Qplay, an internet video streaming device and service, will be shuttered this Friday, July 25th, just five months after the product first went on sale. The startup had a rough road ahead of it when it launched against stiff competition from devices like the Roku and Apple TV, as well as the very similar Google Chromecast.

"This is the end for Qplay."

The service, created by TiVo co-founders Michael Ramsay and Jim Barton, sought to simplify internet video. It used curated queues (called "Qs" in Qplay parlance) of videos from multiple different sources to produce a lean-back internet video experience. Videos were controlled using an iPad app that communicated with a small device that streamed videos from the cloud and played them on your TV — much like the Chromecast dongle. Unfortunately, the service launched without premium providers like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, HBO Go, and others, and it cost $14 more than the Chromecast.

In a blog post on its site, the company said that the service will cease to function on July 25th at 5PM PT. The post did not explain the decision to shut down the service, however, other than the statement that "it is not possible for us to keep developing and running the service ... We did our best, and we’re sorry this is the end for Qplay. Farewell."