I am thinking about getting Roku ( http://www.roku.com/uk ).Does anone have/use one? I would like to know what free stuff there is on there and how many channels etc there are...many free. Any info would be good please. Thanks............
Anyone use Roku?
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I have a Roku LT which I use for Netflix in my bedroom, and if you just want a cheap way of getting Netflix then a Roku LT is quite good value. As for the Roku 2 I wouldn't bother, for £100 it's over priced for what it does. All UK Roku units now boast access to over 100 channels though 99% is pure garbage. Oh, and the online user support is terrible.
As well as a Roku I also have a WD TV Live Streaming which I think is far superior. It's cheaper than the Roku 2 and like Roku it has online channels like Netflix, Spotify, BBC iPlayer, Facebook, Vimeo, Youtube and about 60 other channels (over 50 are contained within the Flingo service), you also have Playjam and Funspot game channels. And unlike the Roku nearly all the service channels on the WD TV are free, I think the only paid services are Spotify and a couple of US sports channels.
With the WD TV you can stream video, music and photos over a network or via a connected USB drive, and it'll play just about every file type. Plus the WD TV has a much nicer user interface and a very good user community.
As I said the basic Roku LT is a decent way to get Netflix, but I wouldn't buy one again.
As well as a Roku I also have a WD TV Live Streaming which I think is far superior. It's cheaper than the Roku 2 and like Roku it has online channels like Netflix, Spotify, BBC iPlayer, Facebook, Vimeo, Youtube and about 60 other channels (over 50 are contained within the Flingo service), you also have Playjam and Funspot game channels. And unlike the Roku nearly all the service channels on the WD TV are free, I think the only paid services are Spotify and a couple of US sports channels.
With the WD TV you can stream video, music and photos over a network or via a connected USB drive, and it'll play just about every file type. Plus the WD TV has a much nicer user interface and a very good user community.
As I said the basic Roku LT is a decent way to get Netflix, but I wouldn't buy one again.
I've had my Roku XS a couple of weeks and we are loving it. You can add some private channels here if they are available in the UK.
http://www.rokuprivatechannels.com/
And this is also a good source for extra channels
http://catastrophegirlsrokuchanneldata.blogspot.co.uk/
Enjoy!
http://www.rokuprivatechannels.com/
And this is also a good source for extra channels
http://catastrophegirlsrokuchanneldata.blogspot.co.uk/
Enjoy!
Originally Posted by linea:
“With the WD TV you can stream video, music and photos over a network or via a connected USB drive, and it'll play just about every file type. Plus the WD TV has a much nicer user interface and a very good user community.”
“With the WD TV you can stream video, music and photos over a network or via a connected USB drive, and it'll play just about every file type. Plus the WD TV has a much nicer user interface and a very good user community.”
I too have both a WD TV and a Roku LT and although the WD TV certainly has advantages, plug it in using the SD cable the interface looks AWFUL!
Video looks pretty decent, but the movie descriptions are just barely readable in Netflix and I had to reduce the screen display to 95% to stop everything from being cropped.
The Roku manages to keep things much more legible and is probably a better option if you are stuck with SD and aren't bothered about USB playback.
Originally Posted by linea:
“I have a Roku LT which I use for Netflix in my bedroom, and if you just want a cheap way of getting Netflix then a Roku LT is quite good value. As for the Roku 2 I wouldn't bother, for £100 it's over priced for what it does. All UK Roku units now boast access to over 100 channels though 99% is pure garbage. Oh, and the online user support is terrible.
As well as a Roku I also have a WD TV Live Streaming which I think is far superior. It's cheaper than the Roku 2 and like Roku it has online channels like Netflix, Spotify, BBC iPlayer, Facebook, Vimeo, Youtube and about 60 other channels (over 50 are contained within the Flingo service), you also have Playjam and Funspot game channels. And unlike the Roku nearly all the service channels on the WD TV are free, I think the only paid services are Spotify and a couple of US sports channels.
