Roku 2 delivers cheap, easy video streaming

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The last update to Roku’s line of portable streaming video players came in 2010, right as Apple was announcing the all-new Apple TV (). Roku’s tiny devices were overshadowed by Apple’s even tinier (though heavier) black box. This year Roku has updated its players yet again, adding features while outdoing the Apple TV with boxes that are smaller and lighter than Apple’s $99 player.

It’s clear that the Roku 2 players—there are three models, ranging in price from $60 to $100—are inspired by the new Apple TV design. They’re slightly taller than the Apple TV, but smaller in the other two dimensions, and lighter.

Like the Apple TV, the Roku 2 players are tiny devices without any hard drives, designed specifically to play back streaming video on your TV set. All models support playback of a growing collection of multimedia “channels,” including Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, MLB.TV, Pandora, Hulu Plus, and more.

All Roku 2 models offer standard-definition video output via an included adapter cable, as well as high-definition video output via an HDMI port. All have a microSD card slot as well. They all support 802.11b/g/n networking (though not the 5GHz flavor of 802.11n). The $60 base-model Roku 2 HD supports 720p video (just like the Apple TV). The $80 Roku 2 XD adds support for 1080p video. The $100 Roku 2 XS offers all that, plus a snazzy Bluetooth remote-control that doubles as a game controller called the Roku Game Remote, a free copy of Angry Birds so you’ve got something to use that snazzy remote with, an ethernet port, and a USB port.

The Roku 2 on top of an Apple TV on top of the previous-generation Roku player.

Roku offers the Roku Game Remote as an add-on for the new HD and XD models as well, as part of a $30 bundle that also includes a 2GB MicroSD card.

(And yes, you can copy videos onto a USB hard drive or keychain drive and attach them to the USB port on the Roku 2 XS to watch once you've added the USB-video channel via the Channel Store. You can watch videos stored on a MicroSD card as well. Bad news for fans of esoteric video formats, though: the Roku 2 XS only supports DRM-free H.264 MPEG-4 video.)

On the software side, the Roku 2 is very similar to older Roku video players: the company keeps evolving its interface, but it’s not that different from what’s currently on older Roku players. Roku’s Netflix interface is my favorite of any I’ve tried. The Amazon and MLB interfaces aren’t quite as good, but they’re still easy to use.

What gives Roku a leg up on Apple is its broad support for content sources: Right now Apple TV has access to iTunes, Netflix, MLB, NBA, and a few social-network sites. Roku’s got hundreds of different channels full of content, from video podcasts to live TV streams to Pandora. And Amazon’s library—to buy, rent, and stream for free if you’re an Amazon Prime member—is pretty impressive and getting more impressive by the day, and not available on Apple TV. If Apple opens up the Apple TV to third-party sources, things could get interesting, but right now Roku’s streaming sources outclass Apple’s.

However, Apple’s got Roku when it comes to the audio and video you’ve got in your home. The Apple TV will stream any compatible video from a Mac or PC in the vicinity running iTunes, and you can wirelessly send video from an iOS device to the Apple TV using Apple’s AirPlay technology; with Roku, you need to attach a device to the USB port found only on the high-end, XS model. Roku devices can only stream networked video from within your home through the use of third-party channels. These channels must be added manually, are not supported by Roku, and are hard to use. As long as Roku refuses to build in official home-network streaming support, it’s hard to recommend these devices for that purpose. (And of course, if you’ve got a library of videos you’ve purchased on iTunes, you can’t play them back on any non-Apple device, including these.)

The Bluetooth gaming-controller remote.

One of the interesting quirks of the Roku 2 XS is its gaming-controller remote and included copy of Angry Birds. Roku has already made more games available for purchase in the Roku store, and it’s clear the company thinks these boxes have a future as a casual gaming platform. It remains to be seen what kind of games appear for the platform, but I admit I’m kind of intrigued. (Keep in mind that if you plan to download and play games, you'll almost certainly need to add a microSD card.)

I found Angry Birds to be playable, though tilting the remote to shoot was a lot less precise than using my finger on an iPad screen. I’m bored by Angry Birds at this point, but it’s not a bad proof of concept. The game looked great, and there’s an opportunity for video players like the Roku 2 (and the Apple TV) to appeal to people who wouldn’t buy a dedicated game console. It’s something worth watching, but until there are more games available, it’s hard to say whether this will be a good feature or just a distraction.

Macworld’s buying advice

If you don’t have a large investment in iTunes video content, you’ll find the Roku 2 models to be quite comparable to Apple TV, and at lower prices. At $100, the Roku 2 XS is a good value given its Bluetooth remote and ethernet support; the $60 Roku 2 HD is an even better deal for anyone looking to get Internet video on a TV as simply and cheaply as possible.

