Roku?
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14
Roku?
Hi everyone,
Installed in Chicago now, and moving into a new apartment next week. Was considering getting a Roku box - anyone have any thoughts? Seems like most people tell me cable definitely isn't worth it.
Stay warm, fellow mid-westerners!
Siv
Installed in Chicago now, and moving into a new apartment next week. Was considering getting a Roku box - anyone have any thoughts? Seems like most people tell me cable definitely isn't worth it.
Stay warm, fellow mid-westerners!
Siv
#2
Re: Roku?
I agree that cable isn't worth it, but then I'm not sure Roku is either. We've been entirely TV-less for almost a year, and neither Mrs P nor I really miss it at all.
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14
Re: Roku?
Well, that's the other option, of course. At the moment my husband is sending over bits and pieces from the UK that he downloads. It's only the odd show we'd watch :/
Weighing it up..
Weighing it up..
#4
Re: Roku?
We have used the Roku for over a year. We subscribe to only one paid channel, AcornTV, which plays a lot of British shows, and we use Amazon Prime to access a lot of things we might ordinarily pay for (I'd get Amazon Prime anyway since I buy a lot on Amazon). Everything else we watch is free. We are really happy with it and the fact that we don't pay for cable. We mostly use it for movies, news, weather, music, and some TV series, and we really don't care about not seeing TV shows the instant they are out. My husband likes the Plex channel to download and watch his YouTube favorites. The Roku is pretty flexible and we find enough to watch but you may not like it if you have your weekly favorite TV show, your live sports, or anything live really.
I'm with you, Pulaski. Before I met my husband, I went quite happily without TV for 25 years. Someone stole my TV in college, I couldn't afford to replace it, and I realized I hadn't turned it on in weeks anyway.
I'm with you, Pulaski. Before I met my husband, I went quite happily without TV for 25 years. Someone stole my TV in college, I couldn't afford to replace it, and I realized I hadn't turned it on in weeks anyway.
Last edited by Speedwell; Jan 26th 2014 at 1:15 am.
#5
Re: Roku?
Why not purchase a Blu-Ray player with streaming capability and get two for one? Also more and more TVs have streaming built into the TV.
Samsung Blu-Ray Player with WI-FI
Samsung Blu-Ray Player with WI-FI
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 478
Re: Roku?
Our Roku has now just been relegated to using for netflix. You can't (or couldn't, I haven't checked recently) use it for Hulu, only Hulu Plus (which you have to pay for) and the youtube interface isn't wonderful.
Instead I'd go for either a blu-ray player that does what you want, or find some way to stream from a pc onto your tv. Then netflix ($8 a month), Hulu (free) and youtube (free but limited) are your friends.
Instead I'd go for either a blu-ray player that does what you want, or find some way to stream from a pc onto your tv. Then netflix ($8 a month), Hulu (free) and youtube (free but limited) are your friends.
#7
Re: Roku?
I'm confused. My internet provider is my cable tv provider. Can I opt out of Cable tv and get reasonable tv content over the internet connection? What does a roku do for me? DVR?
#8
Re: Roku?
Samsung Smart Hub
More on Samsung Smart Hub
Some things you pay for and others are free.
The following is the Samsung TV Smart Hub remote.
Last edited by Michael; Jan 26th 2014 at 4:52 am.
#9
Re: Roku?
Samsung uses "Smart Hub" on their TVs and Blu-Ray players. The TVs even have a built in browser but the design of the remote to control the browser is cumbersome. If they get a good interface for the browser (mostly software and a mouse like device is needed), then it should work similar to a laptop.
Samsung Smart Hub
Some things you pay for and others are free.
Samsung Smart Hub
Some things you pay for and others are free.
#10
Re: Roku?
We have a Vizio smart TV, and we moved out Roku to the bedroom as the TV is so good.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube etc.
Very occasionally we will plug my MacBook Air into the TV (when streaming Iplayer through a VPN) but other than that our smart TV has everything we want.
The interface is pretty good, YouTube can be a pain but it allows you to pair your mobile device and search for content on there - negating the horrible text entering.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube etc.
Very occasionally we will plug my MacBook Air into the TV (when streaming Iplayer through a VPN) but other than that our smart TV has everything we want.
The interface is pretty good, YouTube can be a pain but it allows you to pair your mobile device and search for content on there - negating the horrible text entering.
#11
Re: Roku?
We have a Vizio smart TV, and we moved out Roku to the bedroom as the TV is so good.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube etc.
Very occasionally we will plug my MacBook Air into the TV (when streaming Iplayer through a VPN) but other than that our smart TV has everything we want.
The interface is pretty good, YouTube can be a pain but it allows you to pair your mobile device and search for content on there - negating the horrible text entering.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube etc.
Very occasionally we will plug my MacBook Air into the TV (when streaming Iplayer through a VPN) but other than that our smart TV has everything we want.
The interface is pretty good, YouTube can be a pain but it allows you to pair your mobile device and search for content on there - negating the horrible text entering.
#12
#13
Re: Roku?
We have a Vizio smart TV, and we moved out Roku to the bedroom as the TV is so good.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube etc.
Very occasionally we will plug my MacBook Air into the TV (when streaming Iplayer through a VPN) but other than that our smart TV has everything we want.
The interface is pretty good, YouTube can be a pain but it allows you to pair your mobile device and search for content on there - negating the horrible text entering.
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, YouTube etc.
Very occasionally we will plug my MacBook Air into the TV (when streaming Iplayer through a VPN) but other than that our smart TV has everything we want.
The interface is pretty good, YouTube can be a pain but it allows you to pair your mobile device and search for content on there - negating the horrible text entering.
#14
Re: Roku?
I have both a roku and an Apple TV. The Apple TV gets much more use for me because of the ability to airplay from my iMac, ipad or iPhone. It's just so very convenient.
#15
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,660
Re: Roku?
Love our Roku..... extremely easy to use and very reliable. Massive range of channels available, including Spotify, Pandora, Netflix etc.