Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

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Lorini
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Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Lorini »

My cable bill is ridiculous and I'm trying to cut it down. I'm paying $72 from Charter/Spectrum for DVR service. How can I cut that down? I don't mind paying for a Roku if the resulting monthly cost would be much less. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!!!
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Smoove_B »

I think for these situations, it's helpful to work backwards. Figure out what TV shows you need to watch as they're airing (or close to it) and what channels you can't live without (because you're always watching them) and that will help narrow down your options.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Isgrimnur »

Also, bear in mind that if you have a DVR, that functionality is lacking in most cordcutting scenarios. You might be able to watch a few back episodes, but it will be on each network's clock, not yours.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by TheMix »

Others will likely have more details (or even correct ones), but you probably should start of thinking of the Roku as just the "content delivery device". Kind of like a DVD player. It allows you to view content on your TV. But it doesn't provide the content. There are lots of channels. And some that are free. So you probably could find something to watch with just the Roku. But it may not be that great.

More likely you would use the Roku to stream paid content to your TV. We have Netflix. That's mostly what we stream with our Rokus. We also have Amazon Prime, but don't use it much. Not sure about gilraen, but in my case that is because 1) Amazon's interface blows, and 2) I haven't run out of stuff to watch on Netflix. And now, with the new Roku we just picked up, we can actually stream our Comcast content on the TV. Of course, you would still require a cable contract for something like that.

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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by gilraen »

Roku itself does not have any content. It's a device to allow your TV to "show" content from other platforms, apps or subscriptions that you may have: Netflix, Vudu, Hulu, Sling TV, Amazon Prime and so on. Some apps provide free content - usually it's networks that give you access to recent episodes for free (Comedy Central, TBS, Fox, etc.)
Basically you plug it in to turn your TV into a "smart" TV.

The "ditching cable" thread has a lot of discussion but is all over the place :) Basically the main questions would be: what type of TV shows and which networks do you normally watch for which you'd need suitable replacements. It's easy to figure out how to watch scripted shows, much more difficult if you want to watch, say, live sports.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by stessier »

Yeah, what do you normally watch? A Sling TV subscription can get you the networks except for CBS (it has it's own streaming solution). I think Hulu recently got some CBS shows as well. If you don't mind waiting a year, Netflix and Amazon get a lot of the shows as well.

Roku is just a box that offers apps for streaming. The Fire stick from Amazon and Chromecast can do similar things. All of those are one time expenses to get the hardware. At that point, you have to pay subscriptions for whatever services you use. Roku claims to be coming out with some DVR functionality this year as does Sling. Sling TV can cost between $20-40/month depending on the plan you choose. Netflix is about $12. Amazon streaming is included with the prime subscription. Hulu without commercials is about $10 (but doesn't guarantee no commercials for all programs).

Oh, and Vue is something to do with the Playstation - I don't have one and don't know much about it.

Does that help?
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Lorini »

I plan on keeping cable but I want to dump the DVR stuff. Can Roku help me do that? Or something else? Thanks! Way frustrated right now so might not be making sense. Tried to get the cable bill cut down through Spectrum and they ended up proposing that I INCREASE my cable bill by $14 a month. :doh:
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Isgrimnur »

Roku has no DVR capability. If you drop the cable DVR, you would a service like Playstation Vue to replace even a portion of the content that you normally store there.

Again, most of the channels available through Roku will have some back episodes available, as the content is on-demand. That might be the previous four episodes. Anything longer than that, and you'll be out of luck.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by gilraen »

Again, depending which networks and which shows you normally watch - most major networks now let you watch at least 2-4 weeks worth of new episodes for free (sometimes you have to login with your cable account credentials, other times it's just open access). You can do it on their website or through their app. That's how I usually stay caught up on shows...I have no idea when they are actually on TV, plus networks love taking random breaks in between new episodes, I can't keep up. I just go on their websites over the weekend and check to see if there are any new episodes from that week.

Obviously if you like to DVR a whole season and then watch it all in one go - you'd need an actual subscription to Hulu or Netflix or something.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Lorini »

Ok, I thought Roku was a DVR. Glad I asked!

