The MediaPoint box costs $99, but it includes 25 Blockbuster OnDemand Rentals.  After you use the included rentals, additional rentals will start at $1.99 each.

I fail to see how this is viable competition for Netflix, which offers free streaming for a number of their titles.  I suppose, however, that the availability of all titles would add some attraction, but you can always wait for the DVDs to come in the mail.  Additionally, Blockbuster says that most titles are available within 30 days of the release, so you may get access to more movies faster – but you’ll pay for it.

The MediaPoint device accepts standard and HD connections, including HDMI, and requires broadband Internet access to operate.  Sign up info here.  Additional details can be found in the press release below.

PRESS RELEASE

Blockbuster and 2Wire Introduce New Digital Media Player

MediaPoint™ digital media player provides instant entertainment from BLOCKBUSTER ® ONDEMAND straight to television

DALLAS and SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI)(NYSE: BBI.B), a leading global provider of media entertainment, and 2Wire, a provider of integrated broadband solutions, today introduced the 2Wire MediaPoint™ digital media player, an easy-to-use, on-demand video solution that offers movie fans instant access through their television sets to BLOCKBUSTER® ONDEMAND content, including thousands of titles from the latest movie releases to classic favorites.

Beginning today, for a limited time, the MediaPoint digital media player is available free with the advance rental of 25 BLOCKBUSTER ONDEMAND movies for $99 at http://www.blockbuster.com/. Unlike subscription-based services, which typically offer movies years after their release, BLOCKBUSTER ONDEMAND includes hot new releases, many available within weeks of leaving theaters. After the initial 25 rentals, movies are available for as little as $1.99 each. The players will begin shipping in time for the holiday season.

“The MediaPoint digital player, featuring BLOCKBUSTER ONDEMAND, is entertainment made easy. We are bringing Blockbuster, and the thousands of movies in our digital library, straight to customers’ televisions,” said Jim Keyes, Blockbuster Chairman and CEO. “The player is simple to use, delivers DVD quality video, and there’s no monthly subscription commitment. We are delighted to team with 2Wire to give consumers this great entertainment product.”

Easy to install, the MediaPoint digital media player works seamlessly with any broadband connection, either wirelessly via built-in Wi-Fi or wired via Ethernet cable, to deliver the hottest new movies, classics, foreign films and television shows from the BLOCKBUSTER digital library. With full fast-forward, rewind, and pause capabilities, the viewing experience is DVD quality, no matter the speed of the broadband connection. Movies can be played right away or saved to watch later. Additionally, the player supports HD video content and can be connected to HDTVs.

“To be successful, a broadband video offering needs to deliver movies that people want to see, in the quality they expect, with minimal setup requirements,” said Pat Romano, chief executive officer of 2Wire. “BLOCKBUSTER ONDEMAND and the MediaPoint digital media player give movie fans what they want. We are thrilled to help bring this service to the living room, providing immediate access to high quality movies directly on the television set.”

The MediaPoint digital media player is extremely compact — about the size of two boxes of movie candy — and can be integrated seamlessly into home entertainment systems through composite cable, HDMI, component cable, or Toslink.

Technical Details

In the Box

• 2Wire MediaPoint Digital Media Player (8″ x 8″ x 1″)
• Quick Installation Guide
• Power Adapter
• Composite A/V cable (supports SD viewing)
• Remote Control
• AAA Batteries

Video and Audio Connections

• Composite
• Component *
• HDMI*
• Stereo Audio
• Toslink (digital optical audio)*

Network Connections

• Ethernet*
• Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)

*cable must be purchased separately

When I discovered Netflix, I gleefully gave Blockbuster the cold shoulder and took my 3 (at a time) movies at $16.99 per month, which translated somewhere near 6-12 movies a month for the price of 3 Blockbuster movies at the old brick and morter store that was 8-10 miles from my house.

Blockbuster, came back into the game and entered the online movie rental business – quite a ways behind Netflix’s market share.  Based on some of their prices and perks though, Blockbuster may be a better choice over Netflix for some people. Let’s take a closer look at what these two online DVD rental services offer.

Netflix Subscription Plans

Sign up for Netflix 2-Week Free Trial.  Click here.

*Plus any applicable taxes. The same applies for Blockbuster.

Blockbuster Subscription Plans

Sign up for Blockbuster 2-Week Free Trial.  Click here.

*In-store exchange of online DVD rentals is good for free movie rentals and discounted game rentals only.

Comparison Considerations

As you can see, Blockbuster technically beats Netflix in price when considering DVDs coming to your house through the mail. 3 DVDs at-a-time is $16.99 at Netflix and is priced at $15.99 at Blockbuster.  Both companies, however, offer some sort of additional perks, which are unique to their subscription plans.

Netflix offers online streaming of movies on your PC (now they also offer Mac).  This can be a real benefit if you are comfortable watch video on your computer and have the bandwidth speed to make the feature worthwhile.

If you aren’t so inclined to watch your movies on your computer, you may like what Blockbuster offers with their in-store exchanges.  By dropping off your movie at your local Blockbuster store, it allows them to check it in that much faster and ship you another movie from your Queue as soon as the next postal business day.  Basically, you get access to extra rentals or “quicker” rentals by taking your DVD that you received through the mail back to a Blockbuster store.  Be mindful of the fact that in-store rentals must be returned to the store where they were originally rented.

Conclusion

Blockbuster thinks it’s a better option over Netflix, while Netflix says it’s the best.  I say choose what works best for you.  The “perks” should make the decision easier for you depending on what you and/or your family will get the most use out of.

Pick the best bang for your own buck.  If you’re not sure, sign up for both for two weeks for free and test each service to your liking and cancel the one that’s the “loser” in your opinion. Check out the free trial offers for each of the services below.