Roku Reviews

Roku XDS Streaming Player (1080P)

Before we do Roku-Reviews, lets first try to understand what a Roku is…

“Roku is a little box that allows you to instantly stream tons of entertainment on your TV. Watch over 100,000   movies and TV shows from Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus and more. Listen to music on Pandora, or  listen to your own iTunes playlists.”

Until now, we have been able to stream and watch movies on our little computer screen and listen to music on the computer’s sound system. But, with Roku, we can actually stream movies on our big screen TV. And we don’t even need a computer. All we need is a broadband connection and a router. Roku has built-in wireless and wired Internet connectivity and set-up is a piece of cake.

So, now you can stream HD quality programs right to your TV. And the wireless connectivity means you can stream to a TV placed in any room of the house. One great feature about this product is the Instant Replay button. This allows you to skip back instantly in 10 second jumps. They claim that this is the only player to do so without delay.

But, changing channels using the Roku player won’t be as easy as changing channels on regular cable. You will have to look for the program, find it and then click to start the program. This will take a few clicks before the program starts streaming. Another downside of Roku would be the lack of variety of channels that you might otherwise find on cable TV. You can easily find TV shows and movies on Roku using Netflix and Hulu but informative programs like wild-life documentaries and current news events are very difficult to watch with Roku. Please be advised that since this review was done, a lot more channels have been added to the network. To check for all the channels available, please Click here.

Nonetheless, people who own Roku say that they can always watch news on the ‘free-to-air-channels’. The money you save by not having cable and the freedom to watch your favorite program whenever makes Roku a great buy.

Just remember, Roku might not yet replace cable TV, but it is a great device that allows you to watch your favorite programs on your big screen TV instead of your PC.

Still confused about how Roku works and if Roku is right for you? Here is a great video I found on YouTube that might help you understand better. This is a great video as far as “Roku reviews“ is concerned.

**Click on Roku 2 XS,    Roku 2 HD,    Roku 2 XD    or    Roku LT

to buy or Check out the price**

Customer Feedback

There are a lot of great customer comments and reviews about Roku. Jim from Vancouver thinks Roku is everything he had hoped for and more. Sukru from Arizona lists these as the pros and cons of Roku. And I think this is a pretty good summary of Roku:

Pros:

+ Works very well for the core functionality

+ Great content from Netflix, Amazon, Hulu+, and others

+ Relatively easy to setup

+ Low power usage

+ Plug-in support with active community

+ Already existing plug-ins for video RSS, YouTube, Pandora, etc

Cons:

- No power-off button

- USB port is under utilized

- No easy local network streaming

- May or may not be able to compete with the new wave of HTPC devices

 

Roku 2 XS

Roku has come up with a new version, the Roku 2 XS. The above roku reviews was done about the old Roku. Most of the features on the new one is pretty much the same as the old one. On the new one the processor has been upgraded, obviously. But the most noticeable difference would be the size of the player and the Wii-like (Bluetooth) remote control. Also, Angry Birds, the interactive video game, has been included with the Roku 2 XS. With the new Roku you can get more channels like sports-on-demand etc.. For more information on the new Roku player please go to Roku box.

The Setup

The setup itself is very simple. All you need to do is decide whether to have a wired or a wireless connection. If you are going to have a wired connection, then first you need to connect the RCA cable from the Roku to your TV and then hook up to the internet using the Ethernet cable from your router to the Roku box. For a wireless connection, after connecting the RCA cable just follow directions on the screen and connect to the Wi-Fi network of your home. Of course, before doing any of these you have to have the power adapter connected to the power outlet. The setup shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.

Don’t forget, since the release of the new version, the prices for the older versions have gone down. So, make sure and buy the one you really need. If you are not a game enthusiast then don’t buy the XS version. Just browse the amazon online store before buying the one you really need. Also, if don’t like the player after purchasing it, just return it (please check their return policies). Just don’t rely on this ‘roku reviews‘. Go to the amazon online store and  read the comments from the people who have purchased and used Roku. See what they have to say. But I think you will fall in love with the Roku 2 XS. I know I have.