Years ago while working with cable television folks BEFORE their video-on-demand (VOD) services became common place, I had proposed to a Comcast'er the idea that any new offering would have to beat out the number one VOD-provider (Netflix) before it could be considered a success.

Not many people consider Netflix to be VOD provider. But let's look at what I meant. I think that Netflix has set a standard of what is acceptable to us but that does not mean it is perfect or cannot be bettered. So here are criteria to evaluate.

First, VOD has a library of content that the viewer gets to choose from. Next, there is a selection menu whereby the viewer can choose a specific program or movie. Then there is latency (time lag) between the user's selection and when the video is shown. The experience must meet a certain quality of video and, finally, there is a cost to the viewer which may be direct (like pay-per-view) or obscured (like having to watch ads).

By these measures, Netflix sets certain benchmarks that have met with overall consumer satisfaction. That is, the library size is something like 65,000 titles. The selection menu is a web browser with search capability. The latency is often 1 or 2 days as the viewer waits for the mail. The quality is (obviously) DVD on a television. And the cost is around $17.99 per month for unlimited usage.

My point to the Comcast'er was this: pick one or two of those benchmarks and do better. But whatever you do, don't go backwards. That same test applies to anyone - including the Internet video businesses who want to attract mass usage.

This is how I rank Comcast VOD so far. The library is not yet extensive because much of the best stuff is being withheld by the content owners or is available only in narrow windows of time. The selection menu is atrocious. The latency is excellent, often only a few seconds. The quality is acceptable - broadcast television standards mostly unless you pick their HD video. And the cost is great - mostly free (and my hats off to Brian Roberts to backing that idea).

Sadly, nothing either provided by cable television or available over the Internet has yet made me cancel my subscription to Netflix. That is just how I feel about it. For those of you interested in trying Netflix with one month free, they gave me a link for you. >> click here.

But what about you? Do you have a service you like or someone who you think is close to matching and bettering Netflix?