Roku Owners: Still Happy with your Roku 3??
- Thread starter Yesfan70
- Start date
They make an appliance... a black box. Everything should work perfectly.
NO! The providers to not approve their "channel" apps; ROKU does. Until the team at ROKU is convinced the app is bullet proof for their devices, the app is not available on ROKU. That's why AMAZON prime took so long to be added to ROKU.
I do not accept all the arguments arguing that the problems with Netflix should be acceptable on the ROKU devices.
NO! The providers to not approve their "channel" apps; ROKU does. Until the team at ROKU is convinced the app is bullet proof for their devices, the app is not available on ROKU. That's why AMAZON prime took so long to be added to ROKU.
I do not accept all the arguments arguing that the problems with Netflix should be acceptable on the ROKU devices.
I guess I should feel lucky I've never had to reboot my Roku 3 box. I'd have to check, but maybe I have plugged into a switched outlet on the power center. Maybe that might work for others, completely kill the power to it when you're not using it. Comparing the roku to a dishwasher doesn't make sense, and I think Haywood nailed it, all third party apps could cause problems.
yromj
Well-Known Member
I use my Roku 3 4-7 times per week. I usually watch Netflix, probably accounts for >80% of the usage, with Amazon Prime making up the balance. My device has been rock solid so far (knock on wood, etc.) and I haven't had to reboot it. I have a NeoTV (from Netgear) which has to be rebooted quite often.
John
John
Huey said:
I didn't just compare the ROKU to a dishwasher. I compared it to a ton of devices most of us use which rely on CPUs, RAM, Firmware, operating systems, and connectivity (not always connectivity) to function which we would never ever expect to need rebooting. Does a NEST thermostat require a regular reboot to work? Do our HT receiver/processors require frequent reboots? That was my point.
Flint said:
But like Haywood stated, we are not asking these devices to run apps from third party sources. I pretty much just use Netflix and sometimes Amazon Prime Videos on mine, maybe that's why I haven't had to reboot it once.
And I also don't think we've become complacent in accepting to have to reboot stuff. I do feel that todays consumer is very impatient, so stuff may get released before it is ready, and most of us have gotten used to having firmware updates and the occasional glitch in the machine.
I have to bounce my stupid powerline network way more often that I should. That drives me nuts enough that I'm getting ready to start cutting small holes in walls to do a half-assed rental house hard wire network. That annoys me WAY more than the Roku. Not that I don't get annoyed when the Roku craps out. I do. The PS3s require a shocking number of reboots for devices that are off most of the time. Pretty annoying. The one I've never understood is why I have to reboot freakin' Squeezeboxes. Really?
It is not that I don't feel your pain, Franklin. I just don't find the Roku any worse than a lot of my other electronics.
It is not that I don't feel your pain, Franklin. I just don't find the Roku any worse than a lot of my other electronics.
yromj
Well-Known Member
T7, I agree with your question. I have noticed that my Dish Hopper apparently does reboot itself every night.
The way I know this is because if I watch Dish on my projo then switch to the small monitor I have at the back of the room; the color is all wrong and the only way I can fix it is to reboot the Hopper. However, every time I use the Hopper first thing in the morning, no matter the last viewing condition, everything is fine.
John
The way I know this is because if I watch Dish on my projo then switch to the small monitor I have at the back of the room; the color is all wrong and the only way I can fix it is to reboot the Hopper. However, every time I use the Hopper first thing in the morning, no matter the last viewing condition, everything is fine.
John
I'm not picking sides, but dealing with automobiles since I've been out of high school, I don't put anything past man-made items. And I know mass produced electronics production is highly automated, but in the end all this shyt is man-made and a certain percentage are gonna flat out fail and reliability will be called into question. Go read reviews for anything sold on Amazon, I don't care if it averages 4.5 stars over thousands of reviews it's gonna have a fair share of 1 star reviews that are legitimate based on performance.
