Sony DMXNV1 Bravia Internet Video Link Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Unless you are prepared to watch video clips, from 1-5 minutes, with poor video (Not HDTV quailty), poor sound (Not Digital quality). I was lead to believe I would be able to watch full length movies and TV shows, not trailers. What a laugh!!! Don't bite!! Don't waste your money!! Spend it on a Blu-ray player instead.

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The BRAVIA Internet Video Link is an optional module that connects to DMeX–ready BRAVIA televisions. It allows access to streaming Internet video entertainment from popular sites with which Sony has partnered with. Navigation is fun and easy. The Xross Media Bar™ on-screen interface gives you access to a rich amount of content at no additional charge with your existing broadband connection. With the push of a button, a customized page based on your zip code automatically delivers the latest news, weather, and traffic straight to your BRAVIA TV.Would you rather huddle around a PC display to watch streaming online videos and content from popular Internet video sites or view it on your large screen BRAVIA HDTV while sitting comfortably in the family room? The choice is now easy thanks to the BRAVIA Internet Video Link module.

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Roku HD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this in January, 2009 to add some additional value to my Netflix subscription. It has far surpassed my expectations, and has proven to be one of the best $100 I have spent in a long time. This is true especially in a down economy.
Here are the pluses, and the minuses, I have seen in the product after 2 months of daily use
Pluses:
1) Huge money saver: Having this box has allowed me to drop from 3 disks unlimited to 1 disk unlimited as well as drop cable entirely. The addition of Amazon on Demand is an even bigger value in that newly released movies will also be in abundant supply.
2) Ease of Set-up and use: I am a die hard apple fan because of their ease of use, and the set-up process was the easiest I have ever experienced. In less than 4 minutes I was watching a Netflix stream on my Sony HD TV. Also, the user interface is as straightforward as possible. A lot of thought went into it, and it shows. Bravo for one of the simplest interfaces I have ever utilized.
3) Clarity of picture: Unsrupassed and almost full HD. Often forget we are streaming over the internet.
4) It just works as advertised!
5) Customer Service: Video was skipping and contacted the customer service. You would never believe that a real live person answered the phone within 5 minutes on a Sunday night. Turns out it was a nework problem (see below). Amazing customer service!
Minuses:
1) The quality of your picture is tied to your internet speed. This has only been an issue once. My Charter Cable modem service averages above 4 meg downstream, but every once in a while the network performance drops. A call to charter fixed it. This is in no way an issue with the device, just something to be aware of. Check with your service provider on your speed before buying.
2) Direct Ethernet connection recommended for best picture: This is a limitation of my wireless network, but you may also have a similar set-up. My laptop has a G wireless card, and when it gets online the whole network slows down, and wireless video quality suffered. Solved it by using a direct ethernet connection, and recommend for everyone who is able to. Much more stable and very limited intereference.
That is my review to date. If you have Netflix and want to get Amazon on Demand there are few things that will be a pleasure to use and that will provide as much bang for your limited dollars. Thank you Roku, Netflix, and Amazon for such a wonderful product.

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With Wi-Fi and High Definition playback capability built-in, Roku HD Player is the easiest way to stream top-quality instant movies and shows directly to your TV - over 50,000 and counting, from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and more. The best-selling HD Player has everything you need to start enjoying endless entertainment from the comfort of your couch. No wonder it's Netflix members' top rated streaming player.

