Top ways to stream/download tv and movies?

[markbot]

I'm doing research on ways in which people can stream or download high quality entertainment content (like tv shows and movies)...authorized and "unauthorized". The idea is that most households could one day stop watching tv and movies through their cable tv or satellite dish....instead just watching content through their broadband connection. To look at this trend, I want to know what people can do currently and how much they have to pay to get it.

Here is my list so far.

Bit Torrent
Netflix & Blockbuster
Hulu
iTunes
Amazon
content provider websites
Youtube
Vudu
CinemaNow
SlashControl
Stagevu
Roku
Internet@TV by Samsung

[ardeegee]

Authorized AND unauthorized?

Usenet.
IRC.
Emule.

Then there are various sites that act as "bulletin boards" linking to files on direct download services such as (going by the search list at filestube) Rapidshare, Megaupload, Hotfile, Megashares, Extabit, FileServe, Mediafire, Depositfiles, Netload, Easy-share, Filefactory, Badongo, 4shared, Uploaded, Przeklej, Dump, Uploading, Storage, FileSonic, Furk, Letitbit, 4FastFile, UploadBox, GoldFile, and GigaSize.

[Adjust]

Usenet and Bittorrent.
Hulu is region locked as with most legal methods, to people out of the US.

IPTv, requires high speed broadband and an unlimited download limit, again, out side the US is a problem

[HarryT]

As far as the actual process of streaming it goes, I have all my media stored on a Buffalo NAS server, and I stream it to my TV using a Netgear set-top box, over my gigabit wired network (I tried wireless streaming, but it can't cope with hi-def video).

[Adjust]

Originally Posted by HarryT

As far as the actual process of streaming it goes, I have all my media stored on a Buffalo NAS server, and I stream it to my TV using a Netgear set-top box, over my gigabit wired network (I tried wireless streaming, but it can't cope with hi-def video).

I'm using Windows Media Center and store everything on a 2TB portable drive