Customer Reviews

Roku HD Player PLUS Premium Cable Pack

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Got this Roku box to compliment Netflix. Didn't really know what to expect. Opened the box and had it set up in 5 minutes, no fuss, no bother. Works really well. Can view instant watches whenever we feel the urge. Can stop in the middle and get back to it later just like a DVD. Pause to make a snack or run the dog outside. Now recommend it to all our Netflix pals. Gets an A+ from dedicated movie watchers!!

When I heard about this product I was a bit skeptical. I liked Netflix and the thought of getting online movies streamed to my computer was appealing. But to then be able to see them on my television?! I had to try it, and let me tell you, I haven't regretted it since. Admittedly, the selction is still somewhat limited, but the picture and sound quality is better than average, and the collection of movies and television programs available continue to grow. If you've been thinking about the Roku player, don't hesistate any further. It is well worth it! A word of caution: don't be tempted to purchase the seperate cable package for around $15. I did and found I could have easily bought the same cables for just a few dollars. So forget cable, do the Roku thing!

I read the other reviews available for this product (GOOD) and decided to make the purchase. Was not dissappointed. While the fast forward and rewind aren't quite like a DVD the product on the whole is fantastic. Set up took less than 10 minutes. Most of that time was spent entering the web key for the wireless modem and waiting for it to sync. All of my movies on my Netflix instant queu were waiting for me. These movies stay on your queue until you remove them but you can start and stop movies and switch titles and come back to movies you were watching previously. Picture quality is good. Worth the 120$

Let me be clear... I love my Roku HD Player and Netflix service. It couldn't be easier to set-up, install or use, and I've cancelled my premium cable channels because I use and enjoy the Roku HD so much. (Please see my other reviews of the Roku HD and Roku HD-XR Player to evaluate the differences in the Roku offerings.)

The reason for this review's 'It's OK' rating of a 3 out of 5 has to do with this package deal - specifically the cables that come with it and that you only need one of them, and are paying too much for all of them.

OVER-BUYING
Included are the Roku HD, remote and three premium cables - 1 6-foot HDMI cable, 1 set of 6-foot Component Video cables, and 1 6-foot Optical Audio cable. Here's the thing... you only need ONE cable - preferably the HDMI connection for the best audio and video (referring to the connection between the television and the Roku, not the AC power or internet cable; if not using the wireless connection) to setup your Roku HD. Why buy more than you need and waste money on cables you won't be using that are included in this package?

CABLE OPTIONS & COSTS
If you do have an HDMI connection available, you only need the 1 HDMI cable which you can buy much more cheaply than in this package. For example, Eforcity New 10 Ft HDMI to HDMI Digital Video Cable GOLD-PLATED worked great for me! I get streaming HD (when available) and great stereo sound using this cable. I know there are those who would argue with me on this point; preferring only the 4' Ultra 1000 HDmi Video Cable or AmazonBasics Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable Braided (6.5 Feet / 2.0 Meters) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging], or even more expensive options, but really... why?

If you need to use the other cables, the same principle applies. You can get the cables cheaper, separately rather than buying this package deal and spending twenty dollars more for things you probably don't need. Optical Cable 6 ft. and Component Video Cable - 6 Ft. - Red, Blue, Green, High Resolution Digital Video Input/Output Gold Plated Connectors are examples of the low costs per cable. Don't over-buy and stuff the unused cables in a drawer!

Yet a third thought, if you have a standard definition television that's old enough to only have the yellow/red/white connection available, you need this cable RiteAV - Audio Video RCA Cable 3ft which is not even included in this package. This is odd, as the connections are on the box and they included all the others in this deal. If this is the case, I suggest you check out the Roku website for the Roku SD box which comes in at under eighty dollars shipped. It does not have HD capabilities, but neither does your TV. Assuming you don't intend to upgrade your television anytime soon, this may be a cost-effective option for you.

