Side by Side Comparison of: Roku vs Incredisonic

The Roku 3 is a really nice box, and although some people have had some issues with it interfering with their wireless broadband, I have to say that we haven't had that problem at all. (For the curious, we use an old D-Link DIR-655 router, which is positioned around forty feet from both the Roku and several other devices. None of the videos have dropped off in quality, and our network tests in the living room show the same numbers that they did before the Roku was introduced.)What we have instead is lovely, high-quality streaming video in the living room, including a number of channels (such as DramaFever) that don't provide apps for the PS3 or WiiU that we could stream otherwise. In the case of DramaFever, this is great for us, as we're both fans of Korean drama and variety shows, so it's nice to be able to watch it without having to hook the TV up as a monitor.There's one thing that's worth noting here, though, and it's not directly to do with Roku. The quality of the experience you get can vary with the channel that you use, as each channel's browsing and playback functionality is unique, and seemingly programmed by the channel. The Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon channels are clearly better engineered than the DramaFever channel, for example, and their bandwidth and consistency is better too. But this isn't Roku's doing -- most of the channels are excellent, and the Roku's streaming is superb, matching the PC and PS3 in every case where we've been able to directly compare the two. And although DramaFever's channel has more problems than the others, the playback is still generally excellent.All in all, it's been a great purchase -- all we need now is for HBO to add their Live channel to the Roku!(One comment worth mentioning, if you happen to have a DIR-655 router yourself, or have similar issues -- we had one issue where the DramaFever channel locked up, and when we disconnected the Roku to reset it, after restarting, it wouldn't connect back onto our network correctly. The error code reported was 014, and after reading around, I found that this was to do with the Roku being unable to Ping the router. I had to go into the router's settings, and then enable the WAN ping (but only for the IP address that I'd reserved for the router -- nothing else seems to need it). And since then, we've had no problems.)

I love this device! I can watch endless movies old and new, from the many, many channel choices.Besides movies, there is much more. I love Pandora, Crackle, etc.Everything I use is totally free.Rarely does it quit working, but if it does, I just unplug the box and it resets quickly at the same place it quit working.Don't follow all the complicated advice from others in forums, etc, to reset it such as "unplugging the modem, unplugging the cable, unplugging your wireless connection, waiting, replugging etc".You should be able to only unplug one tiny cord leading into the black ROKU box and replug it. Simple! (At least that is what works for me)I have saved at least $150 a month and don't even miss cable TV now.The clarity, sound and quality of streaming is excellent.I have not had any problems or slowing down the streaming movies and I only have basic internet speed.(Don't be fooled with your ISP telling you that you need Turbo speed. It's just a ploy to have you pay more.)I only wish I had bought this years ago. I would have saved enough to buy a few rooms of furniture and pay for a divorce!

See my review of the Amazon Fire TV - I just returned it after 2 weeks for a full refund. The Roku 3 beats Fire easily, not even close.Roku ease of use - user friendly *STAR Worthy // Fire - yikes the menus and categories are not conducive to User Friendliness - not logically ordered. Roku is an independent company not attached to Amazon or NEtflix - they just want us to have the best experience - AMAZON wants you to spend money buying their moviesRoku does a full menu genera separation of all Prime movies Awesome *STAR Worthy // Amazon Fire intentionally makes it challenging to see the Prime movies in any logical order and does not include more than 1 or 2 or none at all in the genera separated lists. Wow so, so Greedy - shame on you Amazon. We love Amazon - I even bought my Roku via Amazon Prime :0) but your obvious Greed shows in how you set-up the Fire to function.Roku does not have a 500 gig hard drive Yaa! that means there is nothing to crash, fill-up or need refreshing or Clearing of Casch or Clearing of Data. Major Big *STAR for that. // Amazon Fire TV has a hard drive, you have to Download every channel, every App, every game into the hard drive. That means it also has Data and Casch that will fill-up and SLOW your TV down and eventually Stop it from working altogether - to Fix go to Settings > Apps > Amazon Video> Clear Data >clear > Clear Casch> clear> Account> sysc >Enter. OMG Are You Kidding every time it slows down you will need to do that - Every TimeRoku Streams Fast and clean with no glitches or bugs - they are third generation Very Big *STAR //Amazon streams fast and clean too - when its working - 1st generation with bugs and glitches still not worked out - yikes!Roku searches a movie then shows you every Movie service that has that movie & the price, Wow, you choose where you'd like to watch and Go, that is an awesome Big *STAR //Amazon can't do that.Roku & Amazon Fire have Apps & GamesRoku has a Motion Sensing interactive remote with wrist strap for interactive games - nothing else to buy, Kudos Big *STAR //Fire - you have to buy a gaming remote - greedy greedy greedyRoku - one search engine finds movie in all services - Amazon has a microphone ONLY finds movie if you know it in Amazon -Boo greedy again! Roku comes with earbuds to plug into the remote automatically Mutes TV when plugged in. WOW BIg *STAR //Fire can't do that!Roku - 1,000s of Other Channels *STAR //Amazon Fire? a dozen or 2 - weak very weakRoku "my Watchlist" Separates TV watch list from Movie Watch list, Nice! *STAR //Fire TV everything is collected in one big list - yikes what a freaking mess.Roku - includes a USB port in the WiFi box Nice! *STAR note* many TVs now have a USB port - but not easily accessible in the back of the TV now you can easily plug into the Roku box and view whatever is on you USB - Movies, Music Images Very Cool **STARThere's more to list but You get the point - Amazon is getting greedy, they released the Fire too soon, everyone who is happy now will get bugged soon enough, and discover why their TV box should not try to mimic a computer hard drive - all the same reasons computers bug out, crash, get viruses, become tired and old needing replacement every year or two Yikes! NOt to mention all the blemishes listed above.I now have the Original Roku in the Kitchen (was in the living room for a few years), Roku 2 in the Bedroom (1.5 years) and this new Roku 3 in the Living room (new - replaced the returned Fire) everyone is giving us perfect service, never a reason to call Customer Service.btw - that earbud remote - people spend a $100.00 or more getting a wireless headphone set-up. Included for free with Roku, And the roku remote is radio-wave not infrared so you can walk to the kitchen/bathroom and still have the sound playing, and decide to pause if your gone too long - radio waves do not need to "see" the TV like infrared does.JUST another STAR for Roku where Fire can't even compete.

I am slowly cutting away from cable and this has been a great start. Has a good variety of channels and programming. Was very easy to set up. I can use the remote that came with the system, our the Android app that I downloaded onto my tablet. If you don't need 500 channels on cable this is the way to go. If fact there is so much programming on it, just like cable you won't be able to watch it all either. Some channels are free, some are subscription based like Netflix and Hulu plus. A nice piece of technology.

Let me first say that I have been a Roku user for a number of years now, and own a Roku 1 XD, XDS, and a Roku 2 XS. I have also owned and used in the past the Logitech Review using GoogleTV, the last two non-Google TV Sony boxes, and two generations of the WD TV Live streamers. After owning and using all those, the Roku is the only one that has a place in my livingroom, and here's why...

Without boring everyone on the specs of the R's, let me start by telling about my experience setting it up.

Once unpacked one simply plugs the power adapter into the wall and an HDMI cable into the TV and the Roku, that's it. The unit begins booting up then asks you to select whether you want to use a wireless or wired network connection. I selected wireless and it then shows a list of the networks it detected. Once you choose your network you input the password for your network and in a few seconds it connects right away.

Finally it displays an activation code which you are to use to activate and attach the Roku to your online Roku account. For some seeking out a computer that may or may not be near the TV might be a pain, but I simply opened Safari on my iPhone and added the code to my account while sitting in front of the TV.

Once the code is entered, as part of the attaching process you are prompted to add payment info just in case you want to buy a channel or game in the future. You can not bypass this but IT'S OK. Enter it in and finish the account set up. Once you do you can simply choose to delete the payment info and it's erased from the Roku servers.

