Amazon.com's new video plan launched yesterday, enabling Prime customers to stream content to a Mac, PC, and a number of set-top boxes, HDTVs, and other devices that consumers may have in their living rooms.
The question is, which products are supported and which are not?
The official Amazon word on Prime streaming is that it works with "more than 200 devices." The company also has a page on its site where people can see which products are supported.
However, that list isn't entirely correct.
According to Amazon's list of "compatible set-top boxes and DVRs," TiVo owners will be able to access the company's streaming service. TiVo support is not, in fact, offered with Amazon's Instant Video service. And when pressed for when streaming will be coming to TiVo, Amazon wouldn't comment.
But even if TiVo owners can't stream Amazon's selection of 5,000 films and TV shows, owners of several brands of HDTVs, including Samsung, Panasonic, and Vizio, as well as Roku set-top box owners, can access the service.
But based on the fact that Amazon's listing of supported devices included the TiVo, we decided to check that list against the products in-house at the CNET Reviews office and in my own home where I have a few compatible products. Along the way, we found several devices that streamed Amazon content. We also tested picture quality. We even examined the two main ways that people can access the content from their respective set-top boxes.
Hands-on with Amazon streaming
CNET's David Katzmaier was able to get Amazon's streaming service up and running on several HDTVs, including the Panasonic TC-65VT25, Vizio's XVT553SV, the Samsung UNC46C6500, and the Sony KDL-52NX800.
CNET's David Katzmaier was able to get Amazon's streaming service up and running on several HDTVs, including the Panasonic TC-65VT25, Vizio's XVT553SV, the Samsung UNC46C6500, and the Sony KDL-52NX800.
I was able to stream content with the Samsung UN55C8000, as well as through the Roku HD XR.
Amazon streaming works on the Samsung UN55C8000.
(Credit: Don Reisinger/CNET)In all of our cases, we used the free "Walking Dead" HD preview to see how picture quality fared across the many devices. Katzmaier's devices connected to the Internet via Ethernet, while my Samsung set and the Roku were connected to my home network via Wi-Fi.
In order to get Amazon's streaming service running, the app must be linked to a person's Amazon Prime account. On the Roku, for example, customers must surf to a specific Amazon Roku page and input a code displayed in the app running on the set-top box.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20035239-17.html#ixzz1ErhbFl6l