Any Roku fans here? Thinking about picking one up.

[TakingBackSunday]

I've realized that I'm pretty much over any sort of cable provider (at least for the foreseeable future), so I'm about to cancel my U-verse and thinking bout picking up a TV-top stream box.

Apple TV is what my family has but in my experience its my most hated apple product.  Motherfucking thing is a hassle and a half to use.  Plus I've read Roku has a much larger support base.

Anyone use a roku?  Advice on them?  Should I be looking at something else?

[Joe Molotov]

Roku is pretty sweet, I know me and Rumbler both have one. They're easy to set up, have apps for just about everything you need (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Crunchyroll, PBS!!) and it's easy to stream media from your PC to your Roku with the Plex app and media center. I don't know how they compare to other similar devices because I haven't used any, but I like mine.

[TakingBackSunday]

Mac support?

I think there's a plex app for mac but I don't think I've used it in forever

[Joe Molotov]

Mac support?

I think there's a plex app for mac but I don't think I've used it in forever

Yeah, it works on Mac and Linux too.

[Eric P]

i have a roku but i use my ps3 more

[Tasty]

Google TV, bitch.

[TakingBackSunday]

where's the dislike button

I have one and it works pretty damn well, lets me switch between HBO GO, Netflix and Amazon Prime on the fly. My only gripe is that the HBO GO and Prime interfaces suck cock, but this Roku is a few years old (also that might be on them)

From what I've read, the Roku 3 pretty much has an amazing interface for most apps.  So your older one just might be SOL

[Shadow Mod]

My mom just got one, will be trying it out in a few weeks. She loves it. I helped her set it up over Skype lol. She got the one that's just wifi since their TV is far away from the modem/router.

[hampster]

I have a Roku and its great. It has a ton of random channels including a fan made Tested.com channel. Honestly the only bad thing I could say about it is I kept misplacing the remote because it is so small

[cool breeze]

I bought one for my parents.  They primarily use it for Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Amazon Instant.  HBO Go doesn't work, or didn't 5 months ago when I set it up for them; depends on your cable provider, I think.  No Youtube app is annoying.  Anyway, they like it.  Technologically illiterate person approved.

[Great Rumbler]

For just $50, it's a pretty good little box.

[Arbys Roast Beef Sandwich]

Google TV, bitch.

Google TV only shines if you have a cable box behind it, though. Also, no Hulu Plus support is a huge negative for lots a people.

I love my little Vizio Google TV box, I can switch between TV and Netflix without losing an HDMI port or dicking around with switching input.

[Great Rumbler]

Reasons to own a Roku: Plex Media Player and Crunchyroll.

[Phoenix Dark]

How does the Plex app work? You hook your usb or external hard drive to the Roku, and it can play media files?

[Great Rumbler]

How does the Plex app work? You hook your usb or external hard drive to the Roku, and it can play media files?

You have the Plex Media Player on your computer and on your Roku. On the PC, you set up folders that you want to stream from. Plex scans those folders for playable files and attempts to download data for each file [such as title of the video, box art, crew names, ect.]. On the Roku, Plex connects to its PC counterpart and directly streams the files to your TV screen.

[Phoenix Dark]

How does the Plex app work? You hook your usb or external hard drive to the Roku, and it can play media files?

You have the Plex Media Player on your computer and on your Roku. On the PC, you set up folders that you want to stream from. Plex scans those folders for playable files and attempts to download data for each file [such as title of the video, box art, crew names, ect.]. On the Roku, Plex connects to its PC counterpart and directly streams the files to your TV screen.

through wifi?

[Tasty]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/collection/googletv_featured?hl=en

Crunchyroll

Netflix

Plex

YouTube

Chrome

Play Music

Play Store

Amazon*

[Great Rumbler]

How does the Plex app work? You hook your usb or external hard drive to the Roku, and it can play media files?

You have the Plex Media Player on your computer and on your Roku. On the PC, you set up folders that you want to stream from. Plex scans those folders for playable files and attempts to download data for each file [such as title of the video, box art, crew names, ect.]. On the Roku, Plex connects to its PC counterpart and directly streams the files to your TV screen.

through wifi?

Some versions of the Roku also have an ethernet port.

[Joe Molotov]

How does the Plex app work? You hook your usb or external hard drive to the Roku, and it can play media files?

You have the Plex Media Player on your computer and on your Roku. On the PC, you set up folders that you want to stream from. Plex scans those folders for playable files and attempts to download data for each file [such as title of the video, box art, crew names, ect.]. On the Roku, Plex connects to its PC counterpart and directly streams the files to your TV screen.

through wifi?

The $99 Roku has Wifi & Ethernet (which is the one I use because the wifi signal in the part of the house where I have it isn't that great). You also get a bluetooth remote instead of IR, which is nice because you can just stick the Roku behind the TV or in a drawer if you want.

[Shadow Mod]

How does the Plex app work? You hook your usb or external hard drive to the Roku, and it can play media files?

You have the Plex Media Player on your computer and on your Roku. On the PC, you set up folders that you want to stream from. Plex scans those folders for playable files and attempts to download data for each file [such as title of the video, box art, crew names, ect.]. On the Roku, Plex connects to its PC counterpart and directly streams the files to your TV screen.

You can do this with the xbox too, does PLEX have a wider range of video formats it can play though?

