Helpful hint. There are different models of Roku boxes. Some just allow you to watch TV shows and movies on your TV through your wireless router and others allow you to play video games.
We got the kind that does not play video games. They were 79.99 at Radio Shack.
Helpful hint: If you buy one box, you get a 10 dollar off coupon for your next purchase at Radio Shack. So if you need more than one Roku box, buy one one day and then come back the next day for another one.
Try Download.com. They got thousands of downloads.
I just signed up for blockbuster, and will be cancelling netflix dvd rentals.
Blockbuster has the visio tv apps as well as PC players for download.
What I like about Blockbuster over Netflix is Blockbuster has trailers attached to the movie selection boxes.
I think you will end up paying more for blockbuster streaming, but dvd by mail is a little cheaper than netflix.
So, for now, until someone starts seriously competing with Netflix for streaming, it’s still the best for the money.
Go to Best Buy and get the Logitech remote keyboard. It costs about $99.00 and allows you to surf the net to access any site. I find it works very well. They sell it right next to the Google TV stuff.
If you desire to browse the web without an additional hardware box, you may be out of luck. Pathetic and crazy, but it’s the state of Internet TVs. I know that Samsung’s line of “Smart TVs” do have a “full” web browser, but my understanding is even they cannot access web-archived episodes of NBC, CBS, or ABC shows. It’s completely nuts, but you can watch such episodes on your laptop or desktop, but not on your TV directly.
There is a battle going on for the future of home TV entertainment. On the one hand you have the old-school cable companies and broadcast TV networks. On the other you have new technologies which render the old models obsolete. The cable companies and broadcast networks are working overtime to protect their outmoded businesses. One of the decisions they’ve made is to block streaming of archived content directly to TVs via the Internet! So, rather than embrace technology, they are fighting against it. I believe in the end they will lose.
P.S. Not being able to watch shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC may not be that great of a loss!
Do you want to watch TV shows and movies on your TV that are available on the internet or do you want to access internet sites like FreeRepublic.com on your TV?
If so, I'm not sure how to do that. The Roku box is strictly for TV shows and movies.
I'd be interested in knowing if I can get the internet on TV myself.
That would be kind of cool.
Isn’t there a version of the Opera web browser available for internet TV? Yes there is. I am not sure how to find it or how to get it downloaded on your system though.
tech ping
I connected a computer to my TV. All of the canned TV/Internet packages lock you out of most of the Internet by design. A simple google search will allow you to find lots of sites with movies and TV shows. You really don’t need cable if you have a broadband connection and a PC connected to your computer.
This may sound glib but connect a computer to it.
If they don’t offer a web browser, you won’t find one to download and even if they do, it will be a castrated browser, limited in capability.
We frequently stream video to our TV that the owners of content will not allow to stream on anything but a computer or a device we don’t own.
find a used 3gCPU computer (or better), and a wireless keyboard. he pooter needs HDMI or else buy an upscale vid card for it.
most of the chunked and formed internet TV products are very limiting... Anything goes, with a computer hooked to it.
The ONLY thing holding me back from getting rid of my TV service is live sports/espn is blocked. If ESPN offered streaming for a reasonable price, I would jump.
Amazon Prime is now in competetion with Netflix streaming. It’s $80/year and they have some good content. If you’re a student (or know how to get a .edu email addy) it’s only $40/year.
VIZIO bump
Is anyone familiar with it? I paid $80, so it is competitively priced
If you want to watch netflix or Youtube, you might do it with a Samsung BLU ray player. But if you want full access to Google video, Hulu, Vimeo and numerous other video sites, you'll be out of luck - some or many will be missing from the internet appliances available today. Most of them are only campable to stream material from your PC and are practically unusable for internet? For example, how to select material from Youtube if you do not have a keyboard?
Here is a kit that works, for less than $100 plus PC.
1. ATI 5400 or higher silent card (fanless) with HDMI output PC must have PCIe slot). This card takes care of both picture and sound- around $40
2. 20ft HDMI cable from online installer shop (e.g. Monoprice) $20
3. Logitech Wireless keyboard for PlayStation 3 - $20 This keyboard has touch pad for mouse so no mouse is needed. Easy to operate from armchair or couch
With this kit, you have 1080p on your TV and full access to internet.
Reading and posting to FR from your couch is a fun thing to do.