I love my Roku!

[apnep]

So everyone here with a ROKU, do you NEED cable? Or you just keep it for the basic prime channels. What can you watch? You can't watch the currect TV shows right?

Also, how much to you have to pay for the other services?

We have been thinking about dumping cable for a while but just can't seem to kick it. I like my shows like Project Runway, and all my DIY shows...

 

[nansmama]

So everyone here with a ROKU, do you NEED cable? Or you just keep it for the basic prime channels. What can you watch? You can't watch the currect TV shows right?

Also, how much to you have to pay for the other services?

We have been thinking about dumping cable for a while but just can't seem to kick it. I like my shows like Project Runway, and all my DIY shows...

There is a channel on the Roku that streams the Lifetime episodes they have on their website, so you can watch Project Runway (we just watched it the other night). I don't think HGTV is on there anymore, though.

You need cable internet or DSL in order to stream. You don't need cable TV service.

We don't watch anything we can't stream either through the Roku or computer. That said, there are very few shows nowadays that aren't available on the TV channels' websites or through Amazon.

Netflix is $8 a month streaming, Amazon Prime is $80/year. Hulu Plus is something like $7 a month.

As PP said, sports is the major sticking point for streaming. You can subscribe to online services from NBA, NFL, MLB, etc but they will block out your local teams. So, not really worth it.

 

[Tree]

I dont think that there is NFL channel or ESPN they do have MLB for sports

 

[momof3ds]

You could move the roku box from TV to TV theoretically. You would need the power cord and hdmi cable. In the long run, it's easier to get a box for each TV. We have a roku upstairs and an apple TV box downstairs.

The purple roku plays up to 720HD video. The roku 2 XD plays up to 1080 HD.

Keep in mind that the quality of your video streaming will also depend on your internet speed. We ended up increasing our internet plan to account for the need to stream.

Can anyone tell me if you can hook it up easily to different tv's or is the account only on one tv.. hope that makes sense?
Also can anyone tell me the difference between the original puple box and the one that was listed here on sale the roku2? on Roku's website they have the original one listed for $49 with free shipping. Thinking of getting this for Christmas but this is the first I have ever heard of this neat little gadget

 

[clynngibson]

We have a roku and love it! We pay for Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus. That's it. We absolutely can't do without it!

Question for you! With Amazon Prime, can you watch the tv episodes included in your membership? I'm interested in the new season shows like the current season of Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, etc? Thanks!

 

[DawnM]

No, you can't. Prime only has older shows and older movies. I have Prime but rarely use it for streaming.

Hulu+ has most current shows that are NOT on CBS. I cancelled my subscription because I stopped using it and will re-subscribe if they get CBS shows.

I also paid $39 for a lifetime subscription to PlayOn. PlayOn has some glitches but it will stream anything currently available on your computer. So, you can stream the last few episodes of whatever show.

I also have Netflix.

Dawn

Question for you! With Amazon Prime, can you watch the tv episodes included in your membership? I'm interested in the new season shows like the current season of Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, etc? Thanks!

 

[Nayan]

I don't think that there is NFL channel or ESPN they do have MLB for sports

No and there will never be, so if you love sports you will need cable. The MLB package is only good if your team isn't local, same with NBA and NHL. NFL Sunday Ticket is available but it is for Playstation 3 only and it's VERY expensive ($300 for the season).

 

[hsmamato2]

so is playon lite like hulu? I like the hulu plus channels, but there are a few cbs shows I MUST see...(the mentalist)
I think I may get a roku for cheap,as we have a ps3 already which will stream, but it's not very simple or quick for streaming.... this way when I cut the satellite dish out, I can use streaming on various tv's.....
here's my one big stickler....ANIMAL PLANET? I need Animal planet shows, they are all my ds watches,basically I guess I'm paying 36.00 per month so he can watch his shows.....
Now that I know I can watch WHEN I want, it's the one thing holding me back....

 

[Nayan]

There are only 4 shows with full episodes available from their site:

http://animal.discovery.com/videos

 

[Dizisfun]

My husband and I thought about Roku when they first came out. But as I am technologically challenged we didn't invest the money for it. Is it something that would be user friendly to someone that has limited knowledge of electronics and such?