Once the account is made and successfully linked, the Roku automatically downloads the channels from your account (if you are attaching it to an existing account) or just quickly downloads the few selected during the account creation process, including "Angry Birds Space".

That's it, its that easy to get it set and ready to stream. Of course with some premium channels you will either need to log in to your account from the Roku (Netflix) or similarly link the box to your online account using a computer, smartphone, or tablet browser (Amazon Instant Video).

I have found that the set up is incredibly easy over the numerous boxes I've used over the last few years and always recommend a Roku to especially those less adept at setting up electronics/computers/networking items.

The interface--

The interface of the Roku units has always been a sore point.. When it started out with just Netflix and then just a few channels, the horizontal row of channel icons was fine, but now with HUNDREDS of channels it was sorely needing a refresh. The interface alone was one of the biggest reasons I was always trying different streaming boxes..

I'm so pleased to see the new grid-style interface on the R3. Not only is it beautifully rendered, but it is very, very fast to navigate and to find whatever it is you want in your channel list. Very modern-looking and functional.

One huge thing I notice over the older units in the interface is that besides it being "pretty", even the channels load much faster than previous units thanks to a new processor.

The universal search function is great too, allowing you to search for movies, shows, and even actors across the major providers.

The USB port--

USB functionality is a great add-on for the top tier Roku. The Roku units are first and foremost internet streamers, but the convenience of plugging in a thumb drive and being able to play some of my personal movie collection is great. Video format is rather limited, but again this is an add-on feature not a main selling point. Because I'm an iTunes user, I rip all my movies/shows as H.264 MP4 files because thy are iPhone/iPad compatible, and just so happen they are compatible with Roku as well. Very nice.

Programming----

This is where Roku is just second to none, and why I choose to use it over all the others. Besides the big players like Netflix, Vudu, etc. Roku has such a wealth of programming that I actually hate it. I hate the fact I'm not independently wealthy and have to work for a living, and consequently don't have enough time in the day to watch everything on there I want to. You may very well feel the same way, but not to worry.. Unlike broadcast TV, everything on Roku is on-demand, meaning its there when you want it, not when its being broadcast.

Now sure, there's no YouTube. That might or might not be coming so if you get one, just assume you won't have it. Cute little kitty videos are fun to watch on the TV, but there's tons more you can watch on other channels. I love the fact I can get live streaming news from the BBC or CNN International, or watch cheesy, badly dubbed Kung fu movies, or B-movie horror and sci-fi all night long for free from my Roku if I want lol. The Roku's available programming really is like a buffet, its all you can eat and there's something for everybody.

The remote ---

The remote is very comfortable in the hands and acts as a motion-controlled controller for gaming. It it also isn't infared like a traditional remote so that means it doesn't have to be pointed right at the TV in order to work. The private listening mode worked really nicely when I tried it and I can imagine many uses for it.

Overall the Roku 3 is a great upgrade from the previous Roku 2, mostly because of the new UI (which will be coming to the roku 2 units in a month or two), the faster processor, and the wireless private listening mode. If you already have an R2 XS, I don't honestly think its worth upgrading since its biggest noticeable feature (the UI) will come in time.

For some just now dipping their toes in the world of internet streaming, I personally would get this Roku 3 hands-down over any other competing player on the market. Its so easy to use and that's why not only is it what I use but what my elderly parents use too. The best thing about them is they keep getting better.

So far so good, every format of file i have tried to use with this media player has worked so haven't had any complications with it yet. Plays amazingly well, easy to set up to my tv, good device.

This "Barbie doll sized" video player does everything I expected it to do. It is the second one I own, but this brand is much better than my MDN version, it essentially has the same "guts" inside and very similar menu. It does music and photos, but mainly I use it for videos, and with that I'll elaborate.Great device if you need to LOOP a video forever at a trade show. All you need to do is place one video file in a folder that you create and click play. It never stops. If you have two or more video files in the folder, the player will play them in alphabetical order forever. You can have other folders too.The LED light on the player is dim red, and not that annoying bright blue LED that the other brands have. The power supply is now the standard mini usb connector (very convenient). And it also has the old style RED, WHITE, YELLOW video cable connectors. Don't worry, your 720p TV or 720p projector that does not have HDMI will play the videos perfectly fine and in perfect proportion.The remote control is '"normal", meaning that it has the regular layout. A lot beter than the older version of this kind of mini media player.One thing to remember, the "line of sight" between the remote control and the player is narrow so if you have problems navigating the menu, adjust the position of the player.Many people here complain that the player is broken after 6 months. Well, it is not a portable device that you carry with you all day in your pocket like a smart phone and use it everywhere, but if you do, treat it gingerly. I have used mine my older one (and still do) at hotels all of the time.Just be careful plugging cables in and out of it. That's the downfall of miniature devices. An should be expected.It will play AVI, FLV, MP4, WMV, MOV, XVID, MKV and all the formats listed on the seller's page. Take note, MKV files are the best format for me, because this player will recognize embedded multiple subtitles and embedded multiple audio languages, so if you play a movie that happens to be in a foreign language, click that audio button on the remote and select your language. Also, for other formats like MP4, the player will recognize SRT subtitle files. There is still a 2TB hard drive limit, but that should be enough for most people. I have a 4 TB external drive (with external power) and partitioned it to only a single 2TB, and it does not work. I tried putting two 2TB partitions and still not good. You need an actual 2TB or less hard drive. I don't have an SSD hard drive that uses only one USB as a power source/DATA source (without external power source/ AC adapter), so I cannot comment on that.I rate this device as a FIVE STAR item!

This is GREAT! You can see almost any format in the universeBUT why green? The highlight color when searching your files is bright green.We can hardly see the titles because the names are white and the bars are bright green.Really... didn't someone try this before Okaying it for production?Other than that this baby is unbelievable good. LOVE IT!I've have one of these for every TV in the house.

Plays almost everything I throw at it. Video quality with the hdmi is great!Ive only played video files.Ive only used SD cards and flash drives and I havent had any trouble with a 64GB Cruzer or the 8GB Kingston I bought just for this player.Very small and easy to transport.It has "crashed" a few times while selecting files to play but Im pretty sure thats because it had trouble reading a few files that werent compatible. Pay attention to the file formats.So far love it!

Out-of-box install...easy as pie. Took me less than 5 min to install (that includes opening all packaging). The manual's font is super small, but readable. Suggest downloading the unit's manual in PDF form from their site...easier to read. Tried all outputs...all work OK...no bent pins. Except for the enclosed manual type face, all comments from me are a positive plus. When you use the Remote, be sure you have it in-line with the IR light on the right side of the player unit...if not, your Remote/Player won't work.

This item is awesome. I own 3 of them. This one is a replacement for one that I dropped and stepped on. I have been using this model media player for about 5 yrs now.. I have used 2 other types they cost more and were not even close to the quality of this one. It plays so many formats.. My only dislike is the manual, the writing is so small I had to get a really strong magnifying glass to read it but, its so simple one really don't need the manual. Most media players have a really cheap remote but this unit has a hard shell remote. I really can't say enough good things about this media player

I received the equipment and quickly connected it up to the TV and internet. (BOYS AND THEIR TOYS!) That was the easy part. The hard part is having to register to receive some of the content. During the registration process, some of the channels want to associate the connection to my cable TV/internet provider. I currently do not have a cable TV provider, that is the main reason I purchased the Roku. Another channel provider would not let me access without identifying my cable TV/internet provider, but it did not list the internet access provider for my area (Centurylink). The whole registration process is time consuming for each content provider. They will also want your email address. I actually created a separate email address for this purpose. (MY TV HAS IT"S OWN EMAIL ADDRESS!)Another problem that keeps occurring is that if I keep using the arrow keys, the box will suddenly act like there is a stuck key and keeps trying to move in that direction (down, left or right). The only means to stop it is to unplug and reset the box. I have not researched the issue to see if there is a solution available. I just keep alternating the key strokes to avoid the issue. (DOC, IT HURTS WHEN I DO THIS. DOC: THEN DON'T DO THAT!)I am still exploring the Roku. I am not seeing the value with some of the channels, with limited episodes or seasons available. Some of the channels are nothing but old reruns of old TV shows from the 50s/60s. I guess that internet access TV is still new, and will get better over time. In the meantime, I have recommended the Roko 3 to several family/friends for people that do not have a Smart TVs.One last wish would be one remote or app to control the TV, the Roku and my recently ordered DVR (Channel Master DVR). I have a Smart Phone App for controlling my TV and one for controlling my Roku. I want one that does everything including my new DVR when that arrives. Did you hear that app developers, one app for everything (TV, Roku, GoogleCast, Channel Master DVR, DVR/VHS Player, etc.)

