Time Warner Cable chairman and CEO Rob Marcus told analysts Thursday that its testing of an IP-based video product in New York utilizing Roku boxes  is a lot of things, but one thing it isn’t is an attempt to go over-the-top.

Time Warner Cable began testing the service earlier this week, offering the full suite of its video offerings through a Roku box. Some reports said that TWC was planning to test a $10 monthly service with about 20 channels and a full-blown offering for about $50 per month.  

On a conference call with analysts to discuss its third quarter results, Marcus said the trial is a natural extension of its TWC TV app, available on IoS and Android smartphones and other devices.

“The way I would characterize the New York City trial is really the next step in the evolution of TWC TV," Marcus said. "When we launched the TWC TV app the goal was to create an offering that was complementary to our traditional video product. As we move forward and what we’re trialing with this beta [test] in New York is we're going to move that TWC TV capability toward a full video offering that could be substitutional for the traditional set-top box-based video product. Where we're headed is the ability of customers to access the complete video product without having to rent a set-top box from us, whether they use a Roku or ultimately another IP-enabled device. But what we need to accomplish that is first we need to ensure that the video product complies with Title VI of the [1996] Telecom Act in the same way our traditional service does.”

That means making sure the product includes Emergency Alert service; has the complete TWC channel lineup, including PEG channels, and improving the video picture resolution from standard definition to high definition.

Marcus said that further enhancements could be made to the product down the road, but stressed that the product is not an attempt by Time Warner Cable to offer an over-the-top product.

“Our IP video offering is not over-the-top,” Marcus said. “This is a video service that we are delivering over our facilities, not anybody else’s. Over time there might be a TV Everywhere component to this just like there is one to our traditional video offering. But what we’re talking about here is a managed video service over our network.”

He added that while the tests involve the full Time Warner Cable video offering, it doesn’t mean that later iterations wouldn’t include smaller packages.    

“We’re fans of choice,” Marcus said.

He said TWC will continue to promote smaller packages like its basic cable offering plus a premium channel or its low-cost TV Essentials package aimed at cost-conscious consumers. He noted, though, that in the quarter, about 82% of new customers opted for the full video package.

Sling TV, Dish Network’s OTT service for cord-cutters, said it has extended support to the Google Nexus Player (pictured) and other devices powered by the Android TV platform.

On the programming front, Sling TV has also added ESPN Deportes to its “Deportes Extra” $5 per month add-on pack, which can be purchased on top of Sling TV’s core $20 per month service. Launched earlier this month, Deportes Extra, a tier for soccer fans, also features Azteca, beIN Español, beIN HD (English), Univison, Univision Deportes and UniMás.

Sling TV said its app for Android TV is now available via the Google Play store.

Similar to device bundle deals with Roku (for the Roku 3 player and the Roku Streaming Stick) and with Amazon (for the Fire TV box and Fire TV stick), Sling TV is offering the Nexus Player, the first device to run Android TV, at a 50% discount when new customers pre-pay for three months of Sling TV. Nexus Player users can also sample Sling TV for seven days for free.

Launched last fall, the Asus-made Nexus Player regular sells for $99.95, though outlets such as Walmart are offering it for less. The puck-shaped player features a remote with voice-based search, and is outfitted 1.8GHz Quad Core Intel Atom processor, 802.11ac, and an HDMI output. Other CE companies that have launched or are developing Android TV-powered products include Sharp, Philips, Razer, Nvidea, and Sony.

Sling TV also supports Android and iOS mobile devices, Web browsers, and the Xbox One.

“We’re committed to making Sling TV available on the most popular devices consumers use to stream live and on-demand entertainment,” Roger Lynch, CEO of Sling TV, said in a statement. “Today, we again bolstered our device footprint by expanding to Nexus Player’s Android TV platform, and we expect this partnership to deliver additional convenience for both new and existing Sling TV customers.”

So, Amazon has already declared the Fire TV Stick as the company’s “fastest-selling” device ever, but how it performs will determine whether Amazon can keep the sales momentum going.

Now that Amazon has started to ship the $39 device (I got in on the action early enough that mine should arrive by December 4 ; if you’re ordering it now, you won’t get yours until mid-January), some reviewers have already had a look and posted some of their initial findings on a product that will go toe-to-toe with the Google Chromecast and the Roku Streaming Stick.

Here’s a quick look at the early takes:

-Dave Zatz, the namesake of the ZatzNotFunny blog, offered some mixed reviews following his first 12 hours with Amazon's new gizmo. He sprung for the Fire TV Stick’s remote and found it feel “exceedingly cheap compared to the premium clicker” that come with the Fire TV box. “Having said that, a flimsy remote is infinitely more valuable than no remote… as compared to Google Chromecast, which requires a smartphone for interaction.”  He also found the Fire TV Stick’s app support to be a bit lacking early on, but said Netflix and WatchESPN “both looked great.”

-PC Mag’s Will Greenwald gave Amazon’s new entry a rating of “Excellent” and a designation as an Editor’s Choice, despite lacking the horsepower and speed of the Amazon Fire TV box, which he also likes bunches. He, like some other reviewers, notes that users will likely need to use the Fire TV Stick’s power brick – rather than powering it via its micro USB port, to ensure the device is getting enough juice to work consistently. “The Amazon Fire TV Stick takes most of what made the Fire TV compelling and cuts both its price and size by more than half,” he writes.

-Digital Trends said the new device delivers plenty of pop for the price. “At just $40, the Fire TV Stick undercuts the Roku Streaming Stick in price, but puts it to shame when it comes to hardware specs. Frankly, when the Fire TV Stick was first announced, we thought it sounded a little too good to be true, but we’re happy to report now that we were wrong about that,” the reviewer said.