Does anyone use a Roku for streaming to your tv - - -

13 years ago

Just wondering how this might work for us. We don't watch alot of tv, so thinking we might could do this with Netflix and Hulu for alot less than what we pay for satellite (which is less than what we'd pay for cable in our area, and we get more for less). I'd have to test first our local channels, cuz I do like my early morning news. I can't remember if we can get anything without cable or satellite.

tina

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Comments (8)

riosamba
13 years ago
We have a roku and it works well for us. We don't watch much television but can I can watch the few things I do like on hulu (fyi: hulu does not have CBS). Netflix instant viewing has lots of great documentaries, independent film, BBC shows, etc. You can also listen to Pandora through your roku if you like.
Boopadaboo
13 years ago
yes, we have a roku. we also have netflix streaming to 4 other devices. Depends on your interests, but overall it is good.
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13 years ago
We have 3 short cables to connect our macbook to the tv. One is a 3" long Apple cable - cost $19.00, the other 2 were cables from monoprice.com - total cost less than $12.00 - including shipping.

Anything we can see on the laptop, including netflix, is shown on the tv.

If/when we buy a new tv, we'll probably have to get at least 2 new cables.
lee676
13 years ago
Don't have one but have been shopping them - like alot of people I know, we've ditched the cable/subcription TV and stuck up an old-fashioned antenna, which brings in free HD broadcast channels, watching DVDs or plugging in a laptop and streaming video clips for alternative entertainment. To replace the latter, I could go with a Roku, an Apple TV, a Blu-Ray player with internet access, or replace the TV with one of the new ones with built-in internet. The services you can get (some with fees, though generally much lower than cable) vary from one vendor to another, but typically include Netflix, Amazon, Hulu or Hulu Plus, YouTube, Pandora, and others.

You just have to get used to watching TV a bit differently than we used to. Instead of waiting for the program you want to watch to be aired, you fetch the program yourself when you feel like watching it. Given that's essentially what weve been trying to do for years with VCRs and then Tivo/DVRs, maybe that makes sense.
tinam61
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the info. I don't want to use the computer, nor would I be replacing the tv (ours are all pretty new).

"Instead of waiting for the program you want to watch to be aired, you fetch the program yourself when you feel like watching it." Lee, that's for us for sure. It's not often that we sit down in front of the tv in the evenings, prefer to watch whenever. Don't use a VCR anymore, and our DVR is possessed. Honestly. Apparently someone in the vicinity has another digital device that is interfering with our DVR and satellite. We never use the DVR, but it is set up to record different programs (not by us! and VOD). You can also have one of the tv's on and it suddenly change channels, again not by us. LOL So something like Roku would solve that problem also.

Thanks again -

tina
lee676
13 years ago
I had the same problem once, and eventually traced it to, of all things, the particular type of CFL light bulb I had nearby interfering with the remote-control receiver on the TV, causing it to change channels or turn on or off by itself. I noticed it only happened when the light was on, so I changed bulbs and it went away. Changed the bulb back temporarily after a month just to be sure I had it right, and the problem reoccurred.

I also have a compact-fluorescent light bulb in my bedroom that sometimes sets off the smoke detector when I turn on the light. I had to move the smoke detector. I don't know what the deal is with these things, but I don't want to switch back to incandescent bulbs and use 4x the electricity, and LEDs are still too expensive.

I don't have a DVR but am thinking about a Magnavox MDR515H/F7, a DVR designed for recording over-the-air/antenna programs, and can also burn DVDs of anything you want to save permanently or give to someone else. It's affordable and easy to use; too bad it's not HD. Another approach that's becoming popular is to use a computer set up specifically for TV viewing, a sort of uber-DVR. These are called home theater PCs (HTPC). Or I could just stop watching TV and do something else....
lizbeth-gardener
13 years ago
I've been researching the Roku boxes, too. Thought we might go with a blue ray instead, but afer reading the reviews on Amazon, I think the Roku sounds much simpler to hook up and fewer adverse comments. I plan on getting mine thru Amazon because of the warranty; it seems the customer service for Roku is outsourced to some other country and isn't the best. (I don't work for Amazon!!) Now I have to figure out which model we need/want!
B H
13 years ago
Ok...I thought the title of this thread was referencing a Roku for steaming your TV.

Just had to pop in & read about it as I'd never heard of anyone "steaming" their TV. ;)