"Comcast, which provides both cable TV and broadband Internet service - thanks for the recent price hike, you swine..." Ain't that the truth.

I've been using computers for many decades and still don't see the advantage of watching TV on a computer--given the choice. A 21-inch iMAC has about 187 square inches of viewing area vs. about 640 square inches of viewing area on a 32-inch TV set.

at our house we now have six internet-enabled video devices. Two smartphones, two laptops, the family viewing center which uses a twelve year old non-flat TV and a Wii, and the newest setup at the treadmill, which uses a new flat TV and a Roku (around $100). That last one took a couple of tries to set up correctly, and the Wii-based setup has recently had a glitch or two, but the other devices just worked. I completely concur on Comcast. We do not watch conventional or cable TV; who needs it when you have the entire Internet? The main problem with broadband internet providers is lack of competition; any given town has just one or two options. In the US this issue is probably more important than net neutrality. I mightily resent both Comcast and Verizon, our two local options, because both are poor quality in some ways and neither provides the packages we actually want. What I have always loved about Netflix is access to the long tail - the anything-but-Hollywood, the quirky, the indie, the foreign, the classics, the British TV sitcoms. I am not a Twin Peaks person and don't dig the Sopranos angle on Lilyhammer, but will probably view the first season of Downton Abbey when I get around to it.

If I could afford it I would get cable simply because I would like to be able to watch TCM, but I'm broke so I get my tv the old fashioned way - over the air with an indoor antenna. I'm amazed at how many people don't seem to know there is such a thing as free over the air programming or what an antenna is or how to hook it up or that over the air broadcasts provide HD and 5.1 sound that's superior to anything available through a cable..........And there is no need to restrict your Netflix viewing to your computer. Even if you don't want to splurge on a new internet ready tv there are now many low cost boxes that can provide streaming to your tv. Almost all new blu-ray players also now provide streaming.

I concur with jwin. This dork columnist must live in a cave, you can buy a box or dvd player with streaming capability for a couple hundred bucks.

Actually you can buy a box for $50 - $60.

I went hi-def last year, just to see what it was about - bought 22-inch Vizio for $200, HD cable for $10, and blu-ray player no 3D for $79. My Comcast bill for Internet and Cable (I kept basic basic for Ch2, 11, 44 and Today show) went from $123 to $73, added Netflix for $8 - don't need dvd's. Now my basic-basic (as opposed to basic-expanded -no HD) is all HD and the picture is fabulous! and of course the Netflix is HD. This setup worked so well over the last year I have repeated it in two other rooms - still think it's a bargain. I live west of Boston so not much available over the air, I'm happy with Comcast as long as they don't try to punish me for using their Internet service to get to Netflix. Doubt I could afford FIOS and Verizon will never do my town.

Don't know how I came by this username...I forget to mention how enthralled I am with Netflix - what a bargain! I was captivated by "The Tudors" and have found all kinds of history stuff, movies I missed, but mostly TV series like "Damages" OMG that was good, Discovery channel series, Animal Planet, Ch 2, British made-for-TV series, etc - AND NO COMMERCIALS!!! Do you realize 1-hour episodes of TV series are 42 mins long - the other 18 min are commercials - I almost can't watch regular TV now even though I still get a few channels.