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on November 28, 2015
My ROKU3 does not handle YouTube well at all, which is the primary reason for my purchase since my Sony Bravia TV would no longer play YouTube. The ROKU often displays an error message when YouTube videos are selected for playback. The message states "Playback Error, please try gain". Often trying again just yields the same result....sometimes 3-5 times before the video will finally load. My ROKU also crashes every few days and sometimes every few hours and has to be reset. We have been unable to determine the reason for these failures. Our internet provides a fairly consistent 8-12 Mbps. Playback of YouTube videos on our computers is trouble-free so the problem is with the ROKU. Our ROKU also has some playback issues when we attempt to view football games via ESPN3, occasionally the ROKU will freeze up and crash. Once again, if I hook up my Dell Laptop the ESPN3 feed plays without a problem, so the issue seems to be with the ROKU. Netflix videos play without any problems as do most other channels. One other thought....the ROKU3 remote works via WiFi not Infrared signals. Therefore, other universal remotes will not work with the ROKU3...something to consider if you use a universal remote control. We have owned our ROKU3 for about seven months and we are not pleased with it.
on September 9, 2015
My purchase was a big leap from the original to the newest (so yes I gave it five stars), there are more changes for me as opposed to someone who upgraded from a Roku 2. For those comparisons there are a lot of other reviews that can help decide which Roku is best for you.
I held out from making an upgrade from my original Roku because I felt my old one worked just fine. However, I wanted to be able to stream the PBS station which I was not able to do on my original Roku device (there are other channels as well that were not available thru the old Roku). Since I received a couple of Amazon Gift Cards, I thought it was time to upgrade and I chose the Roku 3 with voice command. It's been working just fine and I am happy with the upgrades. I used the voice command in the beginning and it seems to work fine (though I do forget that it's there & haven't been using it lately). I like the way the menus are setup in the Roku 3, everything just seems to be easier to access than the Original Roku and I was very happy with the original.
The remote control has been upgraded (from what I had) with quick access buttons for Netflix, Hulu & Amazon, which I use and also Radio, which I haven't used. You are able to connect headphones to the remote and it does come with a set of earbuds which I've found to be comfortable. The sound is good & you can adjust the sound for the headphones from the remote.
Some people have mentioned their device has overheated because it's on constantly, I have not found this to be a probably (mine sits on a DVD player in an open cabinet). Sometimes an on/off switch would be nice on these devices as they do occasionally appear to freeze (could be a Roku thing or it could be the internet) and need to be restarted, so you have to unplug & plug them in again (though a couple times that I thought it froze the plug was loose in the wall socket & just needed to be pushed in again).
I held out from making an upgrade from my original Roku because I felt my old one worked just fine. However, I wanted to be able to stream the PBS station which I was not able to do on my original Roku device (there are other channels as well that were not available thru the old Roku). Since I received a couple of Amazon Gift Cards, I thought it was time to upgrade and I chose the Roku 3 with voice command. It's been working just fine and I am happy with the upgrades. I used the voice command in the beginning and it seems to work fine (though I do forget that it's there & haven't been using it lately). I like the way the menus are setup in the Roku 3, everything just seems to be easier to access than the Original Roku and I was very happy with the original.
The remote control has been upgraded (from what I had) with quick access buttons for Netflix, Hulu & Amazon, which I use and also Radio, which I haven't used. You are able to connect headphones to the remote and it does come with a set of earbuds which I've found to be comfortable. The sound is good & you can adjust the sound for the headphones from the remote.
Some people have mentioned their device has overheated because it's on constantly, I have not found this to be a probably (mine sits on a DVD player in an open cabinet). Sometimes an on/off switch would be nice on these devices as they do occasionally appear to freeze (could be a Roku thing or it could be the internet) and need to be restarted, so you have to unplug & plug them in again (though a couple times that I thought it froze the plug was loose in the wall socket & just needed to be pushed in again).
on July 20, 2016
I LOVE my Roku - most especially the headphones jack in the remote. For 20+ years my poor husband has had to sleep with the tv on (loudly) while he prefers silence. Now, I can doze in and out with the tv on as loudly as I want and he sleeps like a baby! Love it!
The ONLY thing I don't like is that some of the apps that come with it automatically are very misleading. One is called something like freeflicks (or something like that) and when I first opened it, a number of adult films appeared on the screen. I have two young kids and was really taken aback that this happened. I haven't figured out how to delete that app from it but I'll keep looking into it. Just be wary of those.
