Still no YouTube on anything but Roku 3 and the stick. I’m still using Twonky Beam on an iPad which does the trick.
Having said that, if this is your first Roku and will get you to “cut the cord” then click that “WANT ONE” button now! I’ve been using an HD,XD and XS for over a year and they work like a champ. Love this company.
This is a Roku 2. This model was launched last fall, but it uses the older, slower CPU of the older Rokus that were sold before the Roku 3.
The Good: It’s got composite out, so you can use it with older televisions and you can route audio out to an aux in on your AVR to listen to Spotify or Pandora with the TV off.
The Bad: No wired ethernet or usb port. If possible, it’s better to stream wired rather than wireless and a usb port lets you play media off an attached usb disk. This is one of the Rokus that are in purgatory. We’ve been waiting for YouTube and the new Netflix app for months. Both updates are promised this year. Having read reviews of the new stick (another Roku 2 class streamer), I am concerned that the update will render the streamers useless.
The Ugly: WiFi remote! To allow you to listen to audio via an earbud jack on the R2 remote, they stream remote commands and audio via WiFi. This causes interference issues including choppy sound and an unresponsive remote. Worse, when your WiFi router is interfered with, it throttles speed to improve connection quality. Of course, if you do plug earbuds into that jack, keep a box of batteries nearby.
Here is a chart comparing the features of all the currently available Rokus including the venerable Roku 2 XS which is my favorite…
http://thebeersoncomcast.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/r3vsr2xs_small.png
Here is another chart comparing the processing power of the various models…
http://rokufordummies.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/bogoloops2.jpg
Q and A…
Q. Do I need a credit card to register my Roku?
A. No. Call Phone Support: 1-888-600-7658 (ROKU) and they will register your Roku without requiring a credit card.
Q. Does the Netflix app support profiles?
A. Only on the Roku 3 at this time.
Q. Does the Roku remote with earbud jack work with other models.
A. No. The Roku remotes only work with specific models. The IR remote works with all models except the sticks, but the RF remotes only work with specific models as some are bluetooth and others are WiFi.
Q. Can this play files from an NFS mount.
A. Maybe. They have to be in the right format and there has to be some kind of server software in the mix.
Q. Is the new stick a Chromecast killer.
A. No it is a really inexpensive variant of the Roku 2 family.
Q. What does this offer that my other streamer doesn’t?
A. Whether you have an Xbox, a SMP, or a BD player, it’s all about the channels. Compare the content your current streamer can play to what you see at http://www.roku.com/channels. Read the descriptions carefully because the Roku Fox News Channel IS NOT what you get on Comcast.
Q. What do channels and content cost?
A. Out of the box, your Roku will have THOUSANDS of channels (apps) of programming. These channels may free or you may have to buy them. You may also have to pay a monthly or annual fee for content. Netflix, MLB.com, and Hulu are free apps, but you have to pay for their content. Here are some free apps with free content…
ADC: Free movie channel
Amazon Cloud Player: Play all the free music Amazon sends my way
CNN: Includes CNN International Live for background news and information
Crackle: Sony’s FREE version of Netflix
CS50: Harvard Intro to Computer Science course
Comedy Time: ‘Play All’ makes for good background noise
CBSSports.com: ‘Play All’ feature makes for a nice sports news channel
CNBC: Streaming business news for news and information
FoxNews: Stream from web site plus clips of popular shows with ‘Play All’
Kaplan College Prep: Help your kid with his SATs
Lecture Kings: Librivox audio box is hidden in a channel of university lectures
Nowhere TV
OVGuide: Free movie channel
PBS
Popcornflix
Popflix Classic TV: 26 Men, Adventures of Robin Hood, The Beverly Hillbillies, Bonanza, Burns and Allen, Date with the Angels, Dragnet, Life with Elizabeth, The Lone Ranger, The Lucy Show, Man with a Camera, Petticoat Junction, Sherlock Holmes, Westerns, You Bet Your Life
PubDHub: The stuff your dad used to reminisce about — ancient cartoons, PSAs, commercials, and movies
Smithsonian: Better than the Discovery channel
TWiT: Steve Gibson, Leo Laporte, and others talk tech
WSJ Live: WSJ had good election coverage
YouTube
Q. Can I watch live/local television on my Roku?
A. If you like local programming/broadcast television, Aereo [aereo.com] streams these for $8 (one set) to $12 (two sets) per month. Aereo includes a ‘cloud DVR’ as well. Aereo works well, but many complained about buffering during the Superbowl and it is on-demand, so after watching the Big Bang Theory, you bounce out to their menu and select Two and a Half Men, etc. (In April the Supreme Court will hear a case that may determine that Aereo is not legal; google is your friend)
Q. Why are there so many refurbs?
A. Because Roku is not the same as cable, networking is hard, the internet is getting congested, and the cable guy won’t come to your house and make it work. This is not a toaster. A lot of people find making things work a lot harder than expected and the results a lot less than promised. Good for the rest of us, right?
