Has anybody here given "roku" a try?

Relic · #1 01-02-2013, 12:21 PM

The wife and I are considering giving it a shot. I'm curious as to anyone's thoughts/experiences with it...

Jared Lash · #2 01-02-2013, 12:32 PM

My wife and I have a pair of Roku's. One for the living room and one for the gym and both get a lot of use. We actually watch very little TV (to the point where we've thought about cutting out cable) but we do use the Roku a few nights a week.

Our use is mostly Netflix and Amazon for TV shows and movies, Pandora for music (I like it while working out) and some of the news features (NPR fairly often) but there's a ton more available.

All in all a really handy little box. One interesting note is that the remotes don't have individual frequencies to link them to the boxes and all Roku's can be controlled by any remote. The nice part about this is that you can download the Roku app and use your phone as the remote. This gives a big advantage when searching for stuff as you can pull up a keypad rather than having to navigate the onscreen keyboard with the remote's arrow keys.

JimB52 · #3 01-02-2013, 12:33 PM

The Roku box seems a little faster than the built-in netflix that came with out blu-ray player.
We use it mostly to watch tv series, but there are some good streaming movies available.

Yerf Dog · #4 01-02-2013, 12:39 PM

I grabbed a refurbished Roku XS for $50. Been using it for a few weeks now. I also subscribed to Hulu Plus. We are going to be dropping our Dish service at the end of the pay cycle.

The Roku works great. I would recommend Hulu Plus and Netflix subscriptions. Lots of stuff to watch.

hover · #5 01-02-2013, 01:18 PM

I've had nothing but 'net and Roku in my house for entertainment for over a year. Don't miss cable at all. Always find something good, cool or flat out goofy to watch.

Stingray5 · #6 01-02-2013, 01:29 PM

got it, love it. and I just discovered the android app to control it after my kids lost the remote. It's awesome.

Turock · #7 01-02-2013, 01:55 PM

I love mine. Haven't watched "regular TV" since I got mine. Watch what I want, when I want.

SoonerMatt · #8 01-02-2013, 01:57 PM

I have one and it made me cut the cord. Definitely a worth while purchase, IMHO.

hover · #9 01-02-2013, 02:02 PM

There's a few other boxes out there that are cheaper and offer an equivalent amount of "channels" but aren't as *refined* a user experience... I also looked at Boxee for a while...I did heir beta for a bit and it was impressive, but I still wasn't compelled to buy their set-top hardware.

Roscoe East · #10 01-02-2013, 02:32 PM

How's the video quality of Roku? Especially when used w/ a less-than-enterprise-grade network, is the streaming glitch-free, is the "fidelity" (sic) comparable to a DVD?

LiquidMidnight · #11 01-02-2013, 02:44 PM

My father has one. I always use it whenever I'm at his house. I honestly can't remember the last time I watched anything on cable.

hover · #12 01-02-2013, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roscoe East

How's the video quality of Roku? Especially when used w/ a less-than-enterprise-grade network, is the streaming glitch-free, is the "fidelity" (sic) comparable to a DVD?

Its fidelity is matched to your set, as you set that variable, (I use 720p / 5.1 surround) but internet bandwidth-wise it can cause buffering, in which if you hard-wire the Roku to your router, the cleaner and quicker the signal...it can sometimes make up for less than stellar speed (you can also set the Roku to auto-select image quality based on bandwidth available). I don't pay for "higher speed" internet, just the regular "high speed" basic, and I rarely have hiccups.

iamlowsound · #13 01-02-2013, 03:50 PM

Meh, I just hooked up a cheap desktop that I had kicking around to my tv. If I wanted to, I could control it with my phone. I suggest that method if you have one kicking around that you don't use.

lowsound

Got2SadowskyNYC · #14 01-02-2013, 03:55 PM

My brother used it for a long time. Switched to Apple TV. Just works better.

I use my PS3.

1958Bassman · #15 01-02-2013, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roscoe East

How's the video quality of Roku? Especially when used w/ a less-than-enterprise-grade network, is the streaming glitch-free, is the "fidelity" (sic) comparable to a DVD?

I have two of them- one is old and the other is less than a year old. With DSL, they work fine and video quality is fine.

DVD resolution isn't 1080p- that's BluRay territory. AV receivers often have a way to up-convert, so even composite video can look great on a HD TV.

hover · #16 01-02-2013, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Got2SadowskyNYC

My brother used it for a long time. Switched to Apple TV. Just works better.

Really? I am curious to know how that is, unless you're playing primarily from iTunes content or from iOs integration, but in regards to Roku vs. Apple TV for Netflix or Hulu +, they both stream the same library and cull from the same "channel" stable...I'd dare say the Roku has more channels of free content.

Chunk-O-Funk · #17 01-02-2013, 06:48 PM

I'd like to know pros and cons to a PC.

I've been using my PC to stream (Netflix/Hulu) and it's hard wired to my TV. DVI to HDMI for video and an optical for audio. The sound card I have will do Dolby/DTS 5.1 over an optical.

It's basically another monitor so what ever can be done on a PC I have the option of using my flat screen as a monitor.

So far I can see the Roku being a lot more ready to use and convenient.

BTW, BluRay > steaming, IMO.
besides 1080P video, audio is uncompressed too.

bassplayer1494 · #18 01-02-2013, 07:10 PM

I have one and they work great. You could also use a gaming console if you want to use Netflix, Amazon, etc.

LiquidMidnight · #19 01-02-2013, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chunk-O-Funk

I'd like to know pros and cons to a PC.

I've been using my PC to stream (Netflix/Hulu) and it's hard wired to my TV. DVI to HDMI for video and an optical for audio. The sound card I have will do Dolby/DTS 5.1 over an optical.

It's basically another monitor so what ever can be done on a PC I have the option of using my flat screen as a monitor.

So far I can see the Roku being a lot more ready to use and convenient.

You're last sentence is pretty spot on. The Roku has a much easier to use interface when it comes to Netflix and Crackle than streaming through your PC. Not that streaming through your PC is a bad thing - I've done it to good effect before. But the Roku makes it much easier. You don't have to worry about logging in to Netflix or choppy load times.

MakiSupaStar · #20 01-02-2013, 11:49 PM

I've been using one for almost 2months now. I love it. I've dumped cable. All the shows I want are available. Sometimes I have to use torrents through the plex channel for shows like walking dead and american horror story, or for my HBO/SHO shows like Homeland and Treme, but it's not too bad. There's more than enough to watch and it's ALL stuff I'm interested in. There are some channels other than netfix and hulu that are cool too. I particularly like the TED channel, and there's a western channel as well. Each channel is set up like netflix. TONS of content. We use HULU for some Japanese shows like One Piece and some anime.

I'm saving 65 bucks a month. Only thing I miss are Lakers games. So I walk to a local pub to watch them.