Re: Roku?
 

For those interested, Newegg.com has the Roku 2 for $47.95 at the moment until 2/1

Re: Roku?
 

Well, this thread has motivated me to finally get off my butt and do something. Our Comcast bill had crept up to 213/month (tv, internet, phone and security monitoring) which is a little crazy considering I've only watched 2 hours of TV in the last 3 weeks, and the kids rarely do anything but stream netflix.

So, we have:-

- installed a magicjack - I know reviews are mixed, but its a small investment, and we rarely use the landline anyway. 911 may be a problem, but hey ho.

- Signed up with of those wireless monitoring companies for 16.95/month

- maintained our "50 meg" internet connection (74.95 - :eek:)

- cut all cable channels right back to Basic which cost an additional $5 per month and includes all the channels we watch (apart from BBCA), albeit non HD.

So our new monthly cost is 97/month. Lets see how we go with that for a while, and if the lack of HD gets to me, we can always look at getting a new customer package with Comcast or Dish or someone...

Re: Roku?
 

I'm surprised that even the most basic channels are not still hd, as over-the-air transmissions are hd.

When i first made the move and cancelled cable (but kept internet), they offered me a deal which was $5 cheaper than internet-only to carry the basic channels and they were hd.

Re: Roku?
 

They may be - not sure, I just assumed they wouldn't be. They said the changes should take effect from this afternoon sometime, so we'll see then.

I was looking at a flat panel aerial in Costco last week that said it could receive HD over the air. That may be the next route, but will wait and see what we get with the new arrangement.

Re: Roku?
 

Just checked....yes, the basic is in HD. :thumbup:

Re: Roku?
 

Same here, but it was $20 cheaper, well once you add in TV taxes and DVR rental it's about half that, but still. Mental really.

Re: Roku?
 

My home is a two story with a steep roof -- so we installed the biggest Radio Shack Yagi array in the attic in 1995. It works just fine on digital stations including HD 1080.

Re: Roku?
 

I find cable programming to be pretty bad, how much reality TV can you watch? Stuff like Breaking Bad is good, but you can get that on Netflix now.

So I've decided that I'm going to cut the cable. I'll watch over the air for PBS, ABC etc and the is free:D , then I'll use my internet for Netflix and other TV content. For convenience I'll get some hardware to mirror my computer screen to my TV in the living room.

I should save around $80 a month.

Re: Roku?
 

http://airtame.com/

For the mirroring, bit like Chromecast, but I've heard it's a bit better as it mirrors the whole desktop over wifi. Doesn't have the built in apps that Chromecaster has, but then again there aren't that many CC apps at the moment.

Re: Roku?
 

Thanks. I like the look of that Airtame thing. I signed up to Airparrot to mirror to Apple TV as my Mac is older than 2011 and therefore doesn't have Airplay.

Re: Roku?
 

Ok, I've just discovered I rather like the cbs and NBC apps on my iPad.
If I'm reading the earlier posts correctly, if I plug a chromecast into a spare port on my tv, it will mirror my iPad on the same network, yes? Does the chromecast need a USB, or HDMI port? Or both?

Re: Roku?
 

One more question, not quite on topic, but close and I'm sure someone on here will know....

I am paying for a 50mbps connection from comcast. When I run a speed test, is the result giving me the total speed of the connection, or the total minus any capacity I am using ie if I run it while kids are streaming netflix, is the result going to be less than if I run it when nothing is online? I've run various tests since Friday, and can't seem to get anything over about 23. Most are in the 17-23 range, but some evenings they have been below 10:(

Re: Roku?
 

Chromecast plugs directly into the HDMI port on the tele and then has a small power adapter for it or you can plug it into a USB port for the power.

Then you use the chromecast app on the ipad to fling content to it.

When doing a speed test, it's not going to be accurate if you're using bandwidth.

Biggest hit will be over wifi so if you connect direct to the modem, you'll get the true speed being provided. On cable, time of day and usage on the line will determine how shit it can get.

One thing that is a bit annoying on Verizon, they have their own server on speed test that you use via their website and it pretty much always hits their advertised speeds and they will only really help you with speed issues based on that. You use any regular server to run a speedtest and it'll never be anywhere close.

Re: Roku?
 

Thanks Bob..I had been running it direct from the iPad app. I'll hook the laptop direct to the modem after the kids are in bed....we've got a houseful right now and really not worth the hassle to try to wrest them away from it now!

Re: Roku?
 

