ROKU Television

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Anyone here get a ROKU unit for watching movies and TV showes? We just hooked one up, looks pretty good but very limited experience so far. If nothing else it was free.
 
Im interested in hearing how this goes for you. I have been thinking about getting a ROKU box for a while. How did you get it free?
 
So is it totally free, or do you have to pay for some subscription service like netflix or cable?

No way Id pay to watch TV, Ill gladly pocket the $1200+ per year for other things. Thats why I dont get cable - I wil not pay to watch commercials.
 
I bought a Roku box about three years ago and I have really enjoyed it. 99% of its use is Netflix and Hulu Plus. There are many different "channels" (a.k.a) apps that you can get. The International selection is impressive. I have found many channels offering live streaming news channels from around the world. Also radio (both talk and music) from around many parts. I use mine for Pandora and Amazon video from time to time as well. It was a great investment.
 
I spent a bit more than the ROKU and got a 300 dollar bare bones PC from newegg it does everything Roku does and then some. I just hooked it up to the VGA plug on back of my television and it works great. When I looked up the ROKU it seemed slightly limited in what it can do although it does do the majority of my entertainment which is HULU and Youtube.
 
I've got one. I like it, I use it quite a bit. I have Netflix streaming and I also use Amazon sometimes to purchase shows. No commercials on either of those. The Netflix selection is hit or miss, but Amazon has pretty much everything. I've had no issues with the operation of it at all.

I got rid of cable 3 years ago, no plans on going back.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
So is it totally free, or do you have to pay for some subscription service like netflix or cable?

No way Id pay to watch TV, Ill gladly pocket the $1200+ per year for other things. Thats why I dont get cable - I wil not pay to watch commercials.


I wouldn't pay $1,200 per year for TV either. We have the Super Dish with the 250 package and Encor premium, and the locals. Less than $800 per year, many chanells are commercial free.

At this time all the ROKU channels I have are the free ones. I do not have NetFlex yet but may subscribe, only $8.00 a month, thats only 2 gals, of gas and I can't rent 2 movies for that.

BTW, Dish Network and ROKU is not cable. Been there, done that 13 years ago, burried the cable back then when Dich became available.
 
Originally Posted By: mikered30
Did you get netflix?


Haven't signed up to NetFlix as of yet, just got hooked up 6 hours ago.
 
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
So is it totally free, or do you have to pay for some subscription service like netflix or cable?

No way Id pay to watch TV, Ill gladly pocket the $1200+ per year for other things. Thats why I dont get cable - I wil not pay to watch commercials.


I wouldn't pay $1,200 per year for TV either. We have the Super Dish with the 250 package and Encor premium, and the locals. Less than $800 per year, many chanells are commercial free.

At this time all the ROKU channels I have are the free ones. I do not have NetFlex yet but may subscribe, only $8.00 a month, thats only 2 gals, of gas and I can't rent 2 movies for that.

BTW, Dish Network and ROKU is not cable. Been there, done that 13 years ago, burried the cable back then when Dich became available.





$800 is still more than Im willing to pay to watch TV, which is why I ask... it would be nice to be able to see shows on my time and demand, without commercials... so if this is a way to do so...
 
OK, now I get it, you're asking.

In my case Dish Network supplied the hardware free of charge. Normal cost I understand is $50.00 for the unit. N/C for hookup, it streams from your Internet Router. Many, channels are free, some have a small cost such as $1.99 one time fee, the highest I seen so far is/was $80.00 per year.

Movie titles are available whenever you wish to watch them, we "wife & I" just watched a Steven Segal movie, N/C.

I just this so I'm learning as I go, morethan likely I'll subscribe to Net Flix in time. Hope this answers some of your questions.

For more info google ROKU, they're more than happy to tell you all about it.

Actually $800 bucks a year is pretty cheap in todays money, not even a weeks wages.
 
I just looked at the Roku list of channels. Hmmm not exactly over whelmed by the quality.
I bought a blu-ray player with the 'internet apps' feature. Very unimpressed. The only thing I have ever used it for is Netflix. I have been hoping for updated that may add some decent channels. Not yet.
 
