Reading another thread about Smart TVs and remotes made me think about Roku, as another member solved the brands UI and remotes differences by using Rokus instead on each TV.

I currently use two old Chromecasts on my dumb TVs but thinking Roku could be my next upgrade if indeed it has similar capabilities plus a more modern hardware.

The local options are Premiere and Express sticks and another that looks like a box. Thinking 4k could be desirable in the future….. Which is the right path?

Another thing i’m concerbed is that the device be powered either directly by HDMI or using USB as i have as many power cords connected to the wall socket as it can handle safely (9). No more additional PSU, please.

Thinking of plugging it either to my Yamaha Receiver or the TV set HDMI.

PS: We run 220V AC while most of these PSU are 110V DC. An extra PITA.

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The box will have some of the best abilities. It is, however, powered from the wall.

I've had several, and just bought one for when I need to watch from my Dad's house.

The Roku sticks work just fine

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Originally posted by 0-0:


Another thing i’m concerbed is that the device be powered either directly by HDMI or using USB as i have as many power cords connected to the wall socket as it can handle safely (9). No more additional PSU, please.

HDMI power is very small. Not enough to power a Roku. I have a firestick that works off of USB power, but it's 5W of USB power, so be careful there, so you don't starve it of power.

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PS: We run 220V AC while most of these PSU are 110V DC. An extra PITA.

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most of the small PSU's these days are automatic and work with either 110V / 220V. It's been a very long time since I've seen one of the 120V only ones on a newly sold product, but I suppose they exist, someplace still. The technology has changed in how they are made, and auto input voltage has become the standard.

You just need to look at the label on the thing to be sure. Input voltage will always be labeled, per UL, TUV, ETL, or whatever other NRTL it went through. If it didn't go through UL, TUV, etc., then it gets tossed in the trash, as it should.

I use the the Ultra.

Better Remote, Rechargeable (No Batteries), Headphone Jack, and Voice Control (I don't use).

Get one that had the tv volume control on the remote. My wife wanted to be cheap and got the base Roku. It didn’t have tv volume control and we needed two remotes. Then we spent extra to get the upgraded remote

Whichever model is compatible with and can stream a 5GHz WiFi signal. My original Roku Premier (2.4 GHz only) would sometimes stall, buffer, pixilate and revert to 480p, ESPECIALLY with fast moving sports like hockey (well…the only TRUE sport ). My new one, Ultra LT, can stream a 5GHz signal and doesn’t have that issue.

The Streaming Stick 4k seems to be the right pick (locally) as it offers Dolby Vision plus the regular features, has two wifi bands and volume control.

Looking at the box contents, seems that theres an adapter to use the USB cable connected to the wall. No separate PSU anywhere.

Do i need to use the remote or can i just use my phone to cast as i do with Chromecast or this is a completely different beast? No familiar with Smart TVs, mine are just as dumb as the owner.

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If you can get past the no plug requirement, the Roku Streaming Bar is a great option if you don't have a dedicated sound bar. The sound is not as good as a regular sound bar but much better than TV built in speakers.

Anything you hook up to draw power from a device plugged in to the wall is going to just increase the power draw of that device from the wall anyway. There's no increased danger to plugging it directly in to the wall or power strip provided that all the wires can handle the load on them.

I use a Roku Ultra box for the main one because I like to connect it via ethernet cable and it has a better remote, but the Roku Ultra in the other room powered off USB works just fine too.

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Originally posted by bobtheelf:
Anything you hook up to draw power from a device plugged in to the wall is going to just increase the power draw of that device from the wall anyway. There's no increased danger to plugging it directly in to the wall or power strip provided that all the wires can handle the load on them.
.

Agree, but we have our own type of three pronged connectors and manufacturers don’t seen to agree on which way should be up or down.
Most seem to make an extra effort so nothing can get plugged to the surrounding sockets.
My power strips look like modern art, built by mental health patients. Balance is delicate and anything could make it fall apart. Teared by its own weight and opposing forces. LOL

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Hi 0-0, we live in Central America. If you want to run a VPN, I don't think you can do that with the Roku (possibly on a new model) the one we have is about three years old. However, we've switched to the Amazon Fire stick. You can download most popular VPNs from the app store. The only thing you would give up to the Roku is the ability to plug in a headphone jack to the remote. It also plugs into the HDMI port on your television, but does need to be plugged in. It comes with a small power supply. Whatever you choose, I think you will be happy. Good luck!