Q. Why don’t these have a slot for a cable card?
A. Because they don’t.
Q. Is the Plex channel free?
A. No it is not. It’s been $4.99 since December.
Q. Should I get a refurb?
A. (Sorry Woot) Some have complained that Woot and Newegg have been really bad with refurbs – shipping junk and not supporting their customers. I’ve only ever had one problem with a refurb (R2XS remote) and Roku shipped me a new one right away. Call Roku if you have problems. DO NOT USE their forums unless you need exercise. RokuShawnS et all will have you running around in circles and jumping through hoops.
Q. Can I watch YouTube on my Roku?
A. YES. The Roku 3 (this one) has an official YouTube app. For other models, check out VideoBuzz.
Comments like these are the reason there are SO many refurbs. It’s not like having basic cable or the top level package.
I know what you are trying to say – the Roku 3 is better. As far as I know there is only one Angry Birds game you can play on a Roku 3 that will not play on this model. YouTube can be side loaded and Netflix uses an older app (which some prefer).
Just to be clear, this is an analogy. A Roku is not like cable TV – no local programming, no MLB/NHL/NBA, etc.
Previously loved? Yuk! Hope it comes with a wet nap.
Bought the “factory reconditioned” Roku 3 right here on Woot a month or so ago…it wasn’t what I would call “reconditioned,” more like “used.” Has scratches all over it, looked beat to hell. I guess what you get is a bit of a lottery (I lost). I wouldn’t expect what you see in the photo here. Was going to return it, but returns with Woot aren’t exactly a walk in park, so I kept it. Wish I had bought new instead.
Don’t be surprised after you go through the installation that it asks for a credit card. Personally I detest anything I buy that requires a credit card to use.
If you call Roku, they will register your Roku without a credit card.
Uhhh not sure why anyone would grab this with the new roku stick out at the same price. If you want more performance, pony up 80 for the refurb roku 3.
Not a deal. $35 would begin to be a deal.
Or register with credit card and as soon as your finished you can go in and delete the credit card on file in your roku account settings … that’s another way
I lucked out…my roku 3 that I got last woot sale looked brand new and works great. But with my previous purchase back in December 2013 the roku 3 was dead on arrival. Out of 5 roku purchases off woot only one was defective and they all look brand new
I agree. You can buy a refurbished ROKU 3 for $69. You can get the ROKU stick also for just a little more. I don’t agree with the Chromecast statement because I have Apple TV, Roku 3 and Chromecast and the Chromecast is the worst one. I never use it. I can see Netflix on it but everything else is hit and miss. Roku 3 is the best of all three.
I’m not sure you know what you are talking about. Roku 3500R (aka Roku Stick) is not the same product and does not have the same features. They are close, but the main difference is the headphones. Without the headphones, the 3500R is the same as the original Roku and priced the same as well.
I just got an amazon fire Tv instead of the Roku. I am thinking about getting this for my other TV since I dropeed cable. Wondering if services like Hulu and Netflix allow you to use them on 2 separate devices at the same time.
p.s. why does HULU charge your $8/month for service and yet they still put commercials in their shows…
No Ethernet? Do any Rokus have an Ethernet option?
Netflix allows 2 simultaneous feeds but you can pay extra to get more streams. I can’t speak for what hulu allows.
Edit: Netflix’s $8 plan allows 2 screens and the $12 plan allows 4 screens.
Wireless is ethernet. The Roku 3 and Roku 2 XS (not this model) both have wired ethernet.
As far as I know only the Roku 3 has 10/100 Base-T Ethernet.
Because they can. Better question: why do you pay it?
I also have a Samsung internet tv and had the same question. Can I cancel my cable with Roku 3? Can you post a link to explain?
Its like having basic cable (Samsung) or the Top channel package (Roku)
I recomend getting the Roku 3 tough. It’s about $80 on Amazon.
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That is really just a metaphor. they were trying to say you get access to “x” with samsung internet tv and you get “x+y” with roku.
Neither are going to get you the same television feeds as cable if you have to have cable.
However, if you are ready to cut the cord the roku is a good choice. I have basic cable and a roku and I don’t miss the premium package at all.