 

[Nayan]

The simple way to explain is this:

Roku has apps, like your phone or tablet does. It doesn't have channels like your TV. It has a remote that you can use to choose the app that you wish to view. Some are free, like Crackle which has movies (not newer and they have commercials), some you pay a monthly/yearly fee for (Amazon Prime has movies/TV shows, again not newer ones for $79/year and Hulu + which is $8/month. It also supports Netflix streaming). It has news from Al-Jazeera, CNN International, BBC, Russia Today and NHK, which are all free. If you buy yearly sports packages like MLB, NBA, etc. you can view them on here.

Some people use it to replace cable. For me I use it to supplement cable.

 

[LynnTH]

I would like to know more about these too (as well as Apple TV). We do have Netflix that we stream through X-Box and Wii. Will this add more shows? Thinking of getting this for the Kids Recreation Room but not sure what all it would add without adding any more monthly subscriptions.

We all have Iphones, I-pads, I-touches - would the Apple TV Be a better fit for us or does it not matter??

 

[Nayan]

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57320715-221/apple-tv-vs-roku-which-streaming-box-should-you-buy/

 

[Li Li]

I really like having the Apple TV. We are an Apple household so it meshes with us well. We have instant Netflix and we will rent or buy stuff from iTunes. But we haven't given up cable though we might think about going strictly Apple TV.

What's nice is that DH can put together a slide show or movie through his iMac using our Disney pics and then we get to make friends and family sit through our vacation pics and movies on our big screen TV!

 

[bedogged]

I got my Roku FREE months ago from Dish Network. I got mine free because when they removed AMC from my station lineup, I called Dish and complained. They sent me the free Roku and took off $10.00 a month from my bill for a year. I reported it on this board, but no one seemed to be interested. Now that they have brought that channel back, I guess that ship has sailed. I love mine. The picture quality is better on the Roku than on the premium channels even though both are 1080 HD.

 

[momof3ds]

With Apple TV, you can stream pics and videos to the tv. You can also mirror from apple devices. I was able to watch parking wars on the tv by streaming it from my ipad to the appl TV.

Apple TV streams netflx and hulu plus. And you can rent movies from iTunes if you like.

You can not currently watch amazon videos through Apple TV.

I would like to know more about these too (as well as Apple TV). We do have Netflix that we stream through X-Box and Wii. Will this add more shows? Thinking of getting this for the Kids Recreation Room but not sure what all it would add without adding any more monthly subscriptions.

We all have Iphones, I-pads, I-touches - would the Apple TV Be a better fit for us or does it not matter??

 

[DawnM]

I didn't know you could stream to the Apple TV. That would be good for me. I have Roku boxes now though. I wonder if I can find a reason to buy one anyway????

Dawn

With Apple TV, you can stream pics and videos to the tv. You can also mirror from apple devices. I was able to watch parking wars on the tv by streaming it from my ipad to the appl TV.

Apple TV streams netflx and hulu plus. And you can rent movies from iTunes if you like.

You can not currently watch amazon videos through Apple TV.

 

[Dizisfun]

The simple way to explain is this:

Roku has apps, like your phone or tablet does. It doesn't have channels like your TV. It has a remote that you can use to choose the app that you wish to view. Some are free, like Crackle which has movies (not newer and they have commercials), some you pay a monthly/yearly fee for (Amazon Prime has movies/TV shows, again not newer ones for $79/year and Hulu + which is $8/month. It also supports Netflix streaming). It has news from Al-Jazeera, CNN International, BBC, Russia Today and NHK, which are all free. If you buy yearly sports packages like MLB, NBA, etc. you can view them on here.

Some people use it to replace cable. For me I use it to supplement cable.

Thanks so much. I already have Amazon Prime, so I may go out this weekend and purchase this for my DH as an early Christmas gift.....

 

[Dizisfun]

Thanks everyone for your quick responses....

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

My kids have a few favorite shows on CBS. When they are home we've simply connected an HDMI cable between a laptop and the TV and played episodes free through cbs.com via the laptop on the HDTV.

so is playon lite like hulu? I like the hulu plus channels, but there are a few cbs shows I MUST see...(the mentalist)
I think I may get a roku for cheap,as we have a ps3 already which will stream, but it's not very simple or quick for streaming.... this way when I cut the satellite dish out, I can use streaming on various tv's.....
here's my one big stickler....ANIMAL PLANET? I need Animal planet shows, they are all my ds watches,basically I guess I'm paying 36.00 per month so he can watch his shows.....
Now that I know I can watch WHEN I want, it's the one thing holding me back....