aiiaznsk8er wrote:I have some questions:
Do you have to pay for Hulu Plus to stream it on the Roku?
What is their app store like?
Can I stream content to it that is on my home network like personal photos and video?

1. You have to pay for Hulu Plus to have it work for you anywhere.

2. Roku's Channel Store is straight forward, and has a mix of channels requiring payment and free channels.

3. It's possible to stream home network content, but it doesn't look like it's easy yet.

I just found out this weekend about Plex, an app that manages local and online media. There's a Plex app for the Roku now, which relies on installing a server application on a desktop or laptop computer. I've tried this with a Mac, and had all sorts of problems that I haven't figured out yet. It's not easy, but it is doable, and should be easier if you have Windows or Linux.

robishack88 wrote:Do they support DLNA streaming or streaming files from a window share / samba share?

No, there is absolutely no streaming to or from this device over the network.

Edit: "3. It's possible to stream home network content, but it doesn't look like it's easy yet."

I stand corrected, good show.

I just found out this weekend about Plex, an app that manages local and online media. There's a Plex app for the Roku now, which relies on installing a server application on a desktop or laptop computer. I've tried this with a Mac, and had all sorts of problems that I haven't figured out yet. It's not easy, but it is doable, and should be easier if you have Windows or Linux.

There is also no storage interface in which you could insert media.

If you would like this functionality in addition to netflix, I would suggest a Boxee Box or using a video game system.

As far as I know there are no sub-$100 solutions for people that would like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and network media streaming.

So without a USB port - can you browse your network, hit a share, map a drive to stream local content? [Ok - answer is above - thnx]

i have a curiosity. i dont use a router and i have a comp and xbox. i switch back and forth on the cable modem all the time. is the Roku pretty simple like that or is it complicated each time you disconnect and reconnect it to the modem?

HULU isn't allowed for set-top boxes because of licensing issues with the content providers. Seems they were keen to get onto PC screens as a way to widen their audience, but fear that devices designed specifically for the real family TV just trades down to a less profitable avenue to reach the same people who would otherwise use cable or satellite or broadcast. So they won't do regular HULU on a TV-bound box. The differences in HULU PLUS make less content for more cash, and are intended to protect the mainstream (sorry about that pun!) outlets.

jmacgill wrote:I'm confused. According to the writeup, this thing has wi-fi, but according to wikipeida ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roku) this model (Model #N1000/N1100) does not have wi-fi.

So which is it?

Just fixed the wikipedia page.

Alnilam wrote:1080p for one thing. As well as modern Wi-Fi connections. This is TWO models older than the current Roku 2!

The comparable $60 Roku 2 is only 720p, so that info is incorrect. You would have to spend at least $80 to get 1080p.

in for one... now i dont have to get a referb bluray to have my girl watch one tree hill over and over and over

Awesome!!! I have two Apple TV units and have been wanting one of these so that I don't always have to have iTunes up and running to watch my DVD's. I've converted all my DVD's to digital format so I have my whole collection on the computer now and it's lovely not to have to pop in discs anymore - just scroll through a menu! It's the wave of the future, kids! I don't even buy DVD's anymore.

stegyfrany wrote:The big difference, to me anyway, is the wireless g vs wireless n. Is that really gonna make a big difference?

It will if you have an older router (like mine) that dumbs down the n to g if there are any g devices on the network. You may not notice it on the Roku, but you might on the other devices in your house when you switch the Roku on.

(Many) Newer routers have multiple radios to handle both n and g simultaneously.

I knew that as soon as Roku 2 was launched, we would see Roku on woot. I got myself one, and the only reason I got it, because of Ethernet connectivity, no matter how awesome is your wifi, ethernet is a better bet for streaming video.

jebalaya wrote:i have a curiosity. i dont use a router and i have a comp and xbox. i switch back and forth on the cable modem all the time. is the Roku pretty simple like that or is it complicated each time you disconnect and reconnect it to the modem?

While it would be simple, just give in and buy a little network router. They go as cheaply as $10-20 and would give you multiple outputs and wifi.

I just found 30 of them under $20 in one minute. They aren't great but beat the technology you are using now....

jebalaya wrote:i have a curiosity. i dont use a router and i have a comp and xbox. i switch back and forth on the cable modem all the time. is the Roku pretty simple like that or is it complicated each time you disconnect and reconnect it to the modem?

You shouldn't have an issue with setup for a wired connection.

It will autoconfigure DHCP just like any other device.

Though, I would HEAVILY suggest that you buy a $50 router, not because it will improve anything, but because I cringe every time someone unplugs a cable to free up an ethernet port.

Edit: If you have an Xbox(a 360 I hope, if not then disregard) in the same area that you would put a Roku, couldn't you just use the Xbox for netflix/hulu?

