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[Karren Bangura]

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If you have a Google Chromecast device connected to your TV or have a TV with Chromecast built in, you can cast Netflix to your TV screen from your Google Chrome browser, as long as the browser is up to date.

Once the cable is connected, you just have to tune into the correct HDMI setting on your TV. There may be a few different options (HDMI1, HDMI2, etc.) so you may have to check a few to find the correct one.

The Xbox is far from the only contender in the streaming-video space, which has several good options (Roku LT, Apple TV), but nothing that truly nails the category. Below I take an in-depth look at the Xbox in light of new video-centric features, like Kinect-enabled voice search and Bing-powered cross-platform video search, to see how it stacks up strictly as a streaming-video box.

Voice search with Kinect and Bing
The ability to search for content using Kinect's voice recognition is the most impressive aspect of the recent Xbox Dashboard update. I covered this feature in-depth in my initial hands-on, but the short version is that it works surprisingly well and is a welcome alternative to tediously typing in search results using an onscreen keyboard. I expected to feel crazy awkward talking to my TV, but the novelty of the technology makes it feel fun, rather than goofy.

The more I used it, however, the more I grew to prefer a combination of Kinect and an actual remote control. (I have my Harmony 650 programmed to control the Xbox, so I don't have to use the game controller.) Voice control is great for finding a TV show, but navigating the menu results afterward is much easier with a remote. That's not a downside as far as I'm concerned; just don't expect a totally hands-free video-searching experience.

Google TV technically offers pretty similar functionality, but the experience is much better on the Xbox. If you want to rent or purchase a movie or TV show on Google TV, you can do so via Amazon Instant, but you'll clumsily be pushed into the Chrome browser rather than an integrated app. With the Xbox, you'll go straight to the Zune video store. It feels much more polished overall.

Cross-platform search is great when you know what content you want to watch, but the Xbox isn't nearly as useful when you just want to browse. For all the flak we've given Google TV, its TV and Movies section is organized well for browsing. You browse content in a single, unified interface (regardless of where the titles are available) and then select your video service afterward. For now, browsing with the Xbox is best done via the individual apps, and it can be a pain to switch between the different services. However, no competitor has really perfected cross-platform browsing, so the lack thereof isn't a huge knock against the Xbox as a media streamer.

Netflix
The Xbox's Netflix app has been redesigned, but for me the new look is a step backward. Netflix's blog touts the claim that the new design means "up to three times more titles available onscreen to choose from at any given time," but in a practical sense you can only see about seven titles at once, with the rest far in the background. On the PlayStation 3, by comparison, you can see around 10 titles at a time. I was also disappointed to find that voice search doesn't work from inside the Netflix app.

More services to come
The Xbox has some impressive streaming capabilities now, but there's a lot of additional functionality to come. Later this month, a new round of services will be added, including Crackle, Vudu, YouTube, and UFC, along with apps allowing access to some cable TV content for subscribers to Verizion Fios. Microsoft is also promising HBO Go and MLB.TV, to launch in early 2012.

I'll be interested to see how many of these are integrated into Bing's cross-platform video search. If you can say something as simple as "Xbox Bing Seattle Mariners" and it finds on the game on MLB.TV, that will be an impressive advantage over other streaming boxes.

Still a tough sell as a streamer
From the home theater perspective, the new dashboard design and functionality are a big step in the right direction, but it's still hard to recommend the Xbox as the centerpiece of your home theater.

The biggest drawback is that you need a $60-a-year Live Gold subscription to use virtually any of the video-streaming capabilities. Even Netflix requires Live Gold, despite the fact that it's available for free on virtually every home theater device these days, including the $50 Roku LT. That's right, you can purchase a Roku LT (which is one of the best streaming boxes available) for about the same price it costs just to "unlock" your Xbox's video capabilities every year. If you're a gamer who will take advantage of Live Gold for multiplayer, the fee seems more reasonable, but it's a major hurdle for anyone who just wants access to the video-related services.

