Roku. Is it a good product?
Nearly 4 months in the new house and still no cable. I broke down and got HuluPlus this week and I must say I barely miss cable. One hung I did find out about was a box called Roku that let's you stream to your tv without having to use a laptop. It also has "channels" some pay and some free to round our hour viewing. My estimation is if you have HP, Netix, and maybe 1-2 others you like you can have all you want to view. They even have a channel for your dog!
Has anyone used this device? Any advice? And any idea how to stream FNC/CNBC live for breaking stories?
I'm cheaper...I use Hulu, Crackle, and Netflix...and just do the one-month free trials...haha.
Quote: AZDuffmanThe cable thread really made me think. Sorry if this repeats some if it.
Nearly 4 months in the new house and still no cable. I broke down and got HuluPlus this week and I must say I barely miss cable. One hung I did find out about was a box called Roku that let's you stream to your tv without having to use a laptop. It also has "channels" some pay and some free to round our hour viewing. My estimation is if you have HP, Netix, and maybe 1-2 others you like you can have all you want to view. They even have a channel for your dog!
Has anyone used this device? Any advice? And any idea how to stream FNC/CNBC live for breaking stories?
Are you using a DSL line to get your internet? How is that working out?
As I understand it, Roku has 600 plus channels, and Hulu+ now has over 400. FoxNews has streaming channels on their website. As the highest compensated cable news channel, I doubt that they can give away the exact same content of their TV cable for free, but you may find that the web streaming channels are sufficient to get your fix of conservative "sort of news".
While people under the age of 40 are getting increasingly comfortable living without cable, many people complain about the difficulty of getting sports. NBC streams it's Sunday night football over the website, so I think the others may follow.
If you decide your DSL is not fast enough, and you purchase cable to get speedier internet, my local cable company is now offering HBO/Cinmax for $17 without the need to purchase the basic national networks. You could be able to get local news. HBO/Cinemax is now priced the same as Hulu+/Netflix combination. While it clearly does not have as many options, many people would find the mix of series and movies on HBO more appealing than the hundred thousand specialized choices on Roku.
Quote: pacomartinAre you using a DSL line to get your internet? How is that working out?
As I understand it, Roku has 600 plus channels, and Hulu+ now has over 400. FoxNews has streaming channels on their website. As the highest compensated cable news channel, I doubt that they can give away the exact same content of their TV cable for free, but you may find that the web streaming channels are sufficient to get your fix of conservative "sort of news".
While people under the age of 40 are getting increasingly comfortable living without cable, many people complain about the difficulty of getting sports. NBC streams it's Sunday night football over the website, so I think the others may follow.
If you decide your DSL is not fast enough, and you purchase cable to get speedier internet, my local cable company is now offering HBO/Cinmax for $17 without the need to purchase the basic national networks. You could be able to get local news. HBO/Cinemax is now priced the same as Hulu+/Netflix combination. While it clearly does not have as many options, many people would find the mix of series and movies on HBO more appealing than the hundred thousand specialized choices on Roku.
I'd pay FOX a few bucks a month for their fair and balanced coverage. I can get an antenna for sports if I cared which I do less and less.
Using cable for now. When the intro price goes up will switch to fios unt their intro goes up then back.
Quote: AZDuffmanI'd pay FOX a few bucks a month for their fair and balanced coverage. I can get an antenna for sports if I cared which I do less and less.
Using cable for now. When the intro price goes up will switch to fios unt their intro goes up then back.
Do you watch the streaming video from the Fox website? You can watch the Fox News Shows the next day the same as ABC, NBC, FOX (CBS on 7 day delay).
Quote: pacomartinDo you watch the streaming video from the Fox website? You can watch the Fox News Shows the next day the same as ABC, NBC, FOX (CBS on 7 day delay).
Watched some but not same for me news next day. That and I will put news on while I am doing other things.
My guess is sooner or later they offer a live feed for a few bucks a month.
Quote: pacomartin
While people under the age of 40 are getting increasingly comfortable living without cable.
Thats living? Not in my book..
Quote: EvenBobThats living? Not in my book..
:) Getting rid of Cable was a blessed release. So many better things I could be doing. I am sure others will disagree with my level of 'better'.
Quote: thecesspit:) Getting rid of Cable was a blessed release. So many better things I could be doing. I am sure others will disagree with my level of 'better'.
When I watch TV, which isn't often, I want a huge
number of choices. I often have the classical music
station playing in the background. Ditto for the golf
channel when a PGA tourney is going on. I watch
Mad Men and Breaking Bad and HBO when something
good is on. I'm pretty sure I can't do any of that
without cable.
Quote: thecesspit:) Getting rid of Cable was a blessed release. So many better things I could be doing. I am sure others will disagree with my level of 'better'.
Ditched mine last May. Still got Netflix for the boy's kid shows, and stream my Leafs/NASCAR from the UK, but TV time's been completely destroyed. I hardly miss it.