+1 if you thought the video was going to have "oh, it's fake!" At the end.


lol...

alpayton wrote:Apparently roku 2 also has motion sensor technology so you can use the remote like on a Wii. More details can be found here:
http://www.maximumtech.com/get-your-game-new-roku-2-line

Only on the $100 model.....the $60 (720p) and $80 (1080p) do not have that ability. Also the new Roku's lack all other TV outputs other than HDMI and they also removed the Ethernet port.

The Roku 1 can be used with or without wifi (Direct Ethernet hookup) and with any kind of TV hookup, and is 720p just like the Roku 2 $60 model.

outer78 wrote:Doesn't have USB hard-drive support...

Another link on connecting a USB hard drive
http://support.roku.com/entries/423947-can-i-play-back-media-on-my-roku-player-from-my-usb-hard-drive

1. Huluplus but not Hulu is available on the Roku. Why not just regular Hulu? Hu knows. I can watch Hulu on my pc, but would like to watch it on my tv too.
   
   

Hulu only allows streaming on devices other than PCs using HuluPlus. Basically, it's Hulu's fault, not Roku's.

midasnyc wrote:Now that Netflix has raised it's price by 60%, what exactly is the point of buying this thing? Maybe Amazon will step into the void, but it hasn't yet. Other than those two, there's nothing on Roku worth owning it for.

Netflix remains extremely cheap at the higher price compared to cable or other pay services.
Amazon Prime video is a great system, providing free delivery of amazon products Plus movies for 75 bucks a year.

Picture quality for Roku is outstanding.

I'm buying two of these to go with the one I already have. Happy to get em.

In for one.
Looked at the new generation Roku boxes and cringed - For network connectivity, I require the ethernets.

As a result, I can either pick up this inexpensive older model that has HDMI AND an ethernet port on it, attach it to the network, and watch things the same day it arrives, or spend $100 on the current generation which only gives me the added benefit of Angry Birds.

The money saved between the two boxes is enough to buy an Xbox Live Gold subscription that I'll no longer need to watch Netflix on a regular television. This means, I don't have to renew Xbox Live. Huzzah!

SecretAgentWoman wrote:Is there any point in buying this if you don't pay for subscriptions with Hulu, Netflix or Amazon? I mean, if you are so cheap (broke) you want nothing but free content, does this offer anything at all besides a nifty way to collect dust?

Yes. Roku has a great news service with programming from many major news sources.
Many podcasters, such as TWIT, provide programming for free.

Pandora can be streamed through your home video system.

For the price of this box, you have great additional functionality for nearly nothing for your video system.

nytimez wrote:Too bad -- I'm giving up Netflix streaming and going back to disc-only. They ain't got enough content for the $7.99 a month... and Roku ain't got enough content without Netflix.

As someone who hasn't had cable in a decade I find that statement silly. $7.99 a month for a rotating list of about 20,000 titles vs. $60-100 a month for maybe five shows I actually want to watch is, to me, a no brainer. Switching back makes sense if you're really mostly interested in recent releases, of course, but I have never failed to find something to watch on NS, and I probably watch about 20 hours of it a week, possibly more depending on what kind of work I'm doing/if I recently got a wine.woot order. ;)

Sure, it's not always what I set out to watch, and I've had plenty of titles in my queue drop off before I get to see them, but I've also seen literally dozens of films that I enjoyed the heck out of that I never would have bothered with before. The volume of titles and unlimited usage also means I don't feel at all weird about just turning off something I'm not enjoying (something that renting would never allow me to do, as I'd feel like I have to suffer through since I paid for it).

As for the Roku, I don't own one because I have a 360, but several friends do and they are great little machines that do exactly what you need them to. Unless you really feel like you NEED 1080 (which, with Netflix, I believe would be upsampled from 720 anyway, though I could be wrong there), at $45 shipped you can't go wrong here...

stegyfrany wrote:So, with today's Woot!, you get an older Roku, but with a lot more connectivity options, and wireless that tops out at g.

With the new Roku, $20 more, brand spanking new, less connectivity options, and wireless n.

Since I have a 720p TV with HDMI, all other options being equal, I really don't know if I should opt for this and save $20 bucks, or go for the "latest" version and spend $20 more.

The big difference, to me anyway, is the wireless g vs wireless n. Is that really gonna make a big difference?

Wireless G tops out at 54mbpe and I doubt your ISP even comes close to that. Roku streams Netflix HD easily using my homes 7mbps (even worked great using my 3g cellphone connection of 1.2mbps) Internet connection streaming from a wireless G router. A wireless N router With a transfer rate of 300mbps does you no good when your ISP's broadband connection does not output at anywhere near those speeds.

In other words, you'll be fine. Enjoy!

any reason to use this instead of a pc or laptop hooked up to your tv?

They do work for home media content - and there's nothing terribly tough about it. That said - the codec choices are exceptionally limited (h.264 and VC1).

Add one of the after-market channels , set it up (this needs to be done from your PC the first time) for streaming from your home network, and away you go.

I have both the WD Live!, which I prefer for delivering content from my home network (far greater codec support) and the interface to Pandora, and the Roku, which I prefer for streaming free channel support, and NetFlix content.

