Roku
 

Does anyone have a Roku box? What do you think about it?

We're thinking that we may want to get rid of FIOS, and we heard of this option. Thing is, we don't have subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu+, or the others. We do have Amazon Prime, but that doesn't cover much. Does anyone have any thoughts about Roku?

Thanks!

I have one. My sister gave it to me for Christmas. Really like it. The Netflix option is free on it as is Hulu and some others (I forget which ones). You can do a search on it for specific movies and they may or may not cost you. Most of them that I've done a search for were around $2.95 each. I haven't bought one though. Have just watched the free ones.

I have it and use it for Netflix and sometimes Pandora. I love it. I haven't used it for any of the premium channels, though, so I don't know how it would work with those.

If you are getting rid of FIOS (I don't know why you would, because it's awesome lol), I'd consider shelling out the $8 for one of the Netflix/Hulu type subscriptions.

We've had one for years and love it. We don't have cable, and I love that for $7 (or whatever netflix currently is) a month we can watch as much as we want. We also have Amazon prime, plus have several of the free channels like Pandora and one of the news channels. Very, very rarely do we actually turn on the "real" TV and watch one of our local channels.

Now, bear in mind, neither of us watch much TV in general. I can go a couple days without turning it on at all, so cable never made sense. But the roku box is awesome. Oh, and we use it to rent movies through Amazon, too, which is great. :)

I am glad to hear this about roku. i love british television and can watch acorn tv, a subsidiary of Acorn catalog if I buy a roku. so, SOLD!!

I love my Roku. I got it 2 years ago so I could get Netflix. I also have Pandora on it. I just wish Netflix would add movies/tv shows quicker (and more current)

We've had it a couple of years. We love it! :) We use the Pandora and Netflix a lot. :)

My mom bought me one for Christmas and I am IN LOVE. I use my Roku for Pandora, Netflix, and Hulu+ and it is so worth it! I hardly miss cable at all. It would probably get even better with some premium channels but I'm happy with what I have.

For those who ditch their cable in favor of things like this, do you just give up having access to local and national news tv coverage? weather? live sports? I know that's all available online too, but I like having those things on when I'm getting ready for work, making dinner, etc. It's not easy to multi-task like that when you're using your computer because you have to keep clicking around.

I bought a blue ray player that hooks up to my wireless internet and we are loving that. It comes with software for netflix, Hulu and Pandora. I went ahead and paid for Hulu+ because we are using it often enough to justify it. I just don't know how to deal with watching TV shows after they are typically aired or having to hook up my computer to watch the things that aren't available on netflix and hulu or to watch sports.

We have rabbit ears and a converter box (our TV is an older model, analog signal), and get all the local channels. With all the sub-channels, I'd say there are probably about 20 or so. If we want to watch the news, or there is a bad storm coming through and we want to catch the weather updates, we can watch any of the major free networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc.)

I have an app for the weather so I see it on my desktop. I hate watching the news but I will glance through Yahoo! News while I'm checking my e-mails or listen to news reports on the radio during my morning commute. I listen to live streaming of sports games if I'm alone but will usually be watching at the sports bar with my friends which is way more fun. As far as shows I want to see that aren't on Hulu, there are lots of sites that help me get around that (Shhhhhhh). ;)

I still have my DISH service. The Roku was just an add because I don't have any of the premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc). I wouldn't give up the DISH as I am a sports addict and need my ESPN, FSS, etc.

But can you get to those on the Roku? Or do you watch everything on your computer?

I can't get any of the local network channels where I live, unfortunately. I'm a little too far from the Detroit towers and a little too far from the Toledo towers so I get nothing at all if I don't have cable.

My main reason for watching the news in the mornings is so I can hear the traffic reports while I'm getting ready for work. It's nice to know that the freeway is closed because of an accident before I am stuck in the backup.

I think I'm just stuck with cable.