The Roku 3 is a 5 star product that's plagued by a terrible remote battery life if you use your own ear buds (not the ones Roku comes with). I mean you will literally drain the life of brand new batteries in a few days if you watch even a couple episodes of your favorite shows using the ear buds that plug into the remote. It drains so fast it's ridiculous. Don't even THINK about leaving your ear buds plugged in while not in use either, because the next time you use the remote, it'll be dead. Oh and the remote has a sensor thing so that it drains even more battery life if you touch it as indicated by a small LED flash. What a stupid concept they had for it to drain so much battery life. The sad part is I absolutely love watching my shows late at night with the ear buds, it's such a great concept ruined by poor battery life.Fix this Roku.** 2/12/15 UPDATE **I found out that if you use the cheapo ear buds that ROKU provides, only then the battery life will suffice. But if you even think about using your own headphones, earbuds, or whatever, it will kill the battery life quickly. I guess they mean for you to use their own low quality ear buds, which I can live with but I'd rather watch shows with my own personal HQ headphones.

I was so mad when I opened the box to find no cable came with this to hook it up to the tv! Luckily I found one in my sons room. For $100 you would think the cable would be in there.I was hoping this would have my favorite news station but it seems that is the only one it doesn't have. I was dying to see if my favorite show would be on here but it's the only one that seems to NOT be on here also. I'm not much of a movie person and none of the movies have struck my fancy unless they are the $5 pay for ones - or less. There were no directions for moving around on the screen so I had trouble with that at first.All the true crime shows I like I would have to pay for! I paid for this roku so I wouldn't have to pay for these types of shows. I'm not much for movies so even though there are hundreds, I find this to be a waist of money for me.I was hoping to watch some good news stations but it just play news from already broadcast news type stuff. I haven't found 'live' news yet.I'm sure there is a whole lot more to this thing but for now it will sit in my drawer until my son comes home and see if he can find anything worth my $100 on here.This is just me. Almost everyone else loves this thing and most likely because they enjoy the huge selection of movies. That's a good thing! If your a movie buff and have Amazon Prime then don't waist your money because you get that on here and I realize that's all I ever had to do. I just didn't know because I am so tech stupid!! Read everything carefully and then decide if you really need something like this or just make use of what you already have.UPDATE: I finally gave this one more try and found "48 HOURS" FREE TO WATCH!! yay! So I am making progress with this the madder I get. It's also $10 cheaper now - a week later ~ ~ ~ ~UPDATE: 11/24/14 I SENT THIS BACK! In order to sign in to t.v. networks you have to have cable and sign in with your cable info as proof. I got rid of cable and can't do that and these networks were not sympathetic about it. They more or less told me I would have to subscribe to cable if I wanted to get access to their services. Everything cost money with this thing. For me it was a big waste of time and money. If you have cable or Amazon prime you don't need this. If you know how to download movies or 'stream' movies, you don't need this.All the extreme reviews must be employees or family members. I fell for it.

I have every model of the Roku and have had problems with the last 2 models. I was having a problem with Roku 2 resetting apparently because of a heat problem. I bought a Roku 3 thinking that would solve the overheating problem and it did, but created a new problem.The previous Roku players had jacks on the back where I could hook it to my audio receiver and listen to it with a headset. The Roku 3 has replaced the jacks on the player with a jack outlet on the remote. When using it with my headphones, I have to replace the batteries about once a week and I'm using lithium batteries. While the jack outlet on the remote may seem like a good idea and may be for those that rarely use it, but it's not for those of us that use a headset every day. My wife goes to bed earlier than I and I use them every night when it gets late. I just bought 12 batteries from Amazon for $22 and they'll last about 6 weeks. In a year's time, that will be almost $200.00. That's more than the cost of the Roku player and my Netflix subscription combined. I may have to buy another Roku 2 to solve this problem. ** Update ** - the new Roku 2 device has also eliminated the analog RCA jacks. **** update ** The audio jack on my remote quit working within the 90 day warranty period. I contacted Roku and they sent me a new remote and I was not required to return the old one. Thanks for the good customer service. Since I wasn't going to be able to plug my headphones into a jack for a while, I searched on Amazon to find an alternative method of listening with my headphones. I purchased 2 items to allow me run my audio from the TV to my audio receiver. The first item was an "AmazonBasics Digital Optical Audio Toslink Cable" - price $5.99 and the second item was a "Panlong Digital to Analog RCA L/R Audio Converter Adapter - Converts SPDIF Optical Toslink or Coaxial Digital Stereo Audio to Analog L/R" - price $13.25. So for less than $20 I was able to go back to using my audio receiver with a headphone jack and quit using the remote for my headphones. I haven't had to change batteries in my remote since adding these devices to my system. Hope this proves helpful to others. Because of my Roku 3 work around, I upgraded my rating from 2 stars to 4 stars.

I love the Roku for the fact that it is the only thing I can watch that provides subtitles in this price range. Living in a senior apartment complex with no air conditioning means having to leave one's doors and windows open all night in the August heat and keeping the volume down. The design of our courtyard in the middle of all of the surrounding buildings where all of the front doors face inward causes the slightest conversation or sound to echo to everyone who has their door or window open. I much appreciated the subtitles available on my old Roku 2 XS, but it died on me in just less than 2 years. So, I looked for an updated version, and this is it.The Roku 3 has one major improvement for me: earplugs that plug in directly to the remote! I can now enjoy listening to the sound, without having to wear my glasses to read the subtitles!! Although I still enjoy the subtitles, I am no longer dependent upon them to follow the story line. That alone is a huge plus for me. I purchased a 2 year warranty through Square Trade at the same time that I purchased this Roku 3, as it is more expensive, and I hope to get more life out of this one than I did from the Roku 2 XS. The only thing keeping Roku from getting 5 stars is that they STILL do not have an "on and off" switch so the little unit is constantly WARM even when it is not being used. It gets downright HOT when the TV is actually on. I don't see how that is good for an electronic device. Yes, I know that they tell you it is because they want it on to "update software" 24/7, but I'm not buying into that. Perhaps if this was a bigger unit it wouldn't have to run so hot all of the time. I have noticed that putting it on a stone coffee coaster keeps it somewhat cooler, but suspect that these little units fail so early because of the constant heat it is forced to endure. That's just a bad design to me.One final note: It does come with everything you need in the box with the exception of the HDMI cable (or ethernet versions). Depending upon how close the HDMI port is on your TV and the Roku box, you may only need a 3' length version. Mine is only a foot and a half from each other, and the 6' Amazon Basic HDMI cable was quite long, although it worked beautifully. I've ordered a smaller version, BlueRigger High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet (3 Feet) - Supports 3D and Audio Return [Latest Version] and will leave a review for that once I receive it. Hope this helps other seniors to make an informed decision!

