[Hold My Own]

Pretty good price for a good system: http://www.buy.com/prod/roku-xd-1080p-s ... 97180.html

[adam42381]

Pretty good price for a good system: http://www.buy.com/prod/roku-xd-1080p-s ... 97180.html

Thanks for the heads up. I've been looking at this model for a while and couldn't pass it up for that price (even if it is refurbished).

[thepostman]

So is Roku a good system? I normally just hook my laptop up to the tv to watch stuff, but if this is worth it then I might think about it, especially for 60 bucks.

[NotAJerry]

Love this topic. I made the move away from Fios recently myself. I do Netflix streaming, a half-price Amazon Prime student membership for Amazon Instant Video instead of Hulu+ (basically the same price for new shows/movies as iTunes/Roku), and a digital antenna for local channels (in DC that's actually quite a lot). I did jump on a Tivo unit when it was cheap to use for DVR purposes. I can either watch a show on regular TV, or often catch an episode or two on the network website or Hulu free, and then decide to watch it through the year or even buy it on Amazon Instant Watch and then own that content forever.

I also pay for Amazon Cloud storage, just the $20/yr for 20 GB currently, which takes care of all my backup needs for the moment. I did get a new Blu-Ray player that handles Amazon Instant Video during the holidays and the one I got has things like Vudu, ESPN3, Pandora, Flikr etc. built in.

It's starting to feel like we're not far from a la carte TV at this point. It's just a matter of the TV industry figuring out how they can successfully accomplish it.

[RubberMallet]

So is Roku a good system? I normally just hook my laptop up to the tv to watch stuff, but if this is worth it then I might think about it, especially for 60 bucks.

i usually just tell people to buy a 100 dollar blu ray player that will do it all too.

but sony's netflix playback is all kinds of awful. it will drop down to unusable mbps occasionally even if you have a 100 meg pip. a well documented issue.

[JDUB]

but sony's netflix playback is all kinds of awful. it will drop down to unusable mbps occasionally even if you have a 100 meg pip. a well documented issue.

We've been experiencing this a lot in my Lynchburg house recently

[PAmedic]

I like the concept but in my house we watch little to NO network TV, and predominately watch the following:

Nickelodeon (Nick Jr, Nick Teen, Nick East/West, etc)
Disney (East/West)
Cartoon Network
Discovery
Sci Fi
Animal Planet
Military Channel
History (History Intl)
A&E

if you can figure out how to get those free I'd be interested tho

[Hold My Own]

I like the concept but in my house we watch little to NO network TV, and predominately watch the following:

Nickelodeon (Nick Jr, Nick Teen, Nick East/West, etc)
Disney (East/West)
Cartoon Network
Discovery
Sci Fi
Animal Planet
Military Channel
History (History Intl)
A&E

if you can figure out how to get those free I'd be interested tho

Look into the "Playon" abilities with Roku...it's a 3rd party addon that will give you hundreds of channels like you mentioned....not in HD though...

You'll have options though...

[jcmanson]

Medic, Netflix streaming for $8 a month gives you all the cartoons your little heart could desire.

Dora
Diego
Blues Clues
Backyardigans
VeggieTales
Rugrats
blah
blah
blah

[PAmedic]

they have those Japenese anime fighting dragon-thing shows on there?

also, SpongeBob.

[jcmanson]

they have those Japenese anime fighting dragon-thing shows on there?

also, SpongeBob.

You get me the name of the shows and I"ll check them

[PAmedic]

I'll have to ask the kids. I have no idea.

one is Bakugan I think tho

[ALUmnus]

For such a popular service, Netflix has the absolute worst browsing abilities. Unless you know exactly what show/movie you're looking for, you're stuck with whatever recommendations that slap on your account. So frustrating.

[RubberMallet]

For such a popular service, Netflix has the absolute worst browsing abilities. Unless you know exactly what show/movie you're looking for, you're stuck with whatever recommendations that slap on your account. So frustrating.

their website has gone from ok, to worse. i don't want to have to use an outside website to see what shows are expiring and what is up and coming. i want to see new shows that are added and the date they were added. its infuriating.

[JDUB]

Amazon will overtake this market. Wish I had the money to buy more stock in them than I already have. Netflix is pretty much self destructing; they've already proved the people running it are clueless with the whole splitting dvds and streaming colossal failure they accomplished last year.

I think I'm going to add a Roku to my wedding registry so I can pull all of the stuff I'm already subscribed to through one channel. That'll make pandora through the surround sound better and easier, Amazon and other various online subscriptions all in one place. Then I'll drop Netflix and short their stock as they tank.

[From the class of 09]

Amazon will overtake this market. Wish I had the money to buy more stock in them than I already have. Netflix is pretty much self destructing; they've already proved the people running it are clueless with the whole splitting dvds and streaming colossal failure they accomplished last year.

