Roku

[Nailhead]

Originally Posted by JeffS77

basically it is a user friendly interface for streaming internet to your TV..much like Apple TV

And you probably need continuous access to the web to use it, right?

[pacman1]

Dammit, I so need to get Roku. I've been contemplating it for over a year now, but one the thing holding me back is baseball.

Yes, there's MLB TV, but the fine print seems to say that all games will be blacked out in the teams local market area. This sounds mind-bogglingly stupid to me, but that seems to be the deal. Using MLB TV, I can watch all the Rangers games I want, as long as I'm traveling outside of the Fox Sports Southwest market area. Other than Friday night games, which are broadcast on a local OTA station, and the odd game picked up here and there by the national Fox network, I have to have a cable package that includes Fox Sport Southwest.

Still, the thought that I'm paying over $100 a month to watch baseball is driving me bonkers. I'll probably give it the ax here pretty soon.

[Buccleuch]

Originally Posted by pacman1

Dammit, I so need to get Roku. I've been contemplating it for over a year now, but one the thing holding me back is baseball.

Yes, there's MLB TV, but the fine print seems to say that all games will be blacked out in the teams local market area. This sounds mind-bogglingly stupid to me, but that seems to be the deal.

Yep. MLB TV does not have broadcast rights in the home market of home games. MLB won't compete for ad revenue with the local stations that are paying a TON for broadcast rights to carry those games. No, for the Rangers, it's probably not that big a deal - local broadcast and FSSW. But when you're talking about the Yankees and the YES network, you're talking about some serious muscle.

It does seem stupid on its face, but when you think of it that way, it makes sense. And that's what keeps me from picking up MLB TV. At least, until spring training starts.

W.A.

[timsgs]

Whats the difference between a ROKU and just plugging my laptop into the tv?

It has it's own remote control, it turns itself off after 10 min. when not in use, there is no off/on switch, I have the 1080 version. It does what the laptop does just so much easier to control, no cables. it's wireless, works off your router.

I dumped my cable bill and could not be happier, i only have Netflix, my Cox internet and an outside TV antenna. I get about 30 channels over the air. Check out........http://www.antennaweb.org/

[tdvt]

Originally Posted by timsgs

Whats the difference between a ROKU and just plugging my laptop into the tv?

It has it's own remote control, it turns itself off after 10 min. when not in use, there is no off/on switch, I have the 1080 version. It does what the laptop does just so much easier to control, no cables. it's wireless, works off your router.

I dumped my cable bill and could not be happier, i only have Netflix, my Cox internet and an outside TV antenna. I get about 30 channels over the air. Check out........http://www.antennaweb.org/

This is a good explanation, less power consumption too plus they're only around $60.

I've used a computer for watching stuff but prefer to watch things on an actual TV & always seem to have resolution issues when I've tried to feed to a TV. The Roku seemed to provide a much better picture to the same TV, when I've compared them using the same content.

Our kids bought us a Roku a few of years ago when they first came out. We ditched the satellite (no cable here in the sticks), put up a digital antenna for local networks & watch stuff through Netflix ($9 a month?) & occasionally Amazon-on-Demand. WAY cheaper than the dish (which generally had nothing on anyway) We have since bought a second for our upstairs.

When we first had the Roku, Neflix was the ONLY thing offered, but streaming video was included in your Netflix acct. It's now a separate charge but there is ALOT of other content. We also have the box hooked up the the stereo & use it to listen to our Pandora stations as well as the zillion internet radio stations that are out there.

I don't know why everyone doesn't have them.

[milq]

Got sick of paying for cable/dish several years ago and have only used DVD player from that time until about 6 months ago when I picked up a Roku. I mostly use NetFlix but also browse other channels from time to time, lots of shows like "All in the Family" and "The Andy Griffith Show" are out there.

After using Roku I'll never pay for cable or dish again.

[Beemer Bob]

The only downside I have with dumping DirecTV is the loss of local channels. No reception for me for on air TV.
Right now I am learning this nifty little box and have found some channels that don't work but I can live with it.