I just got this expressly because while traveling with my daughter I got exposed to Mad Men through her Netflix account and ended up watching most of last season then dying to see the rest -- but wow have found treasures of things to watch and it is highly addictive!(If you watch the IFC series "Portlandia" and recall the episode where the couple got sucked into an old series and couldn't stop watching to the point they lost their jobs etc - I can relate because I have 'fallen into' not just Mad Men world, but the fantastic Upstairs Downstairs which springs off the old series from the 70s, even featuring Jean Marsh!)The thing that is dangerous (if you have a life, other things to do, or need to sleep!) if you are at all low on self discipline or have a mildly compulsive side to your personality, is that some of these really well done shows do pull you into their world and storyline and you just want to stay there! Just like with a great book. I've been made aware of movies and series' that I didn't know existed. I've also played Jeopardy which was fun!I've only touched the tip of the iceberg but no wonder cable providers and networks are worried about this kind of product and streaming process! You could definitely be tempted to dump your $100 or $200 month cable or satellite bill and just use one of these!Like other reviewers mention, there is only so much that is free (although if you have Amazon Prime there are tons of shows included and no extra charge), you do need to join Netflix to take advantage of all they have to offer -- $7.99 month for just the streaming, not the mailed DVD part, but it's still very reasonable, IMO.If you enjoy specialty type programming, academic lectures, Ted talks, or love documentaries (as I do), there is something here for you. They even have a Spanish teaching channel! And a hypnosis channel if you are learning hypnosis!I LOVE the feature of listening through your headphones (included, or use your own) from the remote! This is brilliant. The sound quality was just phenomenal, like being in a movie theatre..way better than my normal tv sound would be!It was super easy to hook up and directions are very well written, illustrated and explicit.It was strange at first to realize that you don't 'turn off' the Roku, no on /off button. You do have to hook up the hdmi cable (not included, but very reasonable here on Amazon).April 28: update: finding the audio on the remote headphones is glitchy and unstable (tried four different sets of headphones on it). For now I am jiggling the pin a little to stop it, but hopefully I don't have a bad product- since you can't use the device without the remote!May 30: well the audio headpone feature from remote just doesn't work. Not sure if I have a bad unit or if this is common problem. Watching a show tonight I actually could hear the music but NOT the dialogue!

I love this little gaget. I store at least 1,000 movies on a harddrive and needed a way to watch them. My old method was plugging my harddrive into my computer, and then using an HDMI adapted cord to mirror my screen and watch it that way. There were problems with this method though... where do I set my computer? I don't have a ton of shelf space. More importantly, I couldn't use my computer if I wanted to watch a movie - this drove me crazy. So I tried a different version of this device, I believe it was called the 'micca speck' I liked that one but it required me to reformat my harddrive which seemed more complicated than necessary. This specific gadget allows me to simply plug in my harddrive, select the 'USB device', folder, and then the movie. I have had no issues with this product and it has worked with multiple TV's. I use the HDMI method of plugging it into my TV, but I am pretty sure it works with older TVs as well with an AV cord. I also like how small it is and that it comes with it's own remote... well that could be a plus or a minus. One more to keep track of, but it really streamlines its process of use.This is the second of the product I have purchased which is why I have given it 4 rather than 5 stars. The first one I had, while it did last about a year, had something bend inside, and no longer worked. But I LOVE this device and it can be used to access anything on a usb device and project it onto your TV. If you don't have a smart TV or a TV that you can plug your USB device/harddrive into directly, I highly recommend this product.

I've used the mediaplayer on an old flatscreen through the AV output and into my new samsung LED TV through the HDMI. In AV-Mode some of the screen stretches outside of the screen. My region is PAL, so I had the settings on PAL. It was (of course) worse with NTSC. The colours would be slightly less or more saturated everytime I reused it on my old tv. Through HDMI the image was exceptionally contrasty and dark, which made it hard to figure out dark scenes. It made everything look cheaper and less HD.I bought it for my old TV and it does what it should for a low price. I would have absolutely loved this device if these issues woud have been dealt with. Now I only just like it.

This is a great product so far but I'll admit that it can be buggy. I will often navigate to the file I'm looking for and get kicked back to the main menu before I can select it. It seems to do this at least one time each time I use it. Forgiveable but mildly annoying. Lastly remote button layout is sort of odd, i.e. volume up is on the left and volume down on the right. Otherwise I love this thing.

pretty nice little device. sad that it can't just run off the hdmi like a roku can. it needs the AV and hdmi both for it to work. Also there are a few artifacts that go across the screen. Not to terrible or distracting. Happy it does what I need it to do though. If there is something I am missing though to get rid of that artifacting, please let me know!

Great product and does EXACTLY what it promises. I have thrown everything I've got at it, and it seems to play flawlessly. I've played hi-def movies (yes, including .MKV's) via MicroSD, SD, portable hard drive, external hard drive, USB through a USB extension cable, MicroSD through an SD card adapter, all formatted in NTFS and Fat alike. The audio is decoded seamlessly, and although the fast-forward function can only go at certain speeds, the GoTo function works great. The only other media player with this versatility that I have tested has been the ViewSonic. I do believe this product is somehow related [IncrediSonic (model IMP###) - ViewSonic (VMP###)], but absolutely NO complaints here because I loved the performance of it. The portability, the ease of use, the simplicity, yet the power and versatility has made this device a true force to be reckoned with.With that said, I gave it 4 stars because it isn't perfect...just NEAR-perfect. When it first arrived, I was excited (and skeptical, given the size) and connected it all up, and although the power was on, NOTHING appeared on the tv screen. I tried a number of times and still nothing. I read the instructions and the FAQ's, decided to push "HOME" and suddenly the home menu appeared. Once that was resolved, everything worked beautifully. There has only been 2 instances where I had issue: 1) my 3 TB external hard drive (consistently) can't be detected. I read from reviews (NOT the Product specs) that it could read that size, but perhaps something is wrong with my drive. And 2) it consistently couldn't detect the movies in a certain folder (quite random, right?). I placed those same movies into another folder, and it read perfectly. These seem to be random issues, but nothing that I worry about. I love this product and am ready to buy another for my family! As long as you are throwing traditionally encoded movies at this device, I would HIGHLY recommend this product. WD has some catching up to do! Thank you for a good product!Unlike the other good reviews, I was NOT given a discount or a product in exchange for this review (though I wish they could!...). I discovered it on my own, and as an unbiased customer who loves playing media on the TV from memory storage devices, I love this product. It has already replaced the WD media player from my parent's house, which seemed to have a LOT of trouble decoding audio.

Have been searching for a way to play MP4 videos, downloaded from the Internet, from a flash drive on a flat-screen TV which only handles music & still image files. This item fills the bill beautifully! I connected to the TV with an HDMI cable, was able to successfully maneuver through the file structure to the available video files on a flash drive, and played the first video with the remote control without referring to manual.REMOTE CONTROL: Labels are very clear and legible, but the unit's small size does place buttons quite close together.POWER CORD: On another similar product sole by Amazon, there were comments about the power cord being fragile. I noted from the photos that the power cord for this unit looked quite substantial, and that was one element in my decision to purchase this particular device. Cord is only 4' long. An additional 2' would have been useful, as it barely reaches the surge suppressor used for the TV and related equipment.DISADVANTAGES:1. Manual cannot be read without a magnifier. It's the smallest text I've ever seen on a manual. On the other hand, you may not need to use it.2. File names on the screen are hard to read when highlighted since there's not enough color contrast with the background. Color contrast for names of other files is fine.3. Not surprisingly, the device does become warm when in use. Consider whether you may wish to protect the surface of your furniture from the heat. I'm using a small cutting board which is about the same color as my wood TV cabinet for that purpose. It's probably not necessary, but I didn't want to take any chances.4. By using the cutting board, I'm also able to Velcro the HDMI cable not currently in use to the cutting board instead of having it drop out of reach every time I swap the port with another device.

