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5 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Roku Player
Photograph of Roku XDS player with remote. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are literally hundreds of ways to stream content via myriads of devices. So why is Roku still one of the most popular choices for consumers?
- Incredible entertainment choice & flexibility – Roku has over 300 channels to select from, which means you are far more likely to pay for content you are actually interested it. Besides the big names like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Instant Video, there are many targeted choices, including in genres like sports, news, education, lifestyle, fitness and much more.
- Works with virtually any television set – whether you have a HDTV set, or an old analog set with A/V composite connections, you will be able to set up your streaming player quickly and easily without a lot of fuss.
- Built in WiFi – makes connecting a snap with or without an Ethernet cable.
- Four models at various price points – starting at $49.99. Standard and high definition options. High-end Roku 2 XS has an enhanced remote with motion control for games along with a free copy of Angry Birds. The box also has an Ethernet port for a wired connection (best for streaming), as well as a USB port for photos, video and music. However, the Roku LT is still a quality standard-definition streaming media player that delivers content seamlessly.
- Software updates automatically pushed to your Roku player within 48 hours of release. No need to deal with the technical aspects once your player is up and running.
You can read more about Roku here http://www.streaming-411.com/roku.htm
With so many outlets for digital content, Roku easily aggregates the best of the best on it’s Channel Store. What’s conspicuously missing, however, is a VUDU app. It seems that in order to stream VUDU content to your television set, you must have a D-Link MovieNite or Boxee Box player.
If you have an MHL-compatible HDTV, you might opt for the Roku streaming stick, which plugs into the HDMI port. This device is wireless-enabled, ad can even be controlled by the TV’s remote control.
Evidence Cord Cutting Not Just a Myth
Photograph of Roku XDS player with remote. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to a new report by the Convergence Consulting Group in Canada, just released this week, 2.65 million Americans have cancelled their cable TV subscriptions in favor of services like Netflix and Hulu Plus.
My family is about to make a monumental move in cutting entertainment costs. We just purchased a Roku set-top device and signed up for Netflix. We are researching antennas for live, local network television options. We are about to join the “millions” of cord cutters out there who are not only fed up with high television subscription costs, but really, we can’t keep going on this way.
Right now we pay $86 a month for content plus a DVR – we have one of the most “affordable” services, Dish Network. We will certainly miss the DVR, but with on demand content it shouldn’t be a huge problem. We’ll have to adjust our expectations on new programming, and we will probably supplement with a service like Vudu to rent a newer-released movie every now or then.
An interesting related phenomena is also occurring. Television shows are experiencing a real bump in Nielsen ratings now that streaming services have become popular. Folks can now access an entire season’s library of shows and “catch up” on what they missed. It seems streaming isn’t cannibalizing network programming. People are balancing streaming with other forms of content.
More and more people are taking time to seriously compare stream providers, and many who jumped ship are coming back. This will prove to be a time of uncertainty for several key players, including streaming services, subscription television providers, internet providers, etc.
I don’t know how this experiment will work, but I do know that for the time being it’s important for us to balance our budget. We have a large family – we can’t consume streamed content the same way we consume our TV subscription content, because of usage-based caps on our internet subscription. We might have to rely more on network programming (and sitting through all those commercials). It will help Nielsen ratings, I’m sure. And maybe we’ll learn to connect with each other instead of focusing on our love affair with the TV set 
For more information check out Streaming 411.
Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-us-netflixbre83301a-20120403,0,5731489.story
Roku Founder Anthony Wood’s Reflections Two Years Later – Things Will Change!
As surely as the autumn leaves change, things will change!
Home Media Magazine asked Six Questions to Anthony Wood, Founder of Roku, two years ago. At that time, the streaming market was just in its infancy, and his upstart media player that enabled Netflix to play on your TV set for just $115 was not yet key to subscription video on demand models, let alone boutique models like Amazon, which were not even on anyone’s radar.
Since that time, Roku has added hundreds of public and private channels, and has developed several different streaming devices that play back content at various quality levels. They have also sold more than 2.5 million devices (with the price having dropped), and they are now considered the #1 streaming media player despite the popularity of Apple TV.
Probably the most controversial (and most wanted) statement that Wood has made is that “he believes a major cable operator could begin offering separate a-la-carte programming via over-the-top internet services outside the typical bundled subscription as early as this year.” Of course, this would mean huge savings for consumers who are paying through the nose for subscription cable or satellite TV subscriptions. But right now, complete cord cutting seems to be risky with internet data caps, as noted by this article.
Clearly, right now shaving your cable to a bare bones subscription and supplementing with streaming services is the rule of the day if you watch a lot of TV (if you don’t, by all means, cut that cord!). In order to make the best decision, make sure you find good resources that help you leave no stones unturned. Streaming 411 analyzes all the services so that you know exactly what you are getting into.
How to Compare Streaming Services the Easy Way
If the chart to the left is any indication, we would all be rich over time and have tons of money available for entertainment among other things we value. But those of us feeling the pinch of the economy know better, and we are looking for ways to enjoy life for a better price in order to balance the ever-shrinking budget. Online movies & TV shows are a great way to trim entertainment costs.
