# Apple Roku



## TheRealist187 (Jan 4, 2012)

I am just Interested in information about the Roku, hulu , boxee or any other streaming devices which have good reviewsStreaming box on the market in US , living in Ireland we have limited Internet TV, Apple TV is only set for movies but if we open an American account we can access the TV shows etc.


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## PRAYER (Jun 18, 2011)

one AWESOME thing about apple tv: you can hook up an optical output and steam HiFi music from your computer/ipod touch/iphone/etc.... 

it seems pretty good for the price (assuming that you are not limited to streaming only apple-store music)


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## typ44q (Apr 7, 2008)

In my house there is both an apple tv and Roku and the Roku gets used much more than the apple box mainly because there is more free content available on the Roku. I think the apple box is good if you purchase a lot of content from itunes but other than that it really does not do much.


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## TheRealist187 (Jan 4, 2012)

Do you pay a monthly subscription for the access of the roku box? , what do you think of Hulu tv etc. 

I can gain software which allows me to use Hulu as if I was in the US but with Roku can I do this?


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## typ44q (Apr 7, 2008)

There is no fee associated with the Roku box itself but I pay a monthly fee for Hulu plus which gives you additional content over regular Hulu but it is not required.
Most of what I use the box for is watching Hulu but I am in the US and am not sure how it would work for you in Ireland. You might try looking around in a dedicated Roku forum to see if that is possible.
Here is a great resource for additional channels that can be added to the Roku http://www.roku-channels.com/home


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

In our house it's the Apple TV but mostly because that's the interface the rest of the family is used to. Streaming Netflix from it works great and streaming across the wireless is flawless. But my goal wasn't as much about features as it was about having something that the rest of the family would use. I have three running in three different zones in the house and all streaming from the same access point pulling from the same library and haven't had an issue since putting it all together.


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

The BIG downside to the Apple TV is that their native service doesn't have a subscription based viewing option like Netflix or HULU.


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## KalaniP (Dec 17, 2008)

Dale Rasco said:


> The BIG downside to the Apple TV is that their native service doesn't have a subscription based viewing option like Netflix or HULU.


Not sure what you mean. Is there a single device out there that INCLUDES a Netflix streaming subscription? AppleTV offers what is arguably the best, or at least one of the best, Netflix interfaces out there. You just need a Netflix account, which costs the same if you own an AppleTV as a Roku (or both, or neither... the cost is always the same).

I do wish they had a Hulu client, but honestly I don't really miss it, with DirecTV DVRs and Netflix my viewing needs are pretty well covered.


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## KalaniP (Dec 17, 2008)

typ44q said:


> In my house there is both an apple tv and Roku and the Roku gets used much more than the apple box mainly because there is more free content available on the Roku. I think the apple box is good if you purchase a lot of content from itunes but other than that it really does not do much.


Unless you're willing to take the time to convert your DVDs and Blu-rays to AppleTV's native format. Which I have done, slowly, over time.

Right now I have over 600 movies on tap via my local network, available on any AppleTV in the house (we have one in the living room and one in the bedroom) at the tap of a finger. Full DVD quality (IMO), and very nice 720p quality for HD content. Works beautifully.

I've used my AppleTVs in this manner since the first gen units, and loved them. Only recently have I started doing any Netflix stuff with my AppleTVs.

Handbrake (free software) makes it simple to convert crazy near anything I can download into an AppleTV-compatible file which I can then use however, and whenever, I see fit, with no strain on my internet connection.


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

KalaniP said:


> Not sure what you mean. Is there a single device out there that INCLUDES a Netflix streaming subscription? AppleTV offers what is arguably the best, or at least one of the best, Netflix interfaces out there. You just need a Netflix account, which costs the same if you own an AppleTV as a Roku (or both, or neither... the cost is always the same).
> 
> I do wish they had a Hulu client, but honestly I don't really miss it, with DirecTV DVRs and Netflix my viewing needs are pretty well covered.


I do have Netflix.

What I meant was that Apple as a corporation doesn't offer a subscription based service. In other words, I would get rid of my Netflix account if Apple could offer a monthly subscription to get access to all of their rental content. But they don't offer it natively so I have to use the Netflix option on my Apple TV. 

And I agree, compared to the Apple Netflix interface, the others that I have seen such as PC, PS3 and Xbox are complete rubbish..


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## KalaniP (Dec 17, 2008)

Dale Rasco said:


> I do have Netflix.
> 
> What I meant was that Apple as a corporation doesn't offer a subscription based service. In other words, I would get rid of my Netflix account if Apple could offer a monthly subscription to get access to all of their rental content. But they don't offer it natively so I have to use the Netflix option on my Apple TV.
> 
> And I agree, compared to the Apple Netflix interface, the others that I have seen such as PC, PS3 and Xbox are complete rubbish..