There are two things that can cause slow and/or inconsistent connections speeds, the cable line and/or WI-FI.

To check if the problem is with the line, hardwire your laptop or PC directly to the router with a Cat5 cable and if it doesn't go to at least 50 mbps late at the night when running the speed test, then Comcast is screwing you or you don't have a DOCIS 3.0 cable modem (DOCSIS 2.0 cable modems don't have a maximum throughput of 50 mbps and in my area, Comcast limits the maximum throughput for DOCSIS 2.0 cable modems to about 25 mbps even if you are paying for higher speeds). DOCSIS 2.0 cable modems have a maximum throughput of 38 mbps but with handshaking and possible overhead, I doubt it can get that high and if the speed is limited by Comcast, it will even be lower. When you wire your Ethernet port on your laptop to the router, communications should occur through the Cat5 cable instead of via WI-FI but if you want to make sure, then disconnect your WI-FI (normally not necessary since I believe communications will occur through the Ethernet port and only if it fails to communicate with the router, it will then try WI-FI).

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-C...rds=cat5+cable
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOCSIS

If you don't have a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem, then I'd upgrade to one of the following DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems to see if you can get a higher throughput as well as consistency.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/surfboar...36657&st=cable modems&cp=1&lp=6
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/surfboar...34146&st=cable modems&cp=1&lp=5

However you can use any of the D3 cable modems in the approved Comcast list.

http://mydeviceinfo.comcast.net/

If Comcast is doing everything correctly, then you should hit at least 50 mbps and the throughput should become more consistent since they should bind multiple channels together causing less conflicts with other homes on the same band. However if there are too many homes on the band and not enough channels bound together, then you won't get the consistency. The second cable modem binds a maximum of 8 channels together instead of a maximum of 4 for the first modem but if Comcast is not binding more than 4 channels, you won't see any difference in consistency between the two but both should hit a maximum speed of 50 mbps or more (probably 58 mbps). The more channels they bind together, the more consistent the speeds will be. In my case, I have a 25 mbps line but have very consistent speeds of 29 mbps throughout the day.

After you install the DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem, you'll have to activate the cable modem.

1) Turn off your computer;
2) Install the modem;
3) Turn on computer and open web browser.
You should now be at the Comcast activation page. Just follow the directions and you should be on-line in no time. If that fails you'll have to call 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-266-2278) or 1-800-XFINITY (1-800-934-6489) and provide the cable modem MAC address so they can manually activate the cable modem.

If you are currently renting you cable modem from Comcast, then return the cable modem (not worth the $5-$7 monthly charge to rent a cable modem from Comcast).

If when hardwired, your speeds are fairly consistent, then the problem is likely with the WI-FI and you are getting interference from neighbor's WI-FIs. If hardwired is fairly consistent at 50 mbps, then you'll need a dual band "N" or "AC" type router and connecting on the 5 GHz band on devices that see the 5 GHz band (most newer PCs will see the 5 GHz band with at least the "N" type protocol). You probably already have a "N" type router but possibly only single band (supports only the 2.4 GHz band) or you have a dual band router but are using the 2.4 GHz band instead of the 5 GHz band. The "AC" protocol also supports the "N" protocol plus all the older protocols so if you get a router with the "AC" protocol, all devices should still work but some may be using the "AC" protocol, some the "N" protocol, and older devices may be using the "g" or "b" protocol. Some devices will only support the 2.4 GHz band for the "N" protocol so they won't see the 5 GHz band. If it is a WI-FI problem, you want to get as many devices as possible on the 5 GHz band.

You could upgrade to any of the following routers.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/wireless...ters&cp=1&lp=3
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dual-ban...ers&cp=1&lp=12
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/wireless...ters&cp=1&lp=2
http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-Wireles...=d-link+router

If your PCs do not support the 5 GHz band, you can purchase any of the following USB dual band adapters to upgrade your PCs. If you have a dual band router and your PC does not see the 5 GHz band, then that PC does not support the 5 GHz band.

http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-RangeM...twork+adapters
http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-Dual-B...twork+adapters
http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-Wireles...twork+adapters

I'd purchase the cable modems, routers, and network adapters locally since if you have a problem, you can return then easily. I use a dual band D-Link 'N" type router and the Linksys DWA-160 USB network adapter on one of my computers and haven't had any problems. The NETGEAR routers are very easy to setup and requires almost no knowledge since all you have to do is assign names for each of the frequency bands (easier than the D-Link routers).