Wow, thanks for all the responses. I appreciate it a lot, you've all been incredibly helpful.
I use VLC to watch the videos, so I looked at a number of different downloads, and as far as I can tell they're all pretty similar:
Video Container: .avi files
Video Format: Xvid codec
Audio Format: mpga
Sample Audio Bitrate (kb/s): 128, 224, 112
Sample resolutions: 624x352, 608x336, 416x240
From the examples you've all posted, I am thinking that these files will probably play just fine, and I would probably be OK with something that's currently run-of-the-mill (for example, a minimum N270 processor, 1G RAM, and 950 GMA)
If I may, a few more questions:
1) If I were to be a little more forward thinking, should I consider an HD-capable netbook -- I realize HD on a 10" screen is silly, but I was thinking more along the lines of whether SD videos will even be available to download in the near future, as HD becomes more and more prominent?
2) Does the size of a file have any bearing on the netbook's ability to play it? (ie. 30 minute TV show vs. 2 hour movie)
3) ThisisNot, you piqued my curiosity: what sort of specs are required to output to an hdtv? (ie. 40" lcd)
I'm definitely not opposed to going for a full notebook if it better suits my needs, especially if i'd be paying a comparable price for a higher end netbook. I'm just trying to see what I might get away with by taking advantage of the netbook's lower cost.
Again, thanks very much!
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