ROKU instead of cable

[nhboat61]

I was wondering if any one used ROKU for streaming tv ? If so, do you get local news like WMUR or normal stations.

The kids think we should get it and do away with cable. My concern is that the adults watch news and weather and HGTV the History and Discovery.

Mom and I spend 175 days a year at camp and the boys 40... so I dont want to drop TWC and not get what we watch. Plus TWC just hit us with a 30% increase for cable/TV

Thoughts...

[hig]

At home, we completely ditched cable and converted over to Roku (Netflix, Amazon Prime) recently, saving about $80 a month. You lose the local channels, but you can get them with an antenna if they are important to you. Roku has some "hidden" live channels including CNN, CNN International (better than regular CNN), MSNBC, CNBC etc for news.

The interesting thing is that we are now back on cable. After two weeks of not being a Comcast customer, they called us up and offered us full basic cable + HBO + business internet for $5 a month for 1 year. I havn't bothered to hook it up yet though because we don't miss cable at all.

We just got a Roku box at the lake house too. It works great over Fairpoint 3MBit DSL for those that are wondering...

[Billy Bob]

Ok you have to give it up.
I have a roku box , how do I get CNN and msnbc ?
If I can get those 2 live cable is gone in the morning !,,,

[wifi]

....how do I get CNN and msnbc.....

To balance this discussion out a little, is Foxnews available on ROKU ?

[egatlake]

You can do it three ways, go to the Roku channel station using the remote and choose what you want to add. Also by logging into roku.com you can add channels that way. Also seach google for Roku channels there are some you can get codes (free) in order to add private channels.

[nhboat61]

To balance this discussion out a little, is Foxnews available on ROKU ?

For the balance... I searched the news section and NBC and Fox was on the menu. I didn't see CNN, but, like it was mentioned they are "hidden".

I'm going to do some more research today, is there a cost, other then purchasing the wifi transmitter ?

If I could just pay for the inet, that would make me a happy camper !



BTW - this is an awesome site for exchanging information.

[TiltonBB]

I bought the ROKU Box two weeks ago at WalMart for $78 and it works great.

We put the Netflix $7.99 streaming movie account on it and with one click it works well. Crackle on ROKU has some decent free movies but it does have some commercials during the movies. They seem less frequent than on regular stations.

I am still discovering all of the available channels and some of the suggestions above will help to get more use of it. If anyone has more information about available channels or different ways to get codes it would be great to see those ideas posted here.

[patman]

The official list is here:

http://www.roku.com/channels/#!browse/news-and-weather/by-popular
(that's news and weather...you can select other categories to browse)

There are several unofficial lists, here's one:
http://streamfree.tv/apps/index.php?todo=orderlinks&action=displaycat&catid=32&perpage=32&orderlinks=votes&ascdesc=DESC

Some of the private channels are free...some require subscriptions...some are live...some are not...some work...some don't. It's a mixed bag.

Time Warner Cable recently introduced a Roku channel that lets you view content based on what cable TV you are subscribed to. That might work out well for folks with two houses with a roku at the 'other' house.

[HellRaZoR004]

HDMI ports in TV sets have made it easy to use the TV as your computer monitor. I used to use RCA and "S" cables before HDMI became the way to go. I stream Netflex and Amazon prime from my Kindle Fire HD to my TV for all my videos.

I agree - don't waste money on the devices when you can use your laptop with HDMI ports.

I originally bought a Google TV box so I could surf the web and watch streaming shows/video. It's gotten to the point that providers have blocked use of this device from streaming online media to no longer supporting the interface.

I have since purchased a laptop to do everything else. My roommate let's me use his parents cable provider login account to stream everything else (including the live Bruins game through nbcsports.com last week).

Needless to say I no longer have cable TV. We use Netflix & Hulu+ for shows we like to watch the day after it aired.

[diz]

We got Aereo last week. It's replacing our cable and TiVo bills. The Roku app clinched it for us.

[HellRaZoR004]

And I forgot to mention - I still get the basic channels (like the OTA ones) through my cable line still. Not sure why it's not blocked.

That being said, it's worth connecting your digital capable TV up to your cable line and scan for available channels. You might actually find some.

[Argie's Wife]

We've almost shut off the cable altogether - we have basic cable, TiVo, which we love, and a Blu-ray player with wi-fi. Our cable bill is now about $60, and that's our cable and internet. TiVo's are about $70 re-furbished - great investment and fewer commercials.

[Slickcraft]

Just introduced, $50, designed to compete with the google chromecast.

http://www.roku.com/products/streaming-stick
http://www.google.com/intl/en-US/chrome/devices/chromecast/

We have a ROKU 3, $100, which we really like. The stick is missing two features that we use on the 3. The stick is wifi only with no Ethernet jack and stick remote does not have the ear phone jack. The stick remote also does not have motion sensors for game playing.

For both the 3 and the stick the only output is HDMI, no separate optical digital audio. Anyway Netflix surround sound is Dolby Plus which is not supported by optical cable. So you will need either an A/V receiver or a TV that will decode Dolby Plus. Otherwise you will only get stereo.