If you’re a fan of a content streams not supported by Apple—Amazon Video and Hulu Plus come to mind—you’ll find that Roku’s broader selection of third-party content is a major advantage. Until Apple opens up the Apple TV to a broader range of third-party content, the Roku 2’s flexibility gives Roku a distinct advantage.

Related articles

• Review: Roku 2 players offer cheap, easy video streaming (macworld.com)
• A look at Roku's new line of digital media players (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)
• Roku Adds Angry Birds, Improves Netflix Support (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)
• Coming To Roku Set-Tops: Angry Birds, Epix, Facebook, AOL Video, FoxNews.com (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)
• Roku Unveils Roku 2 Set-Top Player Family (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)

A look at Roku's new line of digital media players

Consumers have a large and growing number of options for watching digital videos downloaded or streamed from the Net, ranging from digital set-top boxes to Blu-ray players to video game consoles to Internet-connected TVs. However, one of the best choices has been Roku's line of digital media players, which are even more attractive now that the company has updated its line.
Image via WikipediaIntroduced three years ago, Roku's players are inexpensive, easy to use and simple to set up. The new models - collectively dubbed the Roku 2 - are smaller and more energy-efficient. The range of content available on them is among the broadest you'll find among digital media adapters. And the devices have a new trick: the ability to play casual games such as "Angry Birds" with a motion-sensing controller similar to the one with Nintendo's Wii game machine.
Roku's first digital player was extremely limited. All it could do was play videos streamed from Netflix - a fact reflected in its original name: the Netflix Player.
Roku quickly dropped the "Netflix" appellation and steadily added access to new Internet content providers-all while keeping the price of its players at $100 or less. Today, you can choose from some 300 "channels."
You can now watch movies on Netflix or Amazon or TV shows hosted by Hulu. You can listen to music from digital music services such as Pandora and MOG, view photos you've uploaded to Flickr or Picasa or personal videos you've uploaded to Facebook. You can even watch live professional sports, including Major League Baseball and NHL hockey games and UFC fights. Roku also provides access to numerous international TV shows and movies, and even to private channels that can be set up by businesses or individual users.
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There are still some notable gaps in its lineup. You won't find YouTube in Roku's channel store, for example. Nor will you find Vudu, the high-quality video streaming service. And the device doesn't include a Web browser that would allow you to access videos found on less popular websites but not in one of its channels.
Still, Roku's channel list compares favorably to what you'll find on Apple TV box or on the typical Internet-connected TV. And the addition of games gives the Roku box digital content you can't find with Apple TV and many other digital media adapters.
"Angry Birds" looks great on the Roku 2 and works relatively well once you get used to using a motion-sensing controller rather than a touch screen. Roku representatives say it's just the first of many high-quality casual games you'll be able to play on the Roku 2 box.
The company's new controller - which only works with the Roku 2 players - should help it attract additional games. Shaped like its standard 8-button remote control, it adds motion detectors as well as two buttons specifically for playing simple games. Turned on its side, the new controller looks a bit like the gamepads used with older Nintendo consoles.
To be sure, you won't be replacing your Wii or Xbox 360 with a Roku 2 anytime soon, if ever. Its game selection is sparse and unimpressive beyond "Angry Birds," consisting of a handful of simple, low-resolution, single-player card and dice games like poker and mah-jongg. But it could soon be a fun way to play on your big-screen TV the kinds of casual games that have become popular on smartphones.
Content aside, the Roku 2 players are nice pieces of hardware. At little more than three inches square and less than an inch tall, the devices are even smaller than the pint-size Apple TV. Like the Apple TV, but unlike the Boxee Box, say, or the video game consoles, the Roku 2s are whisper-quiet and super-efficient, using less than 2 watts when streaming a high-definition movie. And their controller and interface are in the same vein as Apple TVs: simple, streamlined and much easier to use than your typical TV remote or game console.
What makes the Roku 2 boxes particularly appealing are their prices. The lowest-end model costs just $60. The top-of the line model is $100, but includes "Angry Birds" and the new game controller, which is a $30 add-on for the other models.
There are some ways in which the Roku 2 comes up short. One major and long-standing problem with the Roku players is that you can't search them easily. There's no search box in the Roku channel store nor on the Roku's 2 home page, so you may find yourself scrolling through dozens of channels to find the one you want. The devices also don't offer any way to search across different channels for a particular movie or TV show. Instead, you have to search within particular channels for videos, hoping that you picked the right channel to search.
Unlike the Apple TV or some other digital adapters, the Roku players don't easily connect to computers or other devices on your network, so you generally can't stream movies or music to the players from such devices.
So the new Roku 2 players aren't perfect. But if you're interested in getting Internet content on to your TV, they're a darn good choice.
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ROKU 2 DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYERS
-Likes: Offer broad range of content; easy to use; inexpensive; quiet; energy-efficient; can play games
-Dislikes: No way to search for particular channels or across channels for particular videos; no Web browser and no way to access content not available through existing channels; no easy way to access home videos or other content stored on home network; sparse selection of games
-How much: $60 for HD model; $80 for XD model, which supports 1080p video; $100 for XS model, which includes "Angry Birds," game controller and USB port
-Web: roku.com

