Slingbox

New products from Sony, Microsoft, and Slingbox that allow consumers to stream content from their PCs - such as YouTube videos - onto their televisions were among the myriad devices shown off at CES this year. And they might yet challenge traditional media distribution channels and strategies, such as cable TV's video on demand services, writes Reuters.

However, consumers are currently unwilling to pay more for a device that lets them view PC content on TV screens, according to a poll of 5,000 U.S. homes by Forrester Research. Moreover, the bandwidth constraints of current broadband services essentially rule out downloading or streaming of high-definition programs.

And cable operators still stand to profit as a result of increased demand for bandwidth and new broadband connections. satellite operator.

Moreover, DirecTV, a rival to cable, is already in talks with YouTube and MySpace to let viewers watch content directly on TV - without needing to use the new devices.