I have Chromecast, which sucks balls. Basically it only works with netflix. I don't see why I want it to work with youtube, because if I'm watching funny videos my comp works fine.
My very basic questions are: Will Roku fill my limited needs in when I want to watch something mindless, I want to have an array of things to watch?
I looked at the free channel selection, and it looks like something my mom would adore with televangelists everywhere.
Post by andrealynn on Jul 22, 2014 13:48:54 GMT -5
I have a roku. It has a bunch of channels, and I suppose that's pretty neat. I have added a bunch to my home screen. I pretty much use it for netflix, though. lol.
Post by 2curlydogs on Jul 22, 2014 13:50:21 GMT -5
*hides in here* I haven't had time to look closely at this but I'm intrigued by what someone said recently re: Netflix. I confirmed we can't stream Amazon Prime thru our Blu-Ray player, so....
We have it for our bedroom TV where it's solely for kids watching in the morning while I finish getting ready. We don't have cable or netflix and it streams a good selection from PBS Kids, limited Disney, and Amazon prime.
Post by mominatrix on Jul 22, 2014 13:51:59 GMT -5
we have one of the basic Roku boxes on our second TV set.
If you watch a lot of Netflix or Amazon it's brilliant. The other stuff on it... meh.
One of the cool features of Roku, though, is that you can search by title across all channels you've downloaded. So, say you have a burning desire to watch The Rockford Files (RIP James Garner)... you can search and it'll tell you it's on Amazon or Netflix or Hulu whateverywhatever.
there are always all these rumors of live tv being added, as well as network stuff on demand, but I haven't seen it come to fruition.
We use our roku for netflix, amazon prime and hulu. We have a chromecast too and it can't do prime, which is annoying.
This is our only source of TV besides local programming over our antenna.
I like hulu for new shows that I can't stay awake late enough to watch and things that are on basic cable like the Daily Show. H watches older stuff and random documentaries on Netflix. Amazon streaming has a lot of great options but you need to pay for a lot of the movies and shows. They did just add a bunch of free old HBO shows so we've been using it more.
I rarely use any of the other channels that come with roku. The good ones seem to be pay channels and I don't want to add any more that cost money.
Post by rootbeerfloat on Jul 22, 2014 13:56:02 GMT -5
I've found with a Roku that I can't just sit down and channel surf to find something silly to watch (like an 90s movie on FX or a cooking show on HGTV). Well, I can search Netflix or Hulu, but it's annoying (to me). I end up only watching the things I know I can get through the channels we have. We have Neflix (for old shows) and Hulu (for current shows).
We have a Roku in our bedroom and use it primarily to stream Netflix and Amazon Prime in bed. We have also rented movies with MGo a few times when we've been too lazy/snowed in to run to RedBox.
We use it for Netflix, Hulu+, Amazon Streaming, Pandora, YouTube (sometimes it's just more fun to see a video on the tv instead and can be helpful if DH wants to show me a video and we don't want to cuddle around his tiny laptop screen), PBS (I watch Sherlock and Downton on it because we don't get PBS over the air), various kid stuff, Flixster to watch movie trailers (I'm a geek and love these), oh and we just added Yahoo Screen so we can watch Community next season.
A&E, Lifetime, and History channel each have their own free channels with new content. I was watching Storage Wars on the A&E channel for a while and either Tim Gunn's show or Project Runway on the Lifetime channel.
There's a make up technique channel, OnBeauty, I think. I have it as a channel, but I've never actually watched it. There's also a crap ton of fitness channels where they lead exercises, cooking channels, etc.
Channels with movies and tv that we have but don't really use: Redbox instant, Popcorn flix, pop flix, vudu, crackle, etc.
Various channels play your own music, like amazon cloud player, if you want your music louder or in rooms where you have a tv but not a computer.
Tl; DR: We've had one for years. It's awesome. You'll love it.
ETA: We don't have Amazon Prime, we only use Amazon streaming for things we can't get anywhere else (new episodes of Doctor Who) and when we're too lazy to go to Redbox for a new movie.
Post by orangeblossom on Jul 22, 2014 14:09:21 GMT -5
Bimbi posted a similar question a few days ago that had some good info and good explanations. I'm one phone with limited battery power, otherwise I linked it.
In short, I love my Roku and think you should get one.
I don't have netflix, I won't pay for any subscriptions. I recently bought the microsoft surface and it hooks up right to the tv. I love it. In case you're looking for other options!
Also, if I have to subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime (I have both), and Hulu to get a good array of things to watch, am I really saving money?
Do you see a reason/advantage to keeping both?
Asking seriously. We have both but if I'm paying for duplicate services.... I hate that shit.
I had Netflix streaming for a couple months early this summer. I felt like there was a LOT of overlap in movies between those 2. I dropped Netflix and now just have Hulu+ and Amazon Prime, where there is almost no overlap of things I care about.
I don't have netflix, I won't pay for any subscriptions. I recently bought the microsoft surface and it hooks up right to the tv. I love it. In case you're looking for other options!
Lordy, just another thing that will have to be explained in small words.
Also, no one has explained to me how this will save me money if I cut out satellite. If I don't get roku or something else, I'm dropping netflix and amazon.
What type of tv do you have? We have an Xbox or Wii that streams Netflix and Amazon. We also hook up our laptop via an HDMI cord to watch shows such as abc.com fox.com
We also have an over the air antenna for local channels.
We figure we save about 70 dollars not having 3 set top boxes/cable. We use amazon prime mainly for the shipping and not the video (although we do watch it a few times a week). We figure we save about 60 bucks a month for ditching cable.
We have a Polaroid tv. They don't even make them anymore. It has all the slots for all the things though.
We also have a wii that hasn't been hooked up in years. We've done the "connect our laptops to the tv" thing, and it's fine... but often we like having the computer to play on while watching tv. (Yes, we're spoiled. It's how we roll.)
Also, no one has explained to me how this will save me money if I cut out satellite. If I don't get roku or something else, I'm dropping netflix and amazon.
I don't know how much satellite or cable is but I suspect it's more than $25 a month which is about what prime, netflix, and hulu cost combined. And prime gives you other benefits.
I suppose if you bundle cable, phone and internet it could be comparable but I haven't priced cable in a long time.
I know next to nothing about Roku, but we can watch Prime through chromecast. There is an extension on Chrome so that you can pull it up on your laptop and then click it and it will stream on your TV screen.
I know next to nothing about Roku, but we can watch Prime through chromecast. There is an extension on Chrome so that you can pull it up on your laptop and then click it and it will stream on your TV screen.