Roku 2

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07-25-2011, 04:55 PM
sycld

Roku 2

Just bought one of these bebes. I've seen good things about it, so I thought I would wade into the cyanide Koolaid and get one for myself.

Perhaps I should have saved $20 and not gotten the version that includes a motion sensing remote for games, but it was just a one time expense of $100 for the unit.

On the other hand... I could've gotten a Blu-Ray player as an upgrade for my DVD player, for the same price, and with the ability to stream at least some content.

Has anyone else fiddled with a Roku and have something to share with the rest of class?
07-25-2011, 05:28 PM
sponge

personally I use a ps3 for my netflixxing needs and would use it for hulu+ if I ever subscribed

I've got a cousin that knows more than your average person about technology and he's got a roku and really likes it and recommends it regularly

why you would want to play games on it is beyond me though, I mean if the difference between a gaming and non-gaming model is $10 the games have got to suck huge donkey testicles
07-25-2011, 06:03 PM
sycld

Quote:

Originally Posted by sponge

why you would want to play games on it is beyond me though, I mean if the difference between a gaming and non-gaming model is $10 the games have got to suck huge donkey testicles

Yeah, but on the other hand for a device I will use for quite a number of years, an additional $20 is immaterial.

I suppose I got it more for the novelty and in case it turns out to be a lot neater than it seems, than any real expectation it's going to blow my mind.

And anyway, it's going to be more casual gaming oriented. For instance, the gaming unit comes with Angry Birds, and it looks like other game titles will include things like Pac Man.

I'm glad that your techno connoisseur cousin gives it props. I'm a bit excited to give it a shot.
07-28-2011, 01:28 PM
Atmosfear

Apple TV :)
07-28-2011, 07:58 PM
sycld

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atmoscheer

Apple TV :)

Roku mid-range model has 1080pi vs. Apple TV's 720pi (not that it probably matters on my crap TV), has far more content available, and costs less.

The only thing Apple TV over Roku is a Youtube channel and the ability to watch iTunes over it. It also lets you use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch as a remote of some sort, but that sort of sounds more like a gimmick than anything else.
07-28-2011, 10:21 PM
sponge

Quote:

Originally Posted by sycld

Roku mid-range model has 1080pi vs. Apple TV's 720pi (not that it probably matters on my crap TV), has far more content available, and costs less.

The only thing Apple TV over Roku is a Youtube channel and the ability to watch iTunes over it. It also lets you use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch as a remote of some sort, but that sort of sounds more like a gimmick than anything else.

every apple product ever made has been a gimmick where have you been for the last 20+ years
07-29-2011, 03:15 AM
sycld

Quote:

Originally Posted by sponge

every apple product ever made has been a gimmick where have you been for the last 20+ years

uuuum

COVER FLOW WAS FKKN SRS
07-29-2011, 11:01 AM
ShitFace

so basically its a pc that you can't customise?
07-29-2011, 03:41 PM
sycld

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShitFace

so basically its a pc that you can't customise?

sure, except that it's especially designed and streamlined to stream media from the internet. it allows content providers to develop "channels" especially for the device, so there are content sources on this thing you can't find elsewhere.

it's sort of like how a PS3 is a "PC you can't customise," yet for some reason people seem to buy it anyway...
07-29-2011, 03:48 PM
Atmosfear

The difference is that a ps3 addresses a major weakness in the PC Gamng market through specialization.

Roku/sling box/apple tv do nothing special
07-29-2011, 04:05 PM
sycld

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atmoscheer

The difference is that a ps3 addresses a major weakness in the PC Gamng market through specialization.

Roku/sling box/apple tv do nothing special

Except they make accessing streaming content easier, like I said. It's easier to use a $70-$100, low power consuming Roku that you never have to switch off (you just turn off your TV) than it is to only watch streaming content on your PC. It makes accessing streaming content as easy as through, say, cable or satellite.

I suppose you could turn on your PC and hook it up to your TV through an HDMI port whenever you want to watch television or movies, but that seems to not make much sense when you can get a Roku or similar device that is designed to just perform this one task and thus performs it faster and more efficiently.

I could ask then: why do people get DVD and Blu Ray players when their PC's have DVD and Blu Ray drives? Why can't they just play the contents on the PC and display it on a television screen?
07-29-2011, 04:29 PM
sponge

Quote:

Originally Posted by sycld

uuuum

COVER FLOW WAS FKKN SRS

god I hate coverflow

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShitFace

so basically its a pc that you can't customise?

the roku does run linux but it's ARM-powered

you can create 'channels' for it, though, which are like new programs (I guess)
07-29-2011, 04:32 PM
sponge

Quote:

Originally Posted by sycld

I suppose you could turn on your PC and hook it up to your TV through an HDMI port whenever you want to watch television or movies, but that seems to not make much sense when you can get a Roku or similar device that is designed to just perform this one task and thus performs it faster and more efficiently.

normal people don't know to do that, and people that know how often don't want to.

Things like the roku boxes really add quite a bit of value to streaming services, unless you've already got a current-gen console to do the job.
07-29-2011, 04:45 PM
sycld

Quote:

Originally Posted by sponge

Things like the roku boxes really add quite a bit of value to streaming services, unless you've already got a current-gen console to do the job.

And even then, Roku has access to a lot more streaming services than any current-gen console.
07-29-2011, 05:16 PM
Atmosfear

Of course sycld's idiotic counterpoint hinges on extinct optical media
07-29-2011, 06:51 PM
sycld

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atmoscheer

Of course sycld's idiotic counterpoint hinges on extinct optical media

So this is what we've established in this thread:

1) You don't use Blu-ray or DVD players because "optical media is extinct."

2) You don't use streaming devices like Rokus because they are just like PC's.

So the only way that anyone ever watches movies on their TV's is by renting them on digital cable or satellite. I wonder why Netflix seems to be surviving; everyone only ever uses it for streaming onto their PC's? Oh I forgot: in addition to everyone having digital cable or satellite, everyone also has a PS3, XBox, or Wii, or rather all 3 because none of them provide all the streaming services that anyone would want.
07-31-2011, 10:20 AM
Atmosfear

sycld I would hazard a guess that there isn't a single overlap between the Roku and optical media markets. If not for traditional game distribution, there'd be no use for them for anyone who's relevant to a Roku discussion.

And I use HBO Go, Netflix, project free tv, espn3, watch espn, and torrents to view/download tv and movies. While I do use some of these on other devices (iPad, iPhone, ps3, xbox 360), the only device that I can use EVERY time to do ALL of them is a laptop with HDMI. And with an iPad or iPhone, I can control it remotely just fine.