Internet TV portals are a dime a dozen, and most of them can't hold a candle to the current king of the hill: Hulu. Thankfully, some real competition has just waltzed in, as the Sling.com online viewing network is now open and available to the general populace. The service will deliver content from over 90 providers (including a bunch you've actually heard of), original editorial content and social networking features to keep you coming back. Now that it's open, why not hop over and give it a spin -- let us know how you like / dislike things in comments below.

We had a hunch that VUDU was readying Blu-ray quality rentals, and sure enough, the company has just got official with its HDX format. Essentially, HDX is a new tier of video quality for the on-demand rental service. VUDU will be delivering the content in 1080p24 via its patent pending TruFilm compression technology, which is reportedly "unrivaled" in the home content delivery biz. In our talks with the outfit, it clearly spent some serious time mastering the delivery process here, but all this quality comes at a cost. Not monetary, mind you -- the actual HDX rental fees will be the same as current HD rentals -- but we're talking time. On most broadband connections, you'll be waiting three to four hours before the experience begins, though the ability to order an HDX film online (while you're at work, for instance) helps alleviate that pain somewhat. Also of note, HDX flicks will only be available for rental initially, though hopes are that a purchase option will show up in due time. 50 HDX films are on tap today -- dig in and see what you think. Full release is after the break.

No sooner than Comcast announced that it would soon be offering up select films via HD VOD the same day they landed on DVD, Cablevision has come along and attempted to stay level. Unfortunately for it, the firm's Popcorn DVDs On Demand service, which is available to iO TV customers, looks to be SD only for now. Of course, it still enables subscribers to watch new releases on launch day from the comfort of their couch, but a twist is thrown in by forcing renters to have the film shipped to their door (on DVD) as well. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an option for only renting right now, so you'll be coughing up $19.95 (plus shipping) for any DVD / VOD purchase you choose to make. As it stands, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Kingdom, Eastern Promises and Sydney White are slated to kick things off, with American Gangster becoming available on February 19th.

Don't look now, but it seems that three rivals in the UK have found enough love in their hearts (or promise for profitability) to team up for the good of the consumer. Reportedly, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 will be joining hands in order to deliver an on-demand service that hopes to "bring together hundreds of hours of television programs in one place" -- a collaborative effort once known as Project Kangaroo. Of course, the grand idea still has to be approved by the BBC Trust and other broadcasters' boards, and an official name for the service still has to be thought up, but at least the wheels are apparently turning, right? We're hearing that content from the trio will be available for "free download, streaming, rental and purchase via the internet, with expansion onto other platforms planned," and just in case you were curious, the iPlayer, ITV's catch-up service and Channel 4oD will indeed coexist with the new aggregator. Hang tight UK, the to-be-named service is set to go live sometime next year should things pan out nicely.

[Via Yahoo / Reuters]

Everything's not exactly peachy in the world of DirecTV, but for those looking for even a hint of hope in regard to seeing HD video-on-demand via satellite, that time has (finally) arrived. Apparently, DirecTV is readying an HD VOD service that will initially include "more than a dozen programming services" such as Food Network and Discovery Channel. Interestingly, it looks like the satellite provider will utilize "a broadband connection to allow consumers to watch on-demand content in real time," and hinted at partnerships with a number of carriers that would be given "complete control over their own channel, including content and marketing messages." It was also stated that eventually, customers with an HD DVR and broadband internet "would have access to more than 2,000 on-demand movies," many of which in would be of the HD variety. Reportedly, the service will hit the beta stages sometime this month, and if no major hiccups are incurred, it could be rolled out to subscribers as early as July.

[Via DBSTalk]