All about the Roku box that people are using to watch Netflix on their big tvs:

[elocs]

The official site: http://www.roku.com/roku-products?gclid=CJ-y0rjmlaICFQrxDAod5U7ZGQ where it tells all about the boxes and the different ones available. There are 3: a standard definition model for $79.99 with built in WiFi, a high def one for $99.99, and for $129.99 there is an extended range wireless model. I have taken my box with me when I have traveled and there is a high speed internet connection available.

There is a forums site where people talk about all kinds of Roku things. I'm going to have to read and explore this more:
http://forums.roku.com/index.php

Here is a page with all the Roku channels: http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-store
Twenty three of the channels are free and there are 13 that require a fee, sometimes just a small fee to watch.

I've said here before that the Roku box used to get Netflix streaming videos so I can watch them on my 50" plasma is the best entertainment bang for the buck that I have ever gotten. I do not have cable or satellite tv and do not need them because I have more available to me than I can ever watch.

[WolverineDG]

1. that is so tempting

my internet connection is through at&t, & I can't watch Youtube videos straight through with no pauses without letting them play once. Would that affect how movies are shown through the Roku box?

dg

[elocs]

2. To be honest, I found streaming video on Roku to be better than Youtube.

In fact, I've found watching on my Roku box has a better quality picture than watching the networks online.

As it says on their webpage:

To use Roku, you need a high-speed Internet connection with a speed of at least 1.2 Mbps (such as mid-level DSL). You may also need a wired or wireless router if you are unable to connect the player directly to your cable or DSL modem.

So that should be good enough for their $79.99 standard definition box. I think you need at least 5 Mbps for the high definition. I have basic cable internet and I have no problems getting that speed. The high definition does look very good. I use the Amazon channel on Roku to go through Amazon to rent their streaming videos to maybe get a new release in HD or they have specials every weekend.

The Roku box also has multiple connections. My main one is using an HDMI cable to my plasma tv, but there are also composite, component, and s-video connections. I use the component to connect to another tv in the bedroom. I also took the box to a friend's house and it linked right up with his wireless connection.

[Betty88]

3. I love my ruku box, but for the same price..

if you do a little looking around and don't mind a referb you can get a blu-ray player with netflix access for the same price. I got one off newegg.com awhile back for about $105.

Also love the new interface that lets you search for movies right on your tv

[elocs]

4. I have a Blu-Ray player with Netflix access, but in my opinion it does not compare with the Roku box

and all you can get with it.

[Betty88]

5. you have a point

but I don't really use all the other roku stuff so as a second hookup for the bedroom tv I like it and its one less thing to plug in

[elocs]

6. New channels on Roku:

http://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=28587

Greetings everyone,

I thought it might be useful to have a regular post on the channels we release each week. Going forward, with a few exceptions, we'll be releasing new channels on Thursday. I'll post the new channel information in a sticky that will last for a week (until the next channels are released).

The contents of the channel store can be found here: http://www.roku.com/roku-channel-store

Total Public Channels: 35

New This Week*: 6
RadioTime - Listen to your favorite music, sports, and talk.
FilmFun5 - Trivia
ProudTV - Gay and Lesbian programming
NASA TV - Live coverage of the agency's missions, etc
BIGSTAR.tv - Independent and Foreign Films
CDNTwo - Educational Videos and Personal Feeds

*This week = the last 10 days or so, but 5 of them are new today.

Previously Released Channels: 29
Netflix
Amazon Video On Demand
Mediafly
MotionBox
TWiT.tv
flickr
Framechannel
Mhz On Demand
blip.tv
Facebook Photos
Blubrry Podcast Community
DreamTV
MobileTribe
The Highway Girl
Moonlight Movies
Kung-fu Theater
Drive-In Classics
Midwest Cage Championship
Revision 3
Weiss Money Network
Cowboy Classics
NBA Gametime
SmugMug
Techpodcasts.com
MLB.TV
Blastro
RadioParadise
Pandora
UFC

[retread]

7. I use Boxee.

http://www.boxee.tv/

[elocs]

8. So you use Boxee through your computer now since they don't have the actual box yet?

What I like about the Roku box is that it is not connected to my computer at all but just through the router.

I used to have a Mac Mini before it crashed and burned after just 3 1/2 years. Funny, I still have a nearly 8 year old pc that still works fine.

[elocs]

9. I found you can watch Rachel & Keith on the Mediafly channel on Roku.

It also has the video of the President's weekly address. There is also Democracy Now with Ellen Goodman which also in the latest episode had exclusive footage of the Israeli attack on the flotilla.

Wow! There's so much here that I've only begun to scratch the surface. I guess I missed out on a lot by only using the Roku for the Netflix streaming and the amazon video.

[lutefisk]

10. How does it compare with the PS3 for Netflix? Is the HD picture as good?

The picture quality of Netflix streaming (HD) through the PS3 has gotten quite good. Has anyone here compared the two for HD quality?

[elocs]

11. I think the HD of the Roku box is great from what I can tell.

I get my HD tv over the air and also have a Blu-Ray player so I do know what good HD looks like and the HD programming through the Roku box looks great to me and I just have a basic cable internet connection. I have also rented HD streaming video through Amazon Video and they've looked great as well.