TV with DVR & Internet: $84.90/moRoku HD Player (Netflix Player)
Manufacturer: Roku LLC Part number: CNETROKUPLAYER
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The one-two punch of Amazon and Netflix makes the Roku Player an enticing choice for anyone looking for a simple, convenient, and affordable alternative to cable or satellite TV.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | See Site Try Free Amazon Prime for one Month | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
| Amazon.com Marketplace | | In stock | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Roku HD Player (Netflix Player) price range: $99.99
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy and John P. Falcone
- Reviewed on: 03/03/2009
- Updated on:10/27/2009
- Released on: 05/19/2008
The good: Affordable $100 price tag; streams Netflix Watch Now and Amazon Video On Demand movies and TV shows to your TV; the combination of Netflix's unlimited subscription viewing (as low as $9 per month) and Amazon's pay-per-view offerings delivers a good range of viewing flexibility and choice; PC-free movie watching; simple setup; includes built-in wired and 802.11g Wi-Fi networking; works with all TVs; upgradeable firmware allows for new features, interface improvements, and bug fixes.
The bad: Though improving, the Netflix streaming library is still just a fraction of its DVD-by-mail offerings, especially when it comes to popular recent releases; the video quality of most non-HD titles doesn't come close to DVD, especially when viewed on large TVs; some titles don't appear in their original wide-screen version; no surround sound; can't manipulate Netflix queue or search Amazon library via TV screen; yet another box under the TV.
The bottom line: The one-two punch of Amazon and Netflix makes the Roku Player an enticing choice for anyone looking for a simple, convenient, and affordable alternative to cable or satellite TV.
Editors' Note: As of October 27, Roku has added two new models to its line in addition to the Roku HD Player reviewed here. Since this review was written, Roku has added a third content channel, MLB.TV. The service gives subscribers access to live and recorded out-of-area Major League Baseball games. Roku has also announced its intentions to add Blip.tv and Mediafly channels in the fall of 2009. We'll update this review in November, once the new content becomes available.
Originally introduced in May 2008 as the "Netflix Player," Roku's little video streamer had one mission: allow Netflix subscribers to view that company's small stable of on-demand videos on their TVs. The box worked well enough, and as the year progressed, subsequent software updates and--most importantly--expanded content offerings from Starz/Disney and CBS made the $99 Roku Netflix Player and even better deal than when it was initially launched.
Flash forward to 2009, and the box has a new name--the Roku Digital Media Player--and a second service provider: it can now access Amazon Video On Demand movies and TV shows. Unlike the all-you-can-eat nature of the Netflix subscription (one monthly price gets you unlimited viewing of more than 12,000 titles), Amazon's 40,000-plus offerings are strictly pay-per-view: rent or buy movies or TV shows a la carte, for anywhere from $2 to $4 (rentals) to $6 to $15 (purchases). Amazon's library of newer movies and TV shows nicely complements that of Netflix's streaming library, which has a decent spate of TV offerings but remains short on recent hit movies. Roku has hinted that additional service providers may join the Digital Media Player's home screen menu in the future as well. Later in 2009, we'll see Blu-ray players and even TVs that incorporate these services and more, but in the meantime, the Roku Digital Media Player's $99 price tag makes it the cheapest and easiest way to add an impressive number of on-demand video options to any TV.
Design and features
From a design standpoint, there isn't much to critique. Measuring 1.75 inches tall by 5.25 inches wide by 5.25 inches deep, the box is slightly smaller than your typical cable modem, but instead of having just an Ethernet port on the back, it's equipped with all manner of audio and video outputs: HDMI, component video, S-Video, and composite video ports, as well as digital optical or the standard red/white analog stereo outputs. Currently only stereo sound is available, but 5.1 surround sound could be added via a future firmware upgrade.
For optimal video quality, you'll want to stick with HDMI or component video. However, you will have to supply those cables since the Netflix Player includes only a standard composite AV cable in the box. We were happy to see the presence of composite and S-Video jacks, as well an aspect ratio (standard or wide screen) toggle--which lets the Netflix Player connect to any old TV, not just HD sets. (Apple TV can only connect to HDTVs.)
