Roku HD Streaming Media Player Review
The Roku Player originally came out as the “Netflix Player” in 2008. Now, it’s a family of players that offers much more than just Netflix.
The Roku HD Player is similar in appearance to other products in its family. Its measurements are 1.75″x 5.25″x5.25″. On the back of the device, there are ports for HDMI, S-, component and composite video, and standard analog stereo/optical digital ports. (There is support for surround sound with HDMI as well as digital audio connections.
The Roku HD player uses your Ethernet or 802.11g Wi-Fi to connect to your network. You can expect smooth operation at 802.11g speeds most of the time, however this is only tested with a wireless router placed near the device. If you’re looking for a faster connection, you should go with the wired option or buy the Roku XR box as it has faster 802.11n Wi-Fi speeds.
The remote is very simple and works quite well. You can also easily program its functions into any good universal remote. If you want to use an iPod Touch/iPhone as a remote, you can do so over Wi-Fi with the free Rokumote app.
Setup is easy. After booting up the box, you can navigate through the simple setup wizard using the remote. If you are using a secure wireless network, simply enter your security key using the virtual on-screen keyboard.
One downside of the player is that you have to link individual channels to separate provider accounts through your computer’s web browser.
After setting up your favorite channels, you can start enjoying them. Most of the channels have the same general interface. By using the remote’s 5-way directional pad, you can move between horizontally arranged program lists.
Netflix: With a paid subscription, you can choose from around 12,000 movies/TV shows on demand, with some HD content. Use your computer’s web browser to create an instant viewing queue and then you can watch those titles on Roku.
Amazon and MLB TV: Amazon offers over 40,000 movies/TV shows for sale/rental on demand. These titles can cost you between $2 and $4 for rentals and between $6 and $15 for purchases. With the MLB TV paid subscription, you can watch live and pre-recorded games; however, it is only available to teams outside the area.
MobileTribe – This is a paid service that works by aggregating information from different social media accounts you currently have, including accounts on Facebook, Plaxo, and MySpace.
Free services: Pandora, the popular free audio streaming service, is available through the device. Other free services you can access include: Mediafly, which offers professional/amateur audio/video streams; Review3, a technology-focused video provider; TWiT, similar to Revision 3; Blip.tv (free) – aggregator and distributor of independent web video shows; FrameChannel, a photo sharing service; Motionbox, a YouTube-like site that allows you to watch your home movies.