This Roku 3 device is really, really small, too. I'm talking about it being so small I can hold it in the palm of one hand and wrap my fingers around it. And the instruction booklet says it hogs up less energy than a nightlight so it's no big deal that it doesn't have an on/off switch.
This device is wireless, too. You don't even need a dongle or anything like that. Just plug it into your electrical outlet and plug the HDMI cable into your TV and let your Roku do the rest. It'll search out wireless signals no different than a Kindle and all you have to do is enter your password for your router. From there you can do whatever you want.
The Roku remote is really simplistic so there isn't much to say about it, but the remote has a built-in earphone jack and comes with a purple set of earphones. I don't like those purple-looking earphones and I prefer headphones, but it's really cool to think you can plug your phones into the remote and whatever sound you were hearing from your TV you are now solely hearing in your phones. Pretty cool. With the phones being plugged into the remote you can walk around or go to the fridge in the next room while still listening to your favorite Pandora radio station on your Roku box. Again, pretty cool.
I wasn't too sure about this device when I bought it, but it really does work.
As to why I bought a device so expensive that I wasn't sure about... well, yesterday I woke up at 3:30 in the morning so I could open the store at 5:30, worked essentially a ten hour shift during which I suffered a long stretch of boredom followed by a long stretch of getting my butt whipped, I made it home for a shower, went out to eat at Pizza Hut with the folks, and then went to Wal-Mart some 14 hours after waking up that morning. I was tired and probably not thinking too clearly.
But hey, so far it has worked out.
This device is wireless, too. You don't even need a dongle or anything like that. Just plug it into your electrical outlet and plug the HDMI cable into your TV and let your Roku do the rest. It'll search out wireless signals no different than a Kindle and all you have to do is enter your password for your router. From there you can do whatever you want.
The Roku remote is really simplistic so there isn't much to say about it, but the remote has a built-in earphone jack and comes with a purple set of earphones. I don't like those purple-looking earphones and I prefer headphones, but it's really cool to think you can plug your phones into the remote and whatever sound you were hearing from your TV you are now solely hearing in your phones. Pretty cool. With the phones being plugged into the remote you can walk around or go to the fridge in the next room while still listening to your favorite Pandora radio station on your Roku box. Again, pretty cool.
I wasn't too sure about this device when I bought it, but it really does work.
As to why I bought a device so expensive that I wasn't sure about... well, yesterday I woke up at 3:30 in the morning so I could open the store at 5:30, worked essentially a ten hour shift during which I suffered a long stretch of boredom followed by a long stretch of getting my butt whipped, I made it home for a shower, went out to eat at Pizza Hut with the folks, and then went to Wal-Mart some 14 hours after waking up that morning. I was tired and probably not thinking too clearly.
But hey, so far it has worked out.
I looked this up and it's pretty cool. I currently use my sony blu-ray player for streaming but this roku device looks like it may be a better player streamer than the sony.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest issue I have is streaming speed. I am right on the slow edge of what is the recommended WiFi speed for streaming. I have DSL from AT&T for my internet service and I would like to upgrade to a faster speed DSL than I have but AT&T doesn't offer the faster speed in my area (they offer the higher speed about a quarter mile from me. ARGGGG). I've been thinking about going back to the cable company but it is such a gigantic pain in the ass to change, I keep resisting the urge.
I can't exactly say what the speed of my WiFi is off the top of my head (in fact I didn't think about that at all when I bought the Roku), but it works just fine when it comes to streaming off my WiFi and I have AT&T, too. But we might have a faster speed, though.
DeleteJust move a quarter mile away and you'll be set. ;)
Now, you need to work on getting a flat screen TV.
ReplyDeleteWhen you do that, there is something I picked up at Wal-Mart that you can add to the TV that is pretty awesome. It's called a "Power One Energy Bar" soundbar. I don't know how much longer they will be around because I think it's a closeout item. It's a $250.00 soundbar that is being sold for $168.00. Most of the soundbars in the $150 price range sound like shit but this one is made by Klipsh and sounds great.
I put it on the flat screen TV in my bedroom and it gives me excellent sound without having to have a receiver and additional speakers. You plug your flat screen TV into it through the digital audio port. With your Sony blu-ray hooked up to your TV, then you can also play your cds and any music you put on a usb drive. It's great for a bedroom.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Energy-Powerbar-One-Soundbar-with-Subwoofer/22081925