Roku HD-XR Player
by Roku, Inc.
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List Price: Category: Home Theater See more product details |
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(Click here)
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Roku HD-XR Player
Customer Review: LOVE IT
Summary: 5 Stars
I finally got tired of being robbed by my local cable provider for basic cable and decided to join Netflix. Netflix is easily accessed in our living room through our wii console but we needed a devise for our bedroom television. We already own a Roku XD and thought this one would make a good addition and several months later, we are still thrilled with the purchase.
The Roku HD-XR was easy to install but please note that you need either a wireless network (we used the super easy Cisco-Valet Plus Wireless Router) or an ethernet connection for it to work. Set up was a breeze and it took 15 minutes from start to finish. Roku gives you access to Hulu, Amazon on Demand, Netflix and many other media outlets (including music). The options are updated frequently and sometimes it's worthwhile to see what's new (they had a free holiday channel in December). Updates for the devise are automatically provided and I have had no issues with the two updates I have received.
The remote is small and the buttons are basic: play, pause, forward, rewind, up, down, etc. and home. I would love more functions to be provided on the remote (search & subtitles) but it's not bad. The device itself is small, measuring 5.25" by 5.25" and takes up very little space but is a hair bigger then other models (we're talking less then 1/2"). I have never had a problem with the devise not working properly. Sometimes the connection has dropped but this was due to my broadband provider and easily fixed. It has provided steady streaming of media through several heavy snow storms although the quality dropped from four (highest) to three. There was a slight drop in quality (barely noticeable) but we were still happy while neighbors had no cable service at all.
I have called customer service and was thrilled by the support I received. You will reach a live person (U.S. based) without having to go through a phone maze. They were helpful and answered all my questions in a friendly manner (gotta love that). My only complaint is that the menu for Netflix through Roku is not as nice as the wii console.
I love this devise but I would recommend checking different models to find one that fits your needs at a lower price. I tried a few other media devises (Apple TV & Sony SMP-N100 Network Media Player with Wi-Fi) but nothing comes close to Roku.
Customer Review: Roku Player (HD, HD XR)
Summary: 3 Stars
I just got this as a gift for my birthday. And initially I did not notice any issues. But...
1. Who builds something without a power button? The only way to power down the device is to unplug the power cable, which can be a hassle if you have multiple devices connected in your entertainment center. Every other electronic device I own has a power button and can be turned off remotely when not in use, without even touching the device. This was the first issue I noticed.
2. The second issue I noticed was that when connecting this to my Sony LCD projection TV without HDMI input and while using composite video output, the device seemed buggy. The top part of my TV screen started to flicker randomly and quite intermittently when trying to watch a movie, note that I didn't have this issue with my DVR or DVD player which was also connected to my TV. I then unsuccessfully tried different things to get it to work, switched the cables, switched the composite video inputs - no luck. That's when I decided to contact technical support. After waiting for about 20 mins, an associate came on the phone and instructed me to try a few things (unplugging the device etc.) What finally worked was that I had to switch to a different display format (you can choose from 4:3, 16:9 and HD in the settings). I then switched it back to 4:3 and the thing started working properly. It has some sort of an inner switch and the device had forced itself to reset several times in the process of me trying to find the correct display setting, before eventually landing on the the one I started with.
My overall assessment is that it's ok, for the price I paid and the product that I got. It shouldn't take so much effort to get it to work right. The good part is I was finally able to get it to work right, but spent at least an hour or two trying different things, contacting technical support etc. It kind of took the excitement away from watching movies. Had I been unsuccessful in all my efforts, I would've rated it a 2.
That being said, it is a fun device for anyone who likes to watch movies. Hopefully I won't run into any other issues with it. Likely, if you have a newer TV and\or are using HDMI input, you probably won't run into the same issue I had with the screen flickering.
Thanks!
Customer Review: Poor quality, WORSE customer service
Summary: 1 Stars
My Roku shipped with the optical audio not working. Customer support was a nightmare. Dealing with them was so difficult that I decided to forget about using optical audio and just use standard audio.
If only the problems ended there. More often than not, my Roku WHICH IS PLUGGED DIRECTLY INTO MY ROUTER via Ethernet, would fail to initialize its Internet connection. I figured it could the the firewall on the router, so I disabled it. Problems continued. Note also that I have an AppleTV connected to the same router (and of course a couple of computers), and I never have that problem. My Apple TV frequently connects to the Internet as I regularly purchase content through it, and well, I am online with my computer right now, so, it seems the router is okay.