There is a lot of information to sift through if you wish to compare streaming services. That’s both the good news and the bad news. We have a lot of choice now – in the not-so-distant past we basically only had costly pay TV subscriptions where we paid for hundreds of useless channels, and we could supplement our home entertainment options through DVD or blu-ray. In just a few years time new technology offerings have exploded; we have a variety of streaming providers that offer various models, including monthly subscriptions with total access to their entire libraries or the ability to rent or purchase individual digital titles for streaming. Additionally, we will be seeing a lot more growth in the mobile broadband sector where streaming will become mainstream as the technology and data plans catch up.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s available:
- Monthly subscriptions to a streaming library – Netflix and Hulu Plus offer one low price for total access to their entire library 24/7. Amazon Prime members can also pay for an annual membership and access their 15,000 streamed titles. Only Netflix has parental controls, so parents of young children will want to monitor their Hulu or Amazon streaming.
- Online Content Stores – Vudu, Amazon Instant Video and iTunes are a great way to rent or purchase individual titles. A combination of a monthly streaming service + supplementing with rentals or purchases is generally the way consumers tend to utilize these services.
- DVD Mailing Services + Streaming – Netflix and Blockbuster have both options to American consumers, but Netflix is a subscription service, whereas if you wish to stream through Blockbuster, you will have to rent or purchase individual titles. However, they do have plans for unlimited monthly DVD rental. LoveFilm serves the United Kingdom, and is a great resource across the pond!
- Specialized services – the Zune Marketplace allows you to rent or purchase shows. You can also obtain a monthly or annual music pass for unlimited music streaming. If you are a reality TV buff, SuperPass is the way to go! They have live feeds and interactive TV shows on your favorites like Big Brother, The Biggest Loser, & Survivor.
Check out this resource for a great way to compare http://www.streaming-411.com/comparison.htm
There are also a variety of ways to access your content, but you will need to check with each available provider to see what devices they support. If you wish to play movies on your tv for a great price, Roku works with virtually any television set out there, including High Definition. Apple TV only works with High Def, but is a great, affordable choice as well.
Busy News Week for Hulu Plus & Hulu.com News
There are several new developments surrounding the popular Hulu Plus streaming service this week. For starters, they are shortening the wait time for accessing certain CW programming like The Vampire Diaries in an effort to thwart the popularity of pirated streaming of the show. The CWs Executive Vice president, Rick Haskins, says “I do think we can make a cut into piracy. It’s going to take a while for the word to get out.” We’re here to help, Rick!
Apparently about 20% of online viewing of these shows is pirated, and half of the viewing take place during the 3 day wait time. Since these shows will be now available 8 hours after broadcast, that should dramatically deter piracy. They will be shown with full advertising, just like on television.
The reasoning behind the 3 day wait time was to encourage people to view the programming on TV, rather than through online streaming, in order to get credit from Nielsen who tracks audience sizes strictly through that medium, and not through online streaming. Large audiences mean that advertisers will pay more for a commercial spot.
For people who view the free version of Hulu on their computer screen, Hulu has increased the size of their media player by 55%, have made improvements in their Face Match feature, which enables users to mouse over an actor’s face to learn more about them, such as birth date, characters played, and possibly links to social media or Wikipedia pages. The user can easily access social feeds of any actor.
Subscribers to Hulu Plus need not crowd around their computer to watch TV, however. Learn more here http://www.streaming-411.com/hulu.htm
With a streaming media device like Roku or Apple TV, you can easily view movies or TV shows on virtually any TV set.
Roku Review Reveals More Pros Than Cons
There is no product or service on the face of the earth that can be all things to all people, and when you check out a comprehensive Roku review to see the pros and cons you can make an educated choice. First and foremost, Roku gets a big thumbs up for working with virtually any television set available. It’s also relatively easy to set up, and good instructions are provided to facilitate the setup. Customers appreciate the built-in WiFi capabilities, and especially the extreme value that the Roku player represents in taking a first step toward a more Smart TV-like experience, enabling streaming directly from the internet.
There are several excellent channels available at the Roku Channel Store, including the big names like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Instant Video. However, there are also a number of categories that many users will find beneficial, including sports, news, music, games, kids programming, technology, lifestyle, spiritual, and fitness/outdoors that provides workouts and tips on upping your game. So Roku rakes up a lot of pros when it comes to being able to stream tv shows, movies, games and much more.
While pros seem to outweigh cons, some issues noted include:
- no YouTube
- volume control on the remote
- want more video choices
- trouble shooting password
- need fast internet service (we at Streaming Services Reviewed recommend a minimum of 3 Mbps, but 6 Mbps or higher is best for streaming)
- Want more music videos
The largest complaint was “want more video choices”. It should be noted that combining a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu Plus with on demand rental or purchase options from Amazon Instant Video or Vudu will give users the largest entertainment library for the best price.
Fitness & Outdoors Channels Supported on Your Roku Player
While most people are familiar with the big name channels that the Roku streaming device has available in their Channel Store, like Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video, there are some lesser known but important channels that will make your streaming device all the more valuable. For the outdoor sportsman (and woman!) outdoor network Demand: The Outdoors or Heading Outdoors to enjoy the thrill of hunting and fishing will likely appeal to you. If you are more into Extreme Sports, and wish to get expert instruction from professionals in the area of snowboard, skateboarding, BMX or motorbiking, then Sports Skool Endurance Sports should be on your must-have list. If you like to stay fit at home but hate the monotony of working out to the same old DVDs, Live Exercise Free Daily Workouts, Pilates Anytime, Sports Skool’s Yoga, or Sports Skool Fitness brings trainers right into your living room. There are channels that focus on various team sports, including baseball, hockey, softball, even LaCrosse, with drills and demonstrations from prominent names. Shore up on your golf strokes as well.
For more information on other at-home stream options, Streaming 411 has information on how to get the most out of your Roku Player.