The remote is about as simple as it gets: in addition to a five-way directional pad, play/pause, fast-forward, and rewind keys, there's a "home" button that takes you to your list of queued movies. The remote works well enough, and since it's a standard infrared model you can easily program its functions into any worthwhile universal remote.
Once you have all your cables connected, you plug the AC adapter into the box, wait a few seconds for the box to start up, and make your way through the simple setup wizard using the included remote. You're given the choice to connect to your home network via a wired or wireless connection and can fairly easily switch from one connection to another if your wireless connection is spotty. If you have a secure wireless network (WEP, WPA, WPA2), you simply key in your security key via an onscreen virtual keyboard.
The Roku Player assumes that you've got a Netflix and/or Amazon account up and running. The first time you choose either onscreen icon, you're given a special PIN code. Just navigate your computer's browser to address listed on the screen, enter the code, and the Roku Player will be linked to your account on the respective service. Once the services are set up, you access either of them through their respective icons on the main menu screen. (Use the up arrow on the remote whenever you want to go back to the previous screen.)
Now let's take a look at the what both services offer on the Roku Player.
Netflix
Netflix users have two separate queues in their online account: a DVD queue (for discs by mail) and an Instant Queue (for streaming video). Add a movie or TV show to your Instant Queue online and that title will appear within seconds on your Roku Player. However, you can't add titles or navigate Netflix's vast library from the box itself; you can only search for and add titles via your computer. (But because the videos are streaming from Netflix's central servers, not your computer, you don't need to have your computer powered on while you're watching the Netflix Player.) Because you're just using the standard Web site interface, queue updates can be added on any Windows, Mac, or Linux PC, using any browser. We appreciated that Netflix and Roku kept things simple.
As for what you can watch: Netflix currently offers more than 12,000 streamable titles (compared to more than 100,000 on DVD). While it's not quite the fabled "video store in the cloud," the recent addition of Starz/Disney and CBS content to the mix has helped considerably. (Existing Netflix subscribers can browse the list of available titles; anything with a blue "Play" button can be added to the Instant Queue for viewing on the Roku Player.) Current top streaming titles include "Superbad," "Serenity," "Ratatoille," "Best in Show," and "No Country for Old Men." Perhaps the strongest offering is TV shows, which include a decent range of contemporary ("The Office," "Weeds," "Doctor Who," "30 Rock," "Mythbusters") and older ("Quantum Leap," "Miami Vice," "Magnum P.I.," "Columbo," "Fawlty Towers," "Xena") favorites. Most impressive is the handful of current TV shows that are offered in near real-time: new episodes of NBC's "Heroes" and a few CBS/Showtime shows ("Numb3rs," all three permutations of "CSI") can be viewed just days after they first air in prime time.
Keep in mind that the offerings on Netflix are fluid, thanks to the vagaries of digital viewing licenses from the Hollywood studios. For instance, several of the movies we added months ago to our Instant Queue have moved to the "saved" section at the bottom. That's for movies that were once--but are no longer--available for online viewing. The list includes titles such as "The Fellowship of the Ring," "House of Games," "The Dirty Dozen," "Escape from New York," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "Alien." While viewing the queue in your browser will usually include a note such as "available until March 31, 2009" within 30 days of such an expiration, it's still a bit frustrating to see movies come and go with little rhyme or reason.
Video streaming to the Roku box is available on an unlimited basis to any Netflix subscriber on plans of $9 per month (one-disc-at-a-time) or greater. (Netflix says it's examining streaming-only pricing plans that would presumably be a bit cheaper.) And remember, of course, that anything you can't stream is still available to be mailed to you on DVD or Blu-ray within a day or two.
Also of note: a few dozen of the movie/TV selections on Netflix are now available in HD. In reality, it looks closer to the quality of a DVD, but it's a notable improvement on the other standard-def content, especially on larger TVs.
Amazon Video on Demand
Unlike Netflix's subscription model, Amazon's video service is strictly pay-per-view: choose the movies or TV episodes you'd like to watch, and rent or buy them as you see fit. There are more than 40,000 titles currently available, and that includes newer and current releases that aren't yet available on Netflix (such as "The Dark Knight," "Eagle Eye," and "Tropic Thunder.") In other words, those with mainstream tastes will probably find a lot more to their liking from Amazon rather than Netflix.
