I 've used Roku for years,including several different models.The best recent thing of note is Roku has recently released The Roku Channel,which has hundreds of free movies.It is ad supported.And now Locast.org app gives you free local broadcast stations CBS,NBC,FOX,ABC and PBS.Locast now offers local TV network broadcasts for New York,Boston,Chicago,Houston,Dallas,Denver areas and plans to add many more cities.This means many folks will no longer need antennas to watch local networks for free. Roku has just about every app you can imagine (YouTube/Pandora/Netflix/Amazon/Hulu/HBO Now) plus tons of more apps in many different categories.Roku Premiere 2018 works fine,but you need to point the remote at the device,unlike other Roku models.Here are some points to consider when deciding on which model of Roku to buy:
1)If you need to connect by WiFi in a room far away from your WiFi router,I would recommend the Roku Streaming Stick PLUS or Roku Ultra.
2)If you have a 4K TV,I would recommend the Roku Ultra or Roku Streaming Stick PLUS.Premiere 2018 model can also play 4K content.
3)To search for content using your voice,go with either the Streaming Stick,Streaming Stick PLUS or Ultra.All 3 of these models also have a remote that can control the power and volume on your TV.
There is also a Roku app for Android & iPhone/iPad that lets you use your smartphone/tablet to control any Roku device and use your phone/tablet on-screen keyboard or voice for searches.
4)If you want a wired ethernet connection,go with the Roku Ultra.
5)If you want to connect to an old TV with RCA/Composite audio/video jacks,you will need the Express PLUS
6)The Express and Premiere 2018 models have a remote where it has to be pointed at the device,unlike the other Roku models.
7)If you are only going to buy one Roku device,I would recommend the Roku Ultra.The Ultra has many unique features that the other Roku models don't such as:
-Gaming buttons to play video games
-Remote finder to find a lost remote control
-Ethernet port for a wired connection
-Micro SD card slot
-USB Port
-Night listening mode (this lowers the volume of loud,explosive sounds and raises the volume of soft sounds like whispers.Very useful!!)
-Headphone jack on the remote for listening without disturbing others
For those who have not used a Roku before,here are some tips that might be helpful:
1)There is no monthly fee to use a Roku.There are many free channels/apps with free movies,music and TV programs and some people use Roku only for the free channels and do not pay any fees.
You do NOT have to enter credit card info if you only wish to view free content and you can always add credit card info to your account later for paid channels/apps.If you plan on viewing free content only,I suggest setting up a Roku account before you activate the device.When you reach the page to enter credit card info,some browsers will show a "Skip,I'll add later" option at the bottom.If you do not see this option,simply log out of your account,then log back in.You may have to then enter a different activation code for your device if you skip entering credit card info during device set up,but you do NOT have to enter credit card info if you only want to view free content.
2)Some of the most popular free channels/apps are: YouTube,Pandora radio,The Roku Channel,Pluto TV,Tubi TV,Crackle,CBS News,NBC News,ABC,PBS, PBS KIds and many more.You can also find a free live stream of FOX News on YouTube by searching "Fox News Live" on YouTube.
3)Some of the most popular paid channels/apps are Netflix,Hulu,Amazon video,HBO Now,Vudu,Sling TV,Spectrum TV and Direct TV Now.
4)If you are looking for a bundle of channels of live TV to replace cable TV,check out Sling TV,YouTube TV,Spectrum TV,Direct TV Now,Hulu,Pluto TV and Playstation Vue.All of these are paid services except for Pluto TV,which is free.
5)To find and add new channels on Roku,just press the Home button on the remote control,scroll down and select "Streaming Channels".There you will find thousands of channels/apps in many different categories and many of them are free.
My one gripe about Roku (and other streaming devices) is the lack of a fully functional web browser and I hope Roku will include web browsing on models in the near future.I have been surfing the web on the big screen for years and find it ridiculous when an internet connected TV device does not allow you to surf the internet and forces one to switch to yet another internet connected device to do so.
