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temery

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My Roku died yesterday and I need a replacement. I see several models, ranging in price from $30 to $180.

My TV is nothing special - 26" Sanyo LCD. I use the Roku for Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos.

Which Roku do I need that won't be overkill? I'm assuming the really expensive ones take advantage of TV features my TV doesn't have. So, what's the difference between the various models of Roku?
 
temery said:
My Roku died yesterday and I need a replacement. I see several models, ranging in price from $30 to $180.

My TV is nothing special - 26" Sanyo LCD. I use the Roku for Netflix and Amazon Prime Videos.

Which Roku do I need that won't be overkill? I'm assuming the really expensive ones take advantage of TV features my TV doesn't have. So, what's the difference between the various models of Roku?
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I have the LT, which they probably don't sell still. Like you I use it for our 2nd TV. Any will work, so get the cheapest. Was an early adopter & the 1st Roku we bought they stopped supporting. There are good alternatives to Roku - firestick, etc too that are similarly priced. We are in the Apple ecosystem & if I were doing it all over Id look at the Apple TV just for the ease of streaming from computer to TV.
 
I have two. One of them started acting up earlier this summer so I replaced it with the Roku Express. It was was $29 on Amazon and does the job nicely. I'm also only using it for Netflix and Amazon streaming on a less than fancy flat screen. The Express, if I remember correctly, seems to require hdmi connections.
 
You know what, go out and buy a television with a Roku built in. Or a television with Amazon Fire built in. Or just a smart TV with Netflix and Amazon.

Vizio makes some good very inexpensive televisions that make Netflix and Prime very easy to watch - there are dedicated buttons right on the remote.

Those are far better solutions than throwing money at something to attach to a 26" Sanyo.

Screen_Shot_2017-09-04_at_11.12.07_AM.png
 
I have a roku,(don't use anymore), a roku tv, an Amazon fire tv, and 2 Chromecast. Roku by far is clunker of the 3. I haven't used a fire stick but the amazon fire t.v. is the best of those gadgets. It's interface is smooth and simple and they are the best for the PS VUE, other than s play station itself. I feel like roku isn't keeping up with the times. On ps vue, they're the only ones that don't have a live tv guide. It's annoying.
 
Also, are you sure it's the roku and not the remote? Their remotes die like nobody's business.
 
noeynox said:
Also, are you sure it's the roku and not the remote? Their remotes die like nobody's business.
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Roku's biggest attribute is anyone and anything can get their content on it - I keep one around just because you can find something to watch about anything with it. The interface isn't good, but it's no worse than Amazon's and Amazon doesn't have a YouTube app. ("But you can side load it!" - it fails the location check when you do and jailbreaking the thing is inviting the world into your network.)

Roku's biggest failing is that their remotes will break. Download their remote app - I think you'll find that the Roku works and the remote doesn't.
 
I'm a big fan of Chromecast, it works with youtube tv which is $35/mo and get ESPN,2,U,News, CBS Sports, Fox Sports 1 & 2, NBC Sports, so have pretty much every possible Uconn broadcast covered, can have 6 users so can share and split it a few ways with others.
 
Fishy said:
Roku's biggest attribute is anyone and anything can get their content on it - I keep one around just because you can find something to watch about anything with it. The interface isn't good, but it's no worse than Amazon's and Amazon doesn't have a YouTube app. ("But you can side load it!" - it fails the location check when you do and jailbreaking the thing is inviting the world into your network.)

Roku's biggest failing is that their remotes will break. Download their remote app - I think you'll find that the Roku works and the remote doesn't.
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I really soured on Roku, when I got PS VUE. They are just an inferior product with that platform.
 
noeynox said:
I really soured on Roku, when I got PS VUE. They are just an inferior product with that platform.
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I much prefer the roku to the fire stick. Usually watch the smaller tv to avoid the fs
 
I switched to the fire stick when we left the roku stick in Cape Cod. Either one is fine. I like that they are portable. We take it when we travel.
 
Get a kodi!!! J/k, well kinda...

Fishy's advice is a winner. I have a roku streaming stick and it worked fine. Then I got some new TVs and they all came with Roku built in. For the most part all i was using Roku for was Netflix, Hulu, and NBA league pass.
 
noeynox said:
Also, are you sure it's the roku and not the remote? Their remotes die like nobody's business.
Expand ...


My Roku stick remote just crapped out. Replaced the batteries - no good. Turned off / re-booted the router just get the thing to stop streaming. Bingo. The remote works again. Wtf???

Just in case - how do you get a new remote - or is that a whole new system buy??
 
Last edited:
Fishy said:
You know what, go out and buy a television with a Roku built in. Or a television with Amazon Fire built in. Or just a smart TV with Netflix and Amazon.

Vizio makes some good very inexpensive televisions that make Netflix and Prime very easy to watch - there are dedicated buttons right on the remote.

Those are far better solutions than throwing money at something to attach to a 26" Sanyo.

Screen_Shot_2017-09-04_at_11.12.07_AM.png
Expand ...


https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sharp-...0p-smart-hdtv-roku-tv/4863301.p?skuId=4863301


That's probably the better deal assuming OP has the space to go a bit bigger.
 
sledog said:
My Roku stick remote just crapped out. Replaced the batteries - no good. Turned off / re-booted the router just get the thing to stop streaming. Bingo. The remote works again. Wtf???

Just in case - how do you get a new remote - or is that a whole new system buy??
Expand ...
Try the phone app, like fishy recommended. I had to do it with mine. Cheapest remotes ever made.
 
If you're fine with your TV.. Just go buy a $30 stick. They work fine. I have a couple of streaming sticks for the other tvs and a Roku Premiere for the home theater. The main reason I like the Roku is there interface is dirt simple for the less technical to use.

I don't use the Roku remote. I use a Harmony Hub, but I got an old school home theater setup and it's nice to have everything controlled by a simple remote. The Harmony Hub works fairly well with Alexa as well.
 
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