With a price range of $49.99 to $99.99 (with free shipping) from the manufacturer, and availability in several retail outlets, there is quite a bit of flexibility in what you can get. From this chart, you can see what is available with each unit (along with the MSRP). As a bonus right now, the Roku HD is on sale for the same prices as the standard model.
http://shop.roku.com/
Let's start off with what this isn't. This is not a DVR, or an alternative to either a cable (Comcast, Time Warner, Charter, Cox, etc) or Satellite (Dish Network, DirectTV, etc) service. In order to make full use of this, you will need an internet connection. In general, the faster the internet connection, the better it will be, especially if you have several devices run through a home router.
What it is, though, is a gateway to many channels of online content, like Netflix, Disney, Amazon, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, and much more. Picture quality can be up to 1080p (depending on selected unit, and television capability). It can connect either through an ethernet port, or wifi,
These are nice for an extra TV set. Possible suggestions include a kid's room, basement, office, workshop, or man cave. They can be easier to setup than running cable (in some cases). Also, they are very portable, and not limited by the location of a cable. So, you can put the TV in any location in the room, or on a wall, without having to consider and/or hide the cable.
These make for a great gift, parents! Let's face it, your kids will be growing up and going off to college, the service, their own apartments, etc. This is something they can take with them. It's small enough - about the size of an old portable CD player, For parents with younger children, there are parental controls that you can use to help control programming.
Economical value? The base price of $49.99 - $99.99 may jump out at first, but there are no direct costs afterward. There are a number of free content channels available to watch. Premium content, such as Hulu Plus, requires paying for the content. When activating the box, it will ask for a credit card - for the use in future subscriptions. However, if you choose to only use free channels, prevent unwanted ordering, or only wish to access your already paid content, you may call their toll free number and they'll manually activate your box (I did this, it's easy). If you're in an area with digital only cable service (like Comcast) then one of these boxes may save you money down the line. The upfront cost of the lowest price unit is less the annual rental cost of some digital cable boxes. It also has the benefit of being able to go, pretty much, anywhere.
We got one of these, the Roku XD, for one of the kids' birthday's . She seems to enjoy it. It gives the flexibility for her to rearrange her room any way she chooses, and when the time comes to move, the only thing it will need to learn is a new network password. I'd consider it worthwhile, and might consider it for down the line in other parts of the house.
Watch for tomorrow's item!
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