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Roku is introducing a $50 direct competitor to Chromecast ($35). The previous Roku stick required a special kind of HDMI port (called MHL enabled) which was only available on a limited number of TV's. The new one uses standard HDMI port and the USB port as an option for power (like the Chromecast).
Why the $15 higher price? The main reason seems to be while you can operate the Roku stick with a table or smartphone (like the Chromecast) you can also operate it with an included remote control which is designed to wrap it's signal around the TV so that it sees the Roku stick behind the TV.
I admit to having a little skepticism about the remote operations, as previous remotes needed to have some line of sight to the sensor. But all in all, I think it is a better deal. I haven't bought a Chromecast as I don't like to be tied to a tablet.
For ultra frugal TV watching, you can now buy a 19" TV for $100 that weighs around 6 lbs, and a $50 Roku HDMI stick and carry it around the house or dorm and only require a simple power plug and possibly an antenna. At Best Buy an Insignia™ 19" Class - LED - 720p - HDTV DVD Combo has an MSRP of $149 which would add DVD capabilities as well (Model: NS-19ED200NA14). Your monthly expenses would consist of internet with wireless plus Netflix or Amazon.
If you don't get good antenna service where you are, perhaps you can persuade a friend in a big city to send over his antenna signal to your Roku. The old style SimpleTV with lifetime subscription are being sold for about $118. Although these older design units are limited in functionality, the newer models cost $400 with lifetime subscription.
Why the $15 higher price? The main reason seems to be while you can operate the Roku stick with a table or smartphone (like the Chromecast) you can also operate it with an included remote control which is designed to wrap it's signal around the TV so that it sees the Roku stick behind the TV.
The Roku 3 remote uses WiFi, not IR, so it doesn't need a line of sight. The remote for the new Roku stick uses WiFi too. So it's not "designed to wrap it's signal". The remote just need to be in range of the same WiFi network as the Roku stick. There are no sensor on the stick itself.
+1 to the remote being on wifiAnother nice thing about the Roku is you can use the Roku app to turn your smartphone or tablet into the remote.
With the Roku stick you are also going to be able to "sling" content from a tablet/laptop/smartphone right to your TV. I don't know if/how this functionality will integrate with the remote apps...
I was able to buy a brand new out of the box 19" HDTV with an HDMI port for $79.99 (on sale) at Best Buy (house brand). It's better to get rid of your cathode ray televisions now while you can still find places that will dispose of them for free. If you wait until they are dead, you may have to pay a lot to get rid of them.
I was able to buy a brand new out of the box 19" HDTV with an HDMI port for $79.99 (on sale) at Best Buy (house brand). It's better to get rid of your cathode ray televisions now while you can still find places that will dispose of them for free. If you wait until they are dead, you may have to pay a lot to get rid of them.
My Dw and I both have laptops. They are plugged into large monitors. We both watch media via our 'broadband' connection from our phone line.
Our Tv sits unused ever since they stopped high-power Tv broadcast, in favor of low-power digital broadcast. Before, our township used to get one 'local' Tv station. Now to get that Tv station basically requires paying for a satellite dish. Some homes here have gone to satellite dish, others have just gone without.
We are fairly happy with Netflix. The buffering is a pain at times.
I am trying to keep up-to-date on these forums with how the industry is changing, and what else is available.
As for getting rid of the old for 'free'. Our township does not have a dump. Anytime that I haul trash to any neighboring township's dump it costs me a few dollars.
We are fairly happy with Netflix. The buffering is a pain at times.
I am trying to keep up-to-date on these forums with how the industry is changing, and what else is available.
As for getting rid of the old for 'free'. Our township does not have a dump. Anytime that I haul trash to any neighboring township's dump it costs me a few dollars.
A lot of the dumps don't want CRT's. The local Best Buy will recycle the CRT's, and take them for free. But as the market dries up overseas, they are likely to discontinue this program. Best to get rid of your CRT now.
The township where I live does not get antenna reception very well (except PBS, local news, and religious station). But cable is alive and well. You can get 25 Mbps internet for $40-$50 a month in a many places. If you deign to be thrifty, you can tap off that for VOIP and Netflix, otherwise you must shell out $125-$200 a month for a triple play.
DSL is a dying business. Unfortunately you probably won't be getting any speed upgrades to help with your buffering problem. Zuckerburg is talking about solar powered unmanned airborne vehicles that will circle for up to 5 years at a height of 65,000' . They can carry a 25 pound payload, which should deliver internet to an area like yours (at higher speeds than dsl).
It has been many years since the last time I dealt with a town dump. My town does not have one. So I have no idea of what a dump will take.
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... The township where I live does not get antenna reception very well (except PBS, local news, and religious station). But cable is alive and well.
You are very fortunate to live in a town that has cable. It is too rural here.
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... DSL is a dying business. Unfortunately you probably won't be getting any speed upgrades to help with your buffering problem. Zuckerburg is talking about solar powered unmanned airborne vehicles that will circle for up to 5 years at a height of 65,000' . They can carry a 25 pound payload, which should deliver internet to an area like yours (at higher speeds than dsl).
We have 'dsl', but ... From each fiber-optic node, they over-exceeded how many miles the twisted-wire pairs can run to still carry the full bandwidth. If I lived within a couple miles of the node, I would get much better bandwidth. But the node itself is not in our township, it is in a neighboring township.
It is what we have. Most townships in my region of the state only have dial-up. No cellphone repeater towers either. So for this region, I am very fortunate.
+1 to the remote being on wifiAnother nice thing about the Roku is you can use the Roku app to turn your smartphone or tablet into the remote.
With the Roku stick you are also going to be able to "sling" content from a tablet/laptop/smartphone right to your TV. I don't know if/how this functionality will integrate with the remote apps...
I just downloaded and installed the free Roku App on my iPod Touch, and it works great!
It signs me onto my Roku account, and connects to my Roku 3 device via WiFi.
It gives me a full function remote control for the Roku, which I can read in the dark.
It lets me see what channels are currently installed on my Roku.
It accesses the Roku store.
And it also allows me to view pictures and videos on the Roku. I'm guessing this is if I plug a USB drive into the Roku device, which has pics and video on it.
Thanks for mentioning this app!
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