UPDATE: They seemed to have over-corrected with the 4K-ready Roku 4 with the addition of a fan that sometimes drowns out the audio. The Roku 3 - with modifications - might be the best available. I also own a Roku Streaming Stick (3600R) (updated version) for travel. The streaming stick is the equivalent to the Roku 3 in features (though with the "Stick" private listening requires your phone and a Roku app vs built into the remote on the Roku 3)I've owned 2 Roku 2 XS's (single core) and this Roku 3 (dual core), the 3600R (latest 2016) streaming stick. Done burn-in and OS debugging on the Roku "2"s for the company I work for.The Roku 3 unit with Broadcom 11130 processor runs hotter than it should. Broadcom makes it hard to find specs for this processor on their website (instead, 11140 info is available).ROKU's CALCULATED INDUSTRIAL DESIGNFor the Roku 3 itself, it seems there was a POORLY calculated design decision - perhaps based on aesthetics - not to offer much ventilation in this unit too - heat gets trapped => problems.RANDOM FAILURESThat bad industrial design decision means eventually, you'll likely have some heat-related failures; the system will freeze often, reboot often, and eventually wear out prematurely due to heat. My Roku 3 (brand new) started freezing on me, rebooting randomly, etc..You see, with modern stream switching and bandwidth detection, your Roku might start playing 480p, switch up to 720p or 1080p and back down.. Hit the wrong stream that makes the Roku work hard (CPU decoding vs hardware decoding) and you get heat, then a freezing situation or a random reboot.What I mean is the heat-related failures are not a LINEAR thing (fails exactly 30 minutes into a movie, every time).. it depends on the random behavior of your network and the streamed content...WHAT TO DO? RETAIL ELECTRONICS MACGUYVER / KUNG-FUIf you really like Roku (the idea of being more open vs FireTV, etc) and you want to continue to use something 'out-of-the-box', then do some googling, buy a Torx T6 tool, undo some screws, pop the top cover off and Dremel or drill a dozen or more 1/8" or larger holes in the upper cover (for heat to escape). Snap and screw it all back together.Then use your Roku 3 as it should have been built, and have a nice life.2700 AMAZON 1-STAR REVIEWS for ROKU 3 - BELIEVE ME - ROKU KNOWSIt seemed easier to just bite the bullet and work around the heat issue by drilling (vs living with a temperamental Roku and going through endless RMAs and frustration). Having to fiddle with retail electronics sucks, but it only took 15 minutes from disassembly to fixed ; problem solved. For an $80 product, it wasn't worth it for me to play "MR. consumer advocate" when thousands had already done so. Or, hoping Roku comes out with a Roku 3.5 "fix" (zero chance of that since the enclosure is most of the problem). Also, the Roku 4 is already out.RESULTSSince drilling the holes, we leave the Roku on all the time, and haven't had a heat-related issue since - not one reboot or freeze... Yes the drilled vent holes will probably allow some dust inside the ROKU; but, I'll probably upgrade in a year or two anyway to the "4" or whatever new model there is.In the meantime, I'll have 2-3 years of Roku 3 enjoyment for $80. The Roku 3 feature set is worth the upgrade from Roku 2 and worth this drilling holes workaround to get the flexibility of using the earphone jack in the remote (to listen to TV/Roku privately)Some people go a step further and glue $10 computer fans to the top (while also modifying the cover more severely), but I choose to do the minimum - drilling holes.The Roku 4 (with quad-core) is hopefully not the same Broadcom family chip and use an SoC with circuitry that can decode/handle most video streams in dedicated hardware without delegating it into the CPU (software video decoding) and thereby creating an indoor heat source.

I really love the concept and like the UI; but there are a few things I don't particularily care for.1) Remote eats batteries. There is an ipod/iphone app that is rather handy to circumvent this (not sure about other devices).2) Wifi direct remote . There is no way to change the channel, adjust power level, or turn off the broadcast (other than unplugging). This is not a deal breaker necessarily; but it is something to be aware of.3) Minor... but there is no ability to depower the unit other than unplugging. One could argue it is not necessary with such a low power device; however, if you are trying to make the room dark (eg bedroom use), shutting off that bright-ass white LED on the front of the roku would be rather handy (without resorting to a piece of electrical tape)... in fact maybe swapping out the white LED with a defused red or green or no LED at all would be a better design choice.I would give 5 stars if #1 & 2 were addressed in the next rev.

Meets a need hooking to NetFlix. Never had a chance to compare products, so I don't know if they all have as many problems. In watching a tv series, the picture always shrinks to the corner during the end-credits and you can't read credits. If there's a behind-credits song you actually want to hear, you only have 15 seconds before it automatically jumps to the next episode and you have no option to listen to the song and no way to check the credits for any info. Some shows have an added event during or immediately after the credits, and Roku will never let you see or hear it. This alone makes roku pretty damned crappy, but one lowers one's expectations and get a strong reminder that streaming ain't like having a quality dvd to play. It also periodically jams up and just stops working. I've no idea if it's the roku's fault or netflix's, but have to reboot the whole damned thing then wait, and wait, and wait while it plays an annoying beat-box sound. I'd think any child who'd ever watched tv could've told them this didn't quite fulfill a minimal requirement for such a product, but short of working at Consumer Reports and having every option in hand to personally compare, I don't know how you'd ever figure out which if any would've been a better investment. I've no doubt it'll need replacing someday and I'll try something else then. And perhaps find it just as disappointing.

I cannot believe this thing didn't "just work" out of the box. I figured it out after searching the web. But, most people would never figure it out... How can a company sell a product that requires you to go to two "secret screens" to make it work?! Geez! Anyway THANKS to Paul Neto's blog, I figured it out. Hopefully this will help others an possible guilt Roku into fixing what I consider unacceptable.I tried both wired and wireless and got ERROR CODE 013 and 014... I found Paul's solution dated April 2013. Here it is Aug 2014 and this problem still exists? Geez again:NETWORK ERRORS SOLUTION:The problem is related to outdated software on the Roku which restricts it from connecting whether via wireless or wired.1. Update Software: On your remote please press the house 5 times, press the fast foward 3 times, then press rewind 2 times. You will get a secret screen, There you have to check your IP address that it is not all 0's. Select the option to update software. The Roku player should now restart.2. Disable Ping: Once that the roku finish the set up, on the remote please press the Home button 5 times, then the Fast Forward (>>) button 1 time, then the Play button 1 time, then the Rewind (<<) button 1 time, then the Play button 1 time, and then hit the Fast Forward (>>) button 1 time.This will take you to the Platform secret screen. There you have to find the option to disable network ping. Select it and go back to the set up process of the roku player.Roku, your site support doesn't even have this solution! Really?Once you get it updated and connected, it's about the same as ATV or Smart TV's. I wanted it because Smart TV's are a complete waste, slow and clunky, and you have to mess with HDMI ARC if you have an AV receiver. I wanted something fast and easy, like ATV, that plays Amazon Videos & Plex. I was disappointed there's no Rhapsody App.I would have given it 2 stars because it wasn't plug and play and it took me 2 hours to find the solution and get it set up vs. what I expected, plus the Apps are limited... like Apple, they're mostly just trying to sell you their rentals. But, it does what I needed, it plays Amazon & Plex faster than my blu-ray player or smart tv and it was reasonably priced. I should give it 2-star, but maybe I just got one buried in Amazon's warehouse for 2 yrs.

