On Tuesday, Netflix announced a $99 box that connects to the Internet and a TV and allows some Netflix subscribers to watch unlimited movies. Currently, Netflix is only offering Standard Definition content, but the chief executive of Roku has said that if Netflix offered it, the box can output High Definition video.

Anthony Wood told the AP that if Neflix elected to offer it, the box would output HD. The problem is that, like the Apple TV, a recommended speed for that service is 6 Mbps or more, and most U.S. households don’t have that capability.

Another factor is that the Apple TV has a hard disk, which makes it less susceptible to the speed of the Internet connection. That hard disk also makes it possible to stop and back up during the stream. Without a hard disk, which allows it to be less expensive, that’s a lot harder on the Roku box. It can take the Roku box up to a minute to "find its place" in those operations.

Mr. Wood added that the unit can also play Dolby 5.1 Surround sound if Netflix provided it, but that is also not currently broadcast.

Netflix subscribers who are currently paying at least US$8.99/month have unlimited access to a subset of the 80,000 title Netflix library, about 10,000 movies.

While Netflix can always choose to add HD and Dolby 5.1 in the future, customers who have a fast Internet connection, 6+ Mbps, could find the Roku box, with no hard disk for buffering, a bit inconvenient compared to the Apple TV -- which does offer some HD movies already. However, the Netflix library of available SD movies is much larger, and there’s that magical price: US$99.00.