Totalvid.com

As great as rent-DVDs-by-mail services are, technology has given us better options. Why not get the instant gratification of downloading a video and bypass the entire mail system?

Turns out that's a pretty good idea. A new service called TotalVid offers its users the ability to instantly download full-length videos from their library of thousands of enthusiast, educational, and instructional videos for as low as $1.99 each.

A few caveats: the selection of video content on Totalvic that would be of interest to tool users is less broad than what Smartflix offers. Their woodworking section only contains three videos while Smartflix offers ten. However, they do have many thousands of videos in other categories (including a good-sized home improvement section), so you may be able to find exactly what you are looking for.

Additionally, if you do not have a broadband internet connection, be prepared to spend hours waiting for videos to download.

The ability to instantly download the video you want is far superior and much easier than by-mail systems. You'll need Windows Media Player to view your downloads and you can "rent" six different videos at the same time.

Totavid is currently offering a 7 day free trial in which you can download and view as many videos as you want. It's definitely worth a look.