I have had the ROKU 3 up and running for a couple of weeks now and there are so many apps to choose from, you could spend all day just downloading them. Mine came with two free premium movies from their own "M-Go" app so I tried the first one and was extremely disappointed by the download delays. You start the movie and you get the downloading bars for a few minutes then it starts playing, then after about 10 minutes you get more downloading bars and the movie stops - this happened 7 or 8 times during the movie and lasts a few minutes each - it is really a horrible way to watch a movie. When I watch movies on Amazon Instant Prime, this does not happen. Also, even though this thing promises HD content (which you have to pay extra for on most movies and TV shows) it is still a far cry from the quality of a Blu Ray disc. The movie is almost always pixelated ranging from moderate to severe in higher action sequences. I was hoping I could get this Roku and get rid of Direc TV but I don't think this is stand-alone unless you can deal with some major limitations. I also live in Dallas TX and bought an amplified digital antenna for over-air live HDTV and that works sketchy at best and I can't tune in ABC whatsoever. I can get CBS, FOX, and NBC but even those come and go so there are some downsides to trying to break away from a monthly bill for satellite or cable. That being said, I have successfully downloaded the ROKU remote control app for my Android phone and for my Kindle Fire HDX and it works pretty well. The screen mimics the controller almost exactly so it is nice if you are trying to control it in a dark room you don't have to find the buttons because the remote is not backlit at all. Oh yeah - one other big disappointment is that there is neither an optical or coax audio output on the ROKU - it is HDMI only so if you have an older stereo and you want audio playing other than through the TV, you can buy an HDMI audio/video separator - I found one at Monoprice but it set me back about $50 bucks plus shipping, but it does work. Hope this helps those of you that are on the fence.Pros - more content than you can shake a stick at, cool downloadable remote appCons - no separate audio output, sketchy movie download times, pixelization

We live rural - 7 miles from a village of a thousand. Streaming video is a valued part of our life. We cannot get cable, tho we do have DSL. We were using an older computer as a media base station but wanted to expand our viewing options. I chatted with friends who had a Roku, and all endorsed it. We ordered one and now are of conflicting opinions. My wife prefers the Roku because of the simplicity of the remote and menus, and because of the improved picture quality. My complaint is with video viewing selections. Being rather selective in our viewing habits, we watched two online streaming providers (Amazon Prime and NetFlix) almost exclusively, with occasional forays to other networks (A&E, FX, YouTube, CBS) via broadband. With the Roku hooked up and the computer removed, we could go to the same two major providers and dabble with some of the other Roku channels, but we cannot stream some of our [referred content. As a consequence, we are actually paying out more per month to rent the TV shows that we were streaming free, and we now have BOTH the computer and the Roku streaming to the TV. The image is definitely better on the Roku and the remote is much simpler. She is happy. I want to send it back: I think we paid $99 and accomplished little besides reducing our available free options and increasing our monthly outlay for paid content. Bottom Line: If you are already using a computer ba station to stream video to your HDMI TV as we were, take a close look at what IS streaming on Roku and especially what IS NOT on Roku before you invest. Yes, I heartily endorse the Roku if you do not have a computer to use as a media center. I do NOT endorse it if you are streaming through your computer as we were. My regret is that I did not study video availabilities because I was entranced with the technology. It would have changed the decision.

I requested the Incredisonic for Christmas 2014 from both my son and daughter. I figured they would talk and decide which one would get it. Anyway, I ended up with two. I was thrilled. I figured I would keep the second one as a back up for the distant future. It plays my MP4's like a computer without having to hook up a bulky computer. It is a really convenient piece of technology. However, my thrill turned to disappointment when the remote did not seem to be turning it on. I finally figured out I had to press the power and the OK button together. That was not in the instructions. No big deal. But then, this summer the first unit just stopped showing anything at all but the lights were on, so it was definitely on. So, I took out the second Incredisonic and it worked fine using the remote for a few weeks. Then, it started to not turn on using the power button or the power and OK button combo. I have to unplug it sometimes and plug it back in to get it working. Other times it will come on when I insert a flash drive into it. I am still trying to figure out if it is the remote not working right or the unit. I'm giving it some time to see what happens. But a few months of use is not what I anticipated at all.

while it is a great little box, it will not play mp4 file at 1080p 60fps without stuttering. it does play 1080p 30fps.customer support isn't that good either. they haven't called back after a day.so took off a star for each.

Greetings, I owned a Micca Media player for four years before it clunk, decided to switch brands tried the Incredisonic Vue Series IMP 150+ 1080p Full HD.Purchase during July 2016 few days ago remote start giving trouble change batteries never work again, and I am very careful it never fell, or got knock around, only one user. Maybe its a lemon,but generally it works fine.

Unit handles files well, transitions between stills are not easy to set. The power supply jack on the unit is not very strong. For the price it is a good unit.

Pros: Plays several formats my Blu-ray player won't.Cons: Remote is a bit confusing and unresponsive and occasionally messes with the TV, refuses to play video on some MKV files, bad fast forward and rewind, occasionally slows down.I originally purchased this because my Blu-ray player balked at playing certain formats from my USB drive, and while this will play the ones it wouldn't (so far), for some reason it will play some MKV files perfectly well, while it only plays the audio on others. I haven't been able to find any way to fix this, as yet, nor even any reason why it happens.I had also hoped that it would show HTML formatted subtitles, but it doesn't (I'm not sure ANY player does), so if that's what you're looking for, look somewhere else. It still does a better job of reading them than my Blu-ray, though.Picture and audio quality seem fine enough, but most of my files are of pretty old shows, so it's hard to judge.Fast forward and rewind are a bit unreliable and jerky.It's been a bit slow a couple of times, but I haven't seen any of the other technical issues people are talking about, although time will tell.The real problem so far is the remote, which has a fun tendency to turn the volume on my TV up or down when I'm trying to scroll through my files, and to be unresponsive, as well as having a somewhat confusing and cramped format.Overall, I don't regret this purchase, since it DOES open up a big chunk of my library, but I think I could have found something better if I'd been more patient and shopped around a little more. I'm definitely glad I didn't pay full price.

I bought the "Incredisonic Vue Series IMP150+ 1080p Full-HD Ultra Portable Digital Media Player For USB Drives and SD/SDHC Cards" to play movies from my Hard Drive on my Vizio TV. My hard drive has a USB connector. My Vizio TV has 3 USB ports but none of them work. Turns out they are "for future use" according to the manual. Therefore I needed a media player with an HDMI port which I can connect to the TV. The Incredisonic Vue has an HDMI port (in addition to a RCA port and a USB port).I plugged the Incredisonic Vue into a power outlet, connected the Incredisonic Vue to the TV via an HDMI cord, and connected my Hard Drive to the Incredisonic Vue via the USB port. I turned them all on and selected the HDMI port from my TV input screen. The Incredisonic Vue home screen appeared. (If it doesn't, just select "Home" from the remote control, or go straight to "movies"). I selected Movies then worked my way into my Hard Drive menu where I selected a movie to watch.The movie started playing, however I got video but I got no audio. For audio, I use a VIZIO soundbar. It should have worked with no problem, but there was no sound. After troubleshooting for 30 minutes I determined that the soundbar input had changed. To listen to audio from a TV on the VIZIO soundbar the input setting must be on the 4th set of lights (lights 7 & 8). To do this, you hit the input button on the Vizio Soundbar remote until that 4th set of lights are lit, then press the plus (+) button until you get the desired volume.How did my Vizio Soundbar input setting get changed in the first place? It turns out that the Incredisonic Vue remote is the exact same frequency as the Vizio Soundbar remote. Every time you press either remote, it messes with the other device. For example, when I use the Incredisonic Vue remote to select a movie, it changes the input on the Vizio Soundbar. So you then have to use the Viso soundbar remote to change the input back to the right spot. During that process, it shuts down the Incredisonic Vue or otherwise changes its current settings. It takes some time (and luck) to get both devices where you want them since both have to be set up using their own remote (and they both react to each other's remote).The Incredisonic Vue does play movies and music as advertised, so on that count I am a happy camper. It's just a lot more work than it should be. The manual is not very good and it's written in 1 or 2 point type --- slightly bigger than the period at the end of this sentence. The remote and software screens take some getting used to and, as mentioned above, the Incredisonic Vue remote messes with my soundbar settings. I rate it 5-stars for doing the job it's supposed to do and 1 star for the user experience.

