A fifth option, which may be practical if you already have a Blu-ray disc player that doesn't include internet access and aren't interested in connecting another box to your system, is to look for a home theater receiver that has internet access built-in. The advantage here is that your home theater receiver is already the central connection center for your home theater and has all of the connectivity and features you need, which may already include satellite radio, video upscaling, and iPod connectivity and control, so why not add internet radio and other audio/video streaming functions to the equation?
On the other hand, the disadvantage to this approach, so far, is that such receivers are on the expensive side and although offering a good selection of internet audio access, haven't matured yet in the video streaming department. However, this is definitely an approach that will continue to gain momentum in the future.
6. Use an Internet-Enabled Television
The final option to combine the internet with your home theater is to go directly to the device that is already the most used and easiest to use - the television. All of the major TV manufacturers are on board, such as: LG (Netcast), Mitsubishi (Vudu Apps), Panasonic (VieraCast) Samsung (TV Widgets), Sony Bravia Internet Widgets, and Vizio (Internet Apps) have televisions in their line-up that enable direct connection to a home network for accessing content from the internet.
The big advantage in using an internet-enabled television is that you don't have to turn on anything else except the TV to enjoy internet content, instead of having to also turn on a home theater receiver, Blu-ray disc player, and/or extra network media player/extender.
On the other hand, just as with most of the other options discussed, you are tied into the content providers your brand/model TV is associated with. If you switch out your TV for another brand later on, you may lose access to some of your favorite content sites. However, if current trends continue, most content providers will become available on most brands and models of internet-capable televisions.
For more on using a television to access the internet, check out the following articles from About.com's TV/Video Site:
What is an Internet-Enabled TV?
Is Internet-Enabled TV Right For You?
Before You Buy an Internet-Enabled TV
Here is a partial list of Internet content providers (availability depends on device):
Also, sure to check out my my current list of Best Network Media Players and Extenders
Proceed to my follow-up article: The Pros and Cons of Accessing the Internet on a Home Theater