The electronics on my TV stand…TV, Roku, DVD Player, Bose sound system, and Receiver…are all plugged into a 1500VA/900W CyberPower UPS to avoid electrical spikes and to allow me to shut everything down smoothly and properly should the power go out. I can actually ditch the DVD Player since I digitize everything.

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Originally posted by Bigbuck5:
Hi 0-0, we live in Central America. If you want to run a VPN, I don't think you can do that with the Roku (possibly on a new model) the one we have is about three years old. However, we've switched to the Amazon Fire stick. You can download most popular VPNs from the app store. The only thing you would give up to the Roku is the ability to plug in a headphone jack to the remote. It also plugs into the HDMI port on your television, but does need to be plugged in. It comes with a small power supply. Whatever you choose, I think you will be happy. Good luck!

Never felt the urge to run a VPN.
While my brains speaks English to memost of the time, the spousal unit runs Spanish as default.
We would likely replace the Chromecast with more recent hardware to keep streaming the same old contents. Noticed that Prime Video movies offered hardly reach 6 stars on IMDB, most are 5.x.
We are running out of Netflix content and HBO is definitely not our cup of tea. Always speaking of locally available content. You guys get the better stuff (sincerely hope so) but reading subtitles is a no go proposition.

Roku, Firestick and other chinese knock-off are available in some measure but not popular down here.

Not planning on running an UPS either.
Worked most of my adult life as an IT guy and have never seen an UPS work effectively in our unpredictable grid. Trust they do their jobs fine all over the world but here.

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I don't know what model I have and it really doesn't matter as it's 5 years old I'm sure the models have changed now. Small box, I have everything wired to a dumb Panasonic plasma TV. Amazing little device, highly recommend. I have an Apple TV now also, but the Roku does many things better.

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Originally posted by NavyGuy:
If you can get past the no plug requirement, the Roku Streaming Bar is a great option if you don't have a dedicated sound bar. The sound is not as good as a regular sound bar but much better than TV built in speakers.

Came here to say this, exactly. You do need a plug, but the sound bar is better than TV speakers, but probably not as good as a sound system. The controller has volume and power controls that work with our Samsung so it’s the only remote I need (unless the kids hook up the Switch to a dif HDMI input). I got mine on sale for $99 and am really happy with it on the family room TV.

Check out the many Korean series recently added to Netflix (at least here in Guatemala) they are available with Spanish audio, are clean and well produced. King the Land was great, we are currently watching the Good Bad Mother. Neither is available with English audio, but others are. Good luck!

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Originally posted by Bigbuck5:
Check out the many Korean series recently added (at least here in Guatemala) they are available with Spanish audio, are clean and well produced. King the Land was great, we are currently watching the Good Bad Mother. Neither is available with English audio, but others are. Good luck!

Thank you for the tip. Yes, we already watched plenty of K dramas and they are good and well produced. We also watched a few Indian ones, i enjoyed Family Man particularly. We are on a Turkish soap spree currently. Same actors come and go on most of them and they use and repeat short plots, scenes and even locations ad nauseam. We make fun of that.
For a while it was all spoiled Spanish brats at school, then it was the Mexican version of same formula. My wife runs the show, i just ride shotgun.

The wifi signal only reaches my side of the bed; wife, tv and Chromecast barely see it.
Hoping a Roku will get better signal.
Walls are solid and signal won’t bounce properly. My repeater is on the other side of the wall, less than 12ft away. Main router 25ft away, tops. Still, no go.

Only need the stick to be slightly better than what i currently have.

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quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:


The wifi signal only reaches my side of the bed; wife, tv and Chromecast barely see it.
Hoping a Roku will get better signal.
Walls are solid and signal won’t bounce properly. My repeater is on the other side of the wall, less than 12ft away. Main router 25ft away, tops. Still, no go.

Only need the stick to be slightly better than what I currently have.

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Maybe look into the Roku Ultra versions that support Ethernet connections.

You might also try a cheap mesh system. That solved our connectivity here (concrete block walls). We bought one at Pricemart (like Sam's or Costco) called NEXXT. It comes with three nodes, but you can add more if necessary.