Hmm, not sure what to do then.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Isgrimnur »

For alternate DVR services, Tivo is the 800lb gorilla. Their site indicates they have a BOLT product that's supposed to replace the cable box. It's a $200-500 purchase, and they have either a monthly $15 service charge or 'lifetime' for $550 (3 year breakeven).
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Anonymous Bosch »

Lorini wrote:My cable bill is ridiculous and I'm trying to cut it down. I'm paying $72 from Charter/Spectrum for DVR service. How can I cut that down? I don't mind paying for a Roku if the resulting monthly cost would be much less. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!!!
Don't underestimate how much money you can save by simply calling and negotiating a more favourable price. Here's some solid advice on negotiating the best possible deal:
Cutting your cable bill can be as easy as making a single phone call. Or you can have the conversation via online chat, which some experts say is even more effective, since you'll probably be talking to a customer service representative instead of to a salesperson. And the conversation can usually be over in five minutes.

But you have to know exactly what to say to get the best possible deal. Here are step-by-step instructions for preparing for the call -- and the five-sentence script to follow.

Before you call:
  • Watch your mailbox. Save up the special offers and discount coupons that come in the mail, and collect the ads and inserts that come in your newspaper. You can also find offers by checking others companies' websites online. Keep offers from your company and those from rival companies.
  • Do some research. Ask friends what service they use and how much they're paying. Call the rival company to ask what their best deal is right now if you switch. Because rates change all the time, people in the same neighborhood may be paying wildly different costs, says Schwark Satyavolu, CEO of Truaxis, formerly BillShrink. But don't just get ballpark numbers; find out what other companies charge for the same services you want so you're not comparing apples and oranges. The more ammunition you have, the better positioned you'll be to negotiate. Keep in mind that even if your area has only one cable provider, that's not the only kind of competition. DirectTV, Apple TV, Netflix, and satellite services are all competition for cable as well. "There are so many options available now, cable providers are under pressure, which may result in more flexibility," Satyavolu says.
  • Know the details of your bills. Be clear on the services you're paying for and whether they were added up individually or as a package. Read your bill carefully for hidden fees or for anything that looks different from what you remember signing up for. Some companies make "upgrades" or change the details of plans without notifying customers.
  • Know your payment history. How long have you been a customer? Many companies value longtime customers for their loyalty. Have you made all or almost all of your payments on time? Be prepared to play up your status as a valuable customer the company wants -- and needs -- to keep.
  • Know your account number. If you don't, be prepared with other identifying information, such as your phone number, address, and social security number.
  • Have a bill in front of you. It helps to be able to consult the details of what you're paying for.
  • Have a pen ready to take notes. Circle the parts of the bill you're questioning. You can take notes right on the bill or on a separate sheet of paper.
  • Psych yourself up. Most people don't call to request bill reductions for one of two reasons: Either they're too embarrassed, or they assume they won't be successful. Build yourself up for this conversation by combating both notions in your head. You're entitled to call to ask for lower costs -- that's every customer's right. And there's no reason they shouldn't say yes. You've been a loyal customer worth keeping.
  • Be prepared to be flexible. Sometimes you can get the best deal by combining Internet and cable TV, or by choosing a package deal rather than selecting a prorated menu of services. Be prepared to hear all the options the sales rep or customer service rep offers before you make your push for what you want. (You never know; there might be something you want thrown in for free.)
  • Be as nice as possible without being smarmy. Remember, the life of a phone customer service assistant isn't easy, and some have more flexibility to negotiate than others. Your goal is to be the person the he or she wants to help. If you're gruff or impatient, the rep will have less incentive to go out of his or her way for you.
5 sentences to slash your cable bill

The script, in five sentences:
  1. State the issue firmly.

    "I'm calling to make changes in my cable service because I can't afford my current payment."
  2. Play the competition card.

    "I'm considering switching services because I've received an offer from [name a rival company] for [name the specific services, such as cable and Internet] for [name the price]." Alternative: "My friend across town is only paying [name the price]."

    At this point, expect the cable provider cable rep to name all the services you have and tell you what a good deal it is.
  3. State your history as a loyal customer and repeat that cost is the issue.

    If the representative touts other perks of your service, such as virus protection, say that you don't use those services. Politely repeat that you're thinking of switching or even canceling cable altogether to save money.

