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Roku Announces Roku 3 Set-Top Box

10K views 66 replies 13 participants last post by  Diana C 
#1 ·
Roku yesterday announced their third-generation set-top box, and Apple TV competitor, Roku 3, with new features like a brand new interface and motion gestures for its remote.

More here.
 
#31 ·
Chris Blount said:
I'm using an Optoma HD33 3D projector. If you are referring to projection systems in general, it doesn't have to be pitch dark in the room. You simply lose good contrast if you have ambient light. There are screens you can buy that are not white but grey which helps in rooms that are not able to achieve full darkness allowing better contrast.

They definitely did something in the ROKU 3 to improve PQ. Not by a huge amount, but enough to notice. Plus, as I mentioned before, navigating the menus us much faster although that could simply be the new software.
Doesn't the 3 have a dual core CPU, versus single core in the 2? We have a 2 XS and am thinking of moving it up to my bedroom and getting a 3 for the family room.
 
#33 ·
Yes, I was thinking the same thing...I pulled the trigget yesterday. The Roku 3 will be here tomorrow, along with a behind the TV mount.
 
#36 ·
P Smith said:
Don't hesitate open the boxes and tell us what CPU using in both models ;)
The information is available on the internet for both boxes...search is your friend.
 
#38 ·
I bought one at Best Buy yesterday and set it up.

If I can solve ONE problem, it stays, otherwise I think I'll be returning it.

The Roku doesn't seem to play nice with others. The remote appears to be some form of Bluetooth (it pairs with the box). Ok, no problem. But the remote has NO IDEA that I have a television with it's own features, that I might want to switch from the Roku to my Joey, etc. At least the Dish remote knows it will be used with an IR-based piece of equipment and I can say "Hey, my TV is an Insignia - use their codes for volume control".

Because of this, I can't even buy a learning remote to combine all three devices (TV, Joey, Roku) because the Roku is some form of RF.

That being said, the box itself is wonderful. Set up was fast, though I didn't like having to constantly go back to a computer to enter in codes at various websites to activate/link Netflix, Amazon Prime and MLB.TV. The Plex media client was FANTASTIC in that it automatically found the server and allowed me to choose a higher bitrate since I was using wired ethernet (although the path was a bit convoluted - Roku plugged into a Homelink, through the electrical wires to the router, out some Cat 6 to the hub in the basements and another Cat 6 hop to the actual Windows 8-based machine with the Storage Spaces array on it).

PQ is pretty damn good. I have 35Mbps fiber to my house and got good pictures from both Netflix and Amazon Prime. MLB.TV looked a bit strange in that it would be fuzzy-ish for a moment and THEN give me a nice, crystal clear HD picture (they must use a different buffering scheme but, then again, I *was* trying to watch live stuff on MLB.TV versus pre-recorded on Netflix and Amazon).

I'll be looking for a solution to my "remote trouble".
 
#39 ·
djlong said:
I bought one at Best Buy yesterday and set it up.

If I can solve ONE problem, it stays, otherwise I think I'll be returning it.

The Roku doesn't seem to play nice with others. The remote appears to be some form of Bluetooth (it pairs with the box). Ok, no problem. But the remote has NO IDEA that I have a television with it's own features, that I might want to switch from the Roku to my Joey, etc. At least the Dish remote knows it will be used with an IR-based piece of equipment and I can say "Hey, my TV is an Insignia - use their codes for volume control".

I'll be looking for a solution to my "remote trouble".
Found this... "The Roku 3 box does have an IR sensor, so third-party universal remotes can be used with the box," Have you considered an all-in-one remote? You can also control a Roku with a great IP free control at remoku.tv with a smartphone, computer, tablet, etc.
 
#41 ·
I bought one at Best Buy yesterday and set it up.

If I can solve ONE problem, it stays, otherwise I think I'll be returning it.

The Roku doesn't seem to play nice with others. The remote appears to be some form of Bluetooth (it pairs with the box). Ok, no problem. But the remote has NO IDEA that I have a television with it's own features, that I might want to switch from the Roku to my Joey, etc. At least the Dish remote knows it will be used with an IR-based piece of equipment and I can say "Hey, my TV is an Insignia - use their codes for volume control".