[BigIron]

Originally Posted by Beemer Bob

The only downside I have with dumping DirecTV is the loss of local channels. No reception for me for on air TV.
Right now I am learning this nifty little box and have found some channels that don't work but I can live with it.

My Roku should arrive today. After the NFL is done, I'll go back to the $29.99 base plan on DirecTV if the Roku works out.

If the Roku is as advertised, I'll be wondering why it took so long for me to do it.

[small_e_900]

The three Roku boxes and the rooftop antenna paid for themselves in six months over the cost of Direct TV.
The $50/month savings pays for the data plan on two phones.

Mostly, I watch Netflix, Hulu plus and Ted. Small_e_wife watches all the news and talking-head shows.

We're very happy with Roku and have reccomended it to many people.

WHAT FREE PORN CHANNEL????

[jesionowski]

I was thinking of getting a Roku but how is it different from my Sony Blue ray player. I can stream video thru my Blue ray player. Its a little cumbersome and just started playing with it. But $50 a month for DishTV is a lot for mostly crappy shows. Does Roku have a buffer to help with the streaming. My internet is DSL 2.5Mbsecond. The stuff I have tried so far has worked well.

[Mr. Fisherman]

The hold out for me is the DVR. BEing able to record shows and play them back and skip commercioals is great. Though, I sure am paying too much for things I don't want... like commercials.

I would miss Speed TV and a few of the series my wife and I enjoy...

[jstcrashnthru]

Originally Posted by Mr. Fisherman

The hold out for me is the DVR. BEing able to record shows and play them back and skip commercioals is great. Though, I sure am paying too much for things I don't want... like commercials.

I would miss Speed TV and a few of the series my wife and I enjoy...

Take a look at Simple TV. It allows you to use any external hard drive to record shows. And you can get it with DVR functionality. A couple of guys I work with got them and love it.

Also, you'd be surprised at what you can get on the internet. Most shows can be found available on the web for free or very low cost. PlayOn is another service offering streaming video through your computer to a Roku.

There are plenty of options out there. You just have to do a little digging.

[CodeMonkee]

Interesting.

I can't get cable or Fios here.

I am doubtful about DirecTV or DishTV because the trees on the south of the house are just too high.

So that leaves the internet.

I barely get 1.5 mbps because I am at the very distant end of the DSL line.

Maybe Roku will work for me?

I have some favorite networks shows I want to watch - not just movies. I love the history channel and such.

[Gingie]

Just got my Roku 2 XS after realizing I was paying $1800 a year for crap TV with commercials, slow internet, and phone.

So, I cut the cable (and the bundled internet and phone) Went with an ISP that provides unlimited download, and talk broadband for around $40 /month. 5 Mbps down is good enough for HD (though might be 720, not 1080). Just hooked it up to a Roku and am on my free trial of Netflix. Liking it, but, between kat.ph and isohunt.com, I am getting most of my TV shows withing 24 hours for free anyways. I download and transfer to a HDD hooked up to a western digital media player.

Being in Canada, the selection on the Roku is not as good. Even our Netflix has less content than the US subscribers. We can't even get Hulu. Been thinking about getting a ISP spoof such as unblock-us to access US content. But before I do that, I need to leanr more about the Plex Media Server and the Plex Channel on the Roku.

Anyone running Plex?

[Mendodave]

Originally Posted by Camper292000

#5 Lastly I have to mention PLEX. This let's you stream shows from your computer to your TV. Install plex media server on the PC. Log into getplexapp or plex or something online. ALSO, when you find a video online you can hit the PLEX IT! button to queue it to your Plex account and watch later at home. (add the button to your browser!)

+1000 for plex!

I have a drobo with 700+ movies and a few TV shows, but all the seasons of them.

http://www.plexapp.com

for content, I set this up:

http://www.totalhtpc.com/ultimate-usenet-guide.html

very very slick. I don't care much for sports, and live out in the boonies, so OTA antenna setup won't get me much, if I am VERY lucky, one channel maybe.

The nice thing about the TV shows off Usenet is they already have the commercials stripped out

Mendo