This is the 4th Roku box I've purchased over the past 6 years that has died.Roku 1 - got too hot, crapped itself (since then I turn off the power to roku between uses)Roku 2 - ran great...diedRoku 3 - ran great, remote stopped working, bought new remote, still no luck...App on phone does not work eitherRoku 3 - ran great, remote stopped working..same deal as previousBottom line: Roku is great for what it does. But it is basically a "throw-away" device that gives you maybe 2 years before it dies.Enough is enough.... I have VCRs that lasted 15 years and are still going strong. This is a clear pattern of bad quality - Junk Electronics.Great idea... horrible execution...(See photos on what to do when you've decided to move on...great therapy...ha!)

Love Roku, Hate Amazon Channel. I have had every Roku that has come out and they are great but within the last 6 months the Amazon channel on Roku has gone to garbage. It is the only channel that won't fully load, it has huge black bars on top and bottom, navigating the channel forces you to sift through subscription channels you don't own and there are grey empty boxes where the cover image should be. Contacting Amazon never accomplishes anything. The tech I spoke with said they upgraded the system for 4k uhd but in doing so made anything less than that much worse.

Roku customer service is very disappointing. Don't buy if you're going to use it just for Netflix. I've complained to Roku multiple time about the following issues and there's still no resolution:• Video intermittently cuts out during playback while using the Netflix channel.• Intermittent audio issue (chirping sound) during playback while using the Netflix channel.• If ‘Audio effect’ on the device is set to ‘Auto (Dobly D+, DTS) there is no audio on several titles on the Netflix channel (Vampire Diaries, The 100, The Sum of All Fears, etc.). I contacted Netflix support and they advised that it is a known issue with the device, and that audio would resume if ‘Audio effect’ on the device is set to ‘Stereo’; they were correct. The Roku representative advised that the problem is with my Netflix subscription, but that makes no sense since there is no audio issue when streaming directly from Netflix’s website.

I recently purchased a new Roku 3 to replace the first generation Roku player I've had for several years. The old model still works, but is slow and Roku hasn't offered a software update for a couple of years (nor have major channels updated interfaces, etc.). My major issue with the old model was that it has become more prone to freeze up while streaming content (especially if I try to scrub or use the instant replay button) - I guess it could be a combination of old software and the fact that the hardware is always on. (I can't understand why there isn't a standby or power switch)So I decided to go for the biggest "best" (and most expensive) new model as a replacement. So far, since following the simple set up instructions; pairing the device to my Roku account; updating and authorizing my subscription channels (Hulu+ and Amazon); and navigating the new interface, I have had several freeze ups already in the first two days. What's more frustrating, is that the fancy new remote is constantly unpairing itself from the device (which is terrible since there is no way to navigate/utilize the device without a remote). Today I logged into my Roku account looking for some support and ended up with a 35 minute queue for a text chat session (which I didn't have time or patience to wait for).I don't often review things unless I'm really impressed and want to reward a company for excellent products or service, but this may be my first ever negative review. I'm really disappointed with this product.

After deciding to ditch cable TV I started to research alternative set-top-boxes that can provide on-demand content in addition to allowing live streams. The Roku showed up everywhere - blog posts about ditching cable, forums, and reviews. This encouraged me to take the plunge.I was quickly disappointed - the Roku is not a cable box replacement. Nearly it's entire library and design is only centred around the idea of on-demand content, not live streams. The Remote control included is ONLY Wifi, with no Infrared, so if you want to program your universal remote with it you're all out of luck. Neither me nor my spouse liked this included "toy" remote or the interface design.The big problem with it, in my opinion, is that each channel is completely separate. Say you want to watch a movie, or see what is streaming on a twitch channel or talk radio station - you have to go into that specific channel/app then look, and then go back to the home screen and move onto the next channel - rinse and repeat. If you've just got home from work and are tired you just want to relax in front of the TV, and the Roku does not provide that experience - if you have lots and lots of channels it's just not possible. This would be excusable if it was android based using existing apps, but this is a brand new platform, they could have done so much more, yet it offers nothing more than many gaming consoles or android mini-PCs.If the Roku could smartly combine my YouTube subscriptions, Netflix movies, and show me what shows were playing on live streams, all at the same time, it might be onto something. It would be great for independent content creators to make their own live streams that could be installed and immediately show up in a central guide. This limitation makes the technology feel early and I don't want to be an early adopter, especially if it doesn't feel like the device will ever become this.I will give some positives - the interface is very fast, certainly the fastest Youtube and Netflix interfaces I've ever seen on a non-PC. The design is slick and the way the Media Player can read NTFS drives is a good feature not often seen on devices like this.Ultimately I decided to return the Roku to Amazon. There are different devices slowly appearing which will offer better Cable box replacements as time goes on, here are a couple of examples:- "Mohu Channels" integrates Android Apps and Over the air TV into a single guide, due to be re-released sometime this year.- Channel Master DVR+ which also receives (and records) Over the air TV and includes Custom Apps in the guide (currently only Vudu but more are promised for this year)

Hooking it up is easy. Loads times are very fast however time and time again it was like looking through a window shade. I watched the same show on my Roku 2 XS in the other room and everything was fine. Do not get me wrong...I really like my Roku players and would recommend buying one. I just had problems with the Roku 3...both of my Roku 2 XS are a blessing. Roku 3 is definately much faster with the load times but then again it only takes 5-7 seconds for my Roku 2 XS to load a 2 hour movie.Bottom line....Roku's are super easy to hook up....awesome picture quality. Numerous channels and of course you get the major ones but through subscription only..Netflix-Hulu-Amazon....Vudu-MGO. As for myself, I am very pleased with Roku's overall performance and not to mention the channels...FUNIMATION & Crunchyroll. I am 50 years old and I am able to get by without cable because my Roku's...and watching blurays. I HIGHLY recommend getting a Roku 2 XS player....I had to many problems with the Roku 3....window shade...rebooting...reloading while trying to watch.

It plays videos, but there is a continuous high pitch squeal when ever it is on, even when there is nothing playing. The squeal comes through the audio on the TV, so turning off the TV, or turning the volume way down, also stops the squeal. Also, when playing an HD video, the sound sometimes cuts out every now and then. We can watch a video that plays well, then when we watch it again, the sound will cut out randomly. I have a similar device from another manufacturer that works fine.

Bought 7 of these media players for a trade show. 5 of them would randomly freeze or shut off after being on for a few hours. Useless.

All the buttons don't work . It just let's me toggle to movie, music, photo, file, etc only with those buttons. It will not let me select them. Can a universal remote work with this?

Alright but does not meet my expectations. A solid device that functions with older and we'll known formats but does not deliver satisfaction with playing mkv files. I've tried to mess with the settings but nothing but nothing budges. Audio plays but no picture shows up.

I can't watch a video in fast forward mode. Picture quality is so-so, and I could not watch a.movie in fast forward mode. Rewind is pretty worthless. I bought this model because the prior model I had a stopped showing AVI videos. bought this replacement. I now use an Emby server and apps. The pictures quality if much better.

This is the second time I've purchased this particular media player.I'll cut to the chase by saying that I could not play files copied from my iTunes library.When I returned the first unit I listed defective as my reason for the return, I know better now. Had I looked at the "file" category I would have seen an exclamation that mp4a files were unknown to the device. My bad!I will be returning the second unit because it just doesn't do what I need it to do.I left word on the Incredisonic web site that I couldn't play my music files, but they never got back to me.This is really too bad. I really like the build quality and the performance on photos and video is outstanding.I have a Roku 3 player and their "Media Player" app works perfectly on my iTunes music files. I had hoped that the Incredisonic IMP150+ would have given me additional functionality such as shuttling through a song.I bought this unit expressly for playing music, obviously it doesn't and I have no reason to keep it. I have read that a lot of people on here are happy with their purchase, I wish I could be one of them.