Because of this, I can't even buy a learning remote to combine all three devices (TV, Joey, Roku) because the Roku is some form of RF.

That being said, the box itself is wonderful. Set up was fast, though I didn't like having to constantly go back to a computer to enter in codes at various websites to activate/link Netflix, Amazon Prime and MLB.TV. The Plex media client was FANTASTIC in that it automatically found the server and allowed me to choose a higher bitrate since I was using wired ethernet (although the path was a bit convoluted - Roku plugged into a Homelink, through the electrical wires to the router, out some Cat 6 to the hub in the basements and another Cat 6 hop to the actual Windows 8-based machine with the Storage Spaces array on it).

PQ is pretty damn good. I have 35Mbps fiber to my house and got good pictures from both Netflix and Amazon Prime. MLB.TV looked a bit strange in that it would be fuzzy-ish for a moment and THEN give me a nice, crystal clear HD picture (they must use a different buffering scheme but, then again, I *was* trying to watch live stuff on MLB.TV versus pre-recorded on Netflix and Amazon).

I'll be looking for a solution to my "remote trouble".
The ROKU 3 does have an IR sensor. I use my Harmony remote with the ROKU 3 with no issue.

The ROKU uses a progressive buffering scheme. Instead of making you wait for the program to start, it starts your show as soon as possible at a lower bit rate and then as the program buffers the PQ gradually starts to improve. This was true on the last gen ROKU's as well.
 
#45 ·
P Smith said:
yeah, yeah ... our friend for sure

in case if you'll be interesting one day:
Oh, I already found the information: the Roku 2 XS uses a Broadcom BCM4336. The Roku 3 uses a Broadcom BCM11130.
 
#47 ·
Chris Blount said:
The ROKU 3 does have an IR sensor. I use my Harmony remote with the ROKU 3 with no issue.

The ROKU uses a progressive buffering scheme. Instead of making you wait for the program to start, it starts your show as soon as possible at a lower bit rate and then as the program buffers the PQ gradually starts to improve. This was true on the last gen ROKU's as well.
The trick is that the bluetooth remote capable Rokus don't come with IR remotes. So to program a learning remote you have to buy an IR remote as an add-on accessory.
 
#48 ·
Steve said:
Thanks, sigma. I'm spoiled by my Sammy BD 390, which is able to see shared Windows folders. :p

EDITED TO ADD: I did a little poking around on the Roku site and found this:

Roku.jpg
I've come to like oShare as a server. It's extremely basic, but works great. I don't use it with Roku, but my Oppo and TV can play everything I've tried.
 
#49 ·
gjrhine said:
And that affects our lives how? lol
Just a little "teach a person to fish" versus "feeding him" running argument between Mr Smith and me.
 
#50 ·
sigma1914 said:
I've come to like oShare as a server. It's extremely basic, but works great. I don't use it with Roku, but my Oppo and TV can play everything I've tried.
Thanks for the tip on oShare. Wasn't aware of that one. If it's truly lightweight, I may give it a try to stream content to my iPad. Too bad Roku doesn't have a DLNA channel option.
 
#51 ·
1) Well, WiFi *is* "some form of RF" - I didn't know, nor care, what band they were using or what protocols (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc). What was important was that it was "not IR".

2) Interesting. I'll have to look again, but, in the included documentation, I didn't notice that the Roku had an IR receiver - don't know if it was mentioned or if I missed it. This could be the difference. I should be able to program the Joey's remote. Now if I could just get that remote to switch HDMI ports on the tv...

3) Use Plex. The Plex Media Server is free. This beats navigating Windows directories by a mile. Provided you've named the files in some form that it can recognize, it'll pull up episode information, "album art" and will even (optionally) play the theme song if you're surfing through seasons of a given series. You'll be able to surf by genre, actors, dates, newly aired, newly added, etc. In fact, it was Plex being free on the Roku that made me even *consider* buying one.
 
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