Netflix Player by Roku Video
Netflix Player by Roku Video Transcript
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>> Hi I'm David Connelly, executive editor for cnet.com and I'm here to give a little video tour of the Netflix Player by Roku. If you're Netflix subscriber, you may have noticed that you're able to watch movies, instantly streaming video right on your computer. What this little black box allows you to do is watch those same streaming videos on your TV without your computer. You attach this box to your TV, has this video outputs for HDMI, component video, composite video and even S-video. Right now there's only stereo sound it isn't full surround sound but that's something in the future that they could technically add to this box. You can either connect the box via an ethernet or if you want, the box has built-in WiFi. Currently, Netflix has about 10,000 movies and TV shows available for you to stream. The boxes automatically populated with 10 videos from your instant cue. You can then go ahead and manually add other videos. Video quality course is dependent on your broadband connection; the higher speed you get the better picture you'll get. Right now, the picture is up to necessarily DVD quality but you can get a pretty descent picture. Overall, we really like the concept of the box and its simplicity. There are a few drawbacks right now. First off there isn't tremendous amount of content available. There isn't a lot of wide screen content available. Some of the stuff that should be in wide screen is actually 4 x 3. One of the key things about this box is that the content is free, of course you do have to pay for a Netflix subscription. The firm ware on the box can be upgraded so that can make changes to the interphase that can potentially add new services and of course, you'll start seeing a lot more content. For people looking for an inexpensive way to stream video to their TVs without connecting a PC, the Netflix player by Roku is really a pretty nice solution. I'm David Connelly and that's the Netflix Player by Roku.
The good: Streams Netflix Watch Now titles to your TV; affordable $100 price tag; unlimited viewing with no additional charge beyond standard ($8.95 or higher) monthly Netflix fee; PC-free movie watching; simple setup; includes built-in wired and 802.11g Wi-Fi networking; works with all TVs; upgradeable firmware allows for new features, interface improvements, and bug fixes.
The bad: Though growing, the number of Watch Now titles currently available for streaming is still fairly paltry, especially when it comes to popular recent releases; video quality doesn't come close to DVD or HD; far too many titles don't appear in their original wide-screen version; no surround sound; can't manipulate queue via TV screen; yet another box under the TV.
The bottom line: While it's still a work in progress--and currently lean on quality content--the Netflix Player's simple operation, overall convenience, and cheap price makes it a compelling option for Netflix subscribers looking for instant gratification.
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Manufacturer: Roku LLC
Part number: CNETROKUPLAYER