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GoVideo D2740 Network DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First and foremost, this is a good sturdy player with a solid chassis; so it's by no means cheap like many other players out there.
2. The network and software was a piece of cake to setup and start using. Although there are no updates at the time of this writing, I like the idea the software and firmware can be updated if it needs to be.
3. I'm using a Linksys Wireless-G setup so I have yet to experience any lag or network slow-downs, even while using my full bandwidth on my computer and watching a file over the network simultaneously. There really isn't any waiting for communication sync either while browsing files.
4. The DVD player is awesome and really does read both DVD+R and DVD-R discs. I had previously purchased a Sony which said it did do just that, but didn't when I took it home and tried to use it.
5. The server software runs great on my Windows 2003 server installation (I use the server for my intranet including web development and now file serving).
6. The photo gallery and playing audio playlists worked flawlessly.
About Video Formats
- DivX plays but looks awful (audio came through fine)
- SVCD plays well, but will get choppy on fast motion scenes (I think its the stream having a hard time keeping up... the file is crystal clear on my PC and scenes with little motion).
- VCD plays the best (no choppiness), but is a little grainy... only because of the format
Now for the negative stuff which isn't really negative... just informative:
- The software does take an abnormal amount of time to launch on the intital boot. However, if you have a dedicated server/computer for this program, you shouldn't be rebooting all too often anyhow. Both when idle and being used, the software itself consistantly used about 5000k of memory (about the same as windows explorer).
- If you have lots of media, you'll spend a lot of time fixing your ID3 tags and creating playlists to make your overall experience better.
- On that note, ID3 tags are limited to title, album, artist and genre for audio files (you can only edit the title on video files which is frustrating, but wouldn't show up on the tv screen anyhow so I guess it doesn't matter). I highly recommend having a seperate ID3 tag editor onhand such as "tag & rename" just to make life simpler.
- You can't "lock out" playlists (ie - I don't exactly want my 5-year-old watching my "Sex and the City" playlist.
- It'd be nice if I could custom skin or style the network interface. It's not that it's bad, I just like to do that sort of thing.
- Only uses WEP security... would be nice if it used WPA as well. The GoVideo FAQs clearly state that the D2740 won't be supporting WPA.
- I've found that the player doesn't like to switch between the DVD player and the network. I often find myself powering off the machine after a DVD before switching to the network.
- The remote control isn't as sensitive as I'd like it to be. It needs to be pointed directly at the machine.
- The tray isn't as sensitive as I'd like it either. It doesn't instantly pop out when you push the button like other players. The tray does instantly come open when using the remote though.
- Similar to the D2730, getting the S-Video working is weird (its not auto-sensing like most DVD players; its manual), but it's clear how to do it in the instructions.
The main advantage to this player is that you get everything for your home media network in one package that isn't gonna break the bank. The Microsoft setup cost me for a dedicated computer, a custom OS and then $250 a pop for each set-top box and you can't really customize as much as you'd like to (in my experience anyway). This particular setup will only set you back about $200.00 and you don't need anything else other then an already existing wired or wireless network. I had mine setup and operable in only about ten minutes.
Despite its few minor flaws, I love this product! I suspect some firmware and software upgrades will resolve most of these very minor issues. I'll definitely be buying another one for my other television.

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GoVideo's slim D2740 is a true 21st-century entertainment device: it will play your commercial and homemade DVDs, sure, but it also spins MP3 music and JPEG image CDs and--as if that weren't enough--it'll stream audio, images, and video files from your PC right to your TV at the touch of a button. Streams may include JPEG, TIFF, and BMP images; MP3 and WMA audio formats; and MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 video formats. Compatible physical media includes DVD-R/DVD-RW, video CD, Kodak Picture CD, and MP3 and WMA CDs.The Wi-Fi 802.11g-capable D2740 is compatible with existing wireless home networks, allowing instant out-of-the-box set-up and use. Just open the box, install the D2740's server software (PC only), hook it up to the TV, and start enjoying its innovative capabilities. If your home isn't networked yet, the unit still operates as a full-function DVD player.Besides routing content from your hard drive to your home theater, the player also offers the ability to stream audio from RealNetworks' Rhapsody music service to any TV or stereo system in your home. This means you can enjoy any of more than 650,000 songs at the touch of a button and view your personal Rhapsody library right there on your television. With Rhapsody, you'll be able to browse by artist, album, and song title in a library of more than 50,000 albums. (D2740 owners can sign up for a free 30-day Rhapsody trial by visiting www.listen.com/govideo; the Rhapsody music service is available from RealNetworks for $9.95 per month).An intuitive graphical user interface simplifies operation. User-upgradeable onscreen "skins" give operation a personalized look and feel, and the unit's upgradeable firmware ensures that you'll be ready for future DVD formats, too. A headphone output with a dedicated volume control facilitates private listening--perfect for tuning into Internet radio in your living room while the rest of the family reads or sleeps.Top-of-the-line component-video outputs (switchable between progressive-scan and interlaced) help minimize digital and line-scan artifacts on compatible advanced televisions, while composite- and S-video outputs bring compatibility with nearly any television. Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the D2740 stands ready to deliver the full potential of your DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.A set of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver, and--in case your existing receiver is merely "Dolby Digital ready" (with multichannel RCA analog inputs), the D2740 decodes Dolby Digital 5.1 to six discrete analog signals (left, center, right, left/right surround, and subwoofer).What's in the Box DVD player, remote control, remote batteries, an installation CD-ROM (PC software), a user's manual, onscreen user interface skins, a stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, and warranty information.

