Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I love my Apple TV, but I wish that there were more channels that did not require a cable provider. Does Roku require a cable provider for many of their channels? Because for only $50 it may be worth buying this item.
 
"Roku Takes Aim at Chromecast and Apple TV With $49 Streaming Stick" - If I remember correctly the Roku 1, 2, and 3 all competed with the Chromecast and Apple TV. They all came before this stick. Also, the Roku 1 can be had for $48 so this $49 pricing of a Roku product is not new. The title makes it seem like Roku is just now getting into the streaming set-top box business with a competitive price.

It's because this is a stick and not a box.
 
Had a Roku XD (gifted to a friend) and now I have the Roku 3. Roku is awesome, I use it daily. Waiting on apple to have as much content and then I may buy and ATV.

The Roku stick could be cool for travel, but the Roku 3 is small enough so...
 
Given how much of the AppleTV's space is dedicated to the power adapter I wonder if Apple will go the same route here. Turn AppleTV to a plugin.



The other way would be to merge AirPort and AppleTV in to one line.

Start with a plug-in AppleTV move up to a time capsule that can play the any media files stored on it as well as stream AppleTV content.


What these pictures leave out is that you still have to find a place to plug this in for power. Wall plug or USB port on your tv. Assuming the Chromestick is the same.

You realize the ATV2 sells for $200-250 on ebay right? You can sell it and pick up Three 3s at the current $75 pricing.


I had forgotten until last night. This is because of jailbreaking, right? If I have the latest updates, can I still jailbreak it? If so, might head to the Apple Store at lunch.
 
It has! I tried plex over a year ago on the Roku and hated it. I just bought a new Roku and been using Plex on it every day. It's not the official Plex client but someone took the code and went with it. RARflix. It's awesome.

https://forums.plex.tv/index.php/topic/79897-rarflix-modified-roku-channel/
Thank you! I am going to try this out today. Hopefully I see some positive results!

I just wish the Roku could play .mkv's natively... or, well, maybe their newer ones do, but mine doesn't :(
 
Roku3 supports NF profiles and Youtube, Roku says other models may get those features but have been vague about dates and even about whether it will actually happen.

Do we know for certain that it's entirely up to Roku to support that? Maybe it's Netflix stalling them.

It's possible that it's all on Netflix's end. But even if that's the case, Netflix is a selling point for Roku and vice versa. If it is out of Roku's hands, they still must have a business relationship with NF and should be able to put some pressure to make it happen. But I have read some comments on the Roku blog and those made it sound like they may support it but it's on the bottom of their to-do list.

They originally said that it would be around March of this year

Where? The only dates I have seen were "2014" and just that they would try, no promise of support for any models below the 3.
 
I love my Apple TV, but I wish that there were more channels that did not require a cable provider. Does Roku require a cable provider for many of their channels? Because for only $50 it may be worth buying this item.

Roku has more non-cable channels than AppleTV, but also, many of them are the same and require a cable provider.
 
Awesome device, but hate using Plex on my Roku. UI is bleh.

Edit: Unless it's changed in the 2-3 months I've touched my Roku.

I completely agree the UI for Plex on Roku is awful. But certain Plex channels, for some reason, work much better on Roku, such as The Daily Show and Colbert Report. I have both a Mac Mini HTPC running Plex and a Roku 3 on my TV, and 9 times out of 10 I use the Roku. FF/RW works better for streaming content on the Roku, and overall it is more stable. The one big exception is if I am watching my own movies from my Plex Server. Direct play has lots of trouble on Roku in my experience. I otherwise love my Roku. Love the RF remote, love the headphone port on the remote.
 
I hope Apple follow suit with the design of the next gen AppleTV. At least that would be one less box sitting under my TV given that I mostly watch TV through the internet now.

Who knows if they add a few more apps like iPlayer & SkyGo, added a PVR for the other stuff and added games, I could probably do away with all the other boxes under there to. Maybe we'll have to wait for an actual Apple television set for that to happen.
 
And how in the hell am I supposed to stick that in my TV that's hanging on the wall with no space behind it?

Well frankly, it's no different than having to plug anything else into your TV that's hanging on the wall. Actually, it's easier because there are usually recesses where the HDMI plugs are, and since power comes from USB (assuming your TV has it), no cords have to come out from behind your TV.

My bigger concern in this scenario would be interference. But I've not used Chromecast or similar to see if there are interference issues.
 
My Roku 3 supports multiple profiles. Support was added a few months ago.

Like I said in a post above yours, they added it for the 3 but still haven't for any of the other models months later.
 
Not like either company needs to take aim @ Chromecast, it's a POS it can't do half of what ATV or Roku can do
 
Its called Seasonpass from Firecore. It downgrades to 5.3, and then jailbreaks. Its wicked easy.



http://support.firecore.com/entries/387605-Jailbreaking-101-Seas0nPass


So within 5 minutes of my listing going up, I had a bid meet my reserve, so I know, worst case, the Apple TV 3,2 I ordered today will be paid for. :) Since it still has 2 days, 23 hours, and 30 minutes left? Looks like I'll have enough left over for the Apple TV 4,1 when it comes out. So thanks to you and the others for the tips!

Selling old Apple TV 2 boxes for $200?! What, just because it can be jailbroken? I don't understand... please explain if you would be so kind. :)



Yes it is because of jailbreaking.....



Thanks for the confirmation. I guess I'll have to google for the explanation.


Lots more apps. Some live cable channels, XBMC, ability to use a network drive for media, etc. seems cool. Not something I will do, but since the six I watched today on eBay all went for over $200? Was worth the hour of my time to jailbreak it and list on eBay.
 
It's because this is a stick and not a box.

So Roku had not "taken aim" before the announcement of the stick? does a streaming box not "take aim" at an Apple TV. The Apple TV is not a stick, its a box. I understand that this stick roku came out with is a direct attempt to compete head to head with chromecast. I could see them saying "Roku Takes Aim at Chromecast With $49 Streaming Stick". That would be a true statement. But since they added the Apple TV, which is not a stick, it changes the argument from roku is taking aim at streaming STICKS to all streaming DEVICES.

Now I know this is Macrumors so the title has to relate to Apple somehow and that that is why they put it in there. I am just being nitpicky for the sake of being nitpicky.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.