I think I'm going to add a Roku to my wedding registry so I can pull all of the stuff I'm already subscribed to through one channel. That'll make pandora through the surround sound better and easier, Amazon and other various online subscriptions all in one place. Then I'll drop Netflix and short their stock as they tank.

Agree that Netflix has probably run its corse; however AAPL, MSFT, (think xbox live), and GOOG are all in or going to be in the online streaming market so AMZN isn't going to run away with anything IMO.

[ALUmnus]

Amazon will overtake this market. Wish I had the money to buy more stock in them than I already have. Netflix is pretty much self destructing; they've already proved the people running it are clueless with the whole splitting dvds and streaming colossal failure they accomplished last year.

I think I'm going to add a Roku to my wedding registry so I can pull all of the stuff I'm already subscribed to through one channel. That'll make pandora through the surround sound better and easier, Amazon and other various online subscriptions all in one place. Then I'll drop Netflix and short their stock as they tank.

Agree that Netflix has probably run its corse; however AAPL, MSFT, (think xbox live), and GOOG are all in or going to be in the online streaming market so AMZN isn't going to run away with anything IMO.

Don't forget the other online biggie....Facebook. They really want in on the online video market. But Amazon has such a huge headstart on everyone else with studio contracts.

[JDUB]

Amazon also has something that only Apple has, control over everything including the hardware and software. Having their own tablets and probably having a phone in the near future will help them a lot.

[LUminary]

Amazon will overtake this market. Wish I had the money to buy more stock in them than I already have. Netflix is pretty much self destructing; they've already proved the people running it are clueless with the whole splitting dvds and streaming colossal failure they accomplished last year.

I think I'm going to add a Roku to my wedding registry so I can pull all of the stuff I'm already subscribed to through one channel. That'll make pandora through the surround sound better and easier, Amazon and other various online subscriptions all in one place. Then I'll drop Netflix and short their stock as they tank.

Amazon is way up the last week. If you were buying on a pullback, what price?

[adam42381]

Got my Roku set up over the weekend and played around with it a little bit. I think it has a lot of potential. I'll mostly be using it for Amazon Instant Video since I'm a Prime member and for MLB.TV once the season starts. We don't have a Netflix account anymore because the content was lacking. I don't have a Hulu Plus account so I can't comment on that service.
I may sign up for PlayOn in the future. For right now it'll be a nice supplement to our current cable package. I really only jumped on it because I had a $50 Visa gift card so it only cost me $10 with the deal HMO posted.

[LUminary]

For anyone interested in an antenna to pull free off-air digital signals, I found this nifty "paper thin" device from this company in Raleigh. Works well and is unobtrusive. It's kind of like a piece of laminated thin cardboard. No. 1 son says he knows of the company's founders from his days at NC State and hears they're selling these things like crazy. I've been impressed with it so far.

http://gomohu.com/

[youtube]

[/youtube]

[truedrewdawg87]

Thanks for all the feedback and information guys. As of right now, I'm still with Dish Network. I have to admit I'm still somewhat skeptical about pulling the plug and making the switch to Roku or anything else. Our DVR is something my wife and I both enjoy using and I'm reluctant to give that up along with watching sports in HD. I'm still researching and open to any and all suggestions you guys have. Again, thanks for the help.

[LUminary]

Got my Roku set up over the weekend and played around with it a little bit. I think it has a lot of potential. I'll mostly be using it for Amazon Instant Video since I'm a Prime member and for MLB.TV once the season starts.

Adam, I like this Roku idea for another room and am thinking seriously about going that route, but I don't see MLB.TV listed on the Roku website as one of its channels. Can you confirm that it's still available through Roku? Thanks.

[NotAJerry]

Got my Roku set up over the weekend and played around with it a little bit. I think it has a lot of potential. I'll mostly be using it for Amazon Instant Video since I'm a Prime member and for MLB.TV once the season starts.

Adam, I like this Roku idea for another room and am thinking seriously about going that route, but I don't see MLB.TV listed on the Roku website as one of its channels. Can you confirm that it's still available through Roku? Thanks.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/subscriptions/in ... oduct=roku

Yep.

[adam42381]

Got my Roku set up over the weekend and played around with it a little bit. I think it has a lot of potential. I'll mostly be using it for Amazon Instant Video since I'm a Prime member and for MLB.TV once the season starts.

Adam, I like this Roku idea for another room and am thinking seriously about going that route, but I don't see MLB.TV listed on the Roku website as one of its channels. Can you confirm that it's still available through Roku? Thanks.

It isn't listed because it isn't in season right now. I downloaded the app so it's definitely on there. That was the first thing I checked into before ordering it. I'll probably end up moving it to another room when the season starts because I already have MLB.TV on my PS3 in the living room.