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DVICO TVIX HD N1 Cafe Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been streaming video content for over 8 years now, using a variety of network media players. I have mainly used the TViX brand players which have been a bit more on the pricey side compared to others. This new version of the TViX network media player is extremely cheap compared to the more expensive versions and seems to do just about everything the other players do with style.
I am extremely please with the setup procedures! I have an existing media library that only took me 2 minutes to configure the N1 to access. Within seconds I was streaming a HD movie across my existing network. This is one of the easiest media players that I've every worked with. Boot up time is very quick compared to the previous TViX models and silent. I have basically the same functionality and in a much cheaper package.
Included with this player, are features that use web sharing applications but no all of them work. I do not like the fact that you can not restrict access to these features within the player itself. That would have been nice.

Now with all these ease of use features, there are limitations that are a result of the chip design.
With this player, I have only been disappointed with a few of the limitations;
1) this player's chipset does not support PNG file format for icons;
(Does not seamlessly integrate with the shared content network environment where coverart is
utilized by previous TViX models. This only applies when graphic images are leveraged for
coverart browsing.)
2) setting up folder security on content that resides on a network share is not as simple as it is on
the TViX M7000A and earlier models.
(Does not seem to utilize the same methodologies used to assign secure access to folders as the
previous TViX models.)
Other than the limitations that affect my usage, these are great little media players.
BTW, I purchased 3 of these for my kids and compared to the price of one of the previous TViX models, I have basically the same functionality and very please thus far (with the exception for how security to functions and content has been implemented within the devices)

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Media players are gaining popularity as more and more consumers store and share their video in their home.As more brands enter the market, it's become clear that not all players are created equal. DVICO, as a veteran manufacturer of the TViX media players has earned a reputation for building solid boxes with all the attributes like low noise, user friendly, and highly customizable players that can please the most discriminating videophile.The TViX N1 Cafe is the latest and most affordable Media Streamer that packs all the features of the higher priced units of DVICO's premium players.Silent (no fan) aluminum construction now features a first in Realtek based players, support for Dolby's TrueHD audio and Webremote access from your mobile phone.If you have your video, music, and photos stored on a portable hard drive or networked on a PC or NAS, the TViX can play virtually any file formats, as well as access the internet for YouTube.Connect a flash drive or a memory card from your camera/camcorder to watch slideshows and videos easily.The N1 supports widest range of files including FLV (flash) and RMBV as well as MKV and BD File and ISO formats.Powered by the Realtek RTD1073 Plus processor with 400MHz MIPS with HDMI, component and composite video outputs, the N1 supports virtually all types of displays.If you store your files on a dedicated storage device like a NAS or just on multiple computers over the network, the N1 is a cost effective solution for sharing your files. The N1 supports third party cover art applications that spices up your movie collection, making the N1 a easy to use player with a look that rivals the most expensive DVD server.TVIX-HD supports a wide range of audio/video formats such as MP3, WMA, PCM, DTS, WMV9 and WMV-HD, DIVX, XVid, HDV and MKV files recorded by digital camcorders, and standard transport streams that are recorded by today's HD devices, as well as the new H.264 (MPEG4) in addition to FLV files downloaded....

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Roku SD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A few months back when my husband had started talking about the Roku box, I admittedly thought it would be a big waste of money. We aren't TV watchers and thus have lived on basic cable for years, but we do have our dedicated "movie nights" where we routinely enjoy watching movies together. We've had Netflix for about 6 years now and we've never gone back to traditional rentals. I thought our unlimited DVD rentals from Netflix was all we needed. It can't get any easier than picking a movie and having it show up at your door two days later, right?
I was wrong. ;)
Since we have jumped on the Roku bandwagon, I've gotten a lot of questions from others around me who are now considering the purchase. I find there is a lot of confusion about what exactly the Roku does, so here we go. The Roku box streams media (movies, TV series, podcasts, music, etc) to your TV in real time. You don't need a Netflix subscription for it to work, but it hugely enhances the enjoyment of the Roku box as it is undoubtedly the most popular feature of the device. With your basic unlimited Netflix subscription (beginning at $8.99/mo or $7.99/mo if you only want the Starz Play streaming media with no DVD option) you have unlimited access to watching streaming videos on your TV at any time of day or night. All you need is a TV (of any kind, new or old) and an internet connection. Cable or DSL is required for good performance of the streaming media. I wouldn't try this on dial-up. You can set it up via traditional ethernet cables or set it up on your wireless network in minutes.
One thing I've noticed in talking with people is that a lot of people may already have a compatible streaming device in their home and not realize it. If you own a PS3, Xbox 360 or Tivo, you can stream Netflix to your TV and you do not need to buy the Roku. Rumors of it coming to the Wii are on the horizon but are not confirmed, to my knowledge. Also, some select Blu-ray players and internet connected HD TVs are compatible as well. Check with Netflix for more information. Again, you do not need to buy the Roku if you already have one of these devices in your home!
The other main feature of the Roku is the ability to stream Amazon on-demand. If you have ever purchased a movie on Pay-per-view, Amazon on-demand will seem instantly familiar. You can rent movies digitally and stream them to your Roku (or other compatible device) any time for a fraction of the cost of your typical Pay-per-view movie. Amazon's digital rentals range in price from $0.99 to $3.99 for newer releases. Each rental has a specific rental time. Some you can enjoy and watch as many times as you like for a full 7 days and others for 24 hours. You also have the option to purchase media this way which is usually the same price or less than what you would pay for the DVD. This allows you to stream it any time and as many times as you like until the end of time. Without taking up shelf space! Pretty nice. You are also able to download it to your PC and/or portable media device for enjoyment on the go. You can download it as many times as you like. As long as you have your Amazon account, Amazon will remember what titles you have purchased and you will have access to it forever. It works just like Amazon's MP3 downloads.
The lesser known features of the Roku include instant access to 12 additional channels which include (in addition to Netflix and Amazon on-demand), MLB.com, MotionBox, MediaFly, Blip.TV, Twit.TV, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Frame Channel, Flickr, Mobile Tribe, and my absolute favorite, Pandora. If you have an account at Pandora.com, it takes seconds to link it to your Roku and start enjoying your music channels instantly. The Roku also supports different Pandora accounts if you have the need. Being able to listen to Pandora on our beautiful surround sound setup any time of the day or night is blissful. My 4-year-old's favorite feature, aside from the plethora of children's titles available on Netflix instant play, is the MediaFly channel which streams 5,000+ audio and video podcasts. Among them, two of my son's favorite video podcasts, Ultra Kawaii and Sesame Street. You have the ability to add your favorites to a list that you can quickly access at any time. My husband is in love with the Twit.TV channel which streams all of their internet shows, including This Week in Tech. The Flickr channel also has a really neat feature that showcases random artistic photos and is actually quite interesting to watch and is never the same. There is really something for everyone in this growing library of channels and it is far more than I expected from the Roku.
Being the new spokesperson for Roku (I kid ;), I also hear a lot of concerns of TVs not being compatible with the Roku. No one should be concerned with this because the Roku ships with all cables needed to hook up to any TV, new or old. If you don't have an HD TV, you might be purchasing the SD version which will connect to any TV with the standard red, white and yellow cables. If you do own an HD TV, you will receive both an HDMI cable and the standard red, white and yellow, just in case. The same goes for the HD-XR version. As far as compatibility goes, there should be no reason that everyone can't have a Roku box, regardless of their type of TV.
In the same vein as the prior concern, there seems to be worry from the less than tech savvy movie lovers out there, fearing setup will be complicated and frustrating. Not so. Roku is able to hook up to your router via a standard ethernet cable or link seamlessly with your existing wireless network in a matter of minutes. Anyone can set this up and avoid frustration completely. It's very straightforward and simple and the onscreen prompts will guide you the entire time.
Now that we know what the Roku can do, I'm sure you want to know, does it actually DO them? Absolutely, YES! Obviously with the SD version, you will be viewing in SD, but the HD and HD-XR Rokus stream HD beautifully. We read some reviews that recommended using the wired ethernet connection to avoid hiccups during viewing, but we have had none whatsoever with our wireless network running on a cable internet connection. I would suggest trying the wireless first as it takes only minutes to do and requires no additional hardware, and if you have problems (which I tend to doubt) you can go the ethernet route. It should not be necessary as long as the Roku is within reasonable range of your router. Keep this in mind when choosing where to set up your Roku.
Navigation of the Roku menus is extremely simple and intuitive. There are your four directional buttons, select, home, and your standard fast forward, rewind and pause/play. I love the simplicity of this remote as our remote collection contains numerous remotes with countless confusing buttons that I have never even used. Don't be fooled by it's looks, however, because this remote is all you need to quickly and effectively access all of the Roku's features. I also wanted to point out that if you lose your remote and you have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can download an app that acts as a remote for your Roku. Sweet!!
Last but not least, you need to carefully consider which Roku you purchase. As nice as it would be to have an all-in-one box which includes all features at one price, currently you have to choose from three versions: the SD, HD and HD-XR. To put it plainly, they ALL have the same exact features. The only difference being the SD is limited to streaming only SD content, the HD can stream all HD and SD content, and the HD-XR can stream all HD and SD content and also includes an as of yet unused USB port (maybe for an external hard drive in the future?) and the ability to link with your "N" network. Given that the price difference is marginal, I would probably grab the next best up from what you are currently needing. If you have any intention at all at any point in the near or distant future to buy an HD TV, get the HD version. It's $20 more and you will spend much more than that getting a new box if you ever do get a new TV. Also, if you are at all enticed by the possibility of having an external hard drive to play all your own media, get the HD-XR. It's not been said what they intend to do with this USB port, but I think it seems fairly obvious what their plans are for it. You may not want to invest the money in a feature that is not yet supported, however. I do think it's a bit cheap to charge $30 more for a feature that should have been standard on all versions, but it is what it is.
In the end, if you love movies and like to save money, you will not be disappointed with the Roku. You will never have to visit a rental store or buy a pay-per-view rental ever again! And you may even save a nice chunk of change from canceling some channels that will now become obsolete with your new toy. If you are at all on the fence, rest assured that you will get your money's worth from this device. It's worth every penny.

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With built-in Wi-Fi, Roku SD Player is the easiest way to stream instant movies and shows from Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand directly to your TV. Now at our most affordable price ever, the SD Player comes with everything you need to access a world of great entertainment on your terms including the FREE Roku Channel Store to access even more shows, music, and more instantly to your TV. No wonder Roku is Netflix members' top rated streaming player.

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Roku HD Streaming Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)OUT OF THE BOX;
Comes with the basic unit, Composite cables (pretty useless), power supply, remote, a very minimal setup guide, and batteries for the remote.
WIRELES SSETUP:
Wired ethernet is also an option.
1. There is some plastic film to peel off. Plug the unit in and connect your HDMI cable (or component cables) to your TV or HD AMP. Turn your TV and amp on and set the correct inputs. The unit will display the first screen on TV and immediately ask what kind of connection you would like. I used wireless, which I suspect will be most popular.
2. Wireless networks in range with SSID broadcast on will be displayed. Choose your network and click Ok. The next screen has alphanumeric input to supply your network password if your router is set to WEP or WPA protection. If you have MAC filtering on, turn off your MAC filter or add the MAC device ID to your router. The ROKU's MAC is displayed if you seek help from a help menu button on the password screen.
3. If the following sounds a bit complicated, it's not really. The setup proceedure will lead you through it well. The unit will connect and do a rather lengthy download of a "software" update. If this is successful, the home screen will be displayed with options of what service you want to link to the ROKU. If any step fails, back to the first setup screen. Thankfully it remembers your net password. You will also have to choose a display size configuration and resolution. The unit will then display a code to link to the ROKU site. You can ignore it or link to the ROKU site and choose your service from there. I picked 1080P HD, and chose Netflix directly from the ROKU menu. A new Netflix specific code will be displayed. Then I went to my computer to pull up the Netflix site, migrate to streaming access, pick the ROKU out of a menu of devices (it's "other") and input the Netflix code.
4. Thats it! The ROKU will now be ready and will display a nice Netflix menu to choose what you want to stream and play. The Computer menu is a bit easier to browse when choosing a DVD or show to watch than the ROKU screen, but the latter is perfectly serviceable, especially if you know what you want to watch.
Some caveats/suggestions/musings. When I started the setup routine, the device kept rebooting and loosing network connectivity. It was position. It is VERY sensitive to it's placement. Don't put it in between a large amp and a DVD player, or in a deep cabinet, say. Have it positioned out in the open. If you don't have a gigabit 802.11 "n" router, get one. There's lots of info downloading and streaming to this device through your router. Some reviews have criticized the ROKU's remote. I found it worked just fine. If you are wedded to the idea of streaming media, this device is great at present. But, there is an increasing selection of Blu- Ray DVD players with this capability already built in. They are much more expensive at this time, but prices will come down. If you are almost ready to upgrade to a Blu-Ray player, maybe good to wait a bit and pick one when prices fall in the near future.
AFTER SETUP;
Great. video quality and sound are terrific at 720P.1080p coming next year from Netflix, I hear. Wasn't disappointed at all. Terrific buy.

