Some Roku Info: I recently got the Roku Streaming Stick, and last night I came across this article. Interesting. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/buy-roku-not-smart-tv/...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I recently got the Roku Streaming Stick, and last night I came across this article. Interesting.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/buy-roku-not-smart-tv/

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

We have a Roku box here and a 'smart tx' upstate, seem to work about the same except I can't get the hang of the remote for the smart tv when watching hulu, price for the smart tv was about the same as a similar sized tv so I saw no disadvantage in having the built in apps, Bob.

daddybear Loc: Brunswick, NY

We have a roku had attached to our Samsung Magnolia 3D tv and a std. roku on our Vizio smart. Some apps are quicker on roku, someon tv's. Have Netflix, Amazon, and Acorn. Movies seem to stream better on smart tv.

richosob Loc: Lambertville, MI

jerryc41 wrote:

I recently got the Roku Streaming Stick, and last night I came across this article. Interesting.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/buy-roku-not-smart-tv/

Tell me something, do you need a satellite, or cable hookup in order to use your Roku? I have direct tv but the cost is more than I think it’s worth. I have heard about these devices like Apple TV and Roku but don’t understand what they do or how much they cost. Do you buy this device and still have to pay a monthly fee for programming? I’d appreciate the help.

Rich

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I have the ROKU box type, I can stream from my computer, I don't, get it from the wireless via router or put movie files on a flash drive and plug it into the ROKU box, some of the newer ROKU devices do not have the flash drive socket. we still have FIOS TV as that's also our internet provider .

berchman Loc: South Central PA

richosob wrote:

Tell me something, do you need a satellite, or cable hookup in order to use your Roku? I have direct tv but the cost is more than I think it’s worth. I have heard about these devices like Apple TV and Roku but don’t understand what they do or how much they cost. Do you buy this device and still have to pay a monthly fee for programming? I’d appreciate the help.

Rich

You need an internet connection, the faster, the better. Your router connects to the Roku which then feeds your TV. You may find that cancelling your DirecTV and trying to get all the programs you want via streaming on the Roku is more hassle than it's worth and not going to save you that much money. Think of what you will have to do to record programs for viewing later and being able to skip over ads.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

We used to have a very good deal from DIrect TV, they were giving us two houses on one bill, however service was going downhill, faster at the little house , but down hill at both, switched to FIOS here on the island and to TWC upstate at the little house, now we have internet phone and tv on one account there, tv phone internet on one bill here also, supposed to be better internet with FIOS, not happy with FIOS but in contract for another year , however we are saving a little money having mad the service changes.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

Bench man is right. Internet. The faster the better.
However, while cable was out here on Long Island a few months back I was able to get my Roku to work with my iPhone Personal Hotspot. It was a little patchy but it worked.

Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM

berchman wrote:

You need an internet connection, the faster, the better. Your router connects to the Roku which then feeds your TV. You may find that cancelling your DirecTV and trying to get all the programs you want via streaming on the Roku is more hassle than it's worth and not going to save you that much money. Think of what you will have to do to record programs for viewing later and being able to skip over ads.

Hulu now has love t.v. AND available cloud recording.

berchman Loc: South Central PA

Cykdelic wrote:

Hulu now has love t.v. AND available cloud recording.

Netflix has no cloud recording.

Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM

berchman wrote:

Netflix has no cloud recording.

True.... That's why the hulu deal looks so good.

richosob Loc: Lambertville, MI

berchman wrote:

You need an internet connection, the faster, the better. Your router connects to the Roku which then feeds your TV. You may find that cancelling your DirecTV and trying to get all the programs you want via streaming on the Roku is more hassle than it's worth and not going to save you that much money. Think of what you will have to do to record programs for viewing later and being able to skip over ads.

Thank you very much, I do have an Internet connection but the speed is only 50 MB’s, but can get higher. We would only need to get a handful of channels, maybe 8 to 10 to satisfy us, but if you could explain why this may be a hassle with the Roku it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Rich

Robert Bailey Loc: Canada

I bought a Google Chrome Cast yesterday (the original version, not the newer version).
(Somehow we had lost the one we had for a few years- I think on a trip to Florida.)
The sales clerk said that the newer version of Chrome Cast or the Roku stick were
only of use to me if I had a 4K television (which I don't).

berchman Loc: South Central PA

richosob wrote:

Thank you very much, I do have an Internet connection but the speed is only 50 MB’s, but can get higher. We would only need to get a handful of channels, maybe 8 to 10 to satisfy us, but if you could explain why this may be a hassle with the Roku it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Rich

The hassle comes from having to subscribe to a number of different sources like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, HBO, Showtime, and Sling Orange. This is dependent on which sources carry the channels you want. Your internet connection speed is adequate. I haven't watched an ad in years because I record everything and then skip over the ads. How do you propose to do that?

JayB1rd

richosob wrote:

Tell me something, do you need a satellite, or cable hookup in order to use your Roku? I have direct tv but the cost is more than I think it’s worth. I have heard about these devices like Apple TV and Roku but don’t understand what they do or how much they cost. Do you buy this device and still have to pay a monthly fee for programming? I’d appreciate the help.

Rich

If you can use one of the window flat antennas ( $10-$20 on Amazon) for local stations, the Roku or Apple TV will get you a pretty good selection of cable channels and save you money if you have internet.