Internet TV: Roku
December 16, 2010, By Christopher Ford 0 comments
The Roku was the first Internet streaming set-top box that was worth getting, and while the device is strictly for streaming content to your television from the Internet, it does what it does very well. Currently available at Amazon from anywhere between $69.99 and $99.99 (depending on which configuration you buy), the Roku will play Internet video on your TV in HD quality, streamed via either wifi or an ethernet jack. Some of the premium content you stream to a Roku requires subscriptions, but once you buy the Roku there are no other fees for the box itself. With a Roku and additional content subscriptions you can stream movies and TV shows from Netflix or Amazon Video On Demand; stream live sporting events from the NHL, UFC and Major League Baseball; and stream every TV show available on Hulu Plus. There is a ton of free content available too like Pandora Radio, Flickr, Facebook Photos, Vimeo, Revision3 etc.
The Roku interface is easy to understand too. Roku groups all of its content into different "channels" which you can then customize, adding or removing the channels as you see fit. It's not exactly elegant, but it is easy to understand and navigate with a remote control. I've lived with one for almost a year now, and I can honestly say the Roku box is really great, especially for the money. However the one major drawback is it can't stream the content you already have on your computer via your local network. That's where the Apple TV really shines.