I am aware of screen mirroring function from smartphone/PC/tablet but find that a poor excuse to not include a web browser.Many people who type a lot of messages and/or emails like myself prefer typing on a wireless keyboard rather than a phone/tablet/remote control.
Bottom Line:You can now get a Roku device to replace your cable TV box & service or to replace an antenna for free local network TV.And of course you can create your own custom TV experience that simply is not possible with cable or antenna TV.
Since we have a 4G 55" tv I thought to invest $40 in the new Roku HDMI PREMIUM player was a good idea. It really works quite well and I do see some small difference in the picture. This is about our fourth Roku device. My only gripe about this item is the cords (HDMI and power cords are both too short. Instruction says to use the cords sent with the item. Since my HDMI input is on one side of the television and my power source (yes we have power strips) is on the other side my only option was to mount the ROKU itself in the middle of the tv on the bottom. We do have a sound bar in front of the tv, but it does not seem to interfere with the use of the remote. I would advise mounting this ROKU on something as it is very small and very light, It is about the width of two of my long slender fingers and no longer. I don't particularly like the remote as much as my old one. it is lighter and less buttons (ok button is in the middle of the cross arrows). No, the old one is not compatible with the new ROKU device. I did however put the ribbon from the old one on the new so as to make it easier to keep track of it. No problems loading my channels in after I got done mumbling about cheap short cords and got everything in place. i am a 74 year old woman so if I can do it, so can you. Total time for installation about 30 minutes.
Easy to set up. Easy to use. Works great. I have been using Roku since they first came out and every version gets better. This one will not dissappoint. I have owned many of them and right now I have 3 of this model in my house. I cut the cord a year ago and it's nearly impossible to do that without a Roku. Click buy now!
I recently purchased a new 4K smart TV. The funny part happened when I had my first potential purchaser for my old smart TV came to look. The old TV needed a software update. "I have never used the smart features, preferring ROKU" was my answer to be unprepared for the demo. It is true. With a surround system, allowing HDMI passthrough/routing I prefer to have my smart features outside of the TV. As I read through reviews of new 4K TV's before purchasing, I realized that many operational issues that I observed on my sibling's TV (Sony with an android based OS) requiring periodic reboots are related to the OS and apps. Additionally, others were concerned about viewer monitoring via the google based OS. Personally I care less about voice and motion controls, and more about the only three smart apps I really use... Netflix, Amazon, and Plex.... (I also have DirectTV).... so another ROKU was part of the plan.
When I set up the new TV, I ignored messages to initialize via a google account, and went manual. I purchased a new 4K Roku the next day. It works as well as the prior ROKU. Set-up was a breeze with a wireless network. Most surprising was the upgraded app friendliness. As an example, Netflix detected a new 4K set-up and asked me if I wanted to upgrade my plan to 4K for a couple more dollars a month. Some people might find that unwanted, but for me, I had already planned on it anyway... so it was super convenient to hit "yes". In any case, navigation is the simple and the same for all ROKU's. And for me, I kept the old remote (which works just fine) because it has the Netflix and Amazon hot buttons (unlike the remote that came with the new unit).
ROKU provides an alternative op system for smart features that I appreciate and find simpler than navigating my TV's own smart features. ROKU can be pared down to the essentials, and for me reduces the number of remotes I need, along with making things less complex. For those reasons, ROKU can be great for current owners of smart TV's.
We took out the cable box and use our Roku Premiere instead. It works well, the picture is perfect and it does everything it is supposed to do. Recommend!
Feature Product
- Incredible picture - simple way to start streaming in HD/4K/HDR
- Easy-to-use remote, intuitive navigation and includes Premium High Speed HDMI Cable
- 500,000+ movies and TV episodes, with voice search across 1,000+ top channels. Plus, catch hit movies, popular shows and more with no subscription or fees on The Roku Channel
- Tons of streaming services available. From movies and series on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO NOW and SHOWTIME to cable alternatives like Sling TV or YouTube TV to live sports and news on CBS News, ABC News and ESPN
- Free Roku mobile app for private listening, voice search and more
Description
Incredible picture with an even more incredible value. The new Roku Premiere is the simple way to start streaming in HD, 4K Ultra HD or HDR. Just plug it into your TV with the included Premium High Speed HDMI Cable and connect to the Internet. With a short step-by-step setup and an easy on-screen experience, you’ll be watching in minutes. Use the simple remote to search for your favorite shows and discover thousands of free and paid channels to stream almost anything, including hit movies, popular shows, live TV, news and sports. Plus, with access to hundreds of free channels, there’s plenty to stream without spending extra.
