streaming devices???

[mloew1]

Hi all, I have been thinking about adding a streaming device to my setup. I have been reading all kinds of reviews, and nothing seems to do it all. I really don't want add a laptop and use windows media. I would like to stream Net-flicks, hulu, and the major players, and maybe You Tube some times, and possibly the internet. I do have a wired internet connection running to my system with a switch so I am ready there. What do you guys use? and what do you like and dislike about your setup? There are so many choices, I have looked at Western Digitals unit, Roku, Logitech revue. I was leaning toward the logitech, but I believe they are discontinuing it, so no future support. Any advice? Thanks Mike

 

[baniels]

I have an older model Roku HD. For the price it is pretty hard to beat. Plenty of content providers available on it.

 

[sholling]

I gave up on HTPCs and use a two box solution. Don't get me wrong, HTPCs work but just aren't nearly as convenient as a dedicated player. I went with a Roku XS for streaming online video and Pandora. It has Netflix (up to 1080P w/DD+ 5.1 audio), Amazon Streaming, Hulu Plus, HBO-Go, Epix subscription services and lots of other services - some free and some subscription based. What it's missing is YouTube (at Google's request) and web surfing. There is a rumor that Google is relenting and will soon bless the addition of an official youtube channel but so far it's just a rumor.

The other thing that's missing from the Roku is a good way to stream media stored on your home network. After much research I settled on the Netgear NeoTV 550. The NeoTV 550 does no internet streaming other than internet radio but in my opinion with the latest firmware it's an outstanding networked media player. Here is a thread that I started on it.

If you want a one box solution the newest version of the Western Digital TV Live looks interesting. I used the older version and it was a competent but now dated network media player with some limitations. Supposedly most of those limitations are addressed in the newest version but I haven't been able to confirm that yet. During your search keep in mind that not every Netflix ready device supports 1080P and/or DD+ 5.1 sound as discussed in another thread and they have only a limited amount of 1080P content.

 

[mloew1]

Thanks Guys, how well do these movies download in HD with regular Road Runner ISP. Is there any lag issues with a hard wired setup? Also do any of these devises allow you to pause the movie for a minute or so? That would really be nice, and if so I would think it would require a hard drive or at least lots of memory, besides being able to answer the phone, it might also give some buffer time while streaming, but I suppose copyrights and piracy could then come into play.

 

[JohnA]

What it's missing is YouTube (at Google's request) and web surfing. There is a rumor that Google is relenting and will soon bless the addition of an official youtube channel but so far it's just a rumor.

There is a Youtube channel...but private ...google private Roku channels

The other thing that's missing from the Roku is a good way to stream media stored on your home network.content.

You can stream media (mp3) from the roku using slingbox software on your computer and a channel called soundcaster (If I remember right)

 

[baniels]

They can all pause. That's a big point of streaming - you get the content as you want it.

They all have some sort of flash memory, but it isn't as though the movie is downloading and filling up a hard drive when you pause it. You pause and it stops retrieving the content until you resume.

Go to speedtest.net and report back your up and down speeds. Might help to guess on the streaming quality you can expect.

 

[sholling]

There is a Youtube channel...but private ...google private Roku channels

Been there and tried that. At Google's request Roku no longer accepts the YouTube private channel code.

You can stream media (mp3) from the roku using slingbox software on your computer and a channel called soundcaster (If I remember right)

I said "missing from the Roku is a good way to stream media stored on your home network" because the app that you refer to is so limited. I guess you could call it limited network media playback on training wheels when compared to the more steroidal capabilities of the NeoTV 550 or even the old OG WDTV Live.

Hopefully by this time next year someone will offer a device that streams internet content as well as the Roku and with the same amount of content, and that is as good of a network media player the NeoTV 550. Sony won't do it because they stubbornly will not support FLAC so that leaves Netgear, Western Digital and some smaller companies to try to pick up the ball and run with it. I'm frankly surprised that TV manufacturers haven't licensed Roku functionality.

Thanks Guys, how well do these movies download in HD with regular Road Runner ISP. Is there any lag issues with a hard wired setup? Also do any of these devises allow you to pause the movie for a minute or so? That would really be nice, and if so I would think it would require a hard drive or at least lots of memory, besides being able to answer the phone, it might also give some buffer time while streaming, but I suppose copyrights and piracy could then come into play.

They don't download they stream real time as you watch them and you can pause for a few minutes or even leave and come back later and watch where you left off. They also have skip forward and reverse buttons and the Roku XS even has an instant replay button that takes you back like 10-15 seconds.

Netfix doesn't require a huge amount of broadband bandwidth to stream a movie and you can lock it down to a lower quality level in case you have a monthly cap. I'd contact them and Roku and ask about recommended connection speeds for optimum viewing.

 

[JohnA]

Been there and tried that. At Google's request Roku no longer accepts the YouTube private channel code.

Strange, it still is working on mine.

 

[sholling]

Strange, it still is working on mine.

Perhaps because you already have the application? To the best of my knowledge Roku only controls what channels you can install (and handles billing), not what you do with them once you have them installed. Anyway right after I bought my Roku I googled private channels and YouTube was no longer available but I did find and tried a code and Roku's site responded that it was no longer available. Perhaps there is one I missed.

 

[lsiberian]

I use an Xbox 360, but I also game.

 

[Bassbinotoko]

I went with a WDTV Live; I liked the fact that it had an active community with hacked firmware. I haven't made much use of the streaming features, although the new WDXLTV firmware got Youtube working, and added Mediafly.

It has no trouble at all playing 1080p full-bitrate Blu-ray rips from a USB drive. The only real flaws are that it doesn't handle flv, and I believe there are limitations on the high-res audio over HDMI. I figured for the price of what a cheap DVD player used to cost, I could live with that, since I don't yet have an HDMI receiver or processor. And it does run quite hot; in the summer I like to have a fan blowing over it.

I've also explored an incredibly cheap ($35 shipping included) 1080p mini player from eBay. Not that great. The audio player only seems to do one file at a time. The remote is lousy and limited range. No S/PDIF. Lower power consumption than the WDTV, though. Very little documentation to be found on the chipset. (I'd optimistically hoped there might be enough info out there to hack one into a car media player by adding support for wired controls and a Matrix Orbital-style LCD.)

 

[bwaslo]

One thing you'd get with an HTPC over one of the dedicated streamers is access to free Hulu and Spotify. The WDTV does the plus or premium version of these, but not the free ones you can get through a PC. So if you want them, prepare to pay more monthly or get an HTPC.