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• Roku 2 Streaming Player (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)
• Roku Unveils Roku 2 Set-Top Player Family (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)
• Roku 2 launches with Angry Birds, subtitles, 1080p Netflix, EpixHD (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)
• Coming To Roku Set-Tops: Angry Birds, Epix, Facebook, AOL Video, FoxNews.com (rokuplayerconcert.blogspot.com)
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Roku 2 Streaming Player

Roku's fourth generation streaming player, the curiously named Roku 2, is the company's best yet, an excellent and inexpensive solution for accessing valuable online services like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and Hulu Plus from the living room. And while it may seem especially interesting for those who understandably wish to avoid the Apple side of the fence, the Roku devices--there are three versions--are so inexpensive that even die-hard Apple fans might want to take a look.

As with last year's redesigned streaming players, which were actually the third generation Roku players, this year's evolutionary update provides three player models, two of which are truly interesting. The entry level Roku 2 HD costs $60 and provides access to all of the online services, built-in Wi-Fi, and 720p HD output. Step up to the Roku 2 XD for $80 and you gain 1080p playback. And if you go for the most "expensive" of the three, the $100 Roku 2 XS, you get a different (and video game-capable) remote, a free copy of the popular Angry Birds game, an Ethernet port (for a more stable wired network connection), and a USB port for local playback of USB-based content.

I received a Roku 2 XS, but since it's a true superset of the other two models, some general comments are in order here. First, the devices are all physically identical, and look very much like Apple's latest Apple TV, sort of a squared off hockey puck design, so that doesn't need to factor into the buying decision. Second, I feel that virtually any reader will want the 1080p playback, so I recommend going with the $80 Roku 2 XD or $100 Roku 2 XS, and not the low-end version. Third, looking at the unique features available on the XS, I'm not sure it's enough of a difference, unless that Ethernet port is truly valuable to you. And as you'll see in a moment, the unique, new XS remote is nice, but has a fatal flaw I find irritating.

Compared to an Apple TV, which limits you to Apple's iTunes-based services and a handful of useful third party services--the only truly universal one being Netflix--the Roku 2 is the model of openness and offers access to a much better and broader variety of services. These include:

Netflix. While the Netflix streaming TV show and movie service is about as ubiquitous as online services can be, the Roku version is better than most because, unlike with the Apple TV, Xbox 360, or most set-top boxes and TVs, it actually offers support for soft captioning (or what Netflix calls subtitles). This is a big deal in my house, where the Roku box is the only devices out of several that actually supports this feature. For us, this is reason enough to own a Roku 2. The Netflix streaming service is $8 a month.

Amazon Instant Video. An interesting combination of Apple's iTunes Store (when used via the Apple TV) and Netflix, Amazon Instant Video is maturing into what I feel will be the go-to online digital video service in the years ahead. Like iTunes, it offers rentable and purchasable TV shows and movies, often with HD options, but unlike iTunes, you also gain forever streaming access to everything you've purchased in the past. And as with Netflix, Amazon offers a free TV show and movie streaming service, called Prime Instant Videos. Currently, this service is not as fully populated with content as is Netflix, but that's changing almost weekly. And as important, the service is free--yes, free--to anyone who is also utilizing Amazon's excellent Prime Shipping option (which I am); this service costs $80 a year and also provides free, two-day shipping on most physical items purchased from Amazon.com.

Hulu Plus. While the free Hulu and paid Hulu Plus services have never taken off as successful as, say, Netflix, this service does offer a better selection of new TV shows than does Netflix and is reasonably priced ($8 a month) assuming that's what you're looking for.

TWiT. Leo Laporte's TWiT network provides the most popular tech and science podcasts on earth, including my own Windows Weekly. (OK, so I'm a bit biased on this one.)

Pandora. The most popular online radio service is available in free and paid ($60 per year) versions, the latter of which provides better quality music streaming, no advertisements, and other features.

You Tube. Google's ubiquitous web-based video streaming services offers millions of clips of varying lengths and quality levels.

Picasa. Google's excellent but underappreciated photo management and cloud storage service is available in free and paid (various yearly prices) versions. I happen to use and recommend this service, though others like Flickr appear to be much more popular with users.

MLB.TV. Major League Baseball's official streaming service provides out of market regular season baseball games live or on-demand. There are two versions of the service, MLB.TV ($60 a year or $20 a month) and MLB.TV Premium ($80 a year or $25 a month), the latter of which adds a choice of home and away broadcasts, live game DVR controls, and simultaneous multi-game viewing.

