Amator

Just like the title says, I'm looking for a cheap way to get Netflix streaming to work on the tv in my kid's room. He has a computer, but it's an old Compaq work computer that runs XP and I don't think I could Vista or 7 to run on it.

We have a wireless network, and his TV has basic RCA plugs.

I'm thinking the easiest thing to do is to get a Roku. He can navigate Netflix via our xBox in the family room with no trouble, so he should be able to use the Roku without too much trouble, right?

We're also thinking about a Wii, but he has a Wii at the grandparents, a 360 for all of us in the family room, and a DSi with 20+ games he has on him all the time. I don't think we need another console right now.

Thanks.

Sdallnct

Have you tried on the computer yet? I have a netbook I travel with that uses XP and have no problems watching on that. I'd try that and if works, maybe get a bigger, nicer monitor if that works.

We watch Netflix on PS3 in media room and Wii in Living Room. Yes, Wii is easy enough. Also watch on my iPhone, so maybe get them a iPad??? LOL

I know there are some Roku fans, but I just can't imagine getting any box that was "dedicated" to just Netflix (or any one thing). I'd look at a bluray player (if he has a HD TV in his room) before a Roku box. But that is just me.

If your considering a Wii that might be the way to go. Especially if you don't have a HD TV in there. We have had no problems with it. Wish it didn't need a dedicated disc, but I'm sure that will go away at some point. I wish it did HD and 5.1, but not a huge issue.

Amator

Hi Sdallnct. First up I wanted to say thanks so much for all your great info a few years back on my home theater thread. I got that great KEF 5.1 speaker deal from Circuit City and an awesome HK refurb receiver from your pointers.

I tried running Netflix from his computer, and Silverlight wouldn't install. It said it wouldn't install on XP. I'm not sure which service packs are installed on his PC, maybe that might solve the problem?

It's for my 8-year old, and he is really rough on anything in his room, so I don't want to invest too much. We cut our cable package to mostly use Netflix for our TV needs, so I'm trying to leverage that. I don't like the idea of a "dedicated" Netflix box either, but it seems like the Roku is the most cost efficient for what I'm trying to achieve. If there was a standard DVD player w/ Netflix for under $100 that might be even better, but I haven't seen one of those yet.

Sdallnct

I just tried it (to be sure). I don't know what Silverlight is. I just use the Netflix viewer. It worked fine. Course it was a 10" screen on a little laptop. Idk what a computer would look like on a 19" monitor or something.

But that might be a little to much for him to do? You might also look at the Apple, but I think it only works with something that has an HDMI.

You got KEF or Celestion speakers? I never did get KEF, but still have the Celestions BB cleared out. Have a set in the Living Room and a set in my media room. I would have liked to have upgraded to the KEF when those were cleared out, but I never found them when they did. I'm still using H/K in both rooms (a refurbished one in the living room). I keep thinking I'll upgrade to get one at least have HDMI and lossless. However, I just love it so much. Besides, I'm sure I'll get more bang for my buck if upgrade subwoofer instead.

I'm glad they are working well for you!!

Amator

I got the KEFs. At the time CC had clearanced the KHT 2005.2 5.1 set down from $1500 to $299. The only set CC had left was a display model, which I got for $220. Other than a couple of scratches, the speakers were pristine, and they still impress my friends. Here's the cNet review of the set.

Thanks again!

Spiky

Is the PC updated completely, sp3 and so on? I thought Silverlight ran just fine on XP, they didn't obsolete it with a newer version, did they?

But a Roku or AppleTV is probably the cheapest alternative otherwise.

Sdallnct, Silverlight is the Microsoft video app, Netflix uses it.

Sdallnct

Oh, so when you hit play from the Netflix web site, that is what is brought up?

Yea, it works fine on my poor little netbook (original Atom, XP).

DVD Guy ATL

Here's one vote for Roku. I have been quite impressed with the performance of mine, especially with Netflix. The price is right and it doesn't take up much space. You just need to make sure your Internet speed is up to par, and it sounds like yours is since you've had success with other devices in the house. Roku also makes the computer and its OS a moot point since it connects directly to the router.

Sdallnct

Oh yea...I'm familiar with the KEF's (I just hooked up my pair of original 103.2's in rosewood in my son's room as he wanted a nice set up).

Celestion is a kissing cousin to KEF. And I knew about those at CC, but I never was able to find them...good find. Good speakers.

printerati

This really isn't a fair assessment of the Roku, considering all of the channels (official or otherwise) that can be added. We use ours regularly for Netflix, YouTube, Chow, Pandora, and the Newscaster, and we occasionally play around with several of the other channels. Hulu Plus will obviously be one of our regular channels once it is released, too. We have never had a connectivity problem that wasn't Netflix's fault. I fully plan on purchasing a second one for our upstairs TV that has nothing better than an S-Video input.

I really wanted to like the new Apple TV (I installed three of them for my wife's boss), but it is an iTunes device first and foremost, and everything else second, with Netflix and YouTube unceremoniously dumped under the "Internet" submenu. Also, with HDMI being the only "video out" option, it doesn't sound like it would work for you, anyway.

EDITED TO ADD that Roku has one of the best and easy-to-use Netflix interfaces I've seen, much better than anything I've seen on a handful of Netflix-enabled Blu-Ray players.

Alan Smithee

I didn't even get a plain ol' TV in my room when I was 8!

Sdallnct

Fair enough. I probably didn't/don't give it the credit it deserves. And I knew it did other "net" stuff. I was just thinking if you were looking at game consoles (as the OP mentioned) then I would go an all in one option. We use the Wii in the living room for netflix and fully admit it is not a great interface. The PS3 in media room is a lot better. But still I like the idea of only one box, not two.

Sdallnct

Yea, but if your already paying the $9 or so for Netflix, I'm totally on board with trying to get it in as many rooms as many options as possible.

Amator

Exactly. My wife is a cable tv addict, but I recently talked her into going down to the basic package since we can watch so much stuff on Netflix. That got rid of Nick, Jr. which my son watched all the frickin' time, but now he's able to watch a lot of stuff on Netflix.

Alan Smithee

I begged my parents for cable endlessly too, but they never gave in! (We did finally try it out in 1989, but immediately cancelled as the sound and picture quality was awful. Since then the programming quality has also gone so far down that you would have to pay ME to have cable now, but it would've been nice to have had it when it was actually good.)

Netflix is a great value, but the picture quality needs to be improved- there's too many compression artifacts, and it can't display 30 frames per second so the frame rate of anything shot on video is slower than it should be. I only get it because my parents' account was activated on my TV that has built-in Netflix playback.

Nifty03

For $60 you can get a Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ USB 2.0 / Ethernet HD Media Player STCEA201-RK from Newegg that streams Netflix.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822148499

stevevt

Still need to add a wifi dongle, though. Right?

Nifty03

Yes sir, and it looks like it costs $40 from Seagate