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Roku is a little box that allows you to instantly stream tons of entertainment on your TV. Watch over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and more. Listen to music on Pandora, or listen to your own iTunes playlists. Even watch major sports, news, or original Internet programming. It's all available whenever you want it. Now smaller, more powerful, and more affordable, the all-new Roku HD delivers high-definition entertainment instantly to virtually any TV in your home over your wireless network. No wonder Roku is the best selling streaming player ever.

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Premium 1.5ft (0.5M) Ultra-High Speed HDMI Cable - 120 Hz - Version 1.3 Category 2 - 1080p - PS3 - Blu-Ray - XBox360 - WHITE Color Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Good solid cable, works fine. We use it for the nettop that sits behind the TV. All this nonsense about buying $50 HDMI cables for superior sound is just hogwash. It's digital: it either works or it doesn't.

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Get it Fast! This product is available on Amazon's FREE Super Saver/Prime Shipping!The only HDMI Cable you'll ever need! High quality, gold plated, shielded HDMI cables/interconnects for home theater, HDTV, gaming consoles, hi-fi systems. Bandwidth: up to 165 Mhz. Supports DVD Audio: Yes Supports SACD: Yes Supports TrueHD & DTS-HD: Yes Overall Diameter: 6mm GUARANTEED compatibility with ALL HDMI devices and brands.

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Roku XDS Streaming Player 1080p Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Like a lot of people who use Amazon, I own all kinds of electronic gear. Every once in a while, you get your hands on a device that really stands out in terms of ease of use and performance. When I first hooked up my Slingbox, for example, I realized that it was unique and was going to add something truly useful and impressive to my audio-video set-up. When I read a description of the Roku box, I had a similar expectation. Could it be as easy to use as advertised? Would it perform on a level that would really satisfy? Would it be one of those "stand out" devices? Now I can say in all honesty that the Roku player is everything I hoped and more. When the description says you will be up and running in just a few minutes, you can believe it. I opened the box, plugged in the power cord, attached a cable to my high speed router, and ran audio to my amp. I turned everything on and immediately saw the set-up screen for the Roku player. To run a quick test, I tried streaming a video from Netflix--it worked perfectly. This initial set-up and test took no more than 10 minutes. After several days of using the Roku, I have yet to have even the slightest problem. I have added a couple dozen channels and all work as expected. My only moment of hesitation came when I saw how small the Roku player is. It is tiny sitting there with all the other components, but when I saw what it could do, the size became inconsequential. The Roku player truly is an impressive device. While not necessarily a replacement, the Roku XDS Streaming Player is another serious alternative to cable TV. By the way, for those traveling outside the USA, where Netflix does not allow the streaming of movies on your PC, there is a way to connect the Roku player to your Slingbox. You then have access to Netflix through the Roku wherever you have an internet connection.

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Roku is a little box that allows you to instantly stream tons of entertainment on your TV. Watch over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and more. Listen to music on Pandora, or listen to your own iTunes playlists. Even watch major sports, news, or original Internet programming. It's all available whenever you want it. The all-new, top-of-the-line Roku XDS sets a new standard with 1080p streaming video, the latest wireless technology, and Instant Replay. All for under $100. No wonder Roku is the best selling streaming player ever.

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Insignia Blu-Ray Player NS-BDLIVE01 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have had the product for a few weeks. Seems pretty good so far.

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Insignia NS-BDLIVE01 Blu-Ray Disc Player with 1080p Output Specifications Enjoy movies in brilliant high-definition with this Blu-ray Disc player that features 1080p upconversion and BD-Live support. Blu-ray Disc format compatible For high-definition movie playback with resolution up to 5 times greater than DVD. Delivers greatly enhanced video performance with standard DVDs By upconverting their video resolution to HDTV compliant 720p, 1080i or 1080p via the HDMI interface. Plays BD-ROM discs Backward compatible with DVD, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD and CD-R/RW discs. Compatible with MP3 and WMA formats. Plays Blu-ray media That can store up to 50GB of high-definition video and audio. Built-in decoders For next-generation Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD high-resolution surround, plus lossless Dolby TrueHD (2-channel). HDMI output Provides an uncompressed all-digital audio/video link for the highest quality connection and supports copy-protected HD broadcast content. Dual USB ports 1 on the front and 1 on the rear for expanded connectivity options. BD-Live ready For access to expanded Blu-ray Disc features. Outputs 1 stereo audio, 1 composite video, 1 component video, 1 optical digital audio, 1 coaxial digital audio and 1 HDMI. Dimensions Product Height 2-1/5" Product Width 16-9/10" Product Weight 6.4 lbs. Product Depth 10-4/5"