    "I understand; I've been a loyal customer for [state the time period], and I always make my payments -- but rates have gone up, and I'm going to have to switch or cancel cable altogether because we just can't afford it."

    At this point, wait a beat or two. Many times, the cable rep will step in to offer specials. If not, follow with, "Is there anything you can do to help me reduce costs?"

    The spokesperson will likely name the deals or discounts available. If the rep says there are no offers or he or she isn't authorized to make bill reductions, ask in a friendly tone to speak to someone who can help you with this. In some cases this will mean being transferred from sales to customer service. Asking to speak with the "disconnection department" may get you the furthest with some companies.
  4. Push for a better bottom line.

    "Is that the best you can do?"

    If the offer isn't enough, push harder: "So, right now, my monthly payment is [name the current cost], and with this deal it will be [name the rep's proposed cost]. I don't think that's going to make enough of a difference."

    If the deal offered is an introductory offer that expires after six months, push for a longer term or ask what to do to keep your rate from jumping back up: "Is it possible to extend that rate for a year?"

    The cable rep might decline an extension and instead say you can call back in six months and ask to have the introductory offer extended. If so, make note of the date when the rate hike goes into effect.
  5. Obtain confirmation information and make sure there are no hidden fees.

    "You've done a great job helping me, and I really appreciate it. Can we go over the details one more time -- and can I have your name so I know whom I was talking to?" (It's also a good idea to ask for e-mail confirmation.)

    If the representative has been helpful and one of those automatic customer service surveys comes on afterward, be sure and give the representative a high rating. Who knows, he or she may be more likely to help the next rate-reduction caller too!
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by stessier »

Wait a minute - you are paying Charter $72/month JUST for DVR? How many DVRs do you have???

As Isgrimnur noted, Tivo is probably the way to go. I got mine in 2011 with the lifetime subscription. It works with OTA and cable and I've been ahead of the game since 2014. It is pretty great if you don't mind the upfront cost.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Lassr »

stessier wrote:Wait a minute - you are paying Charter $72/month JUST for DVR? How many DVRs do you have???
:shock:
that is A LOT.

I don't have DVR service and get by just fine. Most of the shows we watch often show the repeats during the week. Or we use the On Demand service through cable, or I can use my Roku to watch past episodes of shows through their app. If i miss Family Guy, I can go to the Fox app and watch the current season. Starz app for Black Sails or Spartacus. etc.

DVR for me would only be $10 a month and I don't find that amount worth it.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Lorini »

I called to get my costs lowered and they wanted to raise it instead. Yes I'm paying $72 for DVR service for five TVs. Thus the problem. Unfortunately one of my roommates likes to watch Formula 1 and we are on the west coast of the US.

Thanks everyone for the info. I will look into TiVo. I'm open to other suggestions as well.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by TheMix »

At the very least, it sounds like you'd be fine with only having a DVR on one TV.

With Comcrap, we had the DVR for the last year (it was part of the package). We barely touched it. But I think we were only paying one charge, and we could still access stuff on the DVR from the other TVs. Comcrap moved to doing their storage in the cloud. So there really isn't a reason to have a physical DVR device any more. We just paid for the functionality. Being charged per TV... that's pretty ridiculous. And completely unnecessary. Unless you have 5 different people that want to have control over their own DVR recordings - and who all do a significant amount of DVR'ing.

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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by hitbyambulance »

don't forget to get an antenna for your tv for over-the-air broadcast signals. enter your address at this website to check your reception for various channels (PBS, CBS, ABC. NBC, Fox, Ion and a bunch of independent stations). http://www.antennaweb.org/

it's quite possible a $10 loop antenna could serve you well.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Z-Corn »

Did somebody say "TiVo"!? :wub:

I've been waiting for a thread to pop up to talk about my latest TiVo upgrade. Just after Christmas the basic TiVo Bolt was on sale at Amazon for $118. I had to jump on it...

Our previous TiVo is a Series 4, the Bolt is a Series 6 so it was enough of an upgrade to be compelling to me. I immediately replaced the 500 gig hard drive with a 3 terabyte drive which was $150. The newest version of the TiVo OS doesn't require any special preparation of the hard drive to upgrade up to 3 TB. This made the upgrade WAY easier than in the past. It was so easy I felt guilty. I've upgraded every TiVo I've owned and in the past it could take an entire weekend to prep the new drive.