For those looking to get a game console primarily as a home theater device I'd still recommend the PS3 over the Xbox, but the 360's new additions make it a tougher choice than it was before. As cool as voice search is, it doesn't trump the PS3's other home theater advantages: no yearly fee, a better Netflix app, and built-in Blu-ray. As more services come to the Xbox the gap will close, but Microsoft needs to offer the Xbox's video-streaming capabilities without a yearly fee if it's serious about making a play for living-room supremacy.

Instead of presenting a grid of separate streaming apps the way many competing platforms do, the Google TV home page prioritizes recently watched shows and movies, as well as personalized recommendations, and it adds a live-TV interface that works across several apps. This design makes it easier and faster to find what you want to watch. Streaming content from mobile devices via Chromecast is simple, too.

The RF-based remote can work through walls and cabinets, has dedicated power and volume controls for your TV, and includes a microphone for voice search. For $30, you can upgrade to the rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro, which adds a headphone jack, a remote finder, and an optional always-on voice assistant.

While this guide focuses on standalone streaming boxes and dongles, we also see it as a guide to the software built into smart TVs. The information and critiques here concerning Google TV, Roku, and Fire TV boxes apply to their smart-TV counterparts, too.

Google TV has built-in Bluetooth audio support, so you can wirelessly transmit the audio signal to Bluetooth headphones for private listening. Our runner-up pick from Roku requires the use of a mobile app for private listening, which is less convenient.

The menu also offers personalized recommendations pulled from various services, instead of limiting recommendations to a single service. And the Google TV mobile app mimics a lot of the interface options, if you prefer to browse on your mobile device.

When you select a show or movie, Google TV also gives you a lot of information about the title, including the Rotten Tomatoes rating, cast info, the different sources you can stream it from, and related content. You can rate a show to improve your recommendations or add it to your watchlist so you can come back to it later. Since this functionality works across the different streaming services, it gives you a more consistent experience.

If you prefer a more app-centric interface, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a great alternative that presents a wide selection of streaming services in a simple, uncluttered way. This HDMI stick plugs directly into an HDMI input and can draw power from a compatible USB port, so you can easily add it to a variety of TVs and other home entertainment systems.

It plays nicely with Apple devices. The inclusion of AirPlay 2 support and the Apple TV and Apple Music apps gives the Roku Streaming Stick 4K a lot of the perks of the Apple TV 4K streamer at a much lower price.

Even the more affordable, $130 version is still significantly more expensive than our picks, and despite the slick appeal of the Apple TV interface and its interrelated services, the box is not abundantly more powerful (where streaming is concerned) than something like the Roku Ultra. Our picks will serve the average buyer better at less expense.

You will be directed to the PayPal portal to confirm the purchase then promptly returned to the Netflix website. If you choose to pay via credit card, you will be asked to enter your credit card details into the relevant fields and check the box to confirm that you are over 18 and agree to the terms of use and privacy policy.

People are often wary about credit card use online, but rest assured, the Netflix payment portal is a secure server. If you need to get a credit card or want a new one specifically for online purchases, you can find a comparison of credit cards available in Australia here. How to be rewarded with your credit card paying for Netflix.

Touch the App Store icon, just as you would download any other game or application. Touch the search tab (search glass) at the bottom of the screen and enter the term "Netflix" (it will be the first option to appear at the top of the page). Next to the App description, there will be a "Get" button. Touch that button and enter your iTunes password (or fingerprint if you have an iPhone 5s or above).

Once downloaded, the Netflix application will automatically appear in Apps. To relocate the application to the home screen simply hold your finger down on the icon and move it to a spot on the home screen.

Most Smart TVs feature an Apps section accessible from their home screen or main menu. On an Android-powered Smart TV, this will be the Google Play Store, while other TVs may simply label it as "Apps" or "All Apps". You should find the Netflix app in this section. Select it, enter your login details when prompted, and you'll be good to start streaming Netflix.

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