Quote: FaceDitched mine last May. Still got Netflix for the boy's kid shows, and stream my Leafs/NASCAR from the UK, but TV time's been completely destroyed. I hardly miss it.
Yep, I have Netflix (which gives me plenty of shows when I want, including Breaking Bad (a season behind to be sure)). I should look into streaming NFL next year from the UK, as it's about the only thing I do miss having easy access to.
I just find TV is no longer the main input for media consumption it once was, -for me-.
Quote: thecesspitI should look into streaming NFL next year from the UK, as it's about the only thing I do miss having easy access to.
I use Firstrowsports.eu. In minimized mode, there's a bazillion pop ups and adds. But if you maximize the screen, they all go away. Quality is suspect occasionally, but it often supplies 1-7 different links, so you can find a clear picture. And hey! Many of the commercials are in the Queen's english, you'll feel right at home ;)
Quote: thecesspitYep, I have Netflix (which gives me plenty of shows when I want, including Breaking Bad .
Yeah, thats what I want, to watch TV on my computer. Then
I can what, do my computer work on the television? I have
Netflix but I only watch it late at night when I can't work
on the computer because my eyes are falling out.
Quote: DRichI have Roku's and they work very well if you want to watch streaming on your TV. Very easy to set up and use.
Agreed. I have a pair of the older Rokus, both HD. They were extremely simple to set up; they detect the network and ask you for your password, and the rest is automated. You then choose your apps, called channels, and enter your passwords for them, and that's it. There are also many channels that are free.
Picture quality is excellent, the equivalent of DirecTV. When I had DSL, 3Mbps, I got an occasional buffer or quality downgrade (It will downgrade quality to prevent buffering); now with cable and 15Mbps, movies and shows load in about 5 seconds and never buffer.
Missing: 1) a YouTube app. 2) that thing that AppleTV does, that sends what you have on your iOS/OSx device to the TV.
I HIGHLY recommend this product, whether or not you keep your cable or satellite. For what you get, it's cheap as hell, and especially compared to what you have to pay for the other services. The new Roku3 is supposed to be even better, with a cleaner interface and better remote, with headphones and adjustable volume.
EDIT: If you have a Mac or iDevice and want to stream those news shows, AppleTV is the way to go. It sets up a Bluetooth network with your device, and has Hulu, Netflix, etc.
Quote: EvenBobYeah, thats what I want, to watch TV on my computer. Then
I can what, do my computer work on the television? I have
Netflix but I only watch it late at night when I can't work
on the computer because my eyes are falling out.
I have never watched Netflix on my computer, use my TV for Netflix and DVDs, and that's about it.
Watch cable TV to your hearts content if it makes you happy, or satisfied, or whatever.
Just sayin' other people survive fine without it and consume their media in other ways.
Quote: thecesspit
Just sayin' other people survive fine without it
Its just survival, thats for sure. Cable is the last
thing I'd get rid of, just before food.
Quote: EvenBobCable is the last thing I'd get rid of, just before food.
Nielsen did a study on the so called Zero TV Households and concluded that there are about 5 million such households (roughly 95% watch TV in traditional ways with broadcast/satellite/cable). So your feelings are very normal.
The local cable station is experimenting with a service that for $50 you get 50 Mbs internet, Basic TV (NBC, ABC, Fox, Ion, CW, CBS, MyTV, PBS,...) and you can add on Premium Channels:
$17.95 HBO® and Cinemax® Bundle Includes HBO On Demand, and Cinemax On Demand, HBO GO® and MAX GO® apps$4.95/mo
$4.95 Showtime ® and the Showtime Multiplex of channels, plus The Movie Channel®
$2.00 Starz ® Starz Multiplex of channels and Starz On Demand. Starz ®
Now the price of such a service more in line with NetFlix and Hulu+ users for those people interested in just watching commercial free video. The previous requirement to take all the basic cable commercial channels has been dropped.
That allows you to port your computer output to your TV.
You can buy BlueRay players with access to major streaming providers
like Netflix.
For one person, these all in one person with remote keyboards and mouse could satisfy most of your video and computer needs. With a decent soundbar it could be your stereo as well.
Quote: AZDuffmanThe cable thread really made me think. Sorry if this repeats some if it.
Nearly 4 months in the new house and still no cable. I broke down and got HuluPlus this week and I must say I barely miss cable. One hung I did find out about was a box called Roku that let's you stream to your tv without having to use a laptop. It also has "channels" some pay and some free to round our hour viewing. My estimation is if you have HP, Netix, and maybe 1-2 others you like you can have all you want to view. They even have a channel for your dog!
Has anyone used this device? Any advice? And any idea how to stream FNC/CNBC live for breaking stories?
I bought a Roku for my girlfriend for Christmas 2011 and it has served us great (I moved in here last year so I use it just as much). We only have Netflix Instant (no HP) but occasionally will purchase a movie on-demand from Amazon if we really want to watch it and it's not on Netflix.
My experienc/opinion has been that Netflix instant has a great selection for TV shows and a really crappy selection for movies. YMMV.