Amazon content can be purchased and/or rented. A new-to-DVD movie such as "Body of Lies," for instance, is $15 to own or $4 to rent. However, Amazon's got a decent selection of movies on sale for $6, including (currently) such titles as "Terminator 2," "Hellboy," "Spider-Man," "Black Hawk Down," and "Close Encounters." As with all such online rentals, the rental period is for only 24 hours. But what's cool about the purchases is that they're not limited to the Roku box: buy a movie and it's stored in your Amazon account, able to be viewed on demand on the Roku, your PC/Mac, and other Amazon-compatible hardware products available now and in the future--that includes downloable versions that are compatible with some portable devices as well (sadly, not the iPod).
While Netflix viewing queues must be assigned by a PC, Amazon goes both ways: you can buy or rent videos through your computer's web browser that will then be available on your Roku, or you can use the best seller lists on the Roku's on-screen interface to pick titles of interest. Because the Roku lacks any sort of directory or search function (beyond paging through boxshots and title screens of top sellers), you'll probably want to use your PC for renting or buying anything that's off the beaten path.
Performance
Whether you're viewing video from Netflix or Amazon, the experience is basically identical. The load time for videos isn't exactly "instant," but depending on the speed of your Internet connection, they buffer and launch in less than a minute. What adds a little time is the innovative way Roku is enabling fast-forwarding (and rewinding). Since there are no chapter breaks, you're forced to zip forward and back through the video using the corresponding keys on the remote. What's cool is that you navigate the video through a series of hundreds of snapshots of frames in the film (the thumbnails correspond to 10 second-intervals in the video). The system works well and you get used to it fairly quickly. We also appreciated that if you stop a film midway, the server remembers where you were, so you resume watching where you left off. You can start watching the film on your computer, then resume on the Roku--or vice versa. Likewise, if you're enjoying Netflix or Amazon content on multiple devices, you could pause a movie in the living room, and then pick up where you left off in the bedroom. (Currently, Netflix lets you have four boxes plus four computers linked to each account; Amazon lets you link accounts to multiple devices and computers as well.)
Depending on your connection speed, video is currently streamed at one of four bit rates, rated on your screen as one to four dots when starting a viewing. We got an occasional dropout from one wireless connection we were using, but overall the connections--and video--remained mostly solid. That said, a fourth test using a low-grade DSL connection resulted in the lowest-resolution (one dot) stream.
If the Roku Player's got a weakness, it's that it doesn't have considerable onboard storage capacity for buffering video beyond a few seconds. So if your broadband stream can't maintain speeds between 1Mbps or (ideally) 2.2Mbps, you should instead consider one of the many competitors that offer "queue-and-view" buffering functionality (Xbox 360, PS3, Vudu, Apple TV, and the 2Wire Blockbuster box).
On component or HDMI, the output resolution can be set up to 720p high-def. But it's the native video bit rate that really matters. At the maximum standard-def quality (four dots), you get what looks like a really good YouTube stream. Not surprisingly, things look best on TVs of smaller screen sizes (say, below 25 inches or so). As the screen sizes increase, video flaws--pixelation, solarization, softness--will be much more evident. Videophiles will balk, and even less critical viewers may frown at anything below the top bit rate. On our 52-inch flat-panel, anything below four dots was basically unwatchable--the backgrounds of the beacon-lighting sequence in "Return of the King" were a muddy mess at three-dot quality. The other problems that occasionally cropped up were some picture stuttering (dropped frames on panning shots) and some lip-synch issues on the audio track.
Netflix has a handful of movies in "high-def." In reality, these look closer to DVD quality (rather than Blu-ray), but we were quite satisfied with the image quality of the snowy vistas and bloody mayhem of John Carpenter's "The Thing" while watching on our 52-inch LCD TV. The hope, obviously, is that Netflix (and eventually Amazon) will upgrade its library to include more such HD offerings, instead of having them be the exception to the rule. (Note: anyone who's looking for optimal video quality should consider the Vudu BX100 video-on-demand box instead--its HDX movies rival Blu-ray quality.)