Anyway, most people will have enough capacity with the stock drive. Right now this TiVo is $155. If you need more capacity the 1 TB version is $299 and the 3 TB is $499. The cheaper two have four tuners, the expensive version has six.

I can answer TiVo questions if anybody ever has them!
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Punisher »

We have 3 Tivo's in the house and have had Tivo since the very first one. Season Pass is a beautiful thing..

In order for it to be economical for you, you would need to have less than 5 Tivo's though..
You could get one 6 tuner Tivo and then get the extension devices they sell to watch in other rooms.

Another benefit with Tivo, at least for us is, is that I regularly switch between Optimum and FIOS as my various contracts expire and the other offers the better deal.
I get to keep my shows without turning in a DVR and the Tivo is generally smart enough to reprogram my season passes to the new channels.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

Lorini wrote:I called to get my costs lowered and they wanted to raise it instead. Yes I'm paying $72 for DVR service for five TVs. Thus the problem. Unfortunately one of my roommates likes to watch Formula 1 and we are on the west coast of the US.

Thanks everyone for the info. I will look into TiVo. I'm open to other suggestions as well.
That is ludicrous. DIRECTV isn't exactly known as being economical, and they are hitting me for $10 for the DVR and another $3 to push the DVR to the whole house.

The one DVR can record five programs simultaneously and hold a couple hundred hours of HD programming.

I used TiVo in the past and was a believer, but I switched to the DIRECTV like 10 years ago and it does everything I need. The idea that I would pay hundreds of dollars for a box and then pay hundreds of dollars for lifetime service - thats incomprehensible to me. It works for others but I would never commit that kind of money up front, even if it saves money in the long run.

No matter how you slice it - $72 for DVR is stupid. DVRs attached to five TVs is also overkill IMO. :)
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Carpet_pissr »

I second simply calling them (again) as a first step, but you have to be ready for the call, mentally, because they do this ALL DAY and they will try to replace your concern about high costs, with a seeming deal you can't refuse (total price will be higher most likely, but you will get a ton of new channels, or extra features, or internet, or something). In fact, I don't know if you use them for internet as well, but if you don't I bet they will say: we will sell you a package that includes internet, phone and cable for $150, and will throw in 6 months of Showtime or HBO for free.

Literally tell them that $75 for DVR service is ridiculous, you can't continue to pay that, and what can they do to lower the TOTAL invoice amount? And then shut up...just stop talking and see what happens. In your unusual situation, with that many DVR's maybe nothing...but worst case is they say "nothing we can do" at which point you call Uverse and ask them for their best offer.

Are you paying for DVR service only for each TV, or also the rental cost of 5 different DVR boxes?
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Anonymous Bosch »

Carpet_pissr wrote:I second simply calling them (again) as a first step, but you have to be ready for the call, mentally, because they do this ALL DAY and they will try to replace your concern about high costs, with a seeming deal you can't refuse (total price will be higher most likely, but you will get a ton of new channels, or extra features, or internet, or something). In fact, I don't know if you use them for internet as well, but if you don't I bet they will say: we will sell you a package that includes internet, phone and cable for $150, and will throw in 6 months of Showtime or HBO for free.

Literally tell them that $75 for DVR service is ridiculous, you can't continue to pay that, and what can they do to lower the TOTAL invoice amount? And then shut up...just stop talking and see what happens. In your unusual situation, with that many DVR's maybe nothing...but worst case is they say "nothing we can do" at which point you call Uverse and ask them for their best offer.
Indeed, you'll have significantly better results if you follow the advice on the negotiation process I posted above.

It may seem like a pain in the arse to track down the various special offers and discount coupons currently available in your locale, contact rival companies to determine what their best deals are to switch, and ask what your friends and neighbours are paying. But performing such due diligence and obtaining specific facts and figures puts you in a MUCH stronger position to negotiate; it also provides a great confidence boost if such negotiation typically is not your cuppa.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by stessier »

