RichC2

Some people see "Roku" and "Cable Cutter" and think it'll be like having a laptop setup on your TV is all, I understand his grief.

But that has always been the drawback of anything streamed to your TV. It's free on the website, but never free on any TV-hooked device since they intended from the get go for people on their computers to watch the stuff, the draw back being you had to watch it on your computer which is still true.

It happens, I pay for Netflix, Hulu and have Amazon Prime. It covers most of my bases.

OldDude

I have a Roku 2 XS that I've had for a while and not used much. I have a problem that is more of a system problem than a Roku problem that I'm hoping you guys may have suggestions about.

My Roku (and all recent models) lack an optical digital audio out. My TV is new enough to have HDMI inputs but my Audio/Visual Receiver isn't; however, it does have optical digital audio inputs.

For OTA TV, my TV handles broadcast DD5.1 and outputs it from its optical digital output, which I route to my receiver. Unfortunately on HDMI inputs, any DD5.1 input is converted to DD2.0. I also have a Tivo with HDMI video connection, but it has Digital Audio Out which I connect to another input on my receiver and get DD5.1. With my Roku, I seem to be struck with DD2.0 (yes, I have set Surround Sound in audio settings, my TV transmogrifies it).

By Google searching, I have found some boxes that handle 1 HDMI input or switch 4-8 HDMI inputs to one HDMI output AND provide a digital audio output stripped from the selected input. I don't know which are good and which should be avoided. Anybody have experience with them and have recommendations.

RichC2

I had one from monoprice.com which worked fine. But this was ages ago.

http://www.monoprice.com/Product/?c_...mat=4#feedback

Ropes Pierre

from what i gather, that google dongle thing can shoot stuff from your computer to your tv.

Geofferson

Quality is suffering a bit now that I moved my Roku 2 XD to the basement. Can't make it through a movie without it buffering several times. Picture isn't as crisp either. Thinking I may sell it and try out the model 3 -- hoping the stronger dual-band wireless will solve the problem. Moving the router isn't an easy option.

Matt_

I'm sorry if I'm mentioning something you already know. The recently released Roku 2 2720R is supposed to be dual-wireless, too. I say "supposed to" because the comparison chart at amazon.com for the Roku 2 lists this feature. However, when I looked at the settings screen for the Roku 2 I don't see a way to instruct the Roku 2 as to which WiFi band you want it to use.

OldDude

Thanks. I like Monoprice and have bought most of my cables from them. However, the number of people complaining the unit arrived DOA and moaning about poor customer service scared me. I wound up ordering a similar unit from J-Tech via Amazon. It had fewer "poor" ratings on a percentage basis.

I think any of them are good if they work, but all ship a few dead ones, and a few people try to drive long cables to projectors, etc. and have problems.

RichC2

It doesn't work great imo, you could always HDMI it too.

Geofferson

That's a good point and you're right, the latest model 2 does have dual-band wireless (per Roku's comparison chart anyway). I figure if I'm upgrading, I may as well spend $20 more and get the faster processor (in addition to dual-band) and the ethernet port (if I end up trying a network repeater/extender) that comes with the model 3.

TheBigDave

Roku 3 Streaming Media Player is $79.97 at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Roku-3-Streami...dp/B00BGGDVOO/

islandclaws

Roku finally added a proper YouTube channel, and it rocks.

DJariya

I added it the other day. You can also link it with your tablet or smart phone. It works great.

RichC2

Yeah it runs about twice as fast as the 360 and PS3 versions. Great stuff.

b2net

Now if only they provide YouTube on more than just Roku 3

rduncan

Roku 3 refurb for $70 on 1sale.com. Slow shipping and refurb but I've always gotten the items I've ordered from them. Just a FYI for those that may be interested.

cungar

Anyone notice that You Tube on their iOS devices automatically find the Roku 3 now and can be used to stream YouTube to the Roku?

Hiro11

I recommend the Chromecast for Youtube on a TV. The queuing works great and it's a little faster than the Roku.

Ky-Fi

In case some folks haven't explored it, just giving a big thumbs up to the VEVO channel---it works like Pandora or Jango, but with music videos. I was hooked for an hour last night as it was playing my new wave hits of the 80's--and for some of those songs I didn't even know there were videos made. It's like MTV in the early days, but better.

RichC2

YouTube on the Roku 3 works just as fast here. I've been really impressed with their implementation, works almost identically to Chromecast. I was surprised to see it supported by the little "Cast" Icon in the YouTube app.

I still use the Chromecast more often though since it has HDMI-CEC support.

I used it a bit when I first got my Roku and liked it, but it was buggy, wonder if they updated the software.

cungar

Not sure it could be any faster. Videos start pretty much instantly for me.

cungar

The two things that bug me about it is the autoplay of garbage pop and having to see Miley's mug when you open the channel

TheBigDave

I just ran across this SpeedTest private channel. Apparently it's been around awhile but I'd never heard about it. This might help people troubleshoot any problems.

It was created by one of the regular posters on the Roku Forum. It runs the speedtest.net test, sending 6 transfers of increasingly sized blocks of data.

https://owner.roku.com/Add/speedtest

kenbuzz

Would you consider an older Roku? The HD (N1100), HD-XR (N1101) and XD|S (2100) all have HDMI video and Optical Digital audio outputs. Additionally, all three also send digital audio over HDMI so if you end up using it with a different receiver it's already compatible. Naturally, you give up a lot of other features (no Captioning on Netflix, no Vudu support, slower menu responses), but they all support b/g/n wireless, all but the N1100 support dual-band, and all of them have an RJ45 port for you to hardwire directly to your router if you want to do that. And they're cheap - eBay has several XD|S (2100) models in the $20-40 range right now.

kenbuzz

Here's an old feature chart for the older Roku models. Ignore the pricing column, that info is a couple of years out of date. If I can find a copy of a more recent chart I'll replace this one with that.



(Updated 9pm)

OldDude

No. I bought an optical takeout box made by J-Tech from Amazon. It is installed and solves my problem. It takes one HDMI input, has 1 HDMI output, and also outputs RCA red/white phono or digital optical. It has a switch to select source passthru, 2 channel, or 5.1. If you set it to 5.1, it passes DD5.1 assuming the source is, or stereo if source is only stereo. Set it and forget it.

Monoprice also has some switchers but I didn't need extra inputs. Reviews indicate they also solve the problem. Monoprice has two models that handle 4 HDMI inputs and have one HDMI output with optical takeout. The lower price one $40-something has a number of reviews that say the unit arrived DOA and had to be exchanged. The higher priced one, around $80, had fewer negative reviews, but both work as long as you get a good unit.

Anyone with a legacy receiver should consider one of these boxes, not an older model Roku as new channels often don't support the older Rokus.