• TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
  • Follow
    • Follow
    • facebook
    • twitter
    • google+
    • instagram
    • youtube
Hearst Corporation
  • TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
Forums
  • Register
  • Login
  • Forums
  • Entertainment Services
  • Online Entertainment Services
Roku launching in the UK this month
<<
<
1 of 4
>>
>
justjax
10-01-2012
Perhaps they were waiting for the Netflix launch, but Roku have just annouced they are launching in the UK, with pre-order on Amazon now.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rok...and-2012-01-10

http://www.roku.com/

Could be very cool. If they have deals with to offer iPlayer, 4OD, Demand 5 and ITV Player, along with Netflix and LoveFilm then this could be amazing. If they manage the above I'd buy it no question.
mrkite77
10-01-2012
Roku is pretty great. It's what my parent's have used to stream netflix for the past 3 years.

It's nice because it's pretty cheap (looks to be launching in the UK at £49.99 for 720p and wifi or at £99.99 for 1080p and wifi+ethernet) and super simple to set up (the wifi version has a power plug and an hdmi port, that's it). It's tiny and quiet (obviously, as it has no moving parts).

While it does have other "channels" (the US version has Hulu, HBO Go, Pandora, and hundreds of specialized channels like an X-Factor channel), most people I know just use it for netflix only.
noise747
11-01-2012
i think i will give it a miss.
1andrew1
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by justjax:
“Perhaps they were waiting for the Netflix launch, but Roku have just annouced they are launching in the UK, with pre-order on Amazon now.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rok...and-2012-01-10

http://www.roku.com/

Could be very cool. If they have deals with to offer iPlayer, 4OD, Demand 5 and ITV Player, along with Netflix and LoveFilm then this could be amazing. If they manage the above I'd buy it no question.”

Looks good, you're right they definitely need the four catch-up services or it will end up being a niche product like Apple TV.

Shame there's no SCART connection for older televisions (but as you don't get this connection in the US it's not a total surprise). Can I take it that it will work with an RCA to SCART adapter like this one? http://www.amazon.co.uk/RCA-SCART-Ad.../dp/B0035XB4Z4
azimo
11-01-2012
£50 for the Roku LT and it has composite out, so it works with non HDMI TVs Bargain
mrkite77
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by azimo:
“£50 for the Roku LT and it has composite out, so it works with non HDMI TVs Bargain ”

Oh yes, it does have composite out. Here are pics:

Roku LT

Roku 2 XS
ElusiveNL
11-01-2012
Wow, this is great news.. The killer app as far as I'm concerned is the ability to add private channels.. Streaming packages in Turkish etc for me.. The possibilities are endless..
daleski75
11-01-2012
They both look like neat little boxes and they undercut the rather expensive in my opinion boxee box and are competing with the apple tv and the like at the £99 price range.

I think 2012 is going to be a very interesting year for VOD!
gomezz
11-01-2012
Yet another crippled access product.
noise747
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by azimo:
“£50 for the Roku LT and it has composite out, so it works with non HDMI TVs Bargain ”

composite? It should have RGB at least, composite is pretty awful, then then this is what we get when a device that is made for the states is imported here with no modification.

i suppose it is still a good way to get Netflix on your box if you don't want to pay out for a PS3 or Xbox, sayiung that you may be able to get one at a good price second hand if you look around and the PS3 at least is a good media machine
noise747
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by gomezz:
“Yet another crippled access product. ”

That is the way it is going to be and it will get worse.
one2escape
11-01-2012
Wonder if Amazon on demand service is due to hit soon now?
mrkite77
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by gomezz:
“Yet another crippled access product. ”

How is it crippled? It was designed specifically to stream netflix, and has had tons of features added to it over the years.
noise747
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by mrkite77:
“How is it crippled? It was designed specifically to stream netflix, and has had tons of features added to it over the years.”

That is what he means, it is fixed to do one thing and one thing only, you can only use it for what the manufacture wants it to do. but that is the way for everything anyway. the only way to get a system that can acesss everything is to use a computer.
mrkite77
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by noise747:
“That is what he means, it is fixed to do one thing and one thing only, you can only use it for what the manufacture wants it to do.”

That's not what crippled means. It's not a multi-purpose machine that has had features removed, it's a tiny little box the size of a pack of cigarettes, built from scratch to do one thing.

If you want a computer, buy a computer.