[Great Rumbler]

How does the Plex app work? You hook your usb or external hard drive to the Roku, and it can play media files?

You have the Plex Media Player on your computer and on your Roku. On the PC, you set up folders that you want to stream from. Plex scans those folders for playable files and attempts to download data for each file [such as title of the video, box art, crew names, ect.]. On the Roku, Plex connects to its PC counterpart and directly streams the files to your TV screen.

You can do this with the xbox too, does PLEX have a wider range of video formats it can play though?

Plex will play just about any kind of video file [including Flash], and will reliably play most kinds of subtitles.

[Shadow Mod]

Plex will play just about any kind of video file [including Flash], and will reliably play most kinds of subtitles.

Now I want one. Damnit.

[Joe Molotov]

My Roku Media Center:





Then when you go to the Plex app on your Roku, you get something like this:





Where it has all your categories, and then each category is sorted by Release Date, Alphabetically, Newest Added, and Whether you've watched it or not.

[Reb]

Plex iPad app is really pretty as well, it even plays theme music of the TV show you're browsing in the background. Blew my mind the first time I used it.

[chronovore]

I've realized that I'm pretty much over any sort of cable provider (at least for the foreseeable future), so I'm about to cancel my U-verse and thinking bout picking up a TV-top stream box.

Apple TV is what my family has but in my experience its my most hated apple product.  Motherfucking thing is a hassle and a half to use.  Plus I've read Roku has a much larger support base.

Anyone use a roku?  Advice on them?  Should I be looking at something else?

I'm curious why you hate the AppleTV, and what hassles you've had.

I love mine; I wish I'd bought it sooner. Of course, my reasons for loving it may not hold up if I return to the USA:
Apple is the only streaming provider I've seen which doesn't to an IP address block based on my location. So I have access to my US iTunes account, and can buy TV shows and movies and music from the USA store, and enjoy them easily.

However, the AppleTV doesn't support Amazon Prime Streaming AT ALL, so I'd have to find a different solution for that if I'm in the USA. The thing is, Amazon Prime not only doesn't let me stream from their free library, based on my USA location, it also blocks me from watching the items I've purchased outright.

The only problems I've had with AppleTV are the device occasionally saying iTunes isn't available, which is a lie, and fixed by Restarting the device. This has only occurred with the most recent firmware upgrade. 

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

I like mine a great deal.  I've got 40-odd channels for it but I pretty much only ever use it to watch Netflix.

[Phoenix Dark]

Just ordered a Roku 2 XS. Just to reiterate, Plex only plays videos that are downloaded and available on your computer hard drive?

also how are the free channels? I have Netflix, not a fan of Hulu.

[Great Rumbler]

Just ordered a Roku 2 XS. Just to reiterate, Plex only plays videos that are downloaded and available on your computer hard drive?

Yes, Plex plays files that are on your computer, though it does have a Youtube component.

And make sure you get Crunchyroll.

[Phoenix Dark]

Just heard about Crackle. Sounds good too.

Too bad you can't use Icefilms on a Roku. Plex should do I guess. I don't tend to download movies/television shows so I'll acquire a few now, set up Plex, and see how it works on the Roku. How is the buffering, typically with Plex versus streaming something like Netflix?

[Great Rumbler]

How is the buffering, typically with Plex versus streaming something like Netflix?

Perfectly smooth.

[Rahxephon91]

Sounds like I need to get one of these for our tv room.

[Tasty]

Chromecast



$35

YouTube

Google Play

Netflix

Stream any Chrome tab from any PC.

[TakingBackSunday]

Jesus christ I fucking knew this would be your post.

Chromecast is cool but its also pointless as fuck beyond Netflix, and the fact that you need a 35 dollar dongle....

...plus either a 200 dollar phone, a 600 dollar tablet, or a 1500+ dollar computer.

And the Chrome tab streaming doesn't work for a lot of things.

[drew]

my roku xd kind of lags on netflix, well not lag but like if you watch a tv ep then go back to pick the next one the ep list won't load for a few minutes, have to exit out to the main roku menu then go back in to watch it faster.

[Tasty]

Chromecast does 1080p Netflix with no lag.

And the Chrome tab streaming doesn't work for a lot of things.

It doesn't work on low end Chromebooks or Linux but I very much doubt you'd have one of those.

Also your "1500+ dollar computer" comment reminded me of this:



It works fine on almost any computer.

[Shaka Khan]

Hey Demi, you accidentally let one googlebot in.

[Tasty]

Chromecast™ works with iOS™, Android™, and the Chrome™ browser on PC and Mac™.

[drew]

andrex i keep thinking you're viz, change your shit

[Joe Molotov]

But then I'd have to use the Chrome browser.

[Tasty]

But then I'd have to use the Chrome browser.

Are there any others? 

[Phoenix Dark]

How do Plex channels work? I've heard it has youtube

[Rusty Shackleford]

Roku is worth picking up for the channel store alone. Some tiny church in bumblef*ck nowhere has a channel and so do the media outlets that TELL YOU THE NEWS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA DOESN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW.

[Phoenix Dark]

Been playing around with my Roku today after work.

Netflix and Crackle work very well. Crackle has a limited but nice list of shit (I'm watching Boyz In Tha Hood right now). The shitty thing is that commercials start so randomly.

Plex works well too but I can see some compression. Makes sense, I have an old tv/composite cables. This is the first time I've watched TV since the Superbowl.