RunningMn9 wrote:I used TiVo in the past and was a believer, but I switched to the DIRECTV like 10 years ago and it does everything I need. The idea that I would pay hundreds of dollars for a box and then pay hundreds of dollars for lifetime service - thats incomprehensible to me. It works for others but I would never commit that kind of money up front, even if it saves money in the long run.
Didn't you buy solar panels? :wink:
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

stessier wrote:Didn't you buy solar panels? :wink:
Hell no! I lease solar panels. I paid nothing for the system up front, and calculated that the net present value of the lease was roughly the same as buying at that time. I sacrificed the sweet solar rec's for not having to give someone $30K up front.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by stessier »

Ah, my bad. :)

Still, if one has the guts for it, it can be totally worth going the Tivo route. As I said, I haven't had a DVR charge in 3 years. It's pretty nice.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Zaxxon »

Yeah, I get where RM9 is coming from, but we haven't paid a penny for our TiVo since Sept, 2009. Well worth the up-front cost.

And I bought my panels, so...


Roku + TiVo + Mohu (if you don't live in the boonies or have a trans-radial-flux-magnetometer directly outside each of your Windows like Jeff V does) is a great combination.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

Zaxxon wrote:Yeah, I get where RM9 is coming from, but we haven't paid a penny for our TiVo since Sept, 2009. Well worth the up-front cost.

And I bought my panels, so...
The idea that in 2017 I would still be using a DVR from 2009 is equally insane to me. :)

I bought a lifetime sub for my original Tivo Series 1 whenever that came out. While it didn't give up the ghost until after I had crossed into the territory where it saved me money - by then I hated my antiquated Tivo and needed a new DVR anyway.

The solar situation was an easier decision though. I was paying $230 per month on average for electricity. I basically pressed a button and started paying $110 a month for electricity, with a guarantee that I would be paying $110 a month for electricity for the next 25 years. At the backend of that lease, inflation will reduce that payment to the equivalent of a sack of nickels. In the meantime, that's a savings of at least $120 per month without having to do a damn thing or give anyone anything. Could I have saved MORE money by sacrificing for the next 10 years (I would have financed the system at several hundred dollars a month higher than $110) and then riding those sweet $Free months for the following 15 years (less any maintenance costs for the system I own)? Certainly.

But the only bet that I was making with the lease was that over the next 25 years, the cost of electricity will stay the same or go up, in which case I will save a predictable $120 a month for 25 years (since I don't have to pay any maintenance costs). I made the determination that saving $36,000 over the next 25 years was "good enough", although I understand the appeal of buying the panels as well (I don't judge :)).
And in banks across the world
Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Jews
And every other race, creed, colour, tint or hue
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The raccoon and the groundhog neatly
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Well he's slowly drifting out of range
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

On topic - I would love to cut the cord and tell DirecTV to piss off. Unfortunately my illicit options for streaming live NFL games stink and I can't deal with buffering issues. So Sunday Ticket keeps me tied into the Man(tm).

And my continual fear that Comcast is going to enforce the 250GB data cap in my market, knowing that I stream nearly 2TB of data per month. At any time I might have to make an emergency switch back to satellite TV and the DVR.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Zaxxon »

RunningMn9 wrote:The idea that in 2017 I would still be using a DVR from 2009 is equally insane to me. :)
This is a bizarre statement to me. What features does your 2017 DVR have that my 2009 TiVo doesn't, which aren't equally or better served by something like a Roku? The only one I can come up with is HDR/4K DVRing, which is just starting to become a thing and which I care little about at present.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by naednek »

Do what I did. build your own DVR... Pretty easy if you know how to build your own PC.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Kasey Chang »

I have an early Roku.

Basically, it's a tiny PC that all it does is stream stuff off the internet. It can stream Amazon, Netflix, etc. etc. etc. if you enter your account.

If you have your own video server like Plex, Roku can do plex as well. And there are "custom channels" that can be accessed as well.

If your videos mainly come from Netflix or similar streaming service, this is a good way to play them without buying full PC's and setting up other stuff. My dad's a pretty lame PC guy and he had no problem using it, but when he wanted Chinese content, I had to go to a PC (as playing Chinese content on Roku means paying for DramaFever channel and such)
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

Zaxxon wrote:This is a bizarre statement to me. What features does your 2017 DVR have that my 2009 TiVo doesn't, which aren't equally or better served by something like a Roku? The only one I can come up with is HDR/4K DVRing, which is just starting to become a thing and which I care little about at present.
I find your incredulity that 8 years is a *substantial* amount of time when it comes to a piece of technology incredulous. :)

8 years is a long time. While I have no idea what your 2009 TiVo did, I know that my 2009 DIRECTV DVR did not support 4K, didn't record up to five shows simultaneously, or distribute recordings across all four TVs around the house simultaneously, or hold several hundred hours of HD programming.

