Anyone use a Roku Stick?

[daddyo]

How does it work? I'm sick and tired of Comcast/Xfinity/Whatever.

[Oh Shoot]

Whatever limitations on actual programming available aside, how do these work with your ISP?

 

Meaning, how much data are you likely to pull with your internet account, if like me you have a tube going most of the time? Comcast for example only lets you have 250-300 GB/month unless you pay for more.

 

- OS

Edited December 21, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[173rdABN]

I use it in my bedroom. cheaper than buying another apple TV. I don't use it much, so don't know what kind of data it uses up. I guess I never checked. But it works good. super simple to use. I'd recommend one.

[Smith]

I run two Roku 3's in our house as the only TV source and we use about what Comcast allows. It runs pretty much all the time and we aren't worried about HD or anything like that. I am more than pleased with what it is compared to paying for any other TV sourcing.

[1madss]

After a three month battle Charter over a good sized billing issue I gave my TV disconnect notice Friday. I have a good sized in-attic antenna for OTA and hope to have a Roku 3 waiting under the tree. It is going to be a change of habits, but dropping that $150 a month will be worth it. The disconnect agent kept trying to lower my payments after I had already told him I was done. Once I told him that even if they paid me to use their service I would not accept he finally stopped and just took the info for the disco. Funny I did not get a chance to give the post call customer service survey they kept talking about :)

[hammerdrop99]

We have a Roku 3 and the new Amazon Fire TV stick. Both work well for streaming, but I like the Roku 3 much better. The Amazon interface is a little clunkier.

[LawVol]

We dropped DirecTV a couple weeks ago and haven't missed it much.  We went with the Roku stick, it has worked really well.  The Roku 3 is only $30 more right now, but we didn't feel like the features it brings over the stick were useful for our needs. 

[glowdotGlock]

I use one in my truck when I'm on the road since my TV at home is a smart TV. They are simple to use. I watch 10-15 movies a month on average and consume maybe around 40 gigs, sometimes more.

[10-Ring]

Whatever limitations on actual programming available aside, how do these work with your ISP?

 

Meaning, how much data are you likely to pull with your internet account, if like me you have a tube going most of the time? Comcast for example only lets you have 250-300 GB/month unless you pay for more.

 

- OS

 

We stream everything we watch.  I guess how much TV people watch is relative.  We use 30 gigs per month almost like clockwork.  I've been off work for the past two weeks and I've used 45 gigs in the past 30 days.  Provided your location I would get an antenna, stream away and live happily ever after while being $100 richer each month.

[none]

We have 2 rokus have had. Them since kicking directv to the curb two years ago. After they sent us a hd box it worked two hours yes two hours! Then we called customer service to be told since we did not opt for the equipment protection plan we would have to pay $129.00 for them to send a box that worked. We did not own the equipment so I asked them why did I need to pay to protect equipment I did not even own? Then the guy got smart with me an told me "look you don't have to have directv" I agreed with him you can send a return. Box for every thing. We were formerly customers for 12 years! Funny now we get at least 3 special invitations. To come back each month. Roku is great. Nice thing about the 2 is that it has RCA out put jacks that work with older sets.

Really like ours Edited December 22, 2014 by wcd

[Wyldk2]

I gave up cable 5 years ago, went to streaming netflix via PS3 and have never looked back. My dad got a Roku 3 last year for christmas, he uses it to stream movies but still has cable ( light tube).

[btq96r]

Love my Roku 3.  You have to take a deep look around at the channel list (Google searching also helps) to find the ones you like, but once you have it set up, you'll wonder why you didn't make the change sooner.

[No_0ne]

For those of you already using Roku, a few questions:

 

1. What would be the minimum acceptable download speed for streaming?  I'm not talking what's theoretically possible, but what speed would be necessary for a good viewing experience (SD only).

 

2. Are broadcasts from network stations available for free, such as FOX, ABC, NBC, etc.

 

3. Is there a way to customize the channel menu, so that you don't have to wade through 100's of selections you have no interest in?

 

4. Realistically, how many free channels do you watch vs. the pay channels, and what's the typical cost for the pay channels?

 

As you can tell, I don't know anything about Roku TV, and their website doesn't give very definitive answers to any of these questions.  Thanks.

[none]

For those of you already using Roku, a few questions:
 
1. What would be the minimum acceptable download speed for streaming?  I'm not talking what's theoretically possible, but what speed would be necessary for a good viewing experience (SD only).
 
2. Are broadcasts from network stations available for free, such as FOX, ABC, NBC, etc.
 
3. Is there a way to customize the channel menu, so that you don't have to wade through 100's of selections you have no interest in?
 
4. Realistically, how many free channels do you watch vs. the pay channels, and what's the typical cost for the pay channels?
 
As you can tell, I don't know anything about Roku TV, and their website doesn't give very definitive answers to any of these questions.  Thanks.

1 not sure on the speed I do know we have comcast blast Internet we can have two rokus and computer and a tablet going at the same time no issues


2. Local stations are not on Roku a cheap antenna will fix that

3. On the set up you can pick the channels you want and you can easily add or remove channels later.

4. We have Netflix and that's the only service we pah for. Which is really reasonable considering you can have the same account on up to 4 devices. We don't subscribe to. Any. Of the fee based channels because there are channels for A and E History and many others for free plus Utube has most any thing on it.

Once you get used to being your own programming director its great. Watch what you want when you want. You can start watching and finish later. I travel for work extensively and rarely do I watch cable in the hotels.