Product: Roku SD
Price: $79.99
Rating: Recommend
The current economy has forced most people to cut back on their spending. We at Unplggd are no different and have shown you ways reduce bills. One of the most prominent suggestions is to ditch cable and rely on internet streaming for TV and movies. We did not however like the idea of being chained to our computer desks for our nightly TV shows. Enter the Roku digital video player, a small simple device purpose built for streaming media right to the comfort of your living room.
The Roku box was a confusing thing when it arrived at our house: small, black and with no buttons except for those on the remote. Roku’s stark simplicity is radically different from the average consumer product we are used to. The simple instructions said to just plug it into the TV, power it up, and enter the wireless network password.
Tech Specs:
- 5 x 5 x 1.75 inches
- Networking: 802.11 G Wi-Fi, 10/100 Ethernet
- Video outputs: Composite S video
- Price: $ 79.99 Amazon
Once the Roku box was booted up and connected to our network, the box then asked us to register on Roku.com. The various streaming sites require a separate pin to be entered for each service. That was the least streamlined aspect of the set up process but when completed our Netflix cue and Amazon streaming purchases were right there ready to be played.
Video Quality:
Video playback from the device amazed us, especially since this was the SD version. The movies and television shows we played were clear and stutter free over our 10 megabit cable internet. What we saw out of the SD Roku box on our CRT televisions was almost the same quality as a cable television channel.
Another noted feature of the Roku box was the user interface. It was simple and clutter free, but a bit confusing due to the hierarchical nature. The messiness does not diminish the products core features, but it did lack the familiar simplicity of the TiVo that we are used to. One feature we readily came to love was the remote. It is simple, tough, and only has four buttons, easing navigation considerably.
The only complaints we had were that to truly utilize the Roku box, the user had to have a Netflix subscription. Netflix is not expensive and includes DVD’s with their streaming service but, it is a monthly fee nonetheless.
Bottom Line:
The Roku SD is perfect for the individual who has not made the jump to HD and is not finding cable television tailored for their lives. Roku’s simplicity and ease of use make it perfect for the techy looking to save.
*Our Ratings.
Strong Recommend
Recommend
Weak Recommend
Don’t Recommend
Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.
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Looks very similar to what
I really want to get a Roku, but I have satellite internet which severely limits my bandwidth usage for most of the day. They do have a "free" window from 2:00 am - 7:00 am. Does anyone know if there's a way to set up a Roku so you can download content at a scheduled time?
I've tried asking the Roku technical support people this and they don't seem to understand my question. They kept insisting Roku doesn't store content. But a friend insists she can download content to Roku to play it at another time or in another location (like at a friend's house).
mdorothy, I love my Roku, but it definitely does not store content. I is streaming only. I don't know what your friend is up to, but she is not downloading content onto the Roku and playing it back later.
You'd be better off using iTunes or Amazon on a PC hooked up to the computer. I don't think Netflix supports anything but streaming on any device.
Goodbye TWC, he-llo Roku! It took me a while and I finally did it, with teens to boot, but hey, we're still breathing! The UI on the screen is super friendly, keeping list of dvd's and play on demand is easy and their dvd service has been divine. Call me crazy, but part of leaving all the noise of cable was to spend some more quality time with my family and myself with better viewing choices and to that point I don't even bother with giving Netflix any of my feedback, seems like they are just doing fine ... I'd rather save that for AptTherapy :)
Yes, this is what I was going to say. There is nothing wrong with the Roku but you can get a Bluray player for 130 or even a WD TV-Live now for about the same price, and they will both do way more than just netflix.
I will, however, recommend against wireless. You have to proved an amazing connection over N to be able to stream HD netflix properly over N. Even SD netflix will often hiccup. Wired is the way to go unless you absolutely have to do wireless.
wouldnt a PS3 fill the need of the roku and blu ray player and raise it a game console?
i am contemplating cutting my cable because lets face it comcast is criminal. but, i am not sure whether or how to determine if the shows i like to watch are available for free on line. is there a good resource to determine if your desired programming is in fact available without cable tv? i watch stuff like discovery and tlc programming as well as things like top gear on bbc or current tv and G4.
@kamikazetedibear: Your wireless connection will almost always be faster than your internet connection -- especially if you're using 802.11n -- so what you're saying makes no sense.
If you have a lot of local RF interference, that's the only case where I could see dragging a cable to the [insert set-top box here] for streaming Netflix and Hulu over the 'net.
Those "hiccups" are probably from your internet connection, not your link to the router.
"@kamikazetedibear: Your wireless connection will almost always be faster than your internet connection -- especially if you're using 802.11n -- so what you're saying makes no sense."
That doesn't make any sense. How can wireless be faster than wired directly to a router?
"our girlfriend?"
please make it stop.
"Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'"
-Mark Twain
My wife and I decided to take the plunge and buy a Roku back in January when I figured out that cutting out cable would pay for it in 2 months. It's been fantastic! Especially since Netflix upgraded their interface to be able to search and add movies from the Roku (instead of having to run to the computer when nothing in our queue sounds good to watch).
@joshhyde: The slowest link will be from your modem to your ISP, which is almost always slower than your connection to the router, so wired vs wireless becomes a moot point.
If you're running on a 100 Mbps FiOS connection or something, that's obviously different, but most of us are lucky to get 10 Mbps from our cable or DSL provider.
@dimwell, wifi drops a lot more packets than wired. It makes a difference when you're streaming HD:)
@joshhyde: If you're dropping packets, you've got other problems. See my note above about RF interference. Also, make sure the neighbors aren't making good use of your network.
I stream HD content to my Xbox 360 and PS3 from a variety of sources (including Netflix, Hulu, and my laptop), over a 802.11g connection, with no problems whatsoever.
I got one of these for Christmas last year and while my roommates poopooed it at first, we've all fallen in love with it. Its especially great with the new Netflix interface where I can actually search on screen rather than having to have my laptop with me at all times.
My favorite part is that we wind up watching more stuff on it than we do on normal cable. So much for all those HD channels my roomies insisted on having :)
While I know wireless can handle it in my own experience it can be finicky. Many, many reviews seem to back up my experiences. If wireless works for you great, but it is often a 75-100 dollar premium on a similar wired device so people should know going in that it isn't all flowers and sunshine.
Also it has nothing to do with your DSL connection. The issue, as mentioned, is that wireless is very susceptible to interference and general degradation. It can be inconsistent and drop a lot of packets. If a person is not streaming already they will probably never notice this about their home connection. I watch hundreds of gigs worth of Netflix a month over my hardwire connection with no problem, but wireless has been seriously inconsistent for me.
The point is wired just works. Wireless can work, but when it doesn't it is frustrating as hell, and a pricey upgrade if you can't use it.
In terms of wireless streaming...I can watch Netfix w/o 'hiccups' on my iPad. I think too, I can connect my iPad with AV cables to my TV so my iPad can be used in place of a Roku.