I just found out that Amazon is offering free videos on-demand for their prime members. "Unlimited, commercial-free, streaming of over 5,000 movies and TV shows", the website promises. The reason why I mention this is because I bought the Roku XDS player from Amazon yesterday and one of the free channels on it is Amazon Video On-demand. So that, along with Netflix and many other video streaming services, makes the Roku box a good buy.
The player comes with the necessary documentation, a composite audio-video cable, remote control (batteries included) and an AC adapter. There is no HDMI cable included. I always keep HDMI, ethernet, RCA and other cables handy because you never know when you may need some.
Setting up the Roku player was easy. I hooked it up to my TV through the HDMI port and connected an ethernet cable for internet connectivity. The first thing it asked me was to set the date and time (automatically set to Eastern Standard Time), followed by registering the box on the Roku website. You need access to a computer to complete setting up this device and adding channels to it. Registration on the Roku website was easy requiring a valid email address. It also requires credit card information or a PayPal account to keep on file just in case you subscribe to paid channels. I used my PayPal account for this. There is no additional charge for registering.
There was a firmware upgrade that happened after this and it didn't take long. Then I browsed the channel store for channels I like. The way it works is, once you find a channel you like it asks you to register your device on the channel's website. The Roku player displays a 5 to 7 digit alphanumeric code which you have to input on the website on a computer. After you do so it automatically completes adding the channel to your player's menu page. Pretty neat! Netflix and Pandora, for example, had this method of registration, whereas CNET didn't require any registration. Once I linked the Roku to my Pandora account it showed me my saved stations. Similarly my instant queue on Netflix was available.
The user interface is simple and easy to browse. The remote control is a no-brainer too. The device itself doesn't weigh much at all and is slightly larger than a 2nd generation Apple TV. One thing I must mention is that there is no power button on either the player or the remote control. I tried reading about this and I found out that the Roku box consumes very little power so there is no need to turn it off. It doesn't heat up either. I thought that was interesting. Also, there is a USB port which allows you to play media stored on a USB device. I haven't tried this yet but I read that it supports the most common video and audio formats like mp3 and mp4 among others.
If you are looking at ways to play internet content on your television, a Roku player may be a very good option. The Roku XDS costs $99.99 but there are two other models available for lower prices. The Roku HD costs $59.99 while the Roku XD comes in at $79.99. Details are available at www.roku.com.
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| A very attractive price line makes the Roku boxes a good buy |
Setting up the Roku player was easy. I hooked it up to my TV through the HDMI port and connected an ethernet cable for internet connectivity. The first thing it asked me was to set the date and time (automatically set to Eastern Standard Time), followed by registering the box on the Roku website. You need access to a computer to complete setting up this device and adding channels to it. Registration on the Roku website was easy requiring a valid email address. It also requires credit card information or a PayPal account to keep on file just in case you subscribe to paid channels. I used my PayPal account for this. There is no additional charge for registering.
There was a firmware upgrade that happened after this and it didn't take long. Then I browsed the channel store for channels I like. The way it works is, once you find a channel you like it asks you to register your device on the channel's website. The Roku player displays a 5 to 7 digit alphanumeric code which you have to input on the website on a computer. After you do so it automatically completes adding the channel to your player's menu page. Pretty neat! Netflix and Pandora, for example, had this method of registration, whereas CNET didn't require any registration. Once I linked the Roku to my Pandora account it showed me my saved stations. Similarly my instant queue on Netflix was available.
The user interface is simple and easy to browse. The remote control is a no-brainer too. The device itself doesn't weigh much at all and is slightly larger than a 2nd generation Apple TV. One thing I must mention is that there is no power button on either the player or the remote control. I tried reading about this and I found out that the Roku box consumes very little power so there is no need to turn it off. It doesn't heat up either. I thought that was interesting. Also, there is a USB port which allows you to play media stored on a USB device. I haven't tried this yet but I read that it supports the most common video and audio formats like mp3 and mp4 among others.
If you are looking at ways to play internet content on your television, a Roku player may be a very good option. The Roku XDS costs $99.99 but there are two other models available for lower prices. The Roku HD costs $59.99 while the Roku XD comes in at $79.99. Details are available at www.roku.com.
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