Roku 3 Review: Better Than Apple TV. No Question

Media streaming is currently a thought thing; you've got solely need to cross-check figures behind the most important shows in recent years, like Game of Thrones and therefore the Walking Dead, to check that almost all of the time, folks are streaming this content on demand instead of following the restrictive, old-school route of calibration into scheduled programming. Streaming is freedom, therefore it's no marvel that such a big amount of folks are currently switched on to services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Video. #Roku Tech Support

With demand for those services, there is additionally been an increase in demand for connected devices. Users will access them via smartphones, tablets, or PCs, however in fact still as intense media on the go, we tend to all still love sitting down ahead of the goggle-box. That is wherever set-top boxes are available, clever devices that allow you to flip your dumb TV into a wise TV, capable of beaming in streamed, on-demand content.

Roku 3 Review: Design and Connectivity

As associate Apple TV user, I used to be quite shocked after I 1st took the Roku three out of its box. It appeared too light-weight (at one hundred seventy grams) and its plastic body looks little low cost compared to Apple’s set-top box. However, its surface footprint was additionally smaller at simply eighty-nine-millimeter x eighty-nine millimeter and twenty-five millimeter high. However despite its plastic shell, the Roku three appearance nice, with its rounded edges and glossy black body. Besides, once you’ve connected it to your TV, chances are high that you’ll ne'er bit it once more, that the low-cost plastic build feel isn’t a drawback; the Roku three appearance smart.

The Roku three talks to your network via intrinsically 802.11 dual-band Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 support. It additionally offers a 10/100 Base-T LAN port on the rear do you have to need to hardwire it into your router.

The Roku three is that the 1st Roku to ditch support for analog TVs. To use it you’ll want a contemporary HDTV with associate HDMI input. That shouldn’t be a difficult for many, however, as I don’t see many that have an interest in set-top streaming boxes owning older TVs. below the HDMI port on the rear, you’ll realize a microSD card slot for added game and channel storage. On the face of the Roku three may be a USB port that enables you to replay digital media files. My sole annoyance with the property choices is Roku opted against as well as an HDMI cable within the box.

Software Interface, Channels, and Content

Roku has returned a protracted approach with its program. The previous filmstrip UI has been replaced with a far easier to navigate grid layout. Rather than solely having the ability to look at 5 channels at a time, currently, you'll see 9. This makes it such a lot easier for browsing and finding one thing to observe.

Though Roku offers users over 450 channels, all of them aren’t put in by default, nor area unit they on the market within the main menu. This is often a decent move, as browsing through 450 channels might become tedious and time overwhelming. Previously, however, users required to laden a separate interface to buy the Channel Store to feature them to the most menu. Roku determined to ditch that approach, thankfully, and currently Roku’s Channel Store in designed right into the most UI while not having to load it up separately—this permits you to quickly see what channels area unit on the market to you and add them while not having to restore and forth between separate interfaces.

And speaking of that content: 450 channels may be a ton (Apple TV offers but 30). Roku offers most of the massive guns: Netflix, NOW TV, BBC iPlayer, Sky Store, Demand 5, Spotify, YouTube, additionally as many smaller channels that area unit bound to supply one thing in spite of what your tastes. Matter of reality, Roku offers numerous channels it’s nearly not possible to list all (but some individuals on Wikipedia have done associate degree admirable job). Having 450 channels means that you’ll ne'er hurt for content. Whereas most of the channels area unit free, you’ll have to be compelled to pay money for a number of the larger ones (like Netflix and Sky).

Roku 3 Review: Video, Audio, and Multimedia

The Roku three supports full 1080p HD video still as 720p HD video. Digital audio is handled over HDMI (7.1 and 5.1 surround pass through). Supported video formats are MP4 (H.264) and MKV (H.264), whereas supported audio formats are AAC and MP3. The Roku additionally supports JPEG and PNG pictures.

Sampling a 1080p H.264 film on the Roku three, the box contends it back while not a hiccup—something that's little doubt attributable to the improved processor that Roku says is 5 times quicker than within the previous model. however whereas most customers can solely be victimization the Roku for streaming via one in every of its several channels, it might are nice to ascertain the Roku support a lot of file formats, significantly AVI movies for those people with giant libraries of older home videos dotty digital cameras over the years.

A really nice and regarding the Roku three is that it additionally acts as a game console. No, this tiny set prime box isn't any match for the Xbox (or even a PSP), however, it’s nice that it will support casual gaming—and that Angry Birds is enclosed without charge. #Roku Activation Link Code

 

Roku 3 Review: Controller

I have a love/hate relationship with the Roku’s controller. I hate the means it's, however, i really like what it will do. The planning and feel of the Roku 3 controller is nothing, however, low cost. It’s big, bulky, and appears am passionate about it ought to be embedded within the back of Associate in Nursing plane seat. Place it next to the remote that's enclosed with the Apple TV and you’ll see the Roku’s remote is regarding seven times thicker. However, since the Roku’s remote will do thus, so, thus much—its alarming style may be forgiven.

Besides the apparent navigation input the remote is employed for, it's some of the neat options. The primary is that it doesn’t need line-of-sight to use. The remote instead uses Wi-Fi Direct technology to speak to the Roku box. This can be an enormous and after you contemplate the remote doubles as a game controller. Flip it sideways and you’ll notice a direction pad together with your handy A and B buttons.

Another clever feature of this remote is its inherent phone jack. Connect your phone to that (Roku includes a pair) and also the sound on your TV is mechanically muted and directed through the remote into your ears. This can be nice for those that could also be victimization the Roku late in the dead of night whereas others could also be sleeping. Roku even engineered volume buttons into the aspect of the remote thus you'll management the degree once the headphones square measure blocked in.

Roku 3 Review: Conclusion

If you’re a computer user, the Roku three is that the best set prime streaming box you'll get. However, if you’re a waterproof user, I might still say you ought to pick the Apple TV over the Roku three. The Apple TV is just too tightly integrated into the OS X and iOS system to create mistreatment something, however, it the apparent selection.

For most those that aren’t tied to the waterproof, however, the Roku three could be a task. At £99 you get plenty for your money: 450 channels of free and on-demand content, straightforward thanks to stream and share your media, and even a light-weight game console. With the Roku 3, the corporate has shown they're about to be a serious power within the way forward for streaming set prime boxes. As long as they'll solve some hardware style challenges (like that large, ugly, cheap-looking remote), Roku may well be one in all Apple’s main challengers within the future. #Roku Help