[Merrymeeting]

Just introduced, $50, designed to compete with the google chromecast.

http://www.roku.com/products/streaming-stick
http://www.google.com/intl/en-US/chrome/devices/chromecast/

We have a ROKU 3, $100, which we really like. The stick is missing two features that we use on the 3. The stick is wifi only with no Ethernet jack and stick remote does not have the ear phone jack. The stick remote also does not have motion sensors for game playing.

For both the 3 and the stick the only output is HDMI, no separate optical digital audio. Anyway Netflix surround sound is Dolby Plus which is not supported by optical cable. So you will need either an A/V receiver or a TV that will decode Dolby Plus. Otherwise you will only get stereo.

The big advantage here is that competition is good for the consumer. ROKU needed to up their game to compete with Chromecast features/pricing. Amazing how quickly this stuff is changing now.

[BroadHopper]

Just discovered this freebie. Much like Hulu Plus / Amazon but mostly free. You can run it on a multitude of platforms.

[webmaster]

If you're looking for the Aereo posts they have been moved to their own thread:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18504

[trfour]

A Cord Cutter's World...

http://www.zdnet.com/reports-show-its-becoming-a-cord-cutters-world-7000036371/




Terry
______________________

[wifi]

Here is another thing to help making the decision to cut the cord:

https://www.sling.com/

[AC2717]

what about apple tv, I just bought it to stream movies and videos from my ipad to the tv, do it work like a Roku?

[SteveO123]

what about apple tv, I just bought it to stream movies and videos from my ipad to the tv, do it work like a Roku?

Yes Apple TV comes with Netflix and about 30 other apps pre-loaded==more than Roku last time I checked. In addition, with Apple TV you can mirror anything from your Ipad onto the TV.. It's awesome! (I tried Google ChromeCast to do the same but it didn't work as well for me)

I use my IPad and Slingbox with Apple TV to let us see whatever we want by connecting to the FIOS Box we have at our Mass. house. So for the cost of a couple hundred dollars of hardware, we've got "full" FIOS TV at the Lake. Since we already pay for FIOS TV at home, we get to watch everything at the Lake for "free"! No Cable TV!

I heartily recommend the Slingbox/Apple TV combo to anyone who has a second home.

[AC2717]

Yes Apple TV comes with Netflix and about 30 other apps pre-loaded==more than Roku last time I checked. In addition, with Apple TV you can mirror anything from your Ipad onto the TV.. It's awesome! (I tried Google ChromeCast to do the same but it didn't work as well for me)

I use my IPad and Slingbox with Apple TV to let us see whatever we want by connecting to the FIOS Box we have at our Mass. house. So for the cost of a couple hundred dollars of hardware, we've got "full" FIOS TV at the Lake. Since we already pay for FIOS TV at home, we get to watch everything at the Lake for "free"! No Cable TV!

I heartily recommend the Slingbox/Apple TV combo to anyone who has a second home.
Hi SteveO
I have fios as well at my house in MA
how would that work
Feel free to PM me, I don't want to get off topic in thread
thank you

[SteveO123]

Hi SteveO
I have fios as well at my house in MA
how would that work
Feel free to PM me, I don't want to get off topic in thread
thank you

Check your messages!
--Steve

[braunbayboater]

We have slingbox and it works great EXCEPT we need a better internet provider. The Fairpoint is too slow and too expensive. Any suggestion for Moultonborough Neck near Braun BAy?

[wifi]

We have slingbox and it works great EXCEPT we need a better internet provider. The Fairpoint is too slow and too expensive. Any suggestion for Moultonborough Neck near Braun BAy?

What speed does Fairpoint achieve at your location? Certainly Time Warner goes by your place. Nothing is more economical than DSL. What are your expectations? Is Fairpoint not giving you a deal because you are seasonal? Is it the same for Time Warner?

You are at the fringe of one of my APs with some terrain interference. I'm willing to work with people, but it might not work to your expectations at your location.

[mcdude]

Caution: Google Chromecast is NOT compatible with Windows8 (or with a Verizon router either) Just ordered Roku 3....hope it works!

[Lakegeezer]

Caution: Google Chromecast is NOT compatible with Windows8 (or with a Verizon router either) Just ordered Roku 3....hope it works!What problems are you seeing with Win8? I have three Chromecasts and Win 8.1 and have no problems at all. While I don't have a verizon router to check with, I can't imagine what problems there would be, unless you need to "log in" via a browser to connect to the network. The Chromecast has no browser, so doesn't work in some hotels or other public wifis.

[BroadHopper]

I found out the streaming sticks (ROKU, Chromecast, AppleTV et al) usually do not stream well inless you have high speed internet. Usually cable or fiber optics and a middle or high tier internet plan.

The products says they can stream and found otherwise.

[Leoskeys]

We use Slingbox at our Alton home and love it! We have Metrocast high speed internet. Internet is steep at roughly $55/mo, but to have full cable/dvr and internet for $55 makes it worth it!

[mcdude]

Lakegeezer: I couldnt find exactly the information I found before but this is from a Verizon forum:

After speaking with Verizon Expert Care, I was told that Verizon FIOS does not support UPnP, as they only provide Internet Access.

I have the Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I (hardware version I), with firmware version 40.20.7. Perhaps previous versions of this router have UPnP working, but this version does not.

I guess the result is that Chromecast is not able to be installed on Verizon FIOS networks.

AS I search for the info about Windows 8.....now I'm finding lots of installation advice. Earlier the info I consulted suggested that it was not compatible and to call Microsoft (yeah....right) to get a work-around. As you can tell I'm not real knowledgeable about computer hardware, installation etc.....just the basics here. Sorry if I misled anyone. A Roku 3 is on order and I hope I'll haVE better luck!

[Blue Thunder]

I recently purchased Slingbox as well. I've been sort of beta testing it until I can get to my place and try it with my Fairpoint dsl. I was on a cruise last week in the middle of the Caribbean, using the ship wifi and it worked great. The wifi was approx 3mbps.
I can connect my ipad to the TV and the picture quality is quite good. Again, it remains to be seen how good it will be with fairpoint.

BT

[bigdog]

OK, not so sure how this Sligbox actually works....

I have Charter Cable in Mass. house, and use Roku at the lake combined with Metrocast internet. I have lots of options with Roku, but not regular TV stations as Charter. I also have Amazon Prime but haven't used that option yet....

So what everyone is saying, I should be able to stream "all" my Charter stations through my iPad and Roku at the lake ? Do I have this correct?

I went out to the Sligbox website, but didn't find a lot of information ?
Looks like the basic Sligbox M1 is priced at $199.

Your feedback i s greatly appreciated !

[depasseg]

Think of the sling box as a really long cable back to your mass house. You plug it in to your cable there and give it a network connection. Then you use an app to stream your video to wherever you are. The app lets you change the channel and control your cable box just like if you were at home.

[Blue Thunder]

OK, not so sure how this Sligbox actually works....

I have Charter Cable in Mass. house, and use Roku at the lake combined with Metrocast internet. I have lots of options with Roku, but not regular TV stations as Charter. I also have Amazon Prime but haven't used that option yet....

So what everyone is saying, I should be able to stream "all" my Charter stations through my iPad and Roku at the lake ? Do I have this correct?

I went out to the Sligbox website, but didn't find a lot of information ?
Looks like the basic Sligbox M1 is priced at $199.

Your feedback i s greatly appreciated !
All the info you need is on their site. If you want to go slingbox buy the latest box which is the 500. HD capable. It connects to your home cable and you can watch TV just like at home including all your DVR'd programs. Use the app on your iPhone or iPad. I have a cable from Apple that allows me to connect my iPad to an HDTV and I can watch my home cable in Maine.

[depasseg]

You can get a $30 Chromecast stick and stream it wirelessly directly to your TV assuming you have an HDMI port on your TV.

[bclaker]

I had an older computer with Windows Vista and bought a Chromecast, but, never could get Chromecast to work. I was given an iPad Air as a Christmas present. Does anyone know if the Chromecast will work with the iPad?

[depasseg]

Yes it does, but it is dependent in the application. For example, Netflix, YouTube, Sling all have the ability to use the Chromecast.

[Merrymeeting]

I have 2 Chromecast sticks for our non-smart TV's. In essence, what the stick (or similar devices) will do is make a non-smart TV into a smart one.

Simply stated, the term smart TV means that the TV can be connected to the internet and receive streaming video over the network connection. For the price, I think the Chromecast device is the best option. Roku is another but the cost is much higher.

Other things you need to understand before buying any one of these devices.

First, you need a good, ralatively high-speed, network connection, ideally hardwired. If you are using a wireless router connection, this means that the TV needs to be located where it will get a strong signal from the router. Otherwise you will get dropouts or choppy, pixelated video. If this is happening, it's usually not the fault of the device. It's an indication of a network signal problem.
Once connected, there are 2 ways that the streaming gets to your TV. You can "cast" the stream from the device controlling the video source (PC, smartphone, tablet, etc). Or there are some apps (eg:Netflix) that, once started, will work directly with the Chromecast device to stream from the Netflix internet server directly to the Chromecast device. The latter usually ends up producing a cleaner, higher-definition signal.
If you are attempting to stream from a browser, with Chromecast you need to use the Chrome browser. Internet Explorer does not support casting to the Chromecast device. (The old competition between Google and MS). I suspect that those of you who tried, and failed, to get this to work from your PC may have been stuck here. Other browsers than Chrome may support the Chromecast device, but I'm not sure.


This is a greatly simplified description of how all this works. But for those who have had issues, I'd suspect the majority of them start with a poor network stream to the device. Garbage in, garbage out. Changing devices won't help here. You need to solve the root problem first.

[Leoskeys]

One of the best features of Slingbox is you have access to all your DVR shows from your primary home/box. Same with OnDemand shows. Basically EVERYTHING you can watch on your home box you can watch via slingbox on your Ipad, laptop, iphone, etc. we,ve had it for over two years, so the one-time $200 we payed for Slingbox is totally worth it!

[mcdude]

J'aime ROKU beaucoup! Easy plug and play type set-up & operation. Tons of choices!