What you listed is refurbished.
Do you notice that the only one that can be wired is the top model for $75.00-$85.00 (Multiple slight variations)
And last year when I was checking those were $100.00
You used to be able to buy a good HD roku for about 50 bucks that came with an Ethernet port. Not everyone wants to be bombarded with constant WiFi in there home. And not everyone wants the Security risks of that either. And WiFi can have intermittent problems that don’t exist with Hard wired.
1. I was not hiding what I bought...Refurbished are a low- cost alternative for those who can’t or don’t want to pay for new...I was trying out the system and didn’t want to spend a lot of money...What I listed is what I bought. I even bought a second one—refurbished, and I have had no problems.
2. I would pay $100 for one—if I wanted wired or a voice command one—but I don’t care to have either.
3. Sorry prices have gone up...but it is what it is. That is true of many things. If you cannot go with refurbished, then pay the going price or look for a sale.
4. I have a quality router and secured WiFi, so I am not worried about intermittent problems—have not had any so far. Since I have a tablet/phone plan, if I have an internet outage, I simply convert phone to a hotspot to mimic internet & use a laptop or I can simply use phone or tablet for viewing or surfing.
5. You said nothing about health risks in your posts, that is a different matter. If you are concerned, then why not just pay the $100 for the hardwired option for your health’s sake.
6. I actually have far more viewing offerings with ROKU and DirectTVNOW combo than I did with my cable—which cost considerably more.
Bottom line, I really don’t agree w/ you that ROKU sucks; and for many, ROKU and/or DirectTVNOW may be an excellent, money saving alternative to cable.
Just my opinion...