The Roku discussion thread

My picture quality is excellent.

cubdog

Cool, I'm guessing I just need to upgrade to the new model, the old one is 720p at most I think.
I love the simple user interface on the Roku, not so much the ones on the other streaming devices like the TV and BD player.
 
I just wanted to update everyone who tried to help me with my audio connection issues. I did manage to eventually get things straightened out and working properly. How I did so will forever remain a mystery. :scratch2: But it's working and that's all I care about. Thanks to all!

cubdog
 
Roku XS here and what an amazing little box. other than the fact that it play dvds it is much better than my blue ray player.
any suggestions for free content?
 
Not exactly free but, for me the best deal is being an Amazon Prime member. It makes sense for me because I also own a Kindle Fire. Even if you don't own a Kindle it's a pretty good deal. A lot of items, purchased on Amazon, come with free two day shipping and free returns.

With Amazon Prime you get 300 free movies and 300 free TV shows. Aside from that I like stuff like the History Channel, A&E and Smithsonian. You tube is also great for old TV shows and they have movies as well.

Have fun with your new toy!

cubdog
 
I'm trying out the headphone jack in the Roku remote. Listening to a Joey DeFrancesco concert via YouTube. It sounds pretty good. Tomorrow I'm going to compare the sound this way vs. plugging into the amplifier. Right now I'm enjoying the music too much to worry about any difference in sound quality. Joey D is joined by Jimmy Cobb and Larry Coryell. Good stuff. :music:

cubdog
 
Roku XS here and what an amazing little box. other than the fact that it play dvds it is much better than my blue ray player.
any suggestions for free content?

The free content I watched such as Crackle, I think it was, had commercials/ads in the movies.
 
Have one Roku 2 , a 2500HD and a PS3 also 3 PC's . I have 97 channels on the 2 so far .

The 2 gets the high bit rate 1080p Netflix Super HD encode very reliably (here anyway ) it looks pretty decent as far as streaming goes .

Here are the Netflix recommended bit rates for the various encodes .

Internet Connection Speed Recommendations
0.5 Megabits per second - Required broadband connection speed
1.5 Megabits per second - Recommended broadband connection speed
3.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for DVD quality
5.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for HD quality
7.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for Super HD quality
12 Megabits per second - Recommended for 3D quality
https://support.netflix.com/en/node/306

I've seen 720p on 3-4 Megabit connections and 1080p HD on 6 megabit connections .
The newer Roku's are some of the best internet streamers around great little puck .
They have the little Roku Stick for MHL /HDMI TV's also Hisense is bringing out 2014 TV sets with Roku built in I'm sure others will follow. I like the Netflix and Amazon interfaces on the Roku they both use the XMBC browser .

Depending on your internet throughput the Roku can take as little as 30 sec. or up to 5 min. to ramp the variable bit rate up to HD quality
so don't be alarmed if it starts out at low quality for a short while then ramps up .
 
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I'm also "new to Roku"

And I have to say it's about the best $80 bucks I've spent in a long time. I get excellent streaming hi-def via Netflix and Amazon Prime and VERY few drop outs or lags. Set up was easy peasy, lemon squeasey... The ONLY drawback is "binge watching". It's like being in a candy store with a high metabolism... I could just eat and eat.... Wowsers.

Worf
 
I have a Roku/YouTube question. When I pair my TV with my laptop, to view YouTube content, I have to do it every time I want to watch something. That is, if I watch a program this morning, shut things down, then want to watch something else on YouTube later today, I have to repair my TV and laptop. Hopefully that's clear. It's a hassle to say the least. There must be something I'm doing wrong. Shouldn't the TV and laptop recognize each other after the initial pairing?

cubdog
 
I have a Roku/YouTube question. When I pair my TV with my laptop, to view YouTube content, I have to do it every time I want to watch something. That is, if I watch a program this morning, shut things down, then want to watch something else on YouTube later today, I have to repair my TV and laptop. Hopefully that's clear. It's a hassle to say the least. There must be something I'm doing wrong. Shouldn't the TV and laptop recognize each other after the initial pairing?

cubdog

Hi Cub, I'm using Playon, which is a low cost download, and creates a channel on the Roku. Playon provides a mass of content and channels, from Vimeo to Hulu, virtually every channel out there. It has an extension called Playcast that streams video to the Roku to your TV. Just go to Youtube on the laptop, pick a video, click the extension icon up top and it's on your TV.

