The Netflix Roku player has changed the playing field for movie rental companies like Blockbuster. Using your computer or the Roku player, Netflix customers can watch free streaming movie anytime and with no limit. Netflix online rental customers who are on any of the unlimited plans are eligible to receive the streaming movie service.
The Roku player makes watching the streaming movies more convenient than tethering your computer or laptop to your television. The player connects with one cable to a wireless router or with two cables if it must be hardwired to the network. Once connected that’s all there is to it. The Roku player walks you through the setup.
Movie Selection
The movie selection available to Netflix customers is currently over 12,000 and growing. Netflix users access their account via the Internet, on a computer not the Roku player itself, and set up their instant viewing queue. After the movie selections are in queue, they are accessible through the Roku on-screen selector.
Amazon Video on Demand
Recently Amazon announced it will begin offering streaming movies through the Roku Player. Users will see a new option when they access their Netflix through the box. Amazon will have an area for browsing and purchasing movie rentals on an as-you-go basis.
The plus side to this partnering is that Amazon Video on Demand has movies available the same day they hit DVD; this will greatly enhance the viewing options for Netflix customers who use the streaming movie option.
Features and Limitations
The Roku player has the same basic features that a DVD player has, only they are located on the remote control. It has the ability to stop, start, fast forward, and rewind just as if it were a DVD movie. Additionally, turning off the Roku doesn't mean having to start over - choosing the same movie presents the option to resume playing or start over.
The only limitations the Roku player has are those placed on it by the network it is placed on. If there are obstacles that cause interference between the router and the wireless Roku, playback quality can be greatly hampered.
Internet speed is also a limiting factor. The Roku needs at least 1.2 Mbps for optimal playback. Without this speed, the Roku won’t function properly.
The Netflix Roku player for streaming movies is an affordable alternative for entertainment. The cost of a one-DVD-at-a-time membership through Netflix currently is around $10 a month. One movie ticket and a soda costs more than $10. The Roku pays for itself in the first month.
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