But wait, there's more. Those are the channels I see on my own Roku 2. Dive into the on-device Channel Store and there are many more, including (but not limited to) Crackle (movies on demand), Facebook Photos & Videos, AOL HD, Revision 3 (podcasts), Flixster (HD movie trailers), CNET (technology shows and podcasts), Livestation (international news), and many, many more.

OK, now all of this stuff is available on any Roku 2 player. And while I've discounted the low-end version, it may be worth further examining the differences between the mid-level Roku 2 XD and the high-end Roku 2 XS.

Aside from the Ethernet port--which may or may not be a must-have, depending on your needs--the XS offers two key differences over the XD. The XS is set up for video gaming. And it includes a USB port for local content playback. And those features break down like so:

Video games. The Roku 2 XS has a GPU for video game functionality a new API for developers that would like to take advantage of this. As a proof of concept, sort of, the XS includes a great version of Angry Birds, which looks awesome in HD and works surprisingly well with the bundled remote. 

That said, the remote is otherwise troublesome, because the OK button isn't in the center of the d-pad where it belongs. Instead, it's below the d-pad, which makes entering user names and passwords monotonous and error-prone. Last year's Roku remote was much better in this regard, as is this year's HD and XD remote, both of which put the OK button where it should be.

The Roku 2 HD and XD remote (left) and XS remote (right).

Aside from Angry Birds, Roku offers a decidedly weak selection of card and dice games (yes, really) through its store. Presumably, other, higher quality games will be made available via the Channel Store over time. But I don't see this as a huge selling point.

USB. If you've got a hard drive or USB memory stick full of content you'd like to play back from the Roku 2, the XS includes a USB port for doing just that. As with other set top boxes, the interface is clumsy and slow, but at least it does work with NTFS formatted disks, which has historically been problematic. I think the best I can say here is that, yes, it does work. But it's slow, especially when navigating in folders with tons of files, and there's not a lot in the way of playback controls. It doesn't work with video files that have soft captions (no surprise there) and can't handle other advanced functionality.

What all Roku devices are still missing, incidentally, and I have to say I find this curious, isnetwork-based content playback. All of my digital photos, home movies, DVD rips, and music are on a PC or home server, and what I'd like to be able to do is browse the network, find that content, and play it back on the Roku 2. The WDTV Live does this. The Xbox 360 does too. (Even the Apple TV does this, sort of. But iTunes needs to be running on a logged-in PC for this to work, and both the Apple TV and iTunes instance need to be utilizing the same Apple ID for home network sharing.) But here we are in 2011 and Roku is still ignoring this one need. It's curious, because the devices are otherwise near perfect.

Final thoughts

Even if that latter bit of functionality is crucial to you, you may find yourself wanting a Roku 2. And that's because it handles all of the most popular online services so well. This is the best alternative to the Apple TV I've seen so far and is in fact superior to the Apple TV for most PC users simply because of the breadth and depth of services choices. Also, the Roku 2 is cheap, tiny, silent, and has a wonderfully simple user interface. What's not to like?

Highly recommended.

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Roku Adds Angry Birds, Improves Netflix Support

Roku has debuted the next generation of its set-top entertainment player, aiming to solidify its position in the streaming entertainment sector. In addition to adding 802.11n support across all devices and improved Netflix support for high-end models, the Roku now does games.

Click to zoomRoku has created a Wii-like Bluetooth motion remote accessory that allows for gameplay on the device and retails for $29. The first title to support this new functionality will be the ever-popular Angry Birds. Other titles are expected in the coming weeks and months, including Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio, as well as two titles from Namco, Pac-Man CE and Galaga.

No doubt, Roku is using the gaming capabilities as a way to differentiate itself in the set-top market, where it is facing a stiff challenge from Apple TV, which retails for $99, but lacks the broad streaming capabilities and the gaming functionality that the Roku 2 will provide.

Roku also beats Apple TV in terms of size. While Apple's new set-top box is pretty small, the new Roku is even more minuscule: it measures in at 3 inches wide and about an inch high.

As before, Roku will maintain three different models. The entry level HD will retail for $59 and support 720p HD video. Stepping up to the XD at $79 will gain 1080p video, and enhanced 1080p playback support and Dolby 5.1 surround sound for Netflix videos.

The top of the line XS will cost $99, and carry many of the same features as the XD, but includes a USB port and wired Ethernet capabilities. In addition Roku will include the Bluetooth motion remote and a copy of Angry Birds at no additional cost. All units will be available through Roku's retail channels when it launches later this month.

In addition to the gaming support, Roku's content catalog will expand to nearly 300 channels. Additional channels will be coming soon from Facebook, AOL HD, and FOXNews.com, it said.

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