The only other problem: many of the movies that we know are available as wide-screen DVDs are only available in their cropped 4:3 proportions--which is really irritating if you have a wide-screen TV. And at least two of the TV selections we chose--Season 2 of "Miami Vice" on Netflix and the sole season of the old "Jonny Quest" cartoon--included episodes that weren't available on the Roku. That's almost certainly the result of some arcane music clearance issues--beyond the control of Netflix or Amazon--but it's a frustration nonetheless.
The final word
It's worth noting that the Roku Player is far from the only product that plays streaming videos from Netflix or Amazon. Netflix is currently available on a decent range of devices including the Xbox 360 and Blu-ray players from LG and Samsung, and it will be built into many new LG TVs releasing in 2009 (along with YouTube and CinemaNow). Amazon, meanwhile, will be built into many new Panasonic TVs. And TiVo HD DVRs already offer both services, plus several more.
Still, all of those products require you to invest in expensive new hardware (or--in the case of Xbox 360 or TiVo--additional subscription fees). By contrast, the Roku Player costs a mere $99. Yes, it'd be nice if the unit offered more HD content or if it didn't require you to queue up your videos from a Web browser. And, no--the video quality isn't as good as Vudu, nor is the interface as slick as Apple TV. But the fact that the Roku Player now offers a pay-per-view option on top of its subscription content gives viewers the best of both worlds. Budget-minded viewers can get an unlimited selection of decent videos for under $10 a month (Netflix), but keep the option to splurge for an occasional new release as well (Amazon). Sounds like a perfect compromise to us.
User reviews
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It's not for idiots
by dirty55409 on May 23, 2008
Pros: Streams movies to your TV. Firmware is upgradeable. Decent picture quality
Cons: not enough movie selection, needs surround sound, better video quality.
Summary: First I'd like to note how idiotic some people can be. If you thought the picture looked bad on your small computer screen, and expected it to look better ...
Summary: First I'd like to note how idiotic some people can be. If you thought the picture looked bad on your small computer screen, and expected it to look better on a bigger screen you are gravely mistaken. Although internet connections are getting faster, streaming HD content is extremely taxing on a network and since this is the first gen model, I'm pleasantly surprised at it's quality. If you don't think there's much selection you should realize that netflix adds new titles every week!! So the library is constantly growing. They can't get the rights or won't pay the outlandish prices to gain the rights to stream movies. There is a lot of legal red tape involved with getting the rights to putting a movie into a network for people to view and we'll probably never get instant access to new releases(though it could happen). Besides most new movies are garbage, do yourself a favor and browse through older movies and watch some classics, if you don't like it it's not like you had to pay for it.
in the end you have to look at the pricetag. This is priced around the same price as a low end dvd player and it has much more functionality compared to them. I would recommend it to anyone who likes to watch movies period. It's not a huge investment, it's not a perfect fit for everyone BUT remember with firmware upgrades, I am betting that the HDMI output will be getting 5.1 surround sound some time in the near future. If you're waiting for an HD model to come out, remember you may be paying twice as much if not more, for the higher resolution.12 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The Future Is Here!
by sv007 on June 4, 2008
Pros: Simple to Use, Great Price
Cons: None So Far
Summary: We have ours hooked up to a standard def Sony and it absolutely ROCKS! We are by no means early adopters of tech hardware, but this is a no-brainer. Anyone ...
Summary: We have ours hooked up to a standard def Sony and it absolutely ROCKS! We are by no means early adopters of tech hardware, but this is a no-brainer. Anyone giving the Roku low marks has obviously NOT used one. It is simple to operate, the quality is the same as our digital cable, and though selection is limited, we have no problems finding titles to watch.
No question this is the wave of the future. Apple TV and Vudu are flops compared to the Roku. All-you-can-eat titles, great quality, all at NO extra charge. Expect the number of titles to grow tremendously in the next 6 to 12 months as these boxes catch on.
