OldBoy

So my Brother-in-Law shoots me a text asking if i've heard of Roku. All i said was that it was a streaming device for digital content. now he and my sis don't even have a dvd player, i believe, let alone a Smart TV, though it is HDTV.

so i've only streamed through Smart TV, XBOX, or Bluray player.

what is the best physical device on market to stream content for non-tech savvy people?

just plug HDMI and i can walk them through getting them onto my Vudu, Netflix, etc...

slybone

Yep, I think Roku devices are about the easiest to use and cheapest to buy. They could get a Roku Express or Roku Streaming Stick for $25 or $30 at Amazon or Wal-Mart. The only thing to be careful about is for example the Roku Streaming Stick requires 2 HDMI ports right next to each other. Other than that, no worries in general.

Here's Amazon's selection: https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb...-keywords=Roku

Hope that helps!

Orbi-Wan Techno

Roku for sure, and it's flexible and versatile. I have a Premiere and two of the latest sticks, and we do pretty much everything, from Amazon, Netflix, Vudu, Plex, DirecTVNOW, through it.

dvd-4-life

The Roku Express Plus(only available at Walmart) has the red,white ,yellow out for older tv sets.

RichC2

Roku wins for pure ease of use. Easier to navigate than the Fire TV, Apple TV and slew of Android based tv players.

TheBigDave

Get a Roku. It's the best streaming device. And probably the easiest to set-up and use.

OldBoy

so, Roku? thanks guys!

Alan Smithee

The stick does NOT require 2 HDMI ports- it only requires one, but it's best if there's also a USB port nearby for power. If there isn't one, it comes with an adaptor to plug it into a standard power outlet, which could be a bit awkward depending on where it is. I've heard stories of it not lasting long if it's kept hooked up all the time; my main Roku is an older one (since it has the older Netflix interface that doesn't break into credits) and I only plug in the stick to the front of my receiver when I actually use it, which isn't often. (It works slightly better on Vudu than the older Roku, but not by enough to bother with it usually. I could just use my TV's Vudu app if they'd let it output Dolby Digital Plus.)

If someone isn't tech-savvy, the biggest worry about one of these would be what to do if it loses its internet connection.

K&AJones

I need to get a external device to get PlayStation Vue for the one LG Smart TV we have. We're giving Amazon Prime a go and will probably stay with it. I've been told to get a Fire Stick or the new Fire TV but the issue is we have a wired connection since the wifi where the TV is , is a bit spotty....it's a older house with thicker walls, lots of mortar and brick.

Does the Roku offer a box with a CAT connection? The Fire TV can but you have to buy an additional adapter and the demand is already high for it that i's not available till Dec 2nd. If not then I need to find some signal power booster to put on the AT7T Uverse router I guess.

TheBigDave

The higher end Roku models have an Ethernet port for a wired connection.

Roku Ultra ($100) is the latest model with an Ethernet port.

https://www.roku.com/products/roku-ultra

If you're on a budget, and don't have a 4K TV, look into a Roku 3. It's an older model, but I still use one as my main streaming device and it works great. You can probably pick one up for around $50.

You can also look for a Roku Premiere+. That came out last gen (between the Roku 3 and Roku Ultra). It's 4K and has Ethernet. Those are around $65-$75.

Also remember that Rokus will be on sale for Black Friday. Prices usually drop around 20%-25%.

kahuna

Last week BB & Amazon had the Roku Premiere+ for $49.99. Amazons price finally dropped to $44 & I brought 2 for my brother & SNL.

jjcool

Big thumbs up for the Roku 3. As someone who does not do 4k, it does everything I need. One note though, the 3 and the Ultra have USB ports, the Premiere+ does not. May not matter to you, but it is super convenient to have the ability to play a file off a usb stick.

kahuna

I'm returning the Premiere+, not because there is no USB port. But a friend found some Roku Ultra - 4640R (2016 Model) from one of our local Walmarts for $25 each. He saw one on the shelf & asked if they had more in the back & he brought the other 4 they had. So I'm getting 2 of them.

candyrocket786

Another vote for the Roku. I'm looking to upgrade to a SkyStream ONE though so I can do other things.

Hulkabrgr

Two Roku's and a Roku TV in our household- big yes vote here