I received and tested a ROKU Digital Video Player back in April when doing my Gift Guide for Mother’s Day. As mentioned there, I love using it to stream Netflix to my television. When I first received it, browsing Netflix was not quite so easy. Also, there was no search function. Since then they have revamped the Netflix experience. Browsing is now easier, and you can search and add things to your queue right from your remote. Other streaming options include Amazon video, Pandora, MLB.com, MP3Tunes, and much more. And guess what??? I am happy as can be because any moment now, Hulu Plus will start streaming to the Roku!! This may be just what I need to finally tell Comcast a thing or two. LOL! I signed up for Hulu Plus and have been patiently waiting to be able to stream it to my Roku in HD.
One thing that I love about Roku is the ability for users to setup Private Channels to allow even more content to be streamed. There is a Yahoo Group where you can sign up and get contact updates on new channels being added. Plus, Roku is constantly updating the system. I have tried adding a couple of channels and it’s pretty easy. All you do it log in to your Roku account and input a special Private Channel code and voila! it is added to your system. I have an older model which works great, but Roku recently redesigned their units. They are now smaller and sleeker. They are also a lot more affordable than some similar units on the market. Prices start at only $59 for the base model.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to Setup
- Lots of content Options
Cons
- Inability to stream local content*
- Remote could use a couple more options like an actual STOP button.
*although there is a private channel hack out there, but it requires running a server on your desktop machine which most will not want to do. However, a recent survey that I filled out from Roku shows that they see the need to allow this is real and they are considering it. I suspect that feature will be added in the very near future. Click the banner below to buy a ROKU Digital Video Player.
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