The whole family just loves the Roku. We are ordering a second one for the HD set in our bedroom. I give the Roku a perfect 10 as I don't find "only" 10,000 titles to be a drawback.11 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Difficult Set Up - Ok Product
by cnetnoticeacct on July 7, 2008
Pros: Great Concept
Cons: Limited Image Quality with Standard Cable Modum Connection, Difficult Set-up
Summary: Great product in theory, however, it will not play through my brand-new, mid range receiver (Sony STR-DA4300) because of its digital rights management software and image quality is limited without ...
Summary: Great product in theory, however, it will not play through my brand-new, mid range receiver (Sony STR-DA4300) because of its digital rights management software and image quality is limited without a relatively fat internet connection. It took me three calls and one and a half hours to learn that the promised one line HDMI connection promised was not delivered. The tech support crew told me that they do not support or trouble shoot the product when not connected directly to a television--which begs the question, how many early adopters don't use some sort of receiver, switch, or other intermediary device?
7 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Movies Movies Movies
by tjmile1 on December 10, 2008
Pros: - Surprisingly good selection
- Surprisingly good video quality on a 55" Sony LCD
- Very clean design and GUI
- Easy setup
- Dirt cheap compared to any other movie source
- It does what they say it doesCons: - Some glitches watching certain films, although most stream flawlessly
- Sometimes you only get 2 dots out of 4 (streaming issues that Neflix claims are fixed)
- You may not get much sleep if you buy one (too much good stuff to just "go to bed")Summary: Roku was a whim purchase for me. CNET reviewed it, and I already had a Netflix account, so why not. I was blown away with how good this little box ...
Summary: Roku was a whim purchase for me. CNET reviewed it, and I already had a Netflix account, so why not. I was blown away with how good this little box is. I've watched hundreds of movies in the last two months.
Your equipment you connect to the Roku with has a lot to do with it. I had a problem installing my Roku wirelessly with my Linksys WRT54G router when I first got it. I called Roku and they were very pleasant and offered to send me a new box, but that's not what I wanted. I wasn't convinced the box was broken since it powered up and I was just getting network connection errors. The box itself gave me the answer eventually, I got a error message stating I need to add the Roku's MAC address to my router. I suspect if you have a computer saavy friend help you out, you may find your Roku works just fine. As far as being out money with a dead box, I can't believe Roku won't replace your non-working box or even refund you. I'm sure they would do either. They have a good product, and they're not going to stiff customers over a bad box. Ask them to replace it or send it back and get a refund.
Sometimes I don't make it through the whole movie, but that's the point. In the first five minutes if I find out I'm watching a bad "B" movie that has no redeeming value (some are fun to watch because they're bad), I pick something else. No harm - no foul, I just move on to another movie. I gave up on renting movies due to how many bad movies I went home with. Roku eliminates that and even better, Roku allows you to take chances on movies that you suspect you won't like and certainly wouldn't rent. Sometimes I've been surprised by movies I didn't think I would like.
There are thousands of movies I never saw because I didn't see them in the theater, or rent them. Roku has allowed me to catch up on what I may or may not have missed. It's outstanding for students studying film since so many classics are available.
The final reason I love Roku. Foreign movies. I'm a huge foreign movie fan and Roku has allowed me to watch some extremely moving films. Films that take chances and stay with you. I would have never seen any of these films without Netflix and Roku. I give Roku the credit because I probably wouldn't have rented them through Netflix itself. Like I said, Roku enables you to take chances on films you wouldn't see otherwise.
There have been some streaming issues, but Netflix claims to have fixed them. I don't know about that, but with what I've watched already I have zero regrets, and I use it every day.
Updated on Dec 10, 2008
Updated on Dec 25, 2008Good news. The previous streaming issues seem to be resolved, at least if you upgrade your firmware. I participated in the Roku beta firmware program and the "HD" upgrade is a winner. Doing an upgrade is great, all you have to do is select update on the info screen. It's the easiest firmware upgrade I've ever done, and frankly, I'm still amazed at how well thought out the device is. The Roku is designed for video novices.
I now have the ability to receive 720p (although the HD selections for streaming are very slim right now) and previous problems have disappeared. HD movies do look great, but all videos are streaming better now.