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Panasonic DMP-BD80 High Clarity Audio Blu-ray Disc Player, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)With the BD80, Panasonic has taken its popular BD55, with its excellent picture and sound quality, and added the ability to access online content via the new VIERA Cast feature. Currently VIERA Cast is limited to YouTube, Picasa online photo sharing, stocks and weather via "widgets" but Amazon's on-demand movie service will be available on the BD80 in May. Other internet-based content can be added by Panasonic over time, based on user demand (without the need for a hardware upgrade).
Overall, the BD80 works well as a multi-media player - they added a USB jack on the front for viewing photos, Divx and Xvid videos and listening to MP3 files. This is in addition to the SD card slot (and BTW, an SD card is still required for BD-Live). It would have been nice if the player supported MKV videos, WMV, WMA and M4P files, but I guess we can't have everything. Viewing YouTube is pretty straightforward - you can even log in to view your favorites - and it's nice to be able to do that without a PC connected to your TV.
For Blu-ray and DVD playback, the unit performs extremely well. It isn't the absolute best upconverting DVD player available, but it does a good job wringing detail out of standard def content. And it really shines as a Blu-ray Disc player with top-notch video and audio performance. The player decodes all of the latest surround sound codecs (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, etc.) to multi-channel PCM and to multi-channel analog outputs (5.1 or 7.1-channel) for compatibility with older receivers and surround processors that lack the latest HDMI audio support. If you do have a newer receiver with HDMI audio support, then you can set the player to bitstream these soundtracks to your receiver for decoding. The player also offers standard coax and fiber optic digital outputs though these do not support the new codecs.
In addition to VIERA Cast and the USB port, Panasonic adds a new "High Clarity Audio" feature which allows you to turn off analog video processing if you're using HDMI for your video output (improving sound quality) as well as a new "3D NR" noise reduction feature for cleaning up noisy Blu-ray and DVD transfers.
It's too bad Panasonic could not improve the load times for Blu-ray and DVDs. As it is, they're pretty much identical to the BD35 and BD55. But at least they did provide a "Quick Start" mode which allows the player to power on/boot up quicker than its predecessors. Even still, the player is a bit slower to load discs than the latest offerings from LG and Samsung.
For those who don't need the multi-channel analog outputs or Divx support, the less expensive DMP-BD60 may be a better choice as it offers the same audio and video processing as well as the same VIERA Cast feature.
Overall, the BD80 is a solid performer. I would have liked Panasonic to include an SD card in the box for BD-Live access (as well as an HDMI cable, instead of those silly composite video/analog audio cables), and it would have been nice to have a Wi-Fi option, instead of requiring a hard-wired Ethernet cable for internet access, but Panasonic is not the only vendor who omits these things. While the online content offerings are currently a bit light and the operational speeds are only average, the excellent audio and video performance and flexible media playback options make this a strong contender in the 2009 Blu-ray model line up.
You can view our more detailed review on Big Picture Big Sound (dot com).

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Panasonic, Blu-ray Player,7.1 Audio out,1080P HDMI output