With the WD TV you can stream video, music and photos over a network or via a connected USB drive, and it'll play just about every file type. Plus the WD TV has a much nicer user interface and a very good user community.
As I said the basic Roku LT is a decent way to get Netflix, but I wouldn't buy one again.”
“I have a Roku LT which I use for Netflix in my bedroom, and if you just want a cheap way of getting Netflix then a Roku LT is quite good value. As for the Roku 2 I wouldn't bother, for £100 it's over priced for what it does. All UK Roku units now boast access to over 100 channels though 99% is pure garbage. Oh, and the online user support is terrible.
As well as a Roku I also have a WD TV Live Streaming which I think is far superior. It's cheaper than the Roku 2 and like Roku it has online channels like Netflix, Spotify, BBC iPlayer, Facebook, Vimeo, Youtube and about 60 other channels (over 50 are contained within the Flingo service), you also have Playjam and Funspot game channels. And unlike the Roku nearly all the service channels on the WD TV are free, I think the only paid services are Spotify and a couple of US sports channels.
With the WD TV you can stream video, music and photos over a network or via a connected USB drive, and it'll play just about every file type. Plus the WD TV has a much nicer user interface and a very good user community.
As I said the basic Roku LT is a decent way to get Netflix, but I wouldn't buy one again.”
Totally agree. I've had WDTV Live since Netflix arrived in the UK. I just can't watch stuff on the PC. It seems to play any format of file. I didn't realise until yesterday that any USB drive you plug in becomes instantly available on your whole network. So now I have it streaming content to my tablet and laptop in full HD without a glitch. Awesome value for money!
Roku is useless to me,
fine it does HD, but unless i have an amp that has HDMI (I don't) then I can't have dolby digital etc.
the apple TV has always included the backwards optical port.
Personally apple tv 3 is quite good. doesn't have the channels thing like roku. but everything else is supported well.
fine it does HD, but unless i have an amp that has HDMI (I don't) then I can't have dolby digital etc.
the apple TV has always included the backwards optical port.
Personally apple tv 3 is quite good. doesn't have the channels thing like roku. but everything else is supported well.
Avoid the WD TV Live like the plague - iPlayer is hopeless - cuts off the end of all programmes before they are finished.
Live streaming is impossible unless you run a dnla server on another PC and have access to various plugins.
The user interface is clumsy and old-fashioned.
The Roku does what it says - streams - both on demand and live. I'm watching BBC World at the moment. Lots of other live streams.
Get a Roku LT!
Live streaming is impossible unless you run a dnla server on another PC and have access to various plugins.
The user interface is clumsy and old-fashioned.
The Roku does what it says - streams - both on demand and live. I'm watching BBC World at the moment. Lots of other live streams.
Get a Roku LT!
Originally Posted by castalla:
“Avoid the WD TV Live like the plague - iPlayer is hopeless - cuts off the end of all programmes before they are finished.
Live streaming is impossible unless you run a dnla server on another PC and have access to various plugins.
The user interface is clumsy and old-fashioned.
The Roku does what it says - streams - both on demand and live. I'm watching BBC World at the moment. Lots of other live streams.
Get a Roku LT!”
“Avoid the WD TV Live like the plague - iPlayer is hopeless - cuts off the end of all programmes before they are finished.
Live streaming is impossible unless you run a dnla server on another PC and have access to various plugins.
The user interface is clumsy and old-fashioned.
The Roku does what it says - streams - both on demand and live. I'm watching BBC World at the moment. Lots of other live streams.
Get a Roku LT!”
Can the Roku handle all types of video formats the WDTV can? Does it have USB drive/hdd capability (ie. stream it anywhere on your wifi network). Can it handle the high bitrates the WDTV can without stuttering or freezing?
I think the user interface is quite nice. It's not Apple but perfectly good. Netflix runs awesome in HD too, which I'm not sure the Roku does in unless you buy the more expensive Roku? £100 seems a lot considering what it does.