The Roku is the best option, especially if you don't need "BlueRay", or a video game system. $99 + $8.99 per month for unlimited, commercial free, streaming movies? Word of mouth is going to propel this device to become the next big thing, and rightly so.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Couldn't be easier to setup and use
by moviesandtv on June 16, 2008
Pros: Really Easy
Cons: Netflix selection
Summary: The only con is that the pool of Netflix Instant Watch movies is heavily stocked with documentaries, foreign films, and old movies (snoooze, snore, snoooze some more). Occasionally you do ...
Summary: The only con is that the pool of Netflix Instant Watch movies is heavily stocked with documentaries, foreign films, and old movies (snoooze, snore, snoooze some more). Occasionally you do find a good movie available for instant watch or that is already in your dvd mail queue. If you are on a budget like me and only pay for the one dvd at-a-time plan like me, it really helps you out between postal delays waiting for your next dvd to arrive. Netflix might have to rethink this... why would anybody want to upgrade their plan to more movies at a time when there are Free instant watch movies to tide you over until your next DVD arrives?
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Too soon to rate
by mforan on June 14, 2008
Pros: Easy, convenient, great to have
Cons: Current available video/audio quality is mediocre
Summary: I love this box and for $99 its a steal. Much better than the DVD mailer route for:
1. FREE grandkids shows that are needed on the spur of the ...Summary: I love this box and for $99 its a steal. Much better than the DVD mailer route for:
1. FREE grandkids shows that are needed on the spur of the moment,
2. FREE short indy videos that I'd never queue up otherwise,
3. FREE for surfing music DVDs just to check them out (I'm suddenly a Yanni fan),
4. FREE for TV shows (Heroes) that was already on my regular queue,
5. FREE, yes for older stuff that I just use as filler when my DVDs haven't arrived.
6. FREE instant selection from 10K offerings.
NOTE: The box is capable of much better audio/video, all the way up to HDMI and digital HD video and 5.1 audio as soon as the bandwidth and source offerings are available. And for right now, $99 up front and FREE re-curring cost is out-of-the-ballpark unique, like, not offered by anyone else. Until the available source material improves I don't see how anyone can rate the box itself at anything under a "10".3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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a step in the right direction
by THE COMPUTER HEALER on May 20, 2008
Pros: $100, user friendly, inexpensive subscription
Cons: WIDESCREEN, title selection is thin, cant play dvds
Summary: first off, most of my reviews are home theater biased so excuse me if i dont list everything. i appreciate netflix efforts to remain king of video. however, if you ...
Summary: first off, most of my reviews are home theater biased so excuse me if i dont list everything. i appreciate netflix efforts to remain king of video. however, if you already have a pc in your home theater setup you dont need the netflix box and if you dont already have a pc, you dont want this (the hp slimline is still my pick for netflix in the living room).for those of you who have extra inputs, it cant even play dvds so is it even worth taking up space in your setup (except bragging). when i purchased this today i was expecting the online movie roster to be updated with the release of the box. it wasnt and the movies you would want to watch online arent widescreen anyway. also if you're used to being emersed in sound you'll get irritated with this box as surround sound isnt supported yet. i agree with the cnet editor this is a going in my kids room... with less disc to worry about and no moving parts to shove cookies into.
even better as my kids tv on has two hd inputs so i can use the netflix box s-video input for setup. also, apple tv, archos tv, vuduu are much more expensive its really a steal at $100 and if your like most of the country you already have a netflix account for your dvd's anyway so its an added bonus.
you can purchase the netflix box with the refunds they were offering to those of you with hd-dvd players.4 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Way better than anticipated
by McCormick97 on January 29, 2009
Pros: HD quality for some movies, DVD quality for everything else. Easy set up and firmware upgrading. Great deal when combined with Netflix 2 or 3 DVDs at a time by mail. Finally found a replacement for Comcast Cable.
Cons: Unable to browse Netflix library from the TV - have to add movies to your list from a PC. Noticed some lag issues (would exit movie and go to movie loading screen) over wireless network, but this has been resolved with a new Trendnet router.
Summary: I was a bit skeptical about buying this mainly since I was concerned that the picture quality over our wireless network would be terrible. We had a few minor issues ...