This problem was a real nuisance, but not as big of a nuisance as dealing with customer service was that first time I called. So, since I can resolve the problem by unplugging the power cord to restart the Roku, that is what I have done.
Today, however, my son was watching a movie, and the screen turned blue. I restarted the Roku. Still blue. I called customer service. I troubleshot, and troubleshot with the impatient representative. Still blue. Finally, we are setting up a return. At this point, I do believe (and hope) I got a dud. I thought the problems were over.
No. I provided my serial number. That's not enough. They need my PO number. Hmm. Surely I have that? No, actually I don't. The representative asked if I bought it from Roku or Amazon. I couldn't remember, but I thought it was Amazon. I told her that. She says: Oh, well, if it was Amazon then you will have to first print out your proof of purchase, fax it to us, and . . . . . Wow. That sounds difficult. So, I told her that I really didn't know. Maybe it was from Roku. I asked if I could just log into their site and would I see my order history. I guess she thought that sounded like she would have to wait longer, so she said, "Hold on, let me check." Interesting. It turns out I did buy it from Roku, and within seconds she was able to provide me with my PO number. How nice of her. And no, there is no order history on [...]. I guess they want to make it REALLY hard to get warranty service. They are doing an excellent job!
Customer Review: Roku HD-XR Player
Summary: 3 Stars
Had a problem with customer service/ROKU technical support in getting the player to work in a wireless environment. After attempting several changes to the wireless router settings and being unable to access [...], third/final step, in the process, I called and talked to 3 different ROKU technical support representatives. First person was helpful but could not provide a solution to the correction of the problem - he would escalate problem to higher level. The changes in the wireless router he suggested caused my router to no longer function with my other wireless devices, so I had to deinstall/reinstall router software, etc. So I tried again but was unsuccessful. Called ROKU technical support again the next day and the person that answered, first question was had I changed the cable (had already told him I had ordered a new cable from Amazon.com and yes, I had tried another HDMI cable and composite cables), he then asked me if I had download firmware updates from [...] (after I told him I could not access [...] using the Roku player), told him no and was wondering how one does that when I was unable to use the player and access the web site), he made couple of more off the wall comments, at which time I asked to speak to a supervisor. After waiting about 5 minutes on hold, the supervisor starting working with me and we worked about 45 minutes with no positive results - must point out the supervisor made a great effort to fix the problem. She told me that she would do the same as the first person had said the previous day- escalate the problem to a higher technical level. I also sent an e-mail to the router manufacturer and got a reply soon thereafter to call (gave me a name and telephone number with extension) for assistance. Still had not heard from ROKU higher level technical assistance. But, I tried again to fix the problem and apparently, the ROKU player will only work with my D-Link Dir 628 router in the 802.11g setting, and I changed the channel settings. With these two changes, everything clicked, and the player has worked fine since then.
Actually, I would definitely recommend the ROKU player, but there are other players available,
and DVD wireless players which will perform the same function. But the ROKU player is a good buy in my opinion.
Customer Review: a good start but needs improvement
Summary: 4 Stars
I have been using this device for about two weeks, long enough to figure out what I like and don't about it.
First off, like most other reviews have pointed out, set up is extremely easy. Just like hooking up a dvd player or vcr. I used an S Video cable for the video and the regular rca cables that came with it for the audio. I don't know how much the HDMI cable would benefit the overall quality, probably not enough to be worth the extra money. Linking it up with my Netflix account was fast and simple. They provide a code within a few minutes.
I am working it through my N wireless D-Link network. I have the router in the upstairs office and the device is downstairs in my living room. I was pleased with how quickly the Roku found the network and the signal strength. The only interruption that I've had was when also using my Vonage phone and being on-line with one of the computers at the same time. Otherwise, movies upload in a few seconds and the quality is decent. However, the ones that claim to be coming in HD are more like basic cable quality. The ones not in HD even less so.
A few of the quirks:
1. It would be nice to access the Netflix menu directly through the Roku device. Instead you have to place the selections in your instant queue on Netflix's site. And the new selections do not immediately appear on the Roku upload list. Some have taken a day to update.
2. FF and REW are a bit awkward. Unlike a dvd with a scene menu the device only gives the option to scroll through like a vcr, albeit at 3 different speeds. Makes it hard to go to specific scenes, or songs if watching a concert.
But overall, this is a great device. The quality and functionality should continue to improve over time. Even though the instant library pales in comparison to the rental library, there are still hundreds of good choices and Netflix promises to keep expanding it. It greatly enhances a regular Netflix account which allows for unlimited instant downloads (which starts at the $8.99/month level).
I have not yet accessed the Amazon or MLB network but plan to once baseball season starts up again.