When XStreamHD was initially announced more than two years ago, it appeared that it might find a niche among quality-conscious satellite or cable subscribers who didn't want to pay a high monthly subscription fee primarily to receive premium movie services. But there are now more alternatives, including a growing number of mid-priced
TVs and
Blu-ray players that can stream movies on demand without much additional cost.
To me, in 2010, that makes XStreamHD, with its relatively high hardware cost, a monthly subscription fee and per-title charges, a much harder sell, even if it delivers on its promise of superior video and audio quality.