The ONLY thing I don't like is that some of the apps that come with it automatically are very misleading. One is called something like freeflicks (or something like that) and when I first opened it, a number of adult films appeared on the screen. I have two young kids and was really taken aback that this happened. I haven't figured out how to delete that app from it but I'll keep looking into it. Just be wary of those.
on July 7, 2016
I recently purchased this Roku 3 after purchasing a Roku TV several months ago for my bedroom. I had never used it with cable so I was used to using the Roku system in my room for the few times that I watch TV. I put the Roku 3 into my living room for my kids to get a feel for in order for me to find out whether or not I can cut my cable bill and just keep Wi-Fi. I also purchased an Android TV box as well and the Roku 3 is much more user-friendly for a six and nine year old. I think it has plenty to offer and I have hooked it up with Plex on my main computer and it seems to stream well. The only thing I don't like about it is that it needs to be manually powered on and off but I fixed that with an extension cord with a foot pedal that I bought at my local Walmart. All you have to do is step on it to turn the power on and step on it to turn the power off. Overall, I would recommend this box if you are looking for something that works for the kids. I don't watch too much TV but it's good for when we do sit down and use it. If you don't have accounts with Hulu or Netflix, you may desire a little bit more but I do and it's great!
on September 21, 2015
I used this product only 2 days but all day! I first purchased the Amazon Fire TV stick and was pleased with the shows I get on the apps and was fine canceling DirecTV. However, the Fire TV stick's interface was slow and video quality was very poor a lot of the time. Upon restarting the stick it was better then a some amount of time later (30min-1hr?) it would be awful.
The Roku has been nearly perfect. I think I noticed 2 hesitations and I like the way it loads then plays. Amazon would start playing, most of the time very poorly, and it was distracting from what you're watching. Especially fast forwarding or rewinding. The apps are different and the remotes are different. The Roku remote I believe is setup the way it is to function as a gaming remote much like the original Nintendo with the A/B buttons. The interface is easy to navigate and find what you want. Just like the stick it the Roku 3 was easy to setup and get going.
I would suggest staying away from the sticks all the together. If you like amazon prime and and that is where you watch most of your movies the maybe the amazon TV box would be for you but the Roku 3 works very well.
The Roku has been nearly perfect. I think I noticed 2 hesitations and I like the way it loads then plays. Amazon would start playing, most of the time very poorly, and it was distracting from what you're watching. Especially fast forwarding or rewinding. The apps are different and the remotes are different. The Roku remote I believe is setup the way it is to function as a gaming remote much like the original Nintendo with the A/B buttons. The interface is easy to navigate and find what you want. Just like the stick it the Roku 3 was easy to setup and get going.
I would suggest staying away from the sticks all the together. If you like amazon prime and and that is where you watch most of your movies the maybe the amazon TV box would be for you but the Roku 3 works very well.
on January 3, 2016
I really only need to access Netflix and Amazon Prime on my Samsung 2013 Smart TV. Over time the performance of the Amazon Prime app has degraded to the point it has become unusable. It may be that the Amazon Prime app has been updated for the 2015 model line of Smart TV's which have faster processors and probably the same app is being deployed to the 2013 line of Samsung Smart TV's. Now it's gotten to the point where Amazon Prime on my Samsung Smart TV is unusable, it halts as well as going in and out of focus and has become totally unusable! It's gotten so bad that Amazon Prime detected the performance issues and automatically issued refunds for 2 movies that I purchased.
Who's to blame? I'm assuming that Amazon wrote the applet for Samsung, although I could be wrong. It's like trying to run an app that was written for an Iphone 6 and running it on an Iphone 4!
I think Samsung is now aware that they have performance issues with the Smart TV's as a message comes up on the TV saying that the Social TV Service will no longer be available effective Janaury 6, 2016 Media service is ending as of January 6, 2016, the On TV panel that appears on startup and when selecting Smart Hub will no longer appear. Social TV app will no longer be available. This will allow Samsung to offer a consistent experience across Smart TV's 2011 - 2015 and allow accessing the users apps faster and easier.
Is it coincidental that this Samsung change takes place on the opening day of the Computer Electronics Show 2016 in LasVegas that starts tomorrow January 6th, with the announcement of new products?
1/6/16 update
Samsung made the deletions to the screen that they indicated they were going to do. Next I went to the TV settings with my remote and updated the TV software. The update took about 4 minutes to download and install. The look and feel is totally different, is appears to be a menu subset of the software that appeared today on the CNET preview of the 2016 models this morning. Amazon Prime appears to run better than it used to, but the jury is still out. Time will tell.
As a test I tried the Roku SE that I picked up for $25 and my problem went away. Roku SE is no more than a Roku 1 with a HDMI port bolted on. It doesn't support multiple profiles for Netflix. Called Netflix and they can not reorder the profiles so that my profile is the primary one. Really as big as Netflix is they can't handle that? They said I would have to cancel my account and start over, not going there!
Next I tried the Roku Stick and that worked quite well, but it only supports RF and this would not allow me to add it to my Harmony 650 remote. I will keep the stick and use it on another TV in the house.
Next I picked up the Roku 3, it works well and can be added to my Harmony 650 remote. When you add it to the Harmony add the ROKU 3 profile and your all set to go.
Now that I have the Roku I am able to add HBO GO which I get from Comcast, as well as Starz. I added PBS and now have a wealth of PBS programs and downloads that are easy to access, No more need to use an Android Tablet to find it on the Internet and cast it to my Chromecast device anymore.
Now that I have the Roku and I have all the apps I need I no longer have a need for the Smart TV functions of my Samsung! Probably won't be going back to using the Smart Hub.
