TOTALLY GEEKED!

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

Streaming Sticks A real geek question!

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I like Roku - but mainly because it is what I know. I haven't used the others, but Roku is basically idiot proof. And my 5 year old has mastered it.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

What are the details? Following...

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
What are the details? Following...

I have no details. I want details!

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

OK. The Roku stick allows you to stream. When you first set it up, it will find your wifi network and you have to enter your password. Then, it gives you one screen with boxes to choose which "station" you want to use - Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, and it has extra free stations that have free movies or like Disney that does their music videos, previews, and little shorts, and then some pay per view like "M-go". When you first select one of your subscription stations, it will ask for your username and password, just like on your computer. Once you are logged in, it usually keeps you logged in unless something resets the box/stick like a power surge/outage on your wifi.

Here is a picture of my home screen:

You just arrow to the one you want and hit "ok" on the remote.

This is my remote - look how simple it is:

There's "back", "home", the arrow buttons, "ok", and the play/pause and forward/reverse. Quite honestly, I'm not sure what those bottom 2 buttons are for. Oh, probably the games. Roku usually has some games. Ours has Angry Birds on it.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Here you can compare different roku players. And DARN YOU! Now I want the roku 3. I was content, damn it!

www.roku.com/products/compare

WYSIWYG · Guru

I would advise against the Amazon Fire stick. I have one at home and I am considering getting a Roku 3

Lawyerlady

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

So, those that have a stick, what channels do you have?

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Does it drain your data plan or are data plans not in play?

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

It works off your wireless Internet.

Divine Geek · Guru

we have Apple TV. I'm really the only one that uses it, and only when I get to be upstairs (my TV down here is 20+ years old, so I don't think I can use one on it. although, I would LOVE to be able to). It sounds pretty much like the Roku, only difference I can think of is Apple TV does not have the Amazon Prime option. I use it to watch Netflix and Hulu. There are a bunch of other "channels" but I haven't explored them. We still have cable. I don't think any of the streaming sticks have real-time new shows. and not all of the current shows are on Hulu - many of the networks have streaming from their websites or apps, but you have to verify you already have cable service to access them. If you're thinking of totally dumping cable, make sure to do some research to see if all your favorite shows are on Hulu (or one of the other services)

FNW · Guru

We have a google stick. You stream from whatever you pull up on your computer screen. Picture on TV is not as good. We also streamed netflix from iPad, but nothing was needed for that. Now we have a smart TV so no stick needed.

The Roku sounds good.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

FNW wrote:
We have a google stick. You stream from whatever you pull up on your computer screen. Picture on TV is not as good. We also streamed netflix from iPad, but nothing was needed for that. Now we have a smart TV so no stick needed.

The Roku sounds good.

So tell me about the smart TV, I don't need a stick of any sort? Cable? Data Plan?

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
FNW wrote:
We have a google stick. You stream from whatever you pull up on your computer screen. Picture on TV is not as good. We also streamed netflix from iPad, but nothing was needed for that. Now we have a smart TV so no stick needed.

The Roku sounds good.
So tell me about the smart TV, I don't need a stick of any sort? Cable? Data Plan?

A smart TV is able to get online. You need wireless internet service at your home. I have a smartTV in the bedroom and we use it to watch Netflix, HBOtoGo, etc. It's a way for your tv to access the Internet. That's it. No stick needed, no data plan (you are using the Internet you already have at home, data plans are for using the Internet when there is no wifi to connect to)

In our living room we have Apple TV. Its a small box that allows any non smart TV to access the Internet. It also can take something from your iPad or Mac or iPhone and "throw" it onto the TV. So I can take the video of DD's dance recital I recorded on my iPhone and watch it on the big TV.

-- Edited by Mellow Momma on Tuesday 16th of June 2015 08:42:01 PM

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

But your smart TVs can watch you while you sleep......

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Lawyerlady wrote:
But your smart TVs can watch you while you sleep......

Not if I have it plugged into a power strip and yank the cord.

Cause I do more in my bed than sleep! 😉

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I have a smart tv too. Actually, we have 3 of them.

The only thing I don't like, and it has to do with the digital and not the tv, you can surf as easy.

Each channel had to load. But that's any digital cable TV now.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

Got the Roku. Still playing with it. Will dump the cable in a few days.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Southern_Belle wrote:
It works off your wireless Internet.

which is a data plan if you don't have cable which these products replace...

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
It works off your wireless Internet.
which is a data plan if you don't have cable which these products replace...

It should work off your internet connection - not your phone, so data usage should not be an issue.

Bonny22Pye · Guru

I personally like the interface of the Roku best. We have Roku in one room and apple TV in another and we also use a BD player to stream.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lawyerlady wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
It works off your wireless Internet.
which is a data plan if you don't have cable which these products replace...
It should work off your internet connection - not your phone, so data usage should not be an issue.

Yes, but if you don't have cable, you have to buy a data plan on a hot spot or such so data usage is an issue.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
It works off your wireless Internet.
which is a data plan if you don't have cable which these products replace...

You do not need cable. You need Internet access at your home. Cable and Internet are two different things. If you can get on your computer at home, you can use a smart tv. You can buy cable without Internet and you can buy Internet without cable. They are not the same product. They often get bundled together into a package, but they are different. If you have cable and no internet at home, the smart TV won't work. If you have Internet at home, it will work.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
It works off your wireless Internet.
which is a data plan if you don't have cable which these products replace...
It should work off your internet connection - not your phone, so data usage should not be an issue.
Yes, but if you don't have cable, you have to buy a data plan on a hot spot or such so data usage is an issue.

No. You just have to have internet. It works off your wifi. There is no data plan involved.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lawyerlady wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
It works off your wireless Internet.
which is a data plan if you don't have cable which these products replace...
It should work off your internet connection - not your phone, so data usage should not be an issue.
Yes, but if you don't have cable, you have to buy a data plan on a hot spot or such so data usage is an issue.
No. You just have to have internet. It works off your wifi. There is no data plan involved.

Ok but buying internet only from the cable company is really expensive. I think in my area it runs about $100 for internet only (when not bundled with cable TV) This is something I am interested in doing though.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Southern_Belle wrote:
It works off your wireless Internet.
which is a data plan if you don't have cable which these products replace...
It should work off your internet connection - not your phone, so data usage should not be an issue.
Yes, but if you don't have cable, you have to buy a data plan on a hot spot or such so data usage is an issue.
No. You just have to have internet. It works off your wifi. There is no data plan involved.
Ok but buying internet only from the cable company is really expensive. I think in my area it runs about $100 for internet only (when not bundled with cable TV) This is something I am interested in doing though.

That is very expensive. Ours is $49 a month for top of the line internet and that's the price, regardless if we bundle it with cable - in fact, bundled, it was $39 a month. But it just went up to the $49. I haven't called to cancel or lower it, b/c we're moving in 2 weeks and will deal with it then.

And you can get internet from more than the cable company, can't you? I don't understand why you would be so limited.

-- Edited by Lawyerlady on Thursday 18th of June 2015 05:58:39 AM

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

Here you can get top speed Internet for $88 a month. It will support up to 7 devices at once. Still beats a $200 cable bill, even if you add a streaming service or two.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Only one cable company in my area.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Only one cable company in my area.

That really sucks.

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

DH has Roku.

I would need a child to explain to me how to use the darn thing...

flan

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lawyerlady wrote:
I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Only one cable company in my area.
That really sucks.

Yep.

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

flan327 wrote:
DH has Roku.

I would need a child to explain to me how to use the darn thing...

flan

And this is another one of my problems. hmm