At this price, even a base-model Roku delivers a lot of bang-for-the-buck.

sirzagsalot wrote:any reason to use this instead of a pc or laptop hooked up to your tv?

Remote, wastes ALOT less electricity, and is extremely simplified UI wise.. I have my PC running Boxee for one tv, but am considering this for my downstairs tv.

wesbc wrote:So, for $20 bucks more I can get a NEW Roku 2. Why bother?

just got the roku 2, it is 99 dollars

stevedog1 wrote:Wireless G tops out at 54mbpe and I doubt your ISP even comes close to that. Roku streams Netflix HD easily using my homes 7mbps (even worked great using my 3g cellphone connection of 1.2mbps) Internet connection streaming from a wireless G router. A wireless N router With a transfer rate of 300mbps does you no good when your ISP's broadband connection does not output at anywhere near those speeds.

In other words, you'll be fine. Enjoy!

Thanks. I do, in fact, have 3mbps internet speed (roll eyes - the fastest Qwest offers "in my area"), but, after reading other posts, wondering about other "newer" things in the Roku 2 (like updated firmware, someone else mentioned bigger memory and faster processor).

On the other hand, the connectivity options totally rock on this model, and besides, I already have angry birds on my stupid iPhone anyway.

Been wanting a little roku streaming box for a while, i figure this is as good a time as any

vienbals wrote:just got the roku 2, it is 99 dollars

Actually the 2 HD is $69, so it's still $30 more, you got the XS

stegyfrany wrote:Thanks. I do, in fact, have 3mbps internet speed (roll eyes - the fastest Qwest offers "in my area"), but, after reading other posts, wondering about other "newer" things in the Roku 2 (like updated firmware, someone else mentioned bigger memory and faster processor).

On the other hand, the connectivity options totally rock on this model, and besides, I already have angry birds on my stupid iPhone anyway.

Apparently the earlier Roku's would run out of memory when you add too many channels. All of the Roku 2's have a micro SD slot to solve that problem.

DaZoneRanger wrote:Is this good for anything free? What if I don't have Netflix or any other type of subscription service and refuse to subscribe, would this still give me channels with movies and stuff?

There are lots of free channels with varying degrees of content quality, but your best bet would probably be Crackle. They have lots of movies and TV shows from Sony/Columbia

If this played content from an SD card, or streamed from my local network I might bite. I have an original Roku now and use it for Netflix. I've tried many of the other "channels", but haven't found any that I'd go back to.

sirzagsalot wrote:any reason to use this instead of a pc or laptop hooked up to your tv?

Easier hookup, keeps pc free, easier interface through easy remote. Very worth it.

donatom3 wrote:Actually the 2 HD is $69, so it's still $30 more, you got the XS

Actually it's double at $79.99, and another $20 if you want to play games using the motion sensor,

This has optical out, the new roku 2 does not. This is perfect for those with a receiver that requires optical for audio.

stevedog1 wrote:Actually it's double at $79.99, and another $20 if you want to play games using the motion sensor,

No, $79.99 is the XD, the HD is $69.99. All of the Roku 2s can play games but you need the bluetooth motion remote which comes standard on the Roku XS and is $30 extra once it's available for sale.

Roku 2 new features explained, compares with old Roku

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2011-07/roku-2-review/

some info:

Roku 2 does NOT have dual band wireless like the old one did.
Roku 2 DOES feature a "blazing fast new GPU"
The micro SD slot is to overcome 'channel memory limitations'

Please forgive if someone already posted this link.

I can't decide between getting this one and just buying the newer version on Amazon. After seeing all of the different options, I am VERY excited. It would be nice if Sony charged WII users for a "Sony APP" that provided all of these same channels... I'm just saying. I only own 2 wii's. :-)

hardcle wrote:There are lots of free channels with varying degrees of content quality, but your best bet would probably be Crackle. They have lots of movies and TV shows from Sony/Columbia

You can also visit their website, Crackle.com, to see what they have.

donatom3 wrote:Apparently the earlier Roku's would run out of memory when you add too many channels. All of the Roku 2's have a micro SD slot to solve that problem.

I have over 100 channels ( from just downloading them to see how they were and never deleted them!) and I've never had any issues in regards to memory. Perhaps if your trying to download all 300 available channels (currently) then you might have a problem. I personally do not see that ever happening in my household, especially since there's only a few that I actually watch Iike Facebook (to view pictures) Netflix, Crackle (free movies/tv shows), MLBTV (paid subscriptions), Pandora (music on my surround sound system) and YouTube (web videos).

When on long trips, I hook up to our dual headrest monitors (the DVD ones from Walmart) to my Roku using the standard video/audio jacks, and connect to my cellular hotspot for the kids to watch Netflix while on the road (using a dc/ac inverter to power the Roku, they both fit nicely under the passenger side seat).

These things are great and so portable you can bring them anywhere for entertainment.