Netgear is set to launch a new HD media player called the EVA9150 Digital Entertainer Elite.This box will put free videos & photos from YouTube & Flickr, as well as content from your PC, onto your high-definition TV.

"We are positioning it for people who are a bit in the know and looking for a way to get content of their choice on their TVs," says David Henry, director of home and consumer products for Netgear.

The EVA9150 player includes an user interface that allows users to choose content from free sources such as YouTube and Flickr.

The EVA9150, which , will face some tough competition from rivals such as Apple TV, Linksys Media Extender, Roku Netflix player and even Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console system.

What sets Netgear's product apart from its competitors, says the company, is that it will include a 500 GB hard drive making it "the world’s largest video jukebox for the home." Apple TV offers 160 GB and XBox only offers 120 GB, says Netgear.

The EVA 9150 Digital Entertainer Elite also supports 1080p high-definition video and users can even swap out the hard drive and add another one. The product supports multiple content platforms as opposed to Apple TV which is tied to iTunes primarily or Roku to Netflix, says Netgear.

"Roku does not play anything from your computer or the network such as Internet radio, YouTube or photos. It also doesn't have a hard drive or wireless capabilities," says Henry. "The Digital Entertainer Elite is broader."

The EVA9150 will cost $400 (about 305 Euros) & will ship in the 1st quarter of 2009.