(OT) Anyone have a Roku box thingy?

fletcherfam

Do ya like it? DVD player is dying and all we use it is for the kids movies (we don't have many). We don't want to pay out the backside for cable so thinking about Roku, do you like it, hate it, want to throw it out the window?

 

Thx,

JT

SmokeyPitt

We have it and I like it.  Note you do have to pay for some other service like Amazon Prime, Netflix, or Hulu Plus to make use of it.  There are some freebie movie "channels" out there but pretty limited selection and they have commercials. 

Another option is to get a Blu Ray player with internet apps.  I have seen these for about $80 or so at Costco.  You can use this for Netflix/Amazon/Hulu as well, and it gives you the option of hitting red box for a $1 DVD or $1.50 blu ray movie.  However, if you are mainly using it for streaming I think Roku will likely have a better interface. 

bigphil

Have had it for years I like we also have the apple TV .ruko has more channel choices apple tv nicer interface

Eggcelsior

I need to dump my cable. I have been looking at these but the only thing I fear is not having access to sports with ESPN and the like. I don't really need anything else since I can always stream stuff.

nolaegghead

I have three of them.  Love them.

Eggcelsior

@nolaegghead do you subscribe to satellite/TV as well?

If not, what you do for programs involving sticks, round objects, round metal rings, and men in spandex?

cortguitarman

I'm considering it, but like my local channels and I don't get all of them with an antenna.

Botch

I have one and like it, but as SmokeyPitt mentioned selection is limited unless you have an internet subscription service (I only have Amazon Prime, not into movies as much as music).  

Most disk players and now TVs pick up most of the stuff of Wifi now, but my current TV and AV receiver don't, this was the least-expensive option and works well.  

boatbum

Cousin has one, he likes it.

caliking

I bought one from woot last year and love it. I also have Amazon Prime, so can watch movies + tv shows on it. Have the streaming Netflix too, but I may get rid of that. I buy stuff from Amazon a couple of times weekly, so Prime is a no-brainer for me.

Roku works well, provided your wifi is good. The signal in my tv room was on the weak side (upstairs, far corner of the house), so i bought a cheap wireless AP from Amazon and set it up for the Roku. Strong signal, no glitches in streaming now.

Little Steven

SmokeyPitt said:

We have it and I like it.  Note you do have to pay for some other service like Amazon Prime, Netflix, or Hulu Plus to make use of it.  There are some freebie movie "channels" out there but pretty limited selection and they have commercials. 

Another option is to get a Blu Ray player with internet apps.  I have seen these for about $80 or so at Costco.  You can use this for Netflix/Amazon/Hulu as well, and it gives you the option of hitting red box for a $1 DVD or $1.50 blu ray movie.  However, if you are mainly using it for streaming I think Roku will likely have a better interface. 

We had to do this last weekend cause the old Blu-ray wouldn't play the new Blu-ray. All kinds of capacity in the new one for the stuff you mentioned.

nolaegghead

Eggcelsior said:

@nolaegghead do you subscribe to satellite/TV as well?

If not, what you do for programs involving sticks, round objects, round metal rings, and men in spandex?

We have cable TV.  I have a Roku in the shop, one in the bedroom and one in the living room - same places we have cable boxes.  Mostly play pandora and mog in the shop.  The other two mostly netflix and amazon prime content.  Sometimes music on the bedroom unit because I'm feeding the yard TV with the component output, bedroom with the hdmi. 

nolaegghead

Little Steven said:

SmokeyPitt said:

We have it and I like it.  Note you do have to pay for some other service like Amazon Prime, Netflix, or Hulu Plus to make use of it.  There are some freebie movie "channels" out there but pretty limited selection and they have commercials. 

Another option is to get a Blu Ray player with internet apps.  I have seen these for about $80 or so at Costco.  You can use this for Netflix/Amazon/Hulu as well, and it gives you the option of hitting red box for a $1 DVD or $1.50 blu ray movie.  However, if you are mainly using it for streaming I think Roku will likely have a better interface. 

We had to do this last weekend cause the old Blu-ray wouldn't play the new Blu-ray. All kinds of capacity in the new one for the stuff you mentioned.

Yeah, we had an old blu-ray player that, even after updating the firmware, won't play the new disks.  Old one was Memorex - stay away from them...they just gave up on support.