Roku - I like it!

[BadgerGirl84]

My DH got me a Roku 2 for Christmas. At first I was like, "Lovely! Another electronic gadget we likely don't need!" (my DH LOVES electronics and would probably live in Best Buy if he could).

We set it up this weekend and it is really cool! We already had an online Netflix account and the device is GREAT for streaming Netflix. We had streamed it through BluRay and a gaming system (XBox? Wii? Don't remember) and had terrible load times and problems with rebuffering. Thought it was our wireless speed or a problem on Netflix...nope...it was the device we were using to play it. With the Roku, a movie loads in about 30 seconds.

Now that football season is winding down, I'm thinking I'm putting my Dish with DVR subscription on hold ($5/mo) and just sticking with Roku. Might even do a Hulu subscription to watch some of the currently-running shows. The only thing I'd miss would be American Idol, as that is only available on network TV. I could still get Fox with an antenna, but I'd miss the DVR.

 

[SettinSail]

I got DH one for Christmas! We have not had a chance to set it up yet but he was very surprised and excited. I had never heard of it until I saw it on QVC but unknown to me, DH had seen it at a friend's house.

We plan to get a Netflix account and I don't know what else we will do with it. I am interested to hear what others are doing with theirs...

 

[jennyf2]

I bought mine from QVC when it was the TSV, then on Cyber Monday I bought another one for my bedroom. So far so good! I actually cancelled my cable & now saving almost $60 a month. We are rarely home & when we are we are not big TV watchers. I currently have a free month of Netflix & 2 free months Hulu plus

 

[pat fan]

So what can you watch with a Roku?

Let's say you got a Roku and cancelled your DirecTV, what are your viewing options? What do you need? Internet? Pretend I have no clue (because I really don't!) but I would love to ditch my big bill!

 

[mistysue]

It uses your internet connection (through a router, wireless or with an ethernet cable) to let you watch "channels." The channels include hulu plus, netflix and amazon streaming videos, in addition to probably hundreds or thousands of options. There are also some free channels with limited content, but you basically need to subscribe to services to get most movies or TV shows. The good news is that hulu plus and netflix are $8/month. Amazon is a pretty good deal- that is $80/year and includes free 2 day shipping on any orders you place through amazon.com. The content for amazon steaming is nearly identical to netflix, except you can also rent movies through it which will stream instantly.

 

[DawnM]

We have four of them!

We dropped Directv when it got up to $100/month.

Netflix streaming $8
Hulu Plus $8
Antenna for live TV

We don't even miss it for the most part.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If you have Amazon Prime, there are many free tv shows and movies available as well.

 

[Disneychix]

I got my DH one as a surprise. He didn't really know anything about it but now he loves it. It's so small that we actually velcro'd it to the back of our TV that hangs on the wall-works out great because we don't have any cords hanging down in the bedroom!

We are thinking about getting Amazon Prime-we currently have netflix. Not sure about Hulu plus because we have small kids and we really really use our DVR for all the kids shows. Maybe in the summer when we aren't home to watch as much tv.

 

[dex08]

We LOVE our Roku!

I've been trying to talk my DH into canceling cable tv for months but he wouldnn't even consider it. My sister gifted us a Roku 2 XS for Christmas and I hooked it up and we signed back up for Netflix (streaming only) and DH loves it! I've shown him many 'channels' we've downloaded and that are available and also have enticed him by sharing that we could subscribe to the MLB channel during baseball season and he could watch all games live plus playback the past 7 days of games. I believe we are on our way to at least dropping down to basic minimum cable tv now (we get terrible reception of our favorite local tv station via HD antenna).

If you have an iPhone (or an iPod Touch), you can download the Roku app and use it as a remote control -- I actually like this better than the remote that came with the device!!

 

[gr8tdame]

bump

 

[DawnM]

I do too! And if you have more than one Roku, it will download all of them and you can label them (bedroom, den, media room, etc...) so you know which is which.

I have a app on my iPad, my iPod touch AND my iPad!

But also, one of our actual remotes blew up and Roku replaced it for free as we were still in our one year warrantee.

Dawn

If you have an iPhone (or an iPod Touch), you can download the Roku app and use it as a remote control -- I actually like this better than the remote that came with the device!!

