OT: Does anyone use a Roku?

[Taurahe]

If so, have you found any good private channels yet? I was hoping for something on Photo technology maybe.... any reccomendations

 

[TomP]

Best 49 $ I ever spent and the upgrades made it even better. If you have 3 to 4 MB DSL it is a no brainer, performs very nicely on my 1.6 MB, but that limits the quality I can view on VUDU.
As to your question, I did see and photo educational channels, but Picasa and Flika and spotfly are there, wish PBase was listed. I might have missed something, I have never gone through all of the 100s of channels. I did a quick goggle search and found a lot more I would like. I watch NBC's videos, and the Wall street Journals snippets from reporters desk, some of those folks are not at ease in front of a camera. CNET is there as is TED, I have been watching TED since I was offered the BETA version; all of Smithsonian's films. The list just goes on and on. There are several Tech channels, but I have not tired them yet.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Yep. Our Wii has issues all the time with Netflix, but our Roku works like a charm.

I will say that Netflix needs to get on their interface. It's highly annoying that every system has a different interface. But that's Netflix, not Roku.

Roku also has crackle and stuff, which does have commercials, but has a decent selection of movies that they cycle through.

 

[TomP]

Yep. Our Wii has issues all the time with Netflix, but our Roku works like a charm.

I will say that Netflix needs to get on their interface. It's highly annoying that every system has a different interface. But that's Netflix, not Roku.

Roku also has crackle and stuff, which does have commercials, but has a decent selection of movies that they cycle through.

How odd we prefer Wii over Roku for Netflix, seems to have a better image, but, that might be something on my end. there are so many channels there that I have not looked at yet, I am really curious about the technology section.

 

[mnscott]

I replaced a Sony box with a Roku. The Sony was very unreliable - often couldn't even connect to Netflix. The Roku works every time - no issues.

 

[hotrod4x5]

I love my Roku. I haven't seen any private channels on photography, but I haven't really looked lately. I was able to install Youtube before it got pulled, but I can also watch Youtube with my PlayOn subscription. (best $49 I ever spent) http://www.playon.tv/playon

 

[snegron]

My apologies in advance for straying a bit off topic. How does Roku work? I checked online but it didn't explain the basics. :frown:

 

[hotrod4x5]

My apologies in advance for straying a bit off topic. How does Roku work? I checked online but it didn't explain the basics. :frown:

Roku gets digital content from the internet through your wifi. That is probably the simplest most basic way to describe it.

 

[galladanb]

I don't have the Roku... I have a Boxee Box.

I have a external HD with over 500 movies in HD and 5.1 with subtitles,
and I just luv it!

Went thru a spell where the remote did not work, but there are apps for it...

Then the remote started working again... Go Figure!

If your interested, let me know off line here and I will be happy to share my knowledge with you about it...

 

[MikeG76]

I never found any channel about photography instruction. Some interesting free channels that are and aren't listed (I don't recall which are which):

PBS
FYDO - a few fan fiction films
MIT OpenCourseware Unofficial
TEDTalks
Crunchyroll - if you like anime
Crackle - movies
Midnight Pulp - horror
Pandora - music streaming, automatic playlists created based on initial song
Live365 - music streaming with many different channels available.

To be honest, I haven't found many private channels that are worth it. Many are either broken or of such low video quality that they just look horrendous on a 40" LCD.

Don't be afraid of the news channels from other continents. They typically provide different points of view which is refreshing from the canned news available on cable these days.

 

[snegron]

I purchased a Roku2 today. I just finished the set up process. All the channels require a monthly paid subscription! What a ripoff! I thought I would be getting at least a few old movies and cartoons.

 

[MikeG76]

I purchased a Roku2 today. I just finished the set up process. All the channels require a monthly paid subscription! What a ripoff! I thought I would be getting at least a few old movies and cartoons.

There are some free ones. Crackle for instance. Keep looking through he channel store. A Netflix subscription is definitely worth it though, IMO.

 

[TomP]

I purchased a Roku2 today. I just finished the set up process. All the channels require a monthly paid subscription! What a ripoff! I thought I would be getting at least a few old movies and cartoons.

I'm sorry, you did not look into all this first?" Maybe you need rabbet TV, 10$ at target.