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Roku XD Streaming Player 1080p Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently bought the new Apple TV, but was curious how the Roku XD compared. After all, while I like the Apple TV, it's tied to the Apple ecosystem, for better or worse. Meanwhile the Roku offered a broader feature set, but not as much of an established brand as Apple.
Luckily, I was able to satisfy my curiosity by getting a Roku XD, and I thought my experiences and opinions might be useful for those shopping for such internet-streaming set top boxes.
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Quality/Content
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My first and biggest question was, "How does the quality compare?". 1080p capability is one of Roku's biggest selling points against Apple, because the Apple TV "only" streams 720p. What I found was that it was a mixed bag. Roku has the capability to stream 1080p, but something surprising is that a huge portion of available content isn't HD to start with and doesn't take full advantage of Roku's hardware. Some content you can stream from Amazon and Netflix looks little better than VHS quality, while some looked somewhere between DVD and HD broadcast quality.
The vast majority of Netflix, for example, is SD content including most bigger-name movies that make their way to the library. Thus, the HD capability of Roku is MOST noticeable in Amazon Video On-Demand's vast library of HD TV shows and movies.
Amazon Video On-Demand offers everything you could find through Apple TV's store and then some, but it has a superior pricing model. You can PURCHASE TV shows for .99c vs. .99c rentals on Apple TV, and you may save a buck or two renting older movies, especially if they're SD.
A drawback (maybe an advantage to some) to the Amazon's On-Demand store is its availability of soft-core porn, so parents be ready to tweak parental controls a little more than you'd have to with Apple TV, which limits its offerings to R-rated major studio movies.
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Flexibility
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The biggest selling point of the Roku in my opinion is the flexibility already established with its "channels" store, which is basically like an app store for your Roku. The big-three apps are "Amazon Video On-Demand", "Netflix" and "Hulu+ (coming soon)", but you can also choose channels from "Pandora" (if you like listening to music on your TV), or "UFC" (though the UFC channel is a bit of disappointment since they want to charge you $45 a pop to view past UFC events!).
Apple TV doesn't currently have an app store, though one is probably coming, and it will soon pick up the ability to stream a variety of content from an iOS device via something called "AirPlay", but Roku is clearly a bit more flexible at this point.
That said, a big feature I like about Apple TV that isn't available in Roku is the ability to view iTunes content. I like being able to watch movies on my TV then take them with me on my iPhone for my kids to watch on car trips or plane rides, and Apple has a better, more integrated ecosystem to support such capability.
I also like watching YouTube, which I can do on my Apple TV, but not straightforwardly on the Roku as far as I can tell (EDIT: apparently there's a secret beta YouTube channel if you Google for it, but it's not highlighted in the channel store).
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User Experience/Interface
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I think the biggest disadvantage of Roku vs. Apple TV is in its user experience. The Roku is slightly more complicated to set up (for instance, you need to find the TV settings menu then designate that you have a 1080p TV before you can watch HD content), and the user interfaces for many features, while good, just don't match the smooth feel and responsiveness of the Apple TV. With Roku, you tend to get longish, frequent load animations when navigating between channels. Plus Roku's content suggestion features don't work quite as well as Apple TV, and with Roku you don't have an "Apple Remote"-quality iPhone app to let you control the device.
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Conclusion
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While Roku markets its device as higher quality than devices like the Apple TV because of "1080p", limited content and bitrate minimize any noticeable advantage. The fact is that if you REALLY care about quality, you get a Blu Ray player, not a media streamer from any manufacturer. Nevertheless, the Roku is at least as good, if not better than competing streaming devices if you're viewing the right content.
It lacks a few of the iTunes-specific features of Apple TV, and the user experience isn't quite as good, but if you don't care about those things, the Roku is more flexible, cheaper both in purchase price and content prices, and offers more content than the Apple TV.
Overall, the Roku XD is an EXCELLENT device that's priced to move! For $80, why not try it?

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Roku is a little box that allows you to instantly stream tons of entertainment on your TV. Watch over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and more. Listen to music on Pandora, or listen to your own iTunes playlists. Even watch major sports, news, or original Internet programming. It's all available whenever you want it. The all-new Roku XD delivers the highest quality HD video, in the smallest box, at the lowest price. No wonder Roku is the best selling streaming player ever.

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Sylvania NB620SL1 Wireless Enabled Blu-Ray Disc Player, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)The price for a Wi-Fi, Blu-Ray , Netflix streaming player is why I purchased this.
Nothing in this price range exists at this time that I am aware of. Probably will be more available soon.
Hooked up to Wi-Fi fine, downloaded and installed latest firmware fine (but took a long time).
We bought this to watch Netflix - this is where it falls flat and fails to meet expectations.
There are 3 levels of Netflix interface/software on these devices.
1. The best is where you can search for titles, look in genres, see your instant queue.
2. Next is where you can see genres and also your instant queue.
3. The last is where you can only see your instant queue and nothing else.
This Sylvania labeled NB620SL1 from Funai only does the third one - instant queue only.
We are spoiled in that our Wii , PS3 do level 1 - search, genre, queue.
Another Blu-Ray DVD player we own does genre and queue, but is wired, and cost less than $100 (not bad).
I will not keep this unit as there are no plans to improve the firmware.
It has an HDMI output but no component. I like to have both for versatility, not everything I own has HDMI.
Funny, we never even got to try a Blu-Ray disk in it. Sorry I cannot comment on that.

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Blu-ray Disc Player Built-in Wireless LAN (BD-Live Profile 2.0)

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