I'd be in the market for it except it looks like it will not play any media from your home network, so if you ripped your DVD collection as I have to a network drive it won't connect up and play that content. Basic requirement that has been available in such devices for many years and the Roku doesn't do it - useless to me.
Originally Posted by castalla:
“Avoid the WD TV Live like the plague - iPlayer is hopeless - cuts off the end of all programmes before they are finished.”
“Avoid the WD TV Live like the plague - iPlayer is hopeless - cuts off the end of all programmes before they are finished.”
The BBC iPlayer app on the WD is a pass-through service which means, like Youtube's leanback app, the iPlayer app is little more than a glorified link which loads a version of iPlayer directly from the BBC.
If content is being cut off by a minute, then it's the BBC at fault not WD. Virgin Tivo users were having the exact same problem as the WD SMP and Hub use the same version of iPlayer as Tivo.
In any case the issue was fixed by the BBC nearly two months ago.
Originally Posted by castalla:
“Live streaming is impossible unless you run a dnla server on another PC and have access to various plugins.”
“Live streaming is impossible unless you run a dnla server on another PC and have access to various plugins.”
The clue is in the name "WD TV Live Streaming".
My SMP streams perfectly well from a NAS and the USB drive attached to the SMP streams to other devices. One of the best things about the WD TV is just how blissfully easy it is to stream content to and from any device, as long as all the devices are on the same workgroup then it's simple and rarely needs any setup.
I can send and receive files from my Windows PC and Android tablet without a problem and I can stream HD content from my WD SMP in my living room to the Samsung TV in my bedroom using Samsung's AllShare (DLNA) without any issues. All without running DLNA server on a PC and without any plug-ins.
Originally Posted by castalla:
“The user interface is clumsy and old-fashioned.”
“The user interface is clumsy and old-fashioned.”
Compared to what? It's not quite as good as the Apple TV or Boxee, but it's attractive, clean looking and simple to use. You can also customise the WD with various themes, many of which add extra features like cover flow and custom moviesheets.
In any case you can't compare the user interface of a WD TV to a Roku, the WD is a multifunction device and the Roku is a online streamer nothing more than an app based interface, though as a Roku owner I do love those banner ads on my TV
(I'm amazed more people don't complain about this).
Originally Posted by silent ninja:
“Netflix runs awesome in HD too, which I'm not sure the Roku does in unless you buy the more expensive Roku? £100 seems a lot considering what it does.”
“Netflix runs awesome in HD too, which I'm not sure the Roku does in unless you buy the more expensive Roku? £100 seems a lot considering what it does.”
Couldn't say as my eyesight is so crappy that 720 is HD enough for me!
For £50 the Roku does a heck of a lot - iPlayer, Netflix, etc. Live tv including most major UK channels. Plays mp4 videos without any problems, mp3 audio, integrates with squeezebox media server. Of course, there's loads of crap too ... takes all sorts. Apps can be added and removed easily, and developers can update apps without need for entire firmware updates, etc.
Originally Posted by castalla:
“...For £50 the Roku does a heck of a lot .... Plays mp4 videos without any problems ....”
“...For £50 the Roku does a heck of a lot .... Plays mp4 videos without any problems ....”
Does it ? Would probably buy if it does but I read that it will only play off USB or from a PC using some private channel add-ons. I didn't think that it will just attach to a windows/samba file store or a standard DLNA or UPNP source - can you confirm.
Did anyone watch Click on BBC News? There was a good review of connected devices and TVs - the WD device fared better than the Roku.
Originally Posted by Technix:
“Did anyone watch Click on BBC News? There was a good review of connected devices and TVs - the WD device fared better than the Roku.”
“Did anyone watch Click on BBC News? There was a good review of connected devices and TVs - the WD device fared better than the Roku.”
