In an Age class I learned from a coach that mixing Roku with Netflex can be a good use for Roku. Now let's check the prospects..which to buy and where. So I check out customer reviews:
Quick Start guide
Comments about Roku 3 Streaming Player:
I cancelled my cable subscription and switched to local channels only plus my Roku. I have Hulu Plus that I play through Roku and they have plenty of other channels for free. Setting it up is a breeze, all ports are straightforward. Just plug it in and enter your account and voila. The user interface is a BIG improvement from the Roku2, you can see more channels and get to it with fewer clicks rather than scrolling on each channel one at a time. I've been eyeing a wireless headset for a while now so I can watch late night without disturbing my neighbor. I LOVE that they added an earphone plug in the remote. I also installed the Roku App on my Android phone and I'm able to use that as a remote. The Android app uses voice recognition and I can start any channel without any clicks but just by saying the channel.
Pros:
User interface is snappy and intuitive.
Remote's earphone plugin.
Small footprint
Clear picture without any lag (I'm connected via LAN, so I don't know about wireless)
Voice Recognition on the Android App
Cons:
No channel search. If you added a lot of channels in your box, you still need to find the one you want by scrolling through your list. I wish they added something like "Search your channels" capability.
No YouTube
Pros:
User interface is snappy and intuitive.
Remote's earphone plugin.
Small footprint
Clear picture without any lag (I'm connected via LAN, so I don't know about wireless)
Voice Recognition on the Android App
Cons:
No channel search. If you added a lot of channels in your box, you still need to find the one you want by scrolling through your list. I wish they added something like "Search your channels" capability.
No YouTube
“TRANSMISSION BOXES A significant number of Blu-ray players offer Internet connections through nonsmart televisions. By its very existence, of course, a Blu-ray player, which can now be had for less than $100, runs counter to the ethos behind streaming media. The future is not in physical products, but in information delivered seamlessly to the home” …“What we’re doing here is bringing a Web browser to TV,allowing your TV to access the Internet while you watch shows,” said Salahuddin Choudhary, consumer product manager for Google TV. “This is what I think about when I think about where Internet TV is going.”
This appears to be a solid proposition. By many counts, Google is still working kinks out of its product, and the entire Web-meets-TV experience is not yet all it could be.
Which does not mean it isn’t coming.
“I should be able to watch TV and perform all sorts of activities,” Mr. Choudhary said. “We want you to be able to access any video you want, communicate with your device through speech, stream music, view photos. The sky really is the limit here.”
We invite you to read articles on TIVO
TiVo to Offer Boxes That Go Beyond the Recorder
By BRAD STONE
Published: March 2, 2010
"... TiVo said it would soon begin selling a new set-top box, called TiVo Premiere. The new device, more slender than previous hardware from TiVo, will put regular program listings from cable and satellite on the same page as related material from the Web.
Connects to your cable service and replaces your cable box*
Works with cable and digital antenna. Does not work with satellite.
Full HD support (also works with standard-definition TVs)
Smaller, more energy efficient and more powerful than previous TiVo generations
Stay connected
The new TiVo® App for iPad let's you search, browse, discover and share without ever interrupting what you're watching
Schedule recordings remotely on the web or your mobile phone
Transfer recordings to your laptop, iPod, iPhone, PSP, or other mobile device†
Transfer your favorite recorded programs to your computer and burn them onto a DVD disc††"
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