Roku announces Amazon support for Netflix Box
Roku has just announced support for Amazon Unbox Video on Demand movie streaming with its diminutive Netlix set-top box. Up until today, the little box was capable of streaming Netflix content to your friendly living room television set. It’s a great step in the right direction, providing access to Amazon’s more than 40,000 title library, and greatly increasing the relative value of the $99 box. That being said, we’re still not entirely sold on the value of the system, given the generally limited reach of both the Netflix streaming and Amazon on Demand catalogs. Couple that fact with a somewhat awkward user interface and you have a good idea that’s still somewhat flawed in its execution. That said, it certainly looks like the company is committed to increasing content and providing more value down the road, so we’ll continue to keep our eyes open in the hopes that some of our gripes will be heard.
Need to keep the host computer on at all times? Awkward user interface? Have you ever even used a Roku? The interface is nicely done and it doesn’t need a ‘host computer’, that’d be kinda kill the whole point.. need to read up a little more next time eh.
For $99, the value doesn’t seem to be an issue. If you use the Watch It Now, or Amazon VOD services, it’s difficult to find any better way to consume the content for the same price.
I, personally, don’t find the Netflix interface to be awkward at all on the Roku. It seems pretty straightforward and easy to me.
I’m not sure what you mean by “leave the host computer on at all times.” This certainly isn’t true with Netflix on the Roku. The only thing that requires a computer / Internet capable device is adding movies. I couldn’t find anything in the press release (URL below) that indicates it will require a host computer to stream anything. It sounds like it will work identically to NetFlix streaming in that you only need a computer to add movies. If I missed something, feel free to point it out.
So far, I have been very happy with my Roku box. It paid for itself when I didn’t have to buy a couple seasons of Law and Order: SVU for my wife.
http://www.roku.com/press_news/AmazonPressRelease20090105.pdf
Oh, BGR! You try and try so hard to be like Engadget, but you’re just not up to the task. You should stick to breaking news about blackberry devices…and leave the news reporting to, you know, people who can spell and research.
Roku works completely independent of any computer and the interface couldn’t me more straight forward.
And now with HD, Roku is the killer box.
You ought to try it.
Keeping the host computer on at all times?
I’ve owned the Roku box since it was first released, and I’ve watched plenty of movies without the “host” computer being on.
Yes, the menu is kinda funky, but it is straight forward and easy to use. and beats the hell out of taking up my computer to watch a movie.
So I welcome this new addition!
player name has changed according to the roku forums, the netflix player forum was renamed the Roku Digital Video Player forum this week http://forums.roku.com/viewforum.php?f=28&sid=705b5bab2ca3a0fae1457b1c619c99d6
Have the Netflix $8.99 per month plan have had a Roku for a month. The Roku was well worth $99.
And as others have already pointed out, the only thing you need a computer to do is select items to be placed in your instant queue.
Hoping I’ll see Hulu on the Roku soon. Then if I could get GolTV and Fox Soccer Channel online it would be goodbye cable….
The Roku player is so easy to set up and use my mom could do it. I never post but I felt compelled to do so after reading the garbage written in the article. Netflix ,and Amazon, are just the start this little $100 box is going to give cable companies a run for their money especially when they get additional channels.
I’m not sure why they would listen to your gripes when it seems clear you haven’t ever used the thing.