With its on-demand Internet video player, Akimbo is testing the axiom, "If you build it, they will come." Akimbo has stepped up with a good device and service model. But for it to fly, content providers need to offer something better than classic movies, music videos, documentaries and independent films. Setting up the Akimbo Player (via Ethernet or USB-enabled 802.11b adapter) and online service is easy. Convincing someone they'll want to watch Turkish TV, less so.

Akimbo delivers digital video over the Internet and into the Akimbo Player, a set-top box that connects to a TV. Like a personal video recorder, the Akimbo Player has a hard drive that can store at least 150 hours of content. The Akimbo service lets users download content on demand over a broadband connection. This is not streaming video: The content is stored on the Player's hard drive before you can watch it.

The video content comes in about 50 categories, such as animation, foreign language channels, classic movies and how-to videos. Popular channels include Turner Classic Movies, A&E, Cartoon Network, CNN, BBC (content separate from BBC America), the History Channel, National Geographic and IFilm (short film channel). Adult content is also available, but the service includes good parental controls to prevent children from accessing or downloading it.

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We set up the Akimbo Player quickly and easily. There are three cables - power, Ethernet and composite RCA - that connect to your TV's video input source. Next, we went to the Akimbo Web site to activate the service (pay for the subscription, pick a username). To download content to the device, use the Akimbo interface on the TV via the remote control.

Aside from free content, Akimbo offers premium programming, offered either as a rental (one-time charge) or as part of a channel membership (access to all premium content for a monthly fee). The service also offers subscriptions, a collection of related programs (usually free) automatically delivered to the box. Premium content ranges from 50 cents per program to $9.99 for 30 days of adult content. Most programs cost $2 to $3.