If you want to call it "closed", then by all means, call it closed. Although there is a free SDK.
gomezz
11-01-2012
I call it crippled because it is crippled. If you get one only expecting it to do the limited small thing you want it to do fine, but many people will get one then start asking when they will be adding this, that and the other service then starting whinging when it is explained probably never. Better to warn them up front that it is crippled and that there are better options that offer unlimited access to anything that is out there.
daleski75
11-01-2012
I think it depends on how you define 'crippled' like you said if you buy it for one reason and that reason alone then the roku serves that purpose well however for me the definition of crippled would be more down to lack of connectivity port wise, no wireless etc as the software can be updated and features added as and when.
Esot-eric
11-01-2012
It's too locked down and limited to be a good fit in my household, since everything is stored on the NAS rather than streamed.

I'm hoping that some alternative firmware will eventually become available (something like OpenElec).

The Roku is based on Linux and some of the source code is available but it uses a proprietary graphics driver. However, i believe the Raspberry Pi uses the same SOC and ships with a binary blob for the graphics, so it might be possible for some enterprising hackers to create firmware combining the two and give us a cheap box running XBMC.
noise747
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by mrkite77:
“That's not what crippled means. It's not a multi-purpose machine that has had features removed, it's a tiny little box the size of a pack of cigarettes, built from scratch to do one thing.

If you want a computer, buy a computer.

If you want to call it "closed", then by all means, call it closed. Although there is a free SDK.”

Maybe closed is a better word.

Having composite is a bit of a downfall to be honest, my Wii had composite, got it running on component these days, but even RGB would be better than composite, as I said before that is the problem with importing video equipment from the States to Europe and not make any changes to them.

plenty of people still got old T.V sets.
justjax
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by gomezz:
“I call it crippled because it is crippled. If you get one only expecting it to do the limited small thing you want it to do fine, but many people will get one then start asking when they will be adding this, that and the other service then starting whinging when it is explained probably never. Better to warn them up front that it is crippled and that there are better options that offer unlimited access to anything that is out there.”

I think most people will be very happy with it doing what it does and probably the reason why the cost is so low is that its simply a streaming device for online services.

The bigger question for me and I suspect others is what services or 'channels' it will offer. I guess if your going to be a regular user of Netflix and don't have a Smart/Internet connected TV with a Netflix app, then at £50 its a great and very simple way to watch Netflix on your TV. I already have a Samsung Smart TV (although still waiting for the Netflix app to show up), but if they pull off getting all the main networks catch-up services (could live without 5 Demand) then I wouldn't think twice about buying one. I wonder when we'll get confirmation of the channel line-up.
gomezz
11-01-2012
You see? It has started already.
drgeoff
11-01-2012
The "About Roku" paragraph on the Market Watch page has the statement "Roku was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR". That's a bold claim!
mrkite77
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by drgeoff:
“The "About Roku" paragraph on the Market Watch page has the statement "Roku was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR". That's a bold claim!”

Hum, turns out it's true. Anthony Wood is the founder of ReplayTV, which was the first DVR.

Btw, here's a little cnet review of the roku LT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0XOhB7Vdak
noise747
11-01-2012
Originally Posted by justjax:
“I think most people will be very happy with it doing what it does and probably the reason why the cost is so low is that its simply a streaming device for online services.

The bigger question for me and I suspect others is what services or 'channels' it will offer. I guess if your going to be a regular user of Netflix and don't have a Smart/Internet connected TV with a Netflix app, then at £50 its a great and very simple way to watch Netflix on your TV. I already have a Samsung Smart TV (although still waiting for the Netflix app to show up), but if they pull off getting all the main networks catch-up services (could live without 5 Demand) then I wouldn't think twice about buying one. I wonder when we'll get confirmation of the channel line-up.”

give it a few years and it will become redundant as apart from the very cheap T.V sets they will all be so called smart sets, which is strange because they are not smart, they just connect to the net.


I wonder how many so called smart sets are out there that will never be connected to the net? i know my next door neighbours won't and they got the internet for the computer, but their Samsung will never see the internet.

I wonder how much these smart functions are adding to the cost of the t.v? i rather pay less and not have the feature.
azimo
11-01-2012
Its a mass market device and alot of people are not going to be that concerned about it only having composite out as long as it does what its supposed to do which is letting you watch movies on your tv in your living room via Netflix, and at a starting price of £50 I bet they are going to sell alot
<<
<
1 of 4
>>
>
VIEW DESKTOP SITE TOP

JOIN US HERE

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Hearst Corporation

Hearst Corporation

DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

© 2015 Hearst Magazines UK is the trading name of the National Magazine Company Ltd, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP. Registered in England 112955. All rights reserved.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Complaints
  • Site Map