At first glance, TidalTV appears to be just another Hulu competitor. However, this new content streaming site is actually much more than that. In fact, it looks and feels more like your cable tv service than a video streaming web site. In addition to the expected “On Demand” content, there’s also a familiar-looking “Channel Guide” featuring a list of online channels including Food Network, The Weather Channel, HGTV, National Geographic Channel, CBS and others.

These feeds are like traditional TV channels with scheduled programming. The CBS channel, for example, is currently showing Big Brother, with CSI:NY coming up later. This more traditional model appeals to people who like their TV viewing to be a little less interactive. Sometimes it’s nice to just flip on the TV to a favorite channel and take in whatever’s on. However, TidalTV lets you break out of the schedule at any time. If you want to watch a show that’s not scheduled until later (or has already played), you can just click on it in the channel guide and select “Play Now”. That’s very cool.

TidalTV is currently a free public beta service, and doesn’t even require users to sign up. Check out the beta at TidalTV.com.