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imagoodwitch (original poster member #23375) posted at 6:54 PM on Thursday, May 29th, 2014
Our Direct TV bill is $125.00 a month, I'm not kidding.
Which route would you go? Chromecast or a Roku?
I am also thinking about dropping Vonage for a Ooma.
Ordinary average everyday sane psycho super goddess
Deeply Scared ( Administrator #2) posted at 8:19 PM on Thursday, May 29th, 2014
Our Direct TV bill is that much too...ouch! We don't have either of the Chromecast or Roku so I'm offering you nothing by being on here 
"Don't give up, the beginning is always the hardest." My Mom:)
My tolerance for stupid shit is getting less and less.
Lionne ( member #25560) posted at 8:24 PM on Thursday, May 29th, 2014
I have both. Chromecast is limited, only offering Netflix, YouTube, Roku allows you to stream other things including amazon prime, and allows you to SEARCH for prime videos.
Costs more initially, but also has the advantage of older style hookups for old TVs. With chromecast you MUST have an HDMI connection.
Me-BS-71 in May HIM-SAFWH-74 I just wanted a normal life.Normal trauma would have been appreciated.
imagoodwitch (original poster member #23375) posted at 8:42 PM on Thursday, May 29th, 2014
@ DS
I guess that means I am asking the masses on behalf of both of us
We were looking at the Roku3.
I really just want to watch Dr. Who 
I probably could swing buying both at first. I would really like HBO2Go? So I can start watching True Blood.
I figured I would have to get NetFlix and Hulu.
It's got to be cheaper!
Ordinary average everyday sane psycho super goddess
Crescita ( member #32616) posted at 9:33 PM on Thursday, May 29th, 2014
My favorite option is a computer with your TV as monitor. You can watch Hulu without paying for Plus, and all of the network websites that offer free streaming in addition to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and any other streaming options you subscribe to.
Other more versatile alternatives are Blue Ray DVD players $50, or any modern gaming system. The Wii U is great because the controller is very easy to use as a remote.
I've looked into Roku and know a couple people who use them, but I really don't see any added value.
ETA: Amazon is also joining this market, but I haven't done any research yet because my needs are already pretty well covered.
[This message edited by Crescita at 3:35 PM, May 29th (Thursday)]
“Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.” ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
Holly-Isis ( member #13447) posted at 9:39 PM on Thursday, May 29th, 2014
Our blu-ray streams Hulu, Netflix and many other video on demand.
I got MrH a Chromcast for Christmas. He loves it. Why? We don't use cable either so we stream from the station channels and various free sites. They're websites and Chromecaast streams websites...I'm watching Monk through Project Free TV on my TV right now in fact. For $35 shipped it was worth it. MrH loves it and got a second one for our second TV.
ETA- there are atill glitches now and then, but overall we've been happy with it since Christmas.
[This message edited by Holly-Isis at 3:39 PM, May 29th (Thursday)]
"Being in love" first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. *CS Lewis*
sisoon ( Moderator #31240) posted at 12:10 AM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
Is DS bumping her post count so she can qualify for the IT forum? MH has to be the toughest webmaster around....
imagoodwitch,
Who are you using for your ISP? I'd love to unbundle from Comcast, but their price for just web service was outrageous the last time I looked....
fBH (me) - on d-day: 66, Married 43, together 45, same sex apDDay - 12/22/2010Recover'd and R'edYou don't have to like your boundaries. You just have to set and enforce them.
h0peless ( member #36697) posted at 12:16 AM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
I built a relatively inexpensive home theater PC using an AMD APU (basically the processor and graphics processor rolled into one), an inexpensive SSD, 8 gigs of DDR3, a Blu-Ray drive and a very small Mini ITX case and motherboard. It cost more than a Roku up front but it's so much more versatile. I control it using a wireless Logitech keyboard with a built in track pad like the kind you'd have on a laptop.
[This message edited by h0peless at 6:17 PM, May 29th (Thursday)]
GabyBaby ( member #26928) posted at 1:09 AM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
We have a Roku and love it.
As soon as my son leaves for school, we're cutting off cable completely and doing Roku with Hulu and Netflix.
Me - late 40s
DD(27), DS(24, PDD-NOS)
WH#2 (SorryinSac)- Killed himself (May 2015) in our home 6 days after being served divorce docs.
XWH #1 - legally married 18yrs. 12+ OW (that I know of).
I edit often for clarity/typos.
Amazonia ( member #32810) posted at 2:02 AM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
I use a fifteen foot HDMI cable and stream everything from the computer. Yeah old school.
"You yourself deserve your love and affection as much as anybody in the universe." -Buddha
"Let's face it, life is a crap shoot." -Sad in AZ
Lionne ( member #25560) posted at 2:22 AM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
If you don't always watch the same TV, the roku is very portable. I carry mine to whatever room I'm working in.
Me-BS-71 in May HIM-SAFWH-74 I just wanted a normal life.Normal trauma would have been appreciated.