Summary: I was a bit skeptical about buying this mainly since I was concerned that the picture quality over our wireless network would be terrible. We had a few minor issues initially, but our router was 5 years old, so we just bought a new one. The selection of movies available to use with this box is pretty good, and is constantly expanding. It's incredibly easy to set up and use. It's great to be able to take as long as you like to watch a movie, and the spot you are at is held in the memory for all movies in your list. Movies aren't automatically deleted when you watch them - this is a good thing since wecan keep all my daughter's favourite TV shows in the queue permanently. We are having a lot of trouble watching everything we have in our queue - so much to choose from! It was great to ditch our $70 a month Comcast Cable, and pay $100 for the box then $17 for unlimited streaming and 3 DVDs at a time (best way to get newer movies). The picture quality has generally been DVD quality. When it has been lower quality, I just exit the movie and reload it, which usually fixes it. There are only a few movies available in HD, but you don't pay extra for them. Only minor gripe is the inability to select movies directly from the TV.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Difficult Set Up -Terrible Customer Service
by jojo2466 on January 6, 2009
Pros: Once it is set up, easy to operate, fair/decent picture quality
Cons: Not a good product for older TV sets, price, ff/rewind controls are slow and clunky
Summary: I purchased two of these, one for myself and one as a gift. Mine was easy to install and worked fairly well (other than rewinding and fast forwarding functionality which ...
Summary: I purchased two of these, one for myself and one as a gift. Mine was easy to install and worked fairly well (other than rewinding and fast forwarding functionality which is awkward and slow). I tried to install the gift on someone else's older tv set (which it was advertised as easily compatible with). Unfortunately, that set only had one input which was already being used for cable into an rf modulator. The inputs on the modulator were being used for an existing dvd player (pretty typical). I was told by customer service to purchase a better rf modulator with a S-video jack which I did along with a cable ($50). Unfortunately, there was no way to switch between the player and the dvd player without buying ADDITIONAL equipment. When you start adding all of this up you might as well go buy a tivo or xbox device with the additional functionality they offer. We decided to return the unit. However, they do not include return information or shipping instructions with the product and you have to contact Customer Service which I had to do several times via email and phone before I could get the return information. That really is unacceptable!
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Affordable, More Compact and Easily Connects
by digitalplayer on September 22, 2009
Pros: The first thing that I do coming home after a tiring work day is spend some time watching one of my favorite TV show on my Roku. There so much great selection of TV episodes and movies to pick from Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand.
Cons: Nothing at all, maybe more content partners, which I?m sure is coming down the pipeline.
Summary: The Roku player is one of the best devices that I have purchased this year. It is really an affordable buy at only $100. And you get so much from ...
Summary: The Roku player is one of the best devices that I have purchased this year. It is really an affordable buy at only $100. And you get so much from the little set top box. That?s amazing. Apart from Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand, with the new partner MLB.com added to Roku?s list, you get even more options. If you are a die-hard baseball fan like me, then you should not miss this.
When it comes to picture quality, Roku is great. One thing I would like to clearly emphasize is that if your broadband connection speed is faster (my is around 2.0 Mbps) then you will certainly see highest quality. Remember, the quality of streaming depends on how fast your broadband speed and you need at least 1.3 Mbps to enjoy the Roku player.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Roku LLC
- Part number: CNETROKUPLAYER
- Bottom Line: The one-two punch of Amazon and Netflix makes the Roku Player an enticing choice for anyone looking for a simple, convenient, and affordable alternative to cable or satellite TV.
Network & Internet Multimedia
- Connectivity Protocols IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.11g
- Analog Video Standards Component video, Composite video, S-Video
Product series
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Roku HD Player (Netflix Player)
Manufacturer: Roku LLC
Specs:
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Manufacturer: Roku LLC
Specs: Digital multimedia receiver, Remote control
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Manufacturer: Roku LLC
Specs: Digital multimedia receiver, Remote control
Manufacturer info
- Roku LLC
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Roku LLC products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.rokulabs.com
- Address:
399 Sherman Ave., Ste. 12, Palo Alto, CA 94306 - Phone: 1-888-600-7658
- Fax: 650-321-9648
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