Looking to buy a 1080p Streaming Device

Where did you read that?.....is it more so compressed than VUDU or just a comparison to actual BD discs?

Sorry Temple, .....don't mean to come off like a jerk but the point I was getting at is VUDU higher quality than iTunes 1080p? The reason I bring it up is I agree it's Apples approach of compression. I believe they found an acceptable compromise between quality and the reliability of the stream.

I Agree with mayhem... if your main use for the media player is for streaming from Vudu - online streaming of Quality HD 1080p is not going to be better than if you have a hard copy or "back up copy" playing from a usb HDD or on your home local network... Online streaming of all 1080p is mostly compressed to optimize streaming to lessen the loads on CDNs and their network... An Apple TV would do just fine, along with a Roku and the new NETGEAR... if you don't mind spend a few more bucks go with the newest WDTV Live streaming so you can playback local content too..

If you don't plan to stream local content then the Boxee Box is way overkill at its price point. If all you want to do stream online content and VUDU being primary try the Netgear NeoTV 200, hard to beat as VUDU streamer for $49.

Vudu is currently the best streaming service that is out there... however, the AppleTV doing 1080P has not really been put head to head against it, which should be understandable seeing as the AppleTV 3 has only been released now for less than 24 hours.

However, as a self-appointed blu-ray snob, streaming services still fail to live up to blu-ray disc quality on my 65" plasma.

Then there's the issue of audio. The crappy highly compressed DD 5.1 tracks available with streamed movies are a pale pale comparison to the Dolby True-HD and DTS-MA available with blu-ray discs.

Even the 'core' DTS track from DTS-MA blows the doors off of any audio available from any current streamed format.

I am a long time VUDU advocate well before Walmart purchased. I have viewed VUDU HDX on the original VUDU box which I still own, the Boxee Box and the Netgear NTV200. I could not tell any difference in quality on my 73" Mitsu DLP.

Costco has a blu-ray player that plays: Netflix, Vudu, Hulu, Cinemanow, among others for less than $100 bucks. I was thinking about buying one since they had them on sale for $70 dollars a couple of months ago.

So, if you only want streaming and do not want to spend that much I would go that route. Or buy the WDTV2. I bought on for my parents and it streams Netflix, Hulu and Vudu and other stuff as well just pefectly with wifi connection.

for me (emphasis on ME) in terms of quality...

BD via PS3 > Vudu HDX via PS3 > Apple TV @ 720p > any standard DVD via PS3.

Im getting a ATV3 tomorrow, so I wont know till then about the 1080p on it.

I've got a PS3 and Xbox360 and Slim. I've tried Vudu on all three of them, and the quality and sound are equal. However, my kids use the PS3 more since they are use to it. Netflix looks better on xbox though.

I agree with you though PS3 is a well rounded streaming machine.

I am also sort of interested in the ATV3 since it's supposed to do 1080p. I want to hack it and try XBMC.

Depends on what format you rent it, but it has 1080p.

I have no issues with HDX, and I can tell a difference on my 50inch plasma with a 9 foot viewing distance. Could it be your streaming speed?

Once I get the ATV3, I will post up the difference

That's the problem with all of this streaming nonsense. It's unreliable. We have a very high speed cable connection and have still had movies have a moment of dropout on occasion or had the speed downgrade during a movie.

If I watch a movie I want to be absorbed in it, having any kind of audio/video anomaly is a very jarring experience that takes me right out of the frame of mind I want to be in while watching a film.

I have no issues with my ATV2's but they're wired.....wireless just ain't ready for HD streaming with reliability. A Gigabit wired network gets the job done solidly. The only remaining variable is your provider.

I am comparing Vudu streaming from a boxee box to Blu-ray sourced MKV content at a distance of about 9-11' on a 65" display.

I agree.....net streaming isn't for everyone....at least not those looking for the highest quality possible. On my 50" plasma's and casual viewing, I'm happy. On my 106" PJ in the HT....not a chance. I stick to showcase hard media and stored content from my PC....Sports in HD is OK too.

I've stream VUDU movies HDX via wired and wireless and both look awesome on my 50" Plasmas.

I've also stream wireless at my parent's house with the WDTV2, and they internet is U-Verse DSL fiberoptics with a speed of 6 mbps, and it streams perfectly.

I guess it depends on your set up and area.

I want to find out when the ATV3 will be hackable to use XBMC. Only then I will be interested in buying one.