Streaming device similar to WDTV?

The remote for Roku is RF as opposed to IR so you can actually hide the box behind the TV and it would still work. There is a headphone jack on the remote so if it is late, you can plug headphones (supplied) into it and have yourself some wireless headphones.
 
mad_allan said:
Why not look at a raspberry pi with xbmc installed? All apps are available and streams fine for me
Click to expand...

I thought about that too but:

1 - it needs configuring, lots of.
2 - it is butt ugly.
3 - too much reading required.

I set up the plex server at 2am, and got it done before bed. So it is not that difficult at all.
 
The pi is simple really, plug an sd card into pc, extract the small file, plug it in, voila. Setting up the media location is simple, as is downloading the apps.

I don't see my pi, it's hidden behind the BR player and my iPad controls it.
Works out cheaper than the Plex too.

I would agree the Plex is easier to set up but I'd prefer an extra hour of fiddling to have xbmc installed and running
 
The pi doesn't sound like a good device for a children playroom setup though, which more often than not will be controlled by "mum". I want a normal remote for it and for it to behave like a WDTV does.
 
It has cec, my tv remote also controls it but I see your point. Roku would prob be best for you.

My mrs struggles to logon to her laptop but works it fine haha.
 
There is simply no perfect device on the market. The perfect device would be an ATV with Roku apps combined with XMBC installed for £99. Something that can fit on the size of your hand, runs silent, with nice user friendly UI. It just doesn't exist unfortunately.
 
interesting - i'm between getting a pi (£50 for a XBMC setup), Roku £99 or WDTV £60.

Tempted by the pi but know NOTHING about linux at all which is what slightly scares me not to buy on of them.
 
To give Roku its credit, although it is not as pretty as XBMC but navigating around it is simple enough so you can always find what you want. And once you press Play, you forget it all because the picture is just spot on. I put on Pacific Rim on Saturday and the image quality compared to when I had XBMC on the ATV2 is notibly sharper because it is now showing in full 1080p vs 720p previously.

I had reservations about Plex before I bought the Roku as really like XBMC, but just couldn't bring myself spending like £300+ to stream media when I could do it for £100 or less, all for the sake of the pretty UI. I used to spend time playing with the fan art, changing the layout for each section, changind posters to make it look nice. So it is a little sad not being able to do that as it gives the whole experience a little more personal touch.

I may get an secondhand Mac Mini some point in a few years to run XBMC but right now it is too expensive.
 
really looking into the Roku3 myself. i have a jailbroken atv2 at the moment but as i use plex instead of xbmc it doesnt seem to run quite as good.

i have a nowtv (basically a roku) box in my bedroom which works wonderful with plex (although wireless)

i want a roku but with ethernet so thing the roku 3 would work the best in my situation.

i cant believe how much people are paying for atv 2's on ebay.
 
Jez said:
What is the difference between a NowTV (Roku?) and a Roku 3?
Click to expand...

Roku 3 is much faster (processor).
Roku 3 does 1080p v 720p
Roku 3 does 5.1 v stereo
Roku 3 has 400+ channels, Now Tv has like 5, and you can only install 1 additional one in Now TV, which is taken up by Plex. So you can't have 4oD and Plex.
Roku 3 has USB port on the side, Now TV do not.
 
Oh right, can the nowtv not even read 1080p MVK files then?

The output wouldn't matter, as I plan to connect to a junk old 42" 720p plasma in the playroom.
 
Jez said:
Oh right, can the nowtv not even read 1080p MVK files then?

The output wouldn't matter, as I plan to connect to a junk old 42" 720p plasma in the playroom.
Click to expand...

It can, but everything that comes out is 720p in stereo, even through HDMI to a receiver.

And it is wireless only, so if you want to go wired it is no go.
 
It will only be connected to the plasma in the playroom anyway so the 720 and stereo thing is a non issue here.

However, wireless only sucks, there is no way that it will stream 1080 reliably over wifi for example. :)
 
Buy a Now TV Box direct from Sky for £10 delivered, do it through Quidco and get £2 cash back.

Then install Plex on it (plenty of tutorials online)

Run a Plex server on you PC for Streaming.

Only thing you won't get it ITV on Demand.

They work very well over wireless.

It even streams from my PC to step son's bedroom without any issues, whereas the WD TV Live wouldn't.

The Now TV box with Plex runs rings around the WDTV Live box.

The WDTV Live very very picky about what and when it will stream from PC's
 
Last edited:
Raymond Lin said:
If you want to save money then get the Roku 2XS, I think it is around £60.
Click to expand...

Money, to some extent, is not an object. However its for a children's playroom! £100 or £10, it doesn't matter, however I only want basic features to run through an old 42" plasma.

barmyllama said:
Buy a Now TV Box direct from Sky for £10 delivered, do it through Quidco and get £2 cash back.

Then install Plex on it (plenty of tutorials online)

Run a Plex server on you PC for Streaming.

Only thing you won't get it ITV on Demand.

They work very well over wireless.

It even streams from my PC to step son's bedroom without any issues, whereas the WD TV Live wouldn't.

The Now TV box with Plex runs rings around the WDTV Live box.

The WDTV Live very very picky about what and when it will stream from PC's
Click to expand...

This conflicts slightly with what is said, and I do find the WDTV i use on my main setup to be absolutely excellent, but i see the sentiment that the NowTV is a good device :)
 
Then I could go with NowTv to see how you get on, if it doesn't do what you want then you are not that much out of pocket really.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom