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Posted by $ AJAshinoff 8 years, 6 months ago to Entertainment
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I have DirectTV but I'm considering moving to Roku. Does anyone here have any experience with Roku? Before I make any purchases I'd appreciate some info.


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  • Posted by $ DriveTrain 8 years, 6 months ago
    I've had a Roku 3 for about a year and love it. I have never had satellite service though, so I can't make the comparison.

    As sdesapio said, Roku is not a pay TV service in itself, rather just a conduit for separately-paid services like Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, Vudu WSJ Video and the like, as well as a number of free channels.

    If I didn't have roommates who want to keep pay cable around - and my own affinity for the four or five home improvement and food shows, along with the NHK America channel (which has what's probably the only "straight news" program left in existence,) I would happily dump cable altogether for the Roku alone.

    If you're in the market for a new TV, you can buy a "Smart TV" - a friend has a Samsung - and the streaming is built into the TV itself. The downside of going that route is that you have to use the Samsung (or whatever brand) remote to navigate, and the Roku remote is a masterpiece of simplicity and innovation. The latter particularly in the fact that you can plug earbuds (included) right into the remote itself, automatically muting the TV, so you can watch without disturbing others - or listen in peace when your neighbor's leaf-blowing or something. The remote also has a wrist strap - something seemingly unremarkable but long, long overdue in television remotes. Also, with reports of Samsung "smart" TVs watching the watchers - via hackers - the real-world Orwellian Telescreen factor is a concern.

    All you need for the Roku is an internet connection, and you can take it with you when you travel, so long as there's a 'net connection where you're staying.

    I can't comment on the competing "stick" streamers, but I think the Roku 3 ($99) is worth twice what I paid for it - and again, if it weren't for my roommates and NHK, I'd ditch pay cable in a heartbeat.
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    • Posted by $ 8 years, 6 months ago
      Thanks for the info. The main sticking points for me (my wife) are 1) her need to flip through channels to find something she's seen 10,000 times and 2) the $20/mo early cancellation charge from direct TV (13 months remaining).

      We already have 12MB cable service which will likely be upgraded should we go this route.
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  • Posted by sdesapio 8 years, 6 months ago
    I don't have Roku, but I do have a few Apple TVs and an Amazon FireStick which are both comparable to the Roku box.

    A couple of things to remember:
    1. Roku, Apple TV, and FireStick, are not one-to-one replacements for Dish, DirectTV, or cable, in that live TV like FOX, CNN, local news, etc. are not available. Yet.
    2. A lot of the channels offered on Roku require their own individual paid subscription (e.g. Netflix, HBO, ShowTime, etc.). If you have those channels on your existing DirectTV account however, they'll be free on Roku.
    3. A high-speed internet connection is an absolute must-have. Everything you watch on your Roku will be pulling from your internet pipe.

    My personal setup is one of having the minimum Dish Satelite package + Apple TV + Amazon Prime Video (FireStick) + individual Netflix and HBO subscriptions. In total, my monthly is around $85.
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    • Posted by $ 8 years, 6 months ago
      Thanks!

      I understand that I will need Internet (I would anyway for a variety of other things I do regularly) and I also intend to pickup a digital antenna for local channels and news.

      I have Direct TV, but their service has become less impressive as the channels of interest become fewer and fewer. I'm sick of their ever increasing billing and don't find COX cable any more appealing.

      What I like about Roku is the choice in what I subscribe to. I don't need/want non-English speaking channels and don't really need 35 music channels, Al Jazeera channel, OWN, or CNN. Since we're fairly busy all the time, I would miss the DRV service I have with my DirectTV set but, I suspect, I could watch pretty much everything we enjoy either when they are broadcast or shortly thereafter.
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