Want2help ( member #20547) posted at 5:22 AM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
We've had a Roku since 2010 or 2011. Haven't paid for any cable services since, we love it that much.
However, we recently bought a smart tv and a bluray player, and so far there haven't been any Roku channels that we can't live without (although I do kind of miss Angry Birds).
We only have two cable shows that he "have to" watch, Game of Thrones and Walking Dead, and we buy them cheaply on Amazon and them stream them. It's still much, much, MUCH less than cable or satellite, and we have those episodes forever (and we get to do marathons before the new season begins).
Netflix is awesome. It has more content right this instant than I could ever watch in a lifetime.
Honestly, no one should be paying for tv anymore.
FBS/WS- me.
F(serial)WS/BS- him.
Madhatters. More Ddays than birthdays, at this point. His OC, my OC...
UPDATE: Divorcing after almost 20 years.
trumanshow ( member #25624) posted at 8:19 PM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
remarried 11-15-15
Her prize is a man who ran out on his wife and children. His is a woman who is too stupid to understand that she is not special, she is simply there.
SisterMilkshake ( member #30024) posted at 10:16 PM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
what exactly do you get with Roku? I have a blu ray and it has netflix and hulu built in. Does Roku have channels you can access without further cost? Can you get network tv through Roku?
BW (me) & FWH both over half a century; married several decades; children
d-day 3/10; LTA (7 years?)
"Oh, why do my actions have consequences?" ~ Homer Simpson
"She knew my one weakness: That I'm weak." ~ Homer Simpson
Want2help ( member #20547) posted at 10:28 PM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
what exactly do you get with Roku?
A box, and a remote. Mine came with Angry Birds (played like a Wii game with the remote) and we added many private channels (things like HGTV, a cult classics channel, a channel for old horror movies, etc.) So much private content. Here are a few lists:
http://streamfree.tv/apps/roku-private-channels/all/
http://mkvxstream.blogspot.com/2013/03/roku-private-channels-2013-roku-channel.html
I have a blu ray and it has netflix and hulu built in.
If you don't feel interested in any of the private channels, I'd just use your Blu Ray (if it also has Amazon).
Does Roku have channels you can access without further cost?
Yep, most of the ones on the lists above are free. There are some for pay, but I haven't added any.
Can you get network tv through Roku?
I have not see it. Maybe a private channel, but you will likely need a converter box and antenna (which we also have, but never use).
FBS/WS- me.
F(serial)WS/BS- him.
Madhatters. More Ddays than birthdays, at this point. His OC, my OC...
UPDATE: Divorcing after almost 20 years.
GabyBaby ( member #26928) posted at 10:33 PM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
Want2Help already answered, but to clarify on the local channel- no.
You'd need an antenna (or maybe not if the channels come in clearly without it).
However, if you're like me, I usually don't watch my regular TV shows on the night they air.
So you can easily find them either online or through a service like Hulu, etc and watch them the next day insetad. 
Me - late 40s
DD(27), DS(24, PDD-NOS)
WH#2 (SorryinSac)- Killed himself (May 2015) in our home 6 days after being served divorce docs.
XWH #1 - legally married 18yrs. 12+ OW (that I know of).
I edit often for clarity/typos.
SisterMilkshake ( member #30024) posted at 10:36 PM on Friday, May 30th, 2014
Thanks so much Want2help and Gabybaby.
BW (me) & FWH both over half a century; married several decades; children
d-day 3/10; LTA (7 years?)
"Oh, why do my actions have consequences?" ~ Homer Simpson
"She knew my one weakness: That I'm weak." ~ Homer Simpson
Want2help ( member #20547) posted at 1:25 AM on Saturday, May 31st, 2014
I did find this list, and it has CBS and ABC...?
http://rokutv.blogspot.com/p/roku-tv-channels.html
FBS/WS- me.
F(serial)WS/BS- him.
Madhatters. More Ddays than birthdays, at this point. His OC, my OC...
UPDATE: Divorcing after almost 20 years.
solus sto ( member #30989) posted at 1:50 AM on Saturday, May 31st, 2014
My kids gave me Roku for Christmas a few years ago. It was seriously the best present ever. Lots of options, easy to use, cheap. Love it.
BS-me, 62; X-irrelevant; we’re D & NC. "So much for the past and present. The future is called 'perhaps,' which is the only possible thing to call the future. And the important thing is not to let that scare you." Tennessee Williams
LivinginLimbo ( member #35004) posted at 1:59 AM on Saturday, May 31st, 2014
I also love my Roku. We have a Wii on the other TV and it's like night and day. The Wii takes FOREVER and is very sensitive when it comes to navigating Netflix/Amazon Prime. With the Roku, it's super easy and fast. I'm probably going to get a second one.
BS - 65
WH - 63
Married 37 years
D-Day 2/12/12
D-Day 6/1/16 Caught him back online early enough that no physical contact took place but still devastating. This sucks.
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