Again, I LOVE ROKU and think you should buy one if you have Netflix and/or use Amazon Video On Demand, to truly enjoy all that these services have to offer, but consider purchasing the Roku HD without the "PLUS Premium Cable Pack" to save yourself some money.

The Roku box no longer is fully compatible with Netflix. Lots of finger-pointing as to whether it's a Roku or a Netflix problem, but the bottom line is that you will not be able to watch movies for extended periods of time. The Roku still works with other services (eg, Pandora), but that's not the main reason I bought the box. As other people noted, you will only see a "retrieving" icon on the Roku that will not go away.

My original review through June of 2010:

I received my Roku yesterday, and I could not be happier. I use a Linksys wireless router with WPA and an assigned passkey, and the Roku set up in about 10 minutes. It doesn't require a ton of computer skills.

The picture quality is much higher than when I watch streaming Netflix on my laptop.

Netflix allows you only to watch movies already in your queue, while Amazon allows you to search for and add movies using the Roku.

I ordered the premium Roku pack (with the cables), which was completely unnecessary. All you need is a single HDMI cable or an RCA cable (standard video cable) to make this work. So save the money, and order this one instead:

Roku Digital Video Player

My TV is a 42" Panasonic Viera G10.

love this thing. using it on wireless and the picture and sound are great. like having a video library without the hassles of actually owning the dvds.

I was looking at the Roku as a gift and I'd never really seen anything like it. We do have a Netflix subscription and it gets annoying trying to manage the queue all of the time, so this device seemed pretty interesting in that regard. After setting it up, I was astonished at the quality and ease of use the Roku had. Whoever thought of this is a genius! Let's just say that I haven't really been watching TV all that much... the Roku is really a great way to manage your Netflix "instant watch" section. It's just another way to maximize your subscription.

I have been watching Netflix streaming on my computer for sometime now, and am an "Old School" Netflix addict. I heard many complaints about the Roku box when it was first released, so I held off on getting it. I had some extra Amazon gift certificate points, so I figured "What the heck! Just get one."

It hooked up like a dream and the setup process was nicely streamlined.

Started watching one of the movies on my streaming list within 8 minutes of unpacking the box! I intentionally picked an animated movie to get a sense of how well color streams (I have had some difficulty when streaming to my computer with highly colorful movies). It worked like a dream! It is SOOO NICE!!! I wish I had gotten it earlier.

It has wonderful reception, and I am very pleased with the sound quality.

My only complaint is something I was well aware of when I purchased the Roku box. It would be nice to be able to add movies to your list via the box instead of having to create the original streaming list on your computer. Picking from the list is very easy though.

Overall a very nice product.

We LOVE our Roku player. It was simple to install and easy to learn how to operate. Now we can never complain we have nothing new to watch!

I rarely rate the things I buy, but this thing is just exciting!

I already had a Netflix account for DVD and was hooking up my computer on the TV to watch some movies from time to time.. Of course, I didn't have a remote to pause or anything which was annoying.. The fan of my computer was doing some noise and the fact that it had the screen open at the same time as the TV was also annoying.. Anyway.. I saw the Roku box, around $100 and I thought that would be a great way to replace the PC for a cheap price.

I received it super fast (I'm actually supposed to receive it tomorrow according to amazon..), and started playing with. Installation is very easy, even though it has to reboot twice (once for the first firmware update and once because I said I had an HD TV) so it doesn't take 3min as advertise. Let's say about 10min total and done.. I can access my netflix Queue and start watching.

The image quality is better than with my PC (which was a surprise), and the sound is fine too.. It pauses, navigated well.. honestly I love it! And it's so small you can hardly notice it. I only have one HDMI cable now instead of a VGA + Sound cable from my PC, which my wife appreciates! We watched two episodes of NCIS with no commercials! (commercials are just a Pain...).. Great.

For $100 (+extra for cables), it's an awesome buy!

Let's hope they put Hulu on there soon..