Gotcha. Of course, no one else does, either, so in the contest between Roku and ATV, that's not really a point one way or the other.

Agreed that it would be cool if Apple offered their own streaming. Of course, then no one but ATV owners could get it (perhaps Macs and HTPCs if you could access via iTunes and have it connected to your TV). Netflix is good for cross-platform use.


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## gtamayo (Jun 21, 2011)

I use Apple TV most of time for TV series, podcasts and movies I download from the web, and convert it to mv4 without problems. I can also stream music from my itunes library, that I have from elsewhere! Of course, to really, really, really hear music, it is waste to your ears if you have a nice audio system!

If you plan to use it with Netflix, it will work as well... Now, I am a Mac fun, and I have the iPad, I love the Apple TV because I can see the pictures, and most everything on the TV set (or a projector attached to the appleTV). I guess it is in my wishing list, to make the iPad fully wireless and mirror everything you are doing on it, via the appleTV. Hopefully someone from Apple reads this!


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## illini_skn (Feb 5, 2012)

We have both and the two really offer different services. The Roku is great if you have a Netflix account and/or want to stream a great deal of free broadcasts. However, access to purchase based options i limited. The Apple doesn't have the same range but the iTunes store is fantastic for buying just about everything. If you are planning to having a Netflix or the paid Hulu service, the Roku is probably a better bet.


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## KalaniP (Dec 17, 2008)

illini_skn said:


> We have both and the two really offer different services. The Roku is great if you have a Netflix account and/or want to stream a great deal of free broadcasts. However, access to purchase based options i limited. The Apple doesn't have the same range but the iTunes store is fantastic for buying just about everything. If you are planning to having a Netflix or the paid Hulu service, the Roku is probably a better bet.


What is it that you prefer about the Roku Netflix interface vs. the Apple TV Netflix interface? Most discussions I've read have put the AppleTV interface at the top of the list.


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## Oktyabr (Jan 31, 2012)

Realize that there is a big difference between the larger first generation ATV (Apple TV) because of it's on board storage, and the 2nd gen one which is smaller, cheaper and has no onboard storage. Also the first gen is not HD compatible where the 2nd one is. It's for this reason that I prefer netflix (and BD) on the PS3. With a USB dongle I can use my Logitech Harmony to control it and I don't have to fiddle around with a PS3 controller in it's place (why oh why didn't Sony build a cheap IR receiver into the PS3?!?!?)

That said the 1st gen certainly have an attraction. When the 2nd gen first went on sale the classifieds filled up with the older model being sold on the cheap as people "upgraded". At one time I had three of them in my house and I don't think I paid more than $40 for any of them. I sold off two of them (and my Roku Soundbridge) and use the remaining one for music. Apple's native software does do a nice job with iTunes streaming and I am especially fond of it for internet radio. But there is more to the 1st gen ATV than that! One of the cool things about the 1st gen one IS it's on board storage... which means there is room on the device to install 2nd party software!

With a cheap USB memory stick and the right software you can "mod" the 1st gen ATV to include software like XMBC http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=HOW-TO:Install_XBMC_on_Apple_TV_1

I use XBMC mostly to play the rest of my digital audio which for the most part is lossless FLAC rips of CDs and some vinyl, a format not natively supported by Apple OS.

You can also easily add Boxee which is similar to XBMC in many ways but also includes access to Youtube, TED, Flickr, Vevo, Mubi, Cnet, CBCtv, BBC, Mojo and much, much more. Hulu has had an on/off relationship with Boxee, currently "off". Content on the other channels can be hit and miss but there is enough good stuff on there (both free and subscriber) to make the installation worthwhile. http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Hack_Your_Apple_TV_With_Boxee

EDIT: Here is the link for the Boxee website, now basically a webstore for their own hardware device, the Boxee Box: http://www.boxee.tv/

Link for XBMC: http://xbmc.org/natethomas/2012/03/24/xbmc-11-0-eden/

Note: There are further hacks to implement such softwares on the ATV v2 as well as adding an HD chip to the ATV v1 but I have no first hand experience with either so YMMV.


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## jerryrigg (May 1, 2012)

i would have to agree that the roku would be the way to go due to free content or paid content if you like. if you have a spare pc or wii, you could do essentially the same thing with it and prolly more. just throwing that idea out there since i seen no mention of it. i looked at a roku awhile back and opted to just use my pc and wii over it. if you're looking for netflix, hulu, crackle and digital media it's a pretty good option that is if you have a spare tower laying around. it wouldn't need to be anything high powered. if not, the going rate for a roku isn't bad for the intended purpose. if you're looking for digital media and hulu/netflix and have a wii, you can get the programs for free and "softmod" the wii and use wii mc to play the digital media. i've been known to do that also. hope this doesn't further complicate things but there are alternatives out there and you might have the equipment to do what you would like top do already.


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