Now, maybe your 2009 TiVo can do all of that, or maybe you don't care about any of those features. That's your choice and I'm cool with that.

I'm just saying that there's a zero percent chance of me prepaying for years of service which locks me into a technology box for any length of time.
And in banks across the world
Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Jews
And every other race, creed, colour, tint or hue
Get down on their knees and pray
The raccoon and the groundhog neatly
Make up bags of change
But the monkey in the corner
Well he's slowly drifting out of range
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Zaxxon »

I understand the passage of time and its relation to technology. Thanks for eventually getting to the answer. :) We use our TiVo for recording live TV (mainly sports) so we can watch it 'live' (eg start a bit late and save ourselves from the 50% commercial time sink). Most of our viewing these days, and indeed since 2012 or so, is elsewhere--Netflix, et al. I can see how if your household is still so tied to the broadcast paradigm as you describe, you'd care about recording 5 shows simultaneously vs 2, or distributing across other TVs, etc. For the record, ours records 2 shows at a time, and holds a couple thousand hours of HD.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

The DVR handles recording all active shows that we watch on broadcast as they air, along with hundreds of episodes of shit that the kids watch. I have no idea how many things record simultaneously because I don't know or care when anything is actually on.

I also stream the shit out of things that aren't currently on broadcast.

One DVR that can handle all the recording and playing needs for four TVs is a feature that we use all the time.
And in banks across the world
Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Jews
And every other race, creed, colour, tint or hue
Get down on their knees and pray
The raccoon and the groundhog neatly
Make up bags of change
But the monkey in the corner
Well he's slowly drifting out of range
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

And who knows what I'll be able to do in another eight years? The point is that there is no way I am prepaying for years of service and locking it into a piece of hardware. No way, no how.
And in banks across the world
Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Jews
And every other race, creed, colour, tint or hue
Get down on their knees and pray
The raccoon and the groundhog neatly
Make up bags of change
But the monkey in the corner
Well he's slowly drifting out of range
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Zaxxon »

Sure, and you value cutting edge DVR features and are willing to pay for them. All I was saying is the prepay route can make sense.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by RunningMn9 »

Zaxxon wrote:Sure, and you value cutting edge DVR features and are willing to pay for them. All I was saying is the prepay route can make sense.
Like...I said right up front that it didn't make sense to ME, but that it seems to work for other people (you).
And in banks across the world
Christians, Moslems, Hindus, Jews
And every other race, creed, colour, tint or hue
Get down on their knees and pray
The raccoon and the groundhog neatly
Make up bags of change
But the monkey in the corner
Well he's slowly drifting out of range
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Zaxxon »

Well, neener neener.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Punisher »

RunningMn9 wrote:
Zaxxon wrote:Sure, and you value cutting edge DVR features and are willing to pay for them. All I was saying is the prepay route can make sense.
Like...I said right up front that it didn't make sense to ME, but that it seems to work for other people (you).

This is the Internet. Obviously your opinion doesn't matter. :)

I've been a Tivo convert forever. It's easy to use for my wife and as I mentioned I love season pass feature. we currently have 1 tivo with lifetime and 2 tivos monthly ($13 and $14). We were very close to buying a new one, the 6 tuner bolt when the lifetime one started acting up recently. Found out it was a software issue that Tivo fixed so held off...
That being said, we have recently started thinking about cord cutting and if so, probably dropping the Tivo's. (Not sure if any of them do OTA and even if they did, unlessit's the lifetime one, not worth paying for)
I'm still looking into it and I suspect that if I do, my Roku device would be the way to go.
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Re: Can someone explain Roku et al in easy bite size pieces?

Post by Lorini »

So I was told that a plain set top box costs as much as a DVR HD box ($11.75 a month) which is ridiculous. So I currently don't know what I'm going to do. Att/directv requires a two year contract and there's no way in hell I'm doing that. I have two tenants in the house whose rental agreement promises 'basic cable' so I'm going to have to work something out.
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