Apple TV, Roku or something else?

[sracer]

Yes, it streams from a Hard Disk just fine. I have a 2tb united connected to my router for when I download movies. The Roku 3 pulls them from there with the Roku Media Player Channel just fine.

I have found the Roku 3 to be very finicky in the type of videos it plays. MP4 videos that I pull down from Youtube play just fine, but the mp4 videos that I encode via Handbrake for the iPad, don't. I access those on the Roku 3 via the Plex server running on my iMac.

 

[akuma13]

So then it's not that different from the fire TV. My Fire TV is working properly now. Maybe it was a server issue but I'm not sure why it would effect Plex. I'll try and side load the latest version of Plex and see what happens. With the latest announcement of HBO shows for prime subscribers, I'm willing to keep the box.

 

[pdqgp]

I have found the Roku 3 to be very finicky in the type of videos it plays. MP4 videos that I pull down from Youtube play just fine, but the mp4 videos that I encode via Handbrake for the iPad, don't. I access those on the Roku 3 via the Plex server running on my iMac.

Hmm....I've converted several that play just fine. I don't specify iPad size but rather large file size.

 

[iRock1]

I have found the Roku 3 to be very finicky in the type of videos it plays. MP4 videos that I pull down from Youtube play just fine, but the mp4 videos that I encode via Handbrake for the iPad, don't. I access those on the Roku 3 via the Plex server running on my iMac.

Ough... I thought the Roku 3 was the media beast that could play practically anything.

Hopefully it's just you.

 

[ozaz]

Ough... I thought the Roku 3 was the media beast that could play practically anything.

I don't think that's true. It's probably got a relatively limited number of formats it can play directly.

But if you're going to be using Plex, I would imagine you can setup the Plex server to do transcoding of formats that the Roku can't handle. I haven't used Plex myself so perhaps someone else can confirm?

I have found the Roku 3 to be very finicky in the type of videos it plays. MP4 videos that I pull down from Youtube play just fine, but the mp4 videos that I encode via Handbrake for the iPad, don't. I access those on the Roku 3 via the Plex server running on my iMac.

Are you saying that they do play when you access them via Plex, or are you saying they don't play when you access via Plex?

 

[sracer]

I don't think that's true. It's probably got a relatively limited number of formats it can play directly.

But if you're going to be using Plex, I would imagine you can setup the Plex server to do transcoding of formats that the Roku can't handle. I haven't used Plex myself so perhaps someone else can confirm?



Are you saying that they do play when you access them via Plex, or are you saying they don't play when you access via Plex?

Sorry for the confusing wording that I used...
Yes, these videos play correctly when I use the Roku 3 to access them via the Plex server. But if these same video files are placed on a usb drive and attached directly to the Roku 3 then they don't play.

 

[pdqgp]

Sorry for the confusing wording that I used...
Yes, these videos play correctly when I use the Roku 3 to access them via the Plex server. But if these same video files are placed on a usb drive and attached directly to the Roku 3 then they don't play.

If your handbrake files aren't playing via the Roku it's because you need to adjust the MP4 output settings. If you look at the file you have tried to play on the roku, in the windows view it likely says MP4 but if you right click on it and check "properties" of the file you have on your PC, it will likely show it as an M4V version of an MP4 which is mainly for Apple iDevices. You need to change it so they read as true MP4 files.

Go to Handbrake:

In the top menu select Tools>Options>Output Files

The last option (MP4 File Extension) - Likely reads Automatic. Change it to Always Use MP4

^^ Do this and re-encode the move and it will work on the Roku 3. Been there done that with my Roku 3 and handbrake.

 

[iRock1]

Apple TV, Roku or something else?

Hello again.

Just today my new Roku 3 arrived. I'd love to say that it's my favorite gadget ever, but sadly I'd be lying.

The first thing that I discovered for my horror: it doesn't support Netflix in Latin America! This is just absurd, considering that Netflix has been operating here for many years, and that even the Apple TV runs it flawlessly (???). Damn it, I can play it on any device, even on my "smart" TV!

Second: the YouTube channel is just terrible, though I guess this is Google's fault and has nothing to do with Roku. However the UI is crappy and identical to the YouTube app that comes with my Sony Bravia TV, displaying all the letters in the search field in the same row (please...). I hope the Apple TV users have better luck searching a video in less than 10 minutes...

I also have some concerns about the TED channel, which doesn't seem to support subtitles. Apparently I'll be watching my TED videos on my iPad...

And finally I have a question, which might be super dumb but anyway. Is this thing supposed to be always turned on, displaying that screensaver, 24/7?

 

[Switchback666]

Hello again.

Just today my new Roku 3 arrived. I'd love to say that it's my favorite gadget ever, but sadly I'd be lying.

The first thing that I discovered for my horror: it doesn't support Netflix in Latin America! This is just absurd, considering that Netflix has been operating here for many years, and that even the Apple TV runs it flawlessly (???). Damn it, I can play it on any device, even on my "smart" TV!

Second: the YouTube channel is just terrible, though I guess this is Google's fault and has nothing to do with Roku. However the UI is crappy and identical to the YouTube app that comes with my Sony Bravia TV, displaying all the letters in the search field in the same row (please...). I hope the Apple TV users have better luck searching a video in less than 10 minutes...

I also have some concerns about the TED channel, which doesn't seem to support subtitles. Apparently I'll be watching my TED videos on my iPad...

And finally I have a question, which might be super dumb but anyway. Is this thing supposed to be always turned on, displaying that screensaver, 24/7?

Regarding the netflix issue, I too live in latin america/caribbean and I have a old wd media box that have the same problem; I suggest a dns service if you cant return the unit that way you can enjoy the us region apps.

 

[iRock1]

Regarding the netflix issue, I too live in latin america/caribbean and I have a old wd media box that have the same problem; I suggest a dns service if you cant return the unit that way you can enjoy the us region apps.

Yeah, I was thinking the same. The problem is that if I access the US Netflix there wouldn't be subtitles available.