Two months ago, my family and I thought it was financially viable to tear our cable or cut the cord. We just thought it was no longer worth paying $100 a month (not including internet and phone service) for anything less than four hours a day. After researching options based on our television viewing habits, we decided to purchase the Roku 2 XS because of its high definition streaming capabilities.
After literally 20 minutes of connecting the Roku 2 XS to the internet, we were watching our first movie. This is what I learned in 60 days about movies and television shows on Roku.
Movie choices
The first advice a Roku 2 XS will give to any buyer is not to expect it to completely replace your other television subscription services like U-Verse or Xfinity, especially when it comes to movies. Nothing replaces the convenience of watching movies on those services. Roku has a Netflix channel so if you already have the service, that’s a plus. Also, the Roku 2 XS has the most channels that feature “free” movies, but the selections are sparse and almost always come with some commercials.
Recommend Amazon Instant Video through Amazon membership at Amazon Instant Video. The first is not only a great job in saving things or lending books for burning; An Amazon Prime membership includes free movies and television series episodes from Amazon Instant Video. You can also order premium movies and television series on a per-view basis. It’s well worth spending $80 a year, though we got a 50 percent student discount thanks to my wife.
TV shows on Roku 2 XS
When we bought our Roku 2 XS, I knew I had more to lose than anyone when it comes to television, because I’m a fan of live sports. I knew our Netflix service would show your kids cartoons and show my wife’s cooking and documentaries. But watching the live streams outside our local HD Antenna were a no-go. Or so I thought.
But for another $40 a year, PlayOn gives you access to television shows from the major leagues. We used a test version of PlayOn and found that yes, the major networks have standard definition streaming-video”>view space but they are not live and are very similar to whatever you find on your favorite channel’s website. However, PlayOn allows you to upload custom channels to your server. These streams are often streaming include events or television shows around the world, including live sports. Once you figure out how to upload scripts (you can do it in the online five-minute tutorial), it opens up your options for watching live television. HD antennas mine didn’t pick up the live ABC station, but through PlayOn, I found the ABC streaming station and was able to watch the NBA Finals, but it was good enough.
If you’re really into watching the latest network shows in HD, the Roku 2 XS also gives you access to Hulu Plus. Only $9 one month. Hulu Plus also has movies and major shows. We still use that service, but not as often as with PlayOn or Amazon Instant Video.
Other Roku Movie and Television Options
There are many other free related channels for your Roku. They make feature games you can buy for less than $2 a pop. But since we have a Wii, a Nintendo DS, a PC, and a lap top, our family doesn’t feel any other need to buy games. And there are probably another 500 paid or free channels for any other subscription you can think of. There are probably more free religious television channels on Roku than I’ve ever seen on free cable. I even saw a Roku channel dedicated to Kung Fu movies! Just be aware that these channels have frequent commercial interruptions and you could find yourself watching the same commercials over and over again.
Final Roku XS Bill
While Hulu Plus costs us $8 a month and Netflix costs us $9 a month, our monthly bill and television is $17. If we keep Prime and PlayOn, our annual bill will be $284. The Roku XS does not completely replace the convenience and options of our old cable service, but with a few savings; it’s a moneysaving purchase.