Originally Posted By: jcwit


I wouldn't pay $1,200 per year for TV either. We have the Super Dish with the 250 package and Encor premium, and the locals. Less than $800 per year, many chanells are commercial free.


LOL, I wish I was 'only' paying $1200/yr. Mine is more like $1932/yr.

Dig cable, internet, home phone, DVR... Just went from $158/mo to $161 for my "3-yr price lock guarantee".

Joel
 
I had a Roku for a week (too it back yesterday) and was not impressed. (for the $98 it was costing)

It was a handy way to view the Amazon Prime content, Netflix I can watch with either our Blu-Ray or Computer hooked to the TV and the rest (which quite a bit requires more $$ per month) was not enough to keep the unit.

Remote was a poorly designed unit. Did not like the interface either.

Personally a computer hooked to the TV is the best thing so far that I've hooked to the TV. Next would be the DirecTV which I pay 1/2 price for and when they start to make me pay full price it will be cancelled after 11 years.

$800 per year is more than a weeks wages if you make under $63,000 per year since the $800 is after taxes.

Its the "only" a week here and week there wages that have screwed many a family.

I'll always prefer to watch where my $$ goes. $800 a year for TV is a TOTAL waste in my book. Spending $500 (after all the taxes) for it right now is my breaking point.

Same with landline phones and all their "fees". GONE.

Take care, Bill
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: jcwit


I wouldn't pay $1,200 per year for TV either. We have the Super Dish with the 250 package and Encor premium, and the locals. Less than $800 per year, many chanells are commercial free.


LOL, I wish I was 'only' paying $1200/yr. Mine is more like $1932/yr.

Dig cable, internet, home phone, DVR... Just went from $158/mo to $161 for my "3-yr price lock guarantee".

Joel


WOW! $1,932 a year!

I'm at $55/$60 bucks for Dish, I have the 250 package, 1 preminum "Encore", plus the locals, then High Speed Internet & unlimited calling thru Frontier for less than $65 per month. Thats $1400 a year for everything.
 
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah


$800 per year is more than a weeks wages if you make under $63,000 per year since the $800 is after taxes.

Its the "only" a week here and week there wages that have screwed many a family.



Average pay here for a line worker in the RV Industry is $1200, after taxes, so yes $800 is less than a weeks wages for folks here.
 
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I had a Roku for a week (too it back yesterday) and was not impressed. (for the $98 it was costing)



Remote was a poorly designed unit. Did not like the interface either.



Wonder what kind of ROKU you got with a $98 dollar price tag, granted mine was free thru Dish Network but the SMRP is/was $49.99. Something seems amiss.

Poorly designed remote???? Does what its supposed to do, not much more to ask of it.
 
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah


$800 per year is more than a weeks wages if you make under $63,000 per year since the $800 is after taxes.

Its the "only" a week here and week there wages that have screwed many a family.





Average pay here for a line worker in the RV Industry is $1200, after taxes, so yes $800 is less than a weeks wages for folks here.




Wonder how that industry is doing these days?? And in the future.

Very few jobs in the US pay that much. And with the REAL unemployment well above 10-15% spending $800 on TV a YEAR (or more) is not a great move IMB.

But each their own.
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Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I had a Roku for a week (too it back yesterday) and was not impressed. (for the $98 it was costing)



Remote was a poorly designed unit. Did not like the interface either.



Wonder what kind of ROKU you got with a $98 dollar price tag, granted mine was free thru Dish Network but the SMRP is/was $49.99. Something seems amiss.

Poorly designed remote???? Does what its supposed to do, not much more to ask of it.


Clink on this link. Look at the XS model. $99.99 there. I got it for $98.

JMO on the remote. Its design helped on my decision on returning it.

Take care, bill
 
$1200 a week is a decent living, its not like you are affluent and living high on the hog like the owner of a BMW or Benz.

Why pay to watch TV when you are bombarded with commercials ?
 
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