Who's to blame? I'm assuming that Amazon wrote the applet for Samsung, although I could be wrong. It's like trying to run an app that was written for an Iphone 6 and running it on an Iphone 4!
I think Samsung is now aware that they have performance issues with the Smart TV's as a message comes up on the TV saying that the Social TV Service will no longer be available effective Janaury 6, 2016 Media service is ending as of January 6, 2016, the On TV panel that appears on startup and when selecting Smart Hub will no longer appear. Social TV app will no longer be available. This will allow Samsung to offer a consistent experience across Smart TV's 2011 - 2015 and allow accessing the users apps faster and easier.
Is it coincidental that this Samsung change takes place on the opening day of the Computer Electronics Show 2016 in LasVegas that starts tomorrow January 6th, with the announcement of new products?
1/6/16 update
Samsung made the deletions to the screen that they indicated they were going to do. Next I went to the TV settings with my remote and updated the TV software. The update took about 4 minutes to download and install. The look and feel is totally different, is appears to be a menu subset of the software that appeared today on the CNET preview of the 2016 models this morning. Amazon Prime appears to run better than it used to, but the jury is still out. Time will tell.
As a test I tried the Roku SE that I picked up for $25 and my problem went away. Roku SE is no more than a Roku 1 with a HDMI port bolted on. It doesn't support multiple profiles for Netflix. Called Netflix and they can not reorder the profiles so that my profile is the primary one. Really as big as Netflix is they can't handle that? They said I would have to cancel my account and start over, not going there!
Next I tried the Roku Stick and that worked quite well, but it only supports RF and this would not allow me to add it to my Harmony 650 remote. I will keep the stick and use it on another TV in the house.
Next I picked up the Roku 3, it works well and can be added to my Harmony 650 remote. When you add it to the Harmony add the ROKU 3 profile and your all set to go.
Now that I have the Roku I am able to add HBO GO which I get from Comcast, as well as Starz. I added PBS and now have a wealth of PBS programs and downloads that are easy to access, No more need to use an Android Tablet to find it on the Internet and cast it to my Chromecast device anymore.
Now that I have the Roku and I have all the apps I need I no longer have a need for the Smart TV functions of my Samsung! Probably won't be going back to using the Smart Hub.
on July 21, 2016
I absolutely love my new Roku 3! We've had it for the last 7 months with no problems. It has a fast processor and responds immediately to the remote. The remote is also nice in that you don't have to point it directly at the box in order for it to respond (radio frequency RF remote). I was streaming netflix over my blu-ray player and it was making us completely crazy because my blu-ray player was always buffering and we would be half way through a show and it would just quit on us. I was even considering having my house wired for internet into my living room so we could have speedier and more reliable access. Then someone told me to try the Roku 3 and I've also been wanting to get Sling TV so I thought it wouldn't hurt giving it a shot. It was a night and day difference. I no longer need to hardwire my living room as the Roku 3 responds so quickly to my WiFi, no buffering, the picture is crystal clear immediately with no pixelation, and no dropping internet in the middle of a show.
The voice command is super handy once you're in an app like youtube or netflix, but if you do a voice search on the home screen it definitely isn't as responsive (probably user error to be honest). I also love the fact that you can pop on headphones in the remote and not bother anyone else in the house with noise. Honestly I think the Roku 3 is a game changer for us! We even bought a second one for our bedroom!
The voice command is super handy once you're in an app like youtube or netflix, but if you do a voice search on the home screen it definitely isn't as responsive (probably user error to be honest). I also love the fact that you can pop on headphones in the remote and not bother anyone else in the house with noise. Honestly I think the Roku 3 is a game changer for us! We even bought a second one for our bedroom!
on July 6, 2016
I have this and Roku 4 Streaming Media Player (4400R) 4K UHD. I prefer this over the Roku 4. The speeds seem the same but the 4 is kind of buggy. Sometimes Netflix won't load, or sometimes the YouTube channel crashes, and on the Amazon channel the "watch trailer" button sometimes doesn't work. However, all of these problems are resolved if I reinstall the channels to the Roku 4. It's not a big deal, but it can be a hassle. I have never had a problem with the 3. Although the 3 is not equipped to handle 4k, based on my experience with the two units, I would still purchase the 3 over the 4.
on July 28, 2016
Thanks to Roku, we've been able to cut the cord to the monopolizing cable company in southern New Jersey and save so much money. 18 months ago this cable Co had to refund us more than $800 for over charges and they immediately went back to quoting one price on the phone ($197) and charging us more ($310) on our bill. So we fired them.
Roku is the way to viewing freedom. Our tv entertainment costs are under $100 with our monthly payments to Roku and the paid internet streaming channels.
Well worth the investment! Roku makes a great product and has a wonderful customer service department.
Roku is the way to viewing freedom. Our tv entertainment costs are under $100 with our monthly payments to Roku and the paid internet streaming channels.
Well worth the investment! Roku makes a great product and has a wonderful customer service department.