 

[princesskrys]

Want to make a 11 year old boy cry? Tell him you are canceling cable. First we got Roku and downloaded Netflix and Hulu plus and he was so busy with those, I think it was a month before he realized cable had been canceled. I never got to watch shows when they were on anyway and paid for DVR. Now I pay for Hulu Plus, which acts as my DVR and NO CABLE BILL! Our antenna gets us about 18-25 stations, on our TVs and not one day has gone by that I wished I had cable and that outrageous bill back.

 

[Trixiezzz]

Our antenna gets us about 18-25 stations, on our TVs and not one day has gone by that I wished I had cable and that outrageous bill back.

Can you explain exactly what kind of antenna you have. I'd be interested to look into one of these!

 

[DawnM]

We put our satellite on hold. When we told the kids, only my 7 year old whined. The others don't really watch TV.

But within about 2 weeks he was fine with not having Satellite.

Now, if I were to cut internet, well, it would NOT be pretty, but we have NO plans to ever cut internet, so we are good!

Dawn

Want to make a 11 year old boy cry? Tell him you are canceling cable. First we got Roku and downloaded Netflix and Hulu plus and he was so busy with those, I think it was a month before he realized cable had been canceled. I never got to watch shows when they were on anyway and paid for DVR. Now I pay for Hulu Plus, which acts as my DVR and NO CABLE BILL! Our antenna gets us about 18-25 stations, on our TVs and not one day has gone by that I wished I had cable and that outrageous bill back.

 

[DawnM]

If you want an indoor antenna (vs. mounting one on your rooftop), I have found this one to work the BEST for us. We have tried several but we live a little further out and have a lot of trees blocking the reception.

http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Amplifie...XZB2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325335678&sr=8-1

There is a cheaper version of this antenna on Amazon, but be careful because it does not have the amplifier on it.

For us, antennas don't work here without an amplifier. It makes all the difference.

We get chrystal clear reception on our upstairs TV with this one.

NO antenna works for our basement TV without a rooftop antenna.

Dawn

Can you explain exactly what kind of antenna you have. I'd be interested to look into one of these!

 

[hsmamato2]

so....I assume dropping the dvr is ok b/c you watch what you want with netflix....does HULU plus have current shows? what else can you watch for free? or cheap...... right now the process to watch netflix is annoying.... it streams thru the ps3- but we have to change the input on the tv with on remote to get it,then use another remote to operate the ps3....I know,it sounds dumb,but it's enough of a hassle to make me lazy and not want to bother....

 

[DawnM]

Well, sorry, but you will have to do the same with Roku. I change my TV remote to HDMI setting and then use my Roku remote to access Netflix and HuluPlus.

HuluPlus has many of the current shows the next day as available. HOWEVER, the one channel that will NOT allow this is CBS. They won't allow you to view anything of theirs on anything but their website, which really stinks because most of what I watch is on CBS!

So, if I don't catch a show online I will have to wait a year and get it from Netflix via DVDs.

Dawn

so....I assume dropping the dvr is ok b/c you watch what you want with netflix....does HULU plus have current shows? what else can you watch for free? or cheap...... right now the process to watch netflix is annoying.... it streams thru the ps3- but we have to change the input on the tv with on remote to get it,then use another remote to operate the ps3....I know,it sounds dumb,but it's enough of a hassle to make me lazy and not want to bother....

 

[BadgerGirl84]

so....I assume dropping the dvr is ok b/c you watch what you want with netflix....does HULU plus have current shows? what else can you watch for free? or cheap...... right now the process to watch netflix is annoying.... it streams thru the ps3- but we have to change the input on the tv with on remote to get it,then use another remote to operate the ps3....I know,it sounds dumb,but it's enough of a hassle to make me lazy and not want to bother....

Dropping the DVR is still a bit sad for me. Xfactor, American Idol, Quints by Surprise, and Walking Dead (new episodes) are not on Hulu or Netflix.

You can go on Hulu website to see what they offer. They do offer current shows from network TV (no CBS shows though)--you can watch them next day I think.

Watching Netflix on Roku is MUCH better than through any type of device...we had tried the gaming system before and the Bluray...took forever and a half to load and often stopped playing half-way through the show. Near-instant playback on the Roku and no stops half way through.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

What is the speed of the internet connection you need to make this work and will using the Roku slow down your computer connection to a crawl when you are using it?

 

[Happiest mommy]

subbing