Since I have no cable just WiFi this was the perfect way to watch Netflix, Hulu and tons of free channels. It’s super easy to set up, less than 15 mins.
We are a two-Roku family, but both our older devices were rebuilts, and both were starting to get buggy on us. When Roku announced its new Premiere in this compact version and price, I made the executive decision to upgrade.
If you're looking at a stupendous and life-changing moderation to Roku's reliability, this isn't it. However, it IS Roku and IS reliable. It's reasonably fast. It doesn't require a PhD to setup and operate. It supports WiFi and 4K programming. My only regret is not ordering the Premiere+ to get the remote which would work the TV, too, but that's nit-picking. For the price and for the savings you get by cord cutting, if you have to replace one of these every 3-4 years to get upgraded capabilities, who cares? It's well worth the investment.
This little unit is very good, but there are two things you should know.
First, the HDMI cable they include is just about 2 feet long! On ROKUs website they stress that your HDMI cable has to be highest quality, so I used theirs even though I have others that are a more useful length. Just be aware that the ROKU unit will have to be very close to your TV unless you have a high quality longer cable.
The reason their cable might be necessary is the second thing you need to know. In order to receive a UHD or HDR signal, the visually perfect picture you bought this for, you need to have HDCP 2.2 compliant devices from the ROKU to the TV. That includes every item: the ROKU, the HDMI cable, the DVR, and the HDMI port on the TV itself. So if any one item isn't compliant the highest picture quality will be 1020P or maybe 720P.
You better check before you find this to be disappointing. It's all explained on ROKUs website https://support.roku.com/article/211194548-how-do-i-set-up-my-roku-streaming-player-for-4k-ultra-hd-
Other than that this is a good buy at $39.
I Love this and I wish I bought it sooner! I returned the cable box in my bedroom 5 years ago bc I refused to pay all that extra money for a cable box. $12 a month adds up...
this has plenty of free apps and a nice selection of free movies. The movie apps that do cost money have discount codes so you can save a few bucks on a movie time to time. I’ve taken advantage of this three times already. I won’t pay more then $3 for a movie. Idc how convenient it is. Lol
Anyways, You’ll have to set up an account so they can email you the codes. Then when you check out after selecting the movie, it comes off automatically so you really don’t need to do anything. I haven’t had any issues with putting in my debit card info. So don’t be nervous about that. Besides if anything was charged then you’d just call your bank. You can put a code on it I think so the kids don’t buy movies by accident. They ask you 3-4 times before finalizing so there’s a lot of steps.
I have spectrum( charter) I can watch live tv and even movies on demand with it so it’s great. And it’s free. You can’t use it like a DVR but that’s ok. All these years I’ve been using a chromecast in my bedroom which isn’t horrible but this is a step up. It’s very easy to figure out how to use and set up is a breeze. I’m not that tech savvy but it was easy for me. So anyone can do it lol
That’s all I can come up with for now. I’m sure I’ll update this again and again as time goes on, I’ll think of other things this can do lol I’ve had this for a few months already.
I do recommend this if you want a step up from chromcast.
One last thing I’ll add is that there are like3-4 different kind of these, I couldn’t really figure out the difference between all of them expect for the release date and if it was HD. Other then that, the price was the only difference. Not sure why there’s so many that do the same thing. I went with the middle priced item.
We LOVE this little streaming devise. I've dumped my premium channels in lieu of what's available by my ROKU! It was SO easy to set up & I love the availability of so many movies. I'm telling all my "old fart" friends about ROKU! Also, it was the great price that originally caught my eye.
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