Really? They can't have watched a programme to the end on iPlayer then, because the WD chops off the last minute or so of every programme!
Originally Posted by swedish cook:
“Does it ? Would probably buy if it does but I read that it will only play off USB or from a PC using some private channel add-ons. I didn't think that it will just attach to a windows/samba file store or a standard DLNA or UPNP source - can you confirm.”
“Does it ? Would probably buy if it does but I read that it will only play off USB or from a PC using some private channel add-ons. I didn't think that it will just attach to a windows/samba file store or a standard DLNA or UPNP source - can you confirm.”
You have to run a local server - it won't do upnp or dlna.
Originally Posted by castalla:
“Couldn't say as my eyesight is so crappy that 720 is HD enough for me!
For £50 the Roku does a heck of a lot - iPlayer, Netflix, etc. Live tv including most major UK channels. Plays mp4 videos without any problems, mp3 audio, integrates with squeezebox media server. Of course, there's loads of crap too ... takes all sorts. Apps can be added and removed easily, and developers can update apps without need for entire firmware updates, etc.”
“Couldn't say as my eyesight is so crappy that 720 is HD enough for me!
For £50 the Roku does a heck of a lot - iPlayer, Netflix, etc. Live tv including most major UK channels. Plays mp4 videos without any problems, mp3 audio, integrates with squeezebox media server. Of course, there's loads of crap too ... takes all sorts. Apps can be added and removed easily, and developers can update apps without need for entire firmware updates, etc.”
Live UK Tv ? Is that via the FILM ON private channel ?
Originally Posted by castalla:
“Couldn't say as my eyesight is so crappy that 720 is HD enough for me!
For £50 the Roku does a heck of a lot - iPlayer, Netflix, etc. Live tv including most major UK channels. Plays mp4 videos without any problems, mp3 audio, integrates with squeezebox media server. Of course, there's loads of crap too ... takes all sorts. Apps can be added and removed easily, and developers can update apps without need for entire firmware updates, etc.”
“Couldn't say as my eyesight is so crappy that 720 is HD enough for me!
For £50 the Roku does a heck of a lot - iPlayer, Netflix, etc. Live tv including most major UK channels. Plays mp4 videos without any problems, mp3 audio, integrates with squeezebox media server. Of course, there's loads of crap too ... takes all sorts. Apps can be added and removed easily, and developers can update apps without need for entire firmware updates, etc.”
Hi,
How are you watching livetv on major UK channels?
I'd love to do this as the tv it is connected to has no aerial input available?
Cheers
Just set my roku lt up and noticed that BBC1, 2, 3 , 4, News and Parliament are available via Mummybox. Ch4, Dave and a few others have appeared, but currently not showing anything.
I've had Roku for a while - combined with Plex for streaming it's a great little box (and very Wife Friendly).
I subscribed to Netflix but thus far haven't really used it (seems quite limited).
It's a pity there's really only BBC iPlayer on their channels - No ITV/C4/Demand5.
There's talk of a TVCatchup plugin but no sign of it yet - that'd make it perfect, as we currently have no live TV source.
I subscribed to Netflix but thus far haven't really used it (seems quite limited).
It's a pity there's really only BBC iPlayer on their channels - No ITV/C4/Demand5.
There's talk of a TVCatchup plugin but no sign of it yet - that'd make it perfect, as we currently have no live TV source.
If this box had even one other UK catch up service in addition to BBC iPlayer then I'd buy it but it just seems a bit too limited for me at the moment.
Originally Posted by vinceben:
“A ppv type movie type service would also be good.”
“A ppv type movie type service would also be good.”
Now TV is confirmed as launching on the Roku platform "Instant access to hundreds of the latest titles on Sky Movies, with new and exclusive premieres available each Friday, at least a year before any other online subscription service. No contract, no waiting around."
Date of Roku availability is not known, service launches at first on PCs, Macs and some Androids tomorrow (17th).
http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2012/...tiple-devices/
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