I purchased my Roku 3 in Sept. 2013. It functioned perfectly until May 2017, about 3 years and 8 months after purchase. When it worked, it worked very well, whether connected wirelessly or with an Ethernet cable. Initially, there were buffering problems, but when my Internet provider upgraded my bandwidth, I stopped experiencing that issue. Now, however, the Roku does not work at all. The indicators on the unit illuminate as expected, but the device fails to send a signal to any of my devices. I performed the following troubleshooting tasks:1. I disconnected from the home theater receiver I had been using, and then connected directly to the TV. The Roku failed to send a signal to the TV.2. I tried two different HDMI cables (those cables both function properly with other devices).3. I connected the Roku to a different home theater receiver and TV. That did not work.4. I connected the Roku directly to a different TV. That did not work either.At that point, I gave up on troubleshooting, and I checked Roku's Support page. I found no help there.I will never buy another Roku product. Instead, I will purchase another streaming device, probably a smart BD player. I'll start shopping for Sony units first, because I have always had success with Sony products. I have found several promising options on Amazon.Update, July 15 2017: I bought a Samsung BD-J6300 3D Wi-Fi Blu-Ray Player on June 23, 2017. So far, so good. I had set up my original Samsung unit, a BD-F7500, in Dec. 2014. I have always used the original unit with my primary entertainment system. It is still functioning perfectly.Note: Both of my Samsung BD players are Wi-Fi capable. However, I have them connected by cat 6 Ethernet cables running behind walls and through the attic.

Purchased this on Amazon and had it for over a year. Never again! Each time I plan to watch something, this ROKU displays a purple screen indicating "unauthorized...". It's frustrating! I've called support services only to be told to unplug the box and tv, wait then Re-plug or try changing the cord or ... Whatever TGV numerous troubleshooting plans to resolve the repetitve, chronic is more troublesome than its' worth. I will try to unplug it from the wall each time I stop watching/using it because it does not have a power off switch. I must pan ahead for it will not work without 15 min of troubleshooting Each and every time. I thought I had a bad unit so I called Roku. They seemingly only have support people in another country and sometimes it is difficult for them to comprehend the English accent and to understand their accent. Once the Roku gets going, it works, but again one must plan to have a wait for 15 min or more. This was my 2nd Roku. I bought one for a relative from a store and it has no problems. I would not purchase another from Amazon or this supplier.

Purchased the Roku Dec 31 and received Jan 6. Hasn't worked properly since I plugged it in. I have a Roku 1 that still works perfectly after 2 years. Just thought I'd get the Roku 3 because it's supposed to load faster. Big mistake. When you try to do too many searches it starts rapidly rolling through all the possible selections and then just freezes up. I have to disconnect the Roku and try the searches again. And if I do too many searches the whole process starts again. If I had known I only had 30 days to send this back I would have never purchased on Amazon. It is a total piece of junk and will be the last electronic type of equipment I will ever purchase on Amazon.

Let me start off by saying I'm a big Roku fan. I've had a Roku for years and it is awesome. I even bought one for my parents and they love it. Recently we wanted to put a Roku in our bedroom, so I bought a new Roku 3 to replace the old Roku in my living room. I started noticing bad Wifi coverage in my living room and the Roku itself had "buffering" issues when streaming from the internet. My access point is 20 feet away with direct line of sight, so I knew it wasn't my wifi coverage. When sitting in my living room, my broadband speed on my Ipad and my laptop would drop to 1-3Mbs (not good at all). I found the problem. If you don't want to read the rest, the problem is the Roku.I'm an electrical engineer, not just some guy on the internet, so I know what I'm talking about here. I measured the wifi signals in my living room looking at what SSIDs were available, what channel they were using, and the signal strength. Not everyone knows this, but your Roku creates it's own Wifi hotspot to communicate with the remote. I noticed this hotspot was operating on the same channel as my wifi, so I tried changing my wifi channel. The Roku switched channels to match my wifi. This indicated the problem: the Roku only has one wifi radio. Since it only has one radio, it emits a hotspot on the same channel as your wifi effectively jamming the signal. The signal strength from the Roku was pretty high, so that explained the jamming.I've looked through their web site and their user forums, and so far I can't find a way to stop this. There was a post on the forum that said if you use a wired network connection instead of wifi on the Roku the hotspot switches to 5Ghz from 2.4Ghz; which should prevent jamming in most households. I don't have a wired connection option, at least not one I would perform just for the Roku.As a loyal Roku fan, I am completely disappointed with this design decision. I'm not sure if the previous Rokus did this too, but I didn't have a problem until I bought the Roku 3.

My Roku 3 stopped responding to the remote after 8 months. I called Roku customer service, waited for 15 minutes, and then followed the instruction of the technician - taking out the batteries from the remote; unplugging the Roku 3 power supply; plugging back the power supply after waiting for 10 seconds; pairing the remote with the Roku by pressing the pair button for 30 seconds; doing a hard reset on the Rolu, etc. After working with him (who was sometimes quite hard to understand because of his heavy accent) and repeating the procedures for close to an hour, the Roku was still not responding to the remote. Then, the technician told me I had to call the company that made the router for my home wifi network to change the channel of the wifi network that the Roku 3 uses. Honestly, I ran out of my patience.I googled and found on the forum of roku's website that I'm not alone. People get stuck on the Roku logo or language selection screen. One other reviewer commented that Roku 3 uses wifi and it uses lots of bandwidth. We observed the same issue, but now the more problematic issue is that the Roku is not working at all. The warranty is just 90 days, so that's it. When it's working, it's great. But who knows when it'd quit working?

I bought the Roku 3 primarily to stream Amazon Instant Video and HBO GO. It didn't work for either. For HBO, it simply would not load any programs; the screen just timed out with a "sorry, we're working on it and hope to get it resolved shortly" message. This went on for 2-3 days without change or improvement. As for Amazon, while it started out playing the programs well, within the first 2 days of operation, the programs would constantly re-buffer, and the process took a long time. Both HBO and Amazon worked fine when watching on iPad or streaming through my TV from my laptop via HDMI cable.I called customer support, and they were useless. All they could recommend was to unplug the device and plug it back in, and to deactivate and reactivate HBO and Amazon. When neither worked, all they did was point the finger at the content providers.After 2-3 days of no improvement, I returned the device. While the picture quality was very good, the remote control was handy, and the user interface was intuitive, those advantages were not nearly worth $100, particularly when considering that HBO and Amazon didn't work properly (or at all), though they did on other devices.

For anyone thinking of buying a video player, do not buy this one. Most videos you download are going to be in MKV format. I downloaded a couple of things, and this refused to play most of them. It would play the sound, but there would be no picture. Windows 10 was able to play the videos, so it wasn't the files I downloaded.Too bad, it's very neat and compact, with a nice basic user interface. But a video player that won't play videos is not worth it, obviously.

Easy connection to the TV but when I tried to use it to select movies from a USB I had plugged in, I could not move the cursor down on the screen. I tried this in the Photos, Movies and Pictures area. However, in the Settings screen, I could navigate down. I tried contacting the company through their web site on several occasions to explain my issue and ask for help but received no response. Not sure if I am doing something wrong but it is not working anf getting no help. So, would not recommend this product to anyone.

I am gadget savvy and have no problems with 99% of the things I buy and have used many similar digital media players in the past. This media player is woefully disappointing and over-priced. The software is terrible, the remote is slow and doesn't even respond half the time, the software is ancient and non-sensical and the "manual" has print that is so tiny that it is unreadable. You will need a magnifying glass. All around, this is just not worth the trouble and absolutely not worth the price...even if you DO get it working somehow. After 2 hours of trying every conceivable way to get this thing to work and play ANY file of ANY kind (including swapping out cords multiple times and trying it on THREE different TVs), I am boxing it up and sending it back.

Terrible product, does not read most formats

I ordered two units. The first one was defective and did not work at all. The second one would only play external hard drives less than 2 TB and would not recognize a 3 or 5 TB external drive. Very disappointed in the product.

Bought it to play downloaded MP4 videos from a church site. None played without conversion although it was a standard format. Returned it.