Upgrading the family TV into movie streaming and gaming system

I have fond memories of childhood sleepovers, where a few of my best girl friends and I would pack ourselves into my family’s living room and spend hours giggling over crushes while munching on popcorn and ice cream. These nights were never complete without a visit to our local video store. Accompanied by a parent, we’d pace the isles and debate the merits of each possible selection – Home Alone, The Sandlot or Beauty and the Beast?!

When I learned that Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy last week, I started thinking about how much has changed since those days of weekly trips to the video store. Gone are the plastic cards, the late fees, and the requests to “be kind, please rewind.” Over the past year, I can count the times that I’ve entered a rental store. (I’ve honestly become was so out-of-touch that when I last tried to rent a movie, I didn’t remember how.)

Netflix and streaming movies online

In 2008, I signed up for Netflix, enticed by the idea of a movie queue and a standard monthly fee. Not long after, I figured out how to watch movies online, and haven’t looked back since. Now I watch everything online – from the latest episodes of Glee and 30 Rock to classics like The Way We Were and Love Story (yes, I went though a sappy romance phase this past winter) as much for the convenience as for the variety of options literally at my fingertips.

Coming from a not-so-tech-savvy home (we don’t have a Wii, Blu-ray Player, or anything else that would put the live stream on a real TV) I spend quite a bit of time staring at my 17-inch screen. Well, it’s time to upgrade so I’m reviewing my options:

Game consoles

Ex: Wii, PlayStation, Xbox
Cost: $150-$300+
Pros: Multi-featured – your family can play games when you’re not watching movies.
Cons: Price – requires “unlimited membership” for Netflix. Most systems cost more that other movie streaming options. Some systems require an “online” account to stream.

Movie streaming players

Ex: Apple TV, Roku, WD TV
Cost: $60-$150+
Pros: Simple and (often) affordable. They do what they say they’re going to do and not much more.
Cons: Limited features of some versions mean “yet another box under the TV” if you want to watch DVDs, play games, etc.

Blu-ray players

Cost: $160-$300+
Ex: Take your pick – Panasonic, LG, Philips, Insignia, etc.
Pros: Making the switch to Blu-ray, means amazing video quality – or so they say.
Cons: Price – more expensive than simpler streaming players. If you’re not ready to switch to Blu-ray, this might be more than you need.

So, how do you stream movies? Any suggestions for my next purchase?

Megan Maguire works at Mom Central.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.