Skip to content. Skip to navigation
You are here: Home Pro Reviews Digital Media Servers Roku Netflix Player Set-top Box Review
#########
   Alabama
   Alaska
   Arizona
   Arkansas
   California
   Colorado
   Connecticut
   DC
   Delaware
   Florida
   Georgia
   Hawaii
   Idaho
   Illinois
   Indiana
   Iowa
   Kansas
   Kentucky
   Louisiana
   Maine
   Maryland
   Massachusetts
   Michigan
   Minnesota
   Mississippi
   Missouri
   Montana
   Nebraska
   Nevada
   New Hampshire
   New Jersey
   New Mexico
   New York
   North Carolina
   North Dakota
   Ohio
   Oklahoma
   Oregon
   Pennsylvania
   Rhode Island
   South Carolina
   South Dakota
   Tennesee
   Texas
   Utah
   Vermont
   Virginia
   Washington
   West Virginia
   Wisconsin
   Wyoming
 

Roku Netflix Player Set-top Box Review

by Clint DeBoer last modified July 15, 2008

Summary

  • Product Name: Roku Netflix Player Set-top Box
  • Manufacturer: Roku
  • Performance Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Value Rating: StarStarStarStarStar
  • Review Date: July 15, 2008 13:59
  • MSRP: $ 99.99 - $129.99
Specifications
  • Over 10,000 movies and TV episodes instantly

  • No change in monthly Netflix costs and you continue to get your DVDs by mail

  • Easily connects directly to your TV

  • Pause, rewind or play anytime - just like a DVD

  • Guaranteed to work with your TV

  • Video Outputs: HDMI (audio and video), component, S-video, composite

  • Audio outputs: HDMI audio, optical TOSlink, stereo analogue

  • Included: Netflix Player, infrared remote control, two AAA batteries, A/V cables (composite video, stereo audio), power adapter, Getting Started guide

  • 30-day money back guarantee and a 1-year warranty


Pros

  • Easy to setup and use
  • Inexpensive way to access thousands of movies
  • No additional monthly fees for existing Netflix subscribers

Cons

  • No HD content
  • No 5.1 surround sound
  • High percentage of 4:3 content
  • Some movies have incorrect aspect ratios

Introduction

Imagine a magic box that cost only $99 and gave you access to a decent library of DVD-quality movies and TV shows anywhere, anytime and without any monthly fees. You could take it on vacation, move it from room to room, or just connect it to the biggest TV in your house and enjoy. That's the Roku Netflix player in a nutshell. Of course there are some caveats - and this certainly isn't going to be a perfect fit for everyone - but we'll tear it apart and discover who may rank this with the second coming, and who may find it completely insignificant.

 

 

Recent Forum Posts:

Post Reply
croseiv posts on August 06, 2009 12:08
It's decent for the money, and I consider it as a supplement to my SD DVD/Bluray collection. THe PQ/SQ is okay for the most part. PQ /SQ doesn't hold a candle to Bluray, but it has already paid for itself after about two weeks of use.
n1lss posts on August 05, 2009 20:26
mcfin;604513
Thanks. Is there anything oher than video game systems that can do this? There has to be, right?


try something like this http://tombuntu.com/index.php/2008/12/09/transform-ubuntu-into-a-media-center-with-xbmc/ [tombuntu.com]
mcfin posts on August 01, 2009 19:48
Thanks. Is there anything oher than video game systems that can do this? There has to be, right?
nirv117 posts on July 30, 2009 12:37
The Roku player will only play items from netflix and amazon.

For streaming your files a media PC would work well. The x-box or PS3 might do it - I haven't tried. When I used to stream I used my hacked Directv tivo box ...
mcfin posts on July 29, 2009 10:06
I'm interested in this ROKU box, but have one question: along with Netflix movies, will it also play movies I've downloaded (avi's, e.g.) onto my Mac? If not, how do I play these movies over my wireless onto my flat-screen, which is in a different part of the house?

Thanks!
Post Reply
 
Join our Newsletter for News & Deals
#########