High definition streaming can be confusing to some, mainly because the traditional 1080p and 720p labels don't mean as much as the bitrate at which they're encoded.  Typically, higher bitrate means higher quality.  Netflix says that they've changed things up with their own streaming service though, and are offering a new streaming quality that they say offers higher quality at a lower bitrate.

Alright, let's start with the obvious.  No, nobody watches you back through your TV, no matter what conspiracy theorists say.  Well, the CIA is planning to, but that's not the point.  The point is that Verizon has plans for a DVR that will pack both a camera and a microphone to allow for better targeted advertisements.

Two big pieces of news came in from the world of streaming video delivery, both of which weigh in the favor of Netflix.  Firstly, Redbox Instant has been delayed to the spring of 2013.  The company says that they're still doing private beta tests within the organization and will be conducting a public test of the service in January.  The second bit of news is that Disney has signed a significant deal with Netflix that includes pay-TV window streaming rights to feature films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and their most recent acquisition – Lucasfilm.

If you're picking up a UHDTV or projector, you're going to want something to watch on it.  Upscaled Blu-rays and TV shows are a start, but for native UHD content, you don't have a lot of choices.  The folks at RED, better known for their cameras, have announced the new Redray player, which is capable of playing back 4K video files, and of handling HFR 3D – the same tech being used in theaters for screenings of 'The Hobbit.'

Redbox Instant has been one of the big question marks in world of streaming video and some details have finally been revealed.  The folks at GigaOm dug around in Redbox and came upon a support page for the service that shows a $6/mo price for unlimited streaming with an option to rent four DVDs a month for $2 more.  There's no word yet on what the plan is regarding Blu-ray rentals.