So you want some one to buy servers hire folks to maintain them pay royalties on movies, ( copyrights you know, the thing we all get in a snit about when it happens to us,,,) and have recent movies streamed to your home but not pay anything, not even a commercial, IE crackle.

The Nikon Cafe is not free we must donate to help pay for the servers, and everything, then it is cared for by volunteers.

 

[hotrod4x5]

I purchased a Roku2 today. I just finished the set up process. All the channels require a monthly paid subscription! What a ripoff! I thought I would be getting at least a few old movies and cartoons.

The Roku is a means to an end. It allows you to get content onto your TV. Roku, as a company, does not provide content.

For $7.99 a month, Netflix is great.

For $49.99 one time fee (on sale right now) PlayOn brings you tons of free content. That's a little over $4 a month for the first year, if you average it out.

 

[Maestrodawg1]

I purchased a Roku2 today. I just finished the set up process. All the channels require a monthly paid subscription! What a ripoff! I thought I would be getting at least a few old movies and cartoons.

A lot do but a lot don't. I've been checking out the Roku3. It looks good but I've been on Apple TV for quite a while and I think the Roku offers a lot more options. Hulu plus and Netflix are good. If you want a lot of stuff to see Netflix is unbeatable and can be live streamed to just about any smart phone thru an app these days.

 

[socal44]

I purchased a Roku2 today. I just finished the set up process. All the channels require a monthly paid subscription! What a ripoff! I thought I would be getting at least a few old movies and cartoons.

I feel the same. I think it's WAY overated.

 

[hotrod4x5]

I feel the same. I think it's WAY overated.

What are you comparing it to to form that opinion?

 

[bpdougd]

I bought a Roku box a couple of years ago to take advantage of the streamed movies and tv shows available via Amazon Prime. I got Amazon Prime to get the free expedited shipping, long before Amazon started offering streaming video. That, for me, is gravy. And it helps that a lot of the content is stuff I enjoy: PBS and BBC documentaries, older movies. Recently, they picked up some kids programming (Dora the Explorer, Caillou, etc) so we can now entertain our grandchildren.

At the time I purchased the Roku box, none of my devices (tv's, BluRay players, receiver) supported Amazon Prime so the Roku box was an affordable ($69) solution.

 

[snegron]

I'm sorry, you did not look into all this first?" Maybe you need rabbet TV, 10$ at target.

So you want some one to buy servers hire folks to maintain them pay royalties on movies, ( copyrights you know, the thing we all get in a snit about when it happens to us,,,) and have recent movies streamed to your home but not pay anything, not even a commercial, IE crackle.

The Nikon Cafe is not free we must donate to help pay for the servers, and everything, then it is cared for by volunteers.

Please re-read my post you quoted; it clearly states "I thought I would be at least getting a few OLD movies and cartoons".

Did I look into it first? Obviously not as well as I should have. Every other thread online speaks of how you can get access to older free movies. It's only when you purchase the unit that you realize that it is simply a device that lets you gain access to mostly subscription services. Not my fault that there is so much hype about a this product out there and so few people who care to share their real-life experiences. Why try to promote something that is not truthful? If you don't get free content, don't waste my time trying to sell me something under false pretenses.

p.s. I already pay about $120 per month for basic digital cable. I also pay for subscriptions to several other websites. It's not in my nature to take advantage of anyone (or any business), likewise, I don't appreciate being lied to. If something is sold as a tool to gain access to older free programming, then it should do just that. If the advertisements were more clear indicating that it is simply a small computer device that lets you streamline old programming from subscription services, I probably would have made a more educated decision. But no, this is marketing at its best. Companies using deceptive marketing to lure people into buying their product.

 

[hotrod4x5]

You weren't lied to Sandy. Crackle is free and has old movies as well as even some original content.

Also, do a search for Roku Private channels. http://streamfree.tv/roku/private-channels/

and http://mkvxstream.blogspot.com/2013/03/roku-private-channels-2013-roku-channel.html

Also, have you visited the Roku Channel Store to see what you can add?

You seem very upset, but if you could take a moment to cool off, you might just see that the Roku has a lot more to offer than you first realized.

I have NO cable subscription. I watch pretty much anything I want off the major networks like NBC, ABC, CBS, etc. America's Got Talent? Yup. Hannibal? YUP. Revolution? Yup. Grimm? Yup... the list goes on.

I paid a ONE time fee of $49 to be able to get those channels and shows streaming to my Roku.