It also has Playmark, which works the same, but instead of streaming, it downloads the video content into a folder inside the playmark channel on the Roku, which you can watch and rewatch at your leisure.
 
I have a Roku/YouTube question. When I pair my TV with my laptop, to view YouTube content, I have to do it every time I want to watch something. That is, if I watch a program this morning, shut things down, then want to watch something else on YouTube later today, I have to repair my TV and laptop. Hopefully that's clear. It's a hassle to say the least. There must be something I'm doing wrong. Shouldn't the TV and laptop recognize each other after the initial pairing?

cubdog

Yes I believe you need to re-establish the link; it isn't a traditional pairing like with Bluetooth. Otherwise it could be problematic if everything being done on the computer later, was unknowingly viewable on the TV.

Take care,

Rob
 
Yes I believe you need to re-establish the link; it isn't a traditional pairing like with Bluetooth. Otherwise it could be problematic if everything being done on the computer later, was unknowingly viewable on the TV.

Take care,

Rob

Thanks Rob. That really seems odd since I believe they give you an option to rename the TV your paring to. I have to look to be sure.

cubdog
 
I just ordered a 3 from WOOT today. Great price. can't wait to try it out, now time to read this thread. The pig negative is I have no way, yet, to get the audio out of the TV to the receiver I'm using, unless I can find an HDMI to USB Type B, then I'm set. Or a SPDIF to USB.
 
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Thanks Rob. That really seems odd since I believe they give you an option to rename the TV your paring to. I have to look to be sure.

cubdog

I also may have had it setup incorrectly--that's always a possibility. If you do figure out a work-a-round, please let me know, I don't want to be giving out wrong or outdated info. :thmbsp:


Cheers,

Rob

P.S. I did find someone asking the same question a few weeks ago on a Google Forum: "After pairing my youtube account with my pc and using Roku 3, you tube will show the small video icon(?)on my pc to right of the icons for watch later, settings, large player, and full screen; and sometimes the video icon will dispay, but not all the time. I lose the watch youtube on the video icon to show on the tv after about five minutes or when I change a Roku playlist or when I shut down youtube and restart it. To get the video icon back, I have to repeatedly re-pair the pc with you tube, and again, the icon will disappear as soon as I stop using or changing a youtube program. Hope you can understand this question. Thanks for any help you can give to solve this problem. Regards, M"

R.
 
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I need to send an email to someone. Like I said it makes no sense to have that rename option, yes I just checked, if you have to repair every time you watch YouTube. Screwy.

cubdog
 
Yes I believe you need to re-establish the link; it isn't a traditional pairing like with Bluetooth. Otherwise it could be problematic if everything being done on the computer later, was unknowingly viewable on the TV.

Take care,

Rob

Yes that is how it works.also if you have more than one roku hooked up to other tvs in the house its asking which one to send the signal to.you rename your rokus and not your tv.if you only have one roku hooked up it will only say pair to (whatever your roku is named) or play on whatever your using ie laptop, this device etc..)
 
I just ordered a 3 from WOOT today. Great price. can't wait to try it out, now time to read this thread. The pig negative is I have no way, yet, to get the audio out of the TV to the receiver I'm using, unless I can find an HDMI to USB Type B, then I'm set. Or a SPDIF to USB.

I bought a little adaptor box from Monoprice, the HDMI from the Roku to the switcher, a toslink audio cable to your receiver and an HDMI from the switcher to the TV. About $40.
 
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