching on TV, viewers can expect a slew of coverage across NBC's networks, plus a continuously updated HD VOD package of the day's highlights, and interactive TV features to pull up medal counts, athlete bios and Team USA reports. Checking in online? NBC is back with a new iteration of Microsoft's Silverlight streaming, promising even more HD footage, with the ability to fast forward and rewind streams, plus save clips to your computer. Behind the online efforts are the encoding skills of iStreamPlanet providing 23 different video feeds, with Akamai's new HD distribution network distributing the adaptive bitrate streams directly to your PC. Remember when we were just happy to get 5.1 surround?

Read - Akamai and iStreamPlanet to Power Live and on-Demand Video for NBC's Coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games

Right on schedule, the linear version of the three-screen focused EpixHD service will go live for FiOS TV subscribers starting at 8 p.m. Already VOD and internet accessible, launch weekend (and subsequent weekends) will spread high definition streaming cheer beyond just the fiber-connected as anyone can grab a 72 hour access pass to stream some movies (we don't recommend Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but pretty much everything else mentioned in the launch lineup or the official PR after the break seems good.) Chief Digital Officer Emil Rensing let us know what the trip from beta to reality has been like, and while there won't be many tweaks in the experience from our largely positive preview experience, expect additional features like movie extras, behind the scenes peeks and more to roll out across the site over time. EpixHD.com/invite has the 72 hour passes, while we hear the company Twitter isn't a bad spot to check for extended access while waiting for its "movies anywhere" strategy to become officially available in your neck of the woods.

Mmhmm. We see precisely where this is going. First came Microsoft's Xbox 360, then came the PlayStation 3. Now, the beast that is Netflix's "Watch Instantly" is coming to Nintendo's Wii... or that's the scuttlebutt, anyway. According to StreamingMedia, an undisclosed source close to the project has confirmed that the Big N is currently testing Netflix streaming on the Wii, and that it'll be rolled out to the public "very soon." Our initial reaction is to think that "very soon" will translate into "before the holidays," though we all know that only time will tell. But hey, when you've been waiting for this to happen since March, patience comes naturally.

We'll come right out and say it, we like Julius Genachowski. Whether you agree with the dude's policies or not, you can't deny he's pursuing them with gusto. Having already noted the insufficient carrying capacity of current mobile broadband airways to deal with incoming 4G connections, the FCC chairman is now reported to be moving ahead with plans to provide greater spectrum allocation for those purposes. Currently in the draft stage, the latest Commission proposals include a plan to reclaim airwaves from digital broadcasters (and pay them appropriately for it), which are to then be sold off to the highest bidder from among the wireless service providers. Executing the most extreme version of this plan could generate around $62 billion in auction revenues, though it would require transitioning digital TV viewers over to cable or subscription services and is therefore unlikely. Jules and his crew are still "looking at everything" and ruling out nothing, but we can probably expect to see a moderate shift of TV spectrum rights over to wireless carriers in the final plans when they're revealed in February.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Sky TV has made its arrival on the Xbox 360 today in prompt fashion, with live streaming and on-demand video available, and the keen lads over at Electric Pig already have a preview of the service in action. Their immediate reaction was that the Sky Player interface was "ultra-speedy" and easily navigable using the 360 controller. Streaming at the high-quality setting (alas, there's no HD on offer yet) was also no problem on a 4Mb broadband connection, though they reserve their highest praise for the on-demand content which was pumped through within a couple of seconds of selection and benefits from an "astonishingly well-designed interface." For the full impressions of the subscription-based service, which starts out at £15 per month, hit up the read link below.