It's just a cost vs performance thing, IMHO... I'd say Roku has focused more on keeping costs down than on QC in the hardware and/or software departments (which are probably quite separate). Speaking from experience, writing stable, reliable programs (apps) takes significantly more time and effort than writing something that's simply functional. And this technology evolves quickly and the commercial pressure to get stuff out there has got to be enormous, which means programmers may not have time/desire/financial incentive to put in that effort.
I understand the 3rd party app issues, but then why do I constantly have to reboot the 3 when I have to do nothing to the 2 in the bedroom?
I have no problem with a reboot if it's once in a blue moon, but 2-3 times in a 2-3 week span is ridiculous and unacceptable, especially when a brand's previously replaced model is performing flawlessly. I agree with Flint on this one.
I have no problem with a reboot if it's once in a blue moon, but 2-3 times in a 2-3 week span is ridiculous and unacceptable, especially when a brand's previously replaced model is performing flawlessly. I agree with Flint on this one.
I work in the computer world. There are things I expect to be less reliable and things I expect to be rock solid reliable. From my perspective, the ROKU should be bullet-proof reliable and this issue should never come up. Why?
1) It only occurs on the ROKU 3 and not the other ROKU device in my house.
2) It is happening to enough people and for long enough that it should be known by the manufacturer and addressed already with a firmware update.
3) The market for these types of devices is clearly aimed at novice users, not technical experts, and this is not a user created problem.
4) The ROKU has about 4 to 8 core apps which are the primary drivers for people to buy their product. Those limited apps should never, ever fail.
The ROKU is not a general purpose PC. It is an entertainment appliance with limited apps. Apple, Google, and Microsoft will yank faulty apps off their stores when they are discovered, but ROKU appears to be fine with poor user experiences on one of the core apps.
1) It only occurs on the ROKU 3 and not the other ROKU device in my house.
2) It is happening to enough people and for long enough that it should be known by the manufacturer and addressed already with a firmware update.
3) The market for these types of devices is clearly aimed at novice users, not technical experts, and this is not a user created problem.
4) The ROKU has about 4 to 8 core apps which are the primary drivers for people to buy their product. Those limited apps should never, ever fail.
The ROKU is not a general purpose PC. It is an entertainment appliance with limited apps. Apple, Google, and Microsoft will yank faulty apps off their stores when they are discovered, but ROKU appears to be fine with poor user experiences on one of the core apps.
I have been waiting for a solid Roku alternative for awhile, because I am not 100% happy with the limitations of the user interface. Unfortunately, none of the other platforms can compete with them on a content basis yet. I absolutely MUST have Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Vudu, Tablo, Plex and Drama Fever in order for my setup to work. If Amazon signs onto UV and DMA and Tablo gets their Fire TV app up and running, I might be able to switch to Fire. Even then, there are things I do not like. Android TV has promise, but it is not there yet. Maybe something else will come along. In the meantime, I'm waiting and using my Roku devices.
D
Deleted member 133
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Somewhat on topic...
A few days ago I used Roku's website to send customer support a very specific question about their products.
I have just received a reply from them and can report that:
1. Given the quality of language used in the reply it's safe to say that it was handled in a country whose primary language is not English; and
2. The answer provided had absolutely nothing to do with the question that I posed.
If I were a client, and not just a potential client looking at a variety of options, I would have been pissed off. As the latter I'm now inclined to not become the former.
Jeff
A few days ago I used Roku's website to send customer support a very specific question about their products.
I have just received a reply from them and can report that:
1. Given the quality of language used in the reply it's safe to say that it was handled in a country whose primary language is not English; and
2. The answer provided had absolutely nothing to do with the question that I posed.
If I were a client, and not just a potential client looking at a variety of options, I would have been pissed off. As the latter I'm now inclined to not become the former.
Jeff
Show me a more stable box with a better interface and support for all the services I use. Seriously. I will buy it. I still think the Roku is the only show in town right now, but they could very easily lose my business in the future if their competition comes up with something better.
THAT is a completely different discussion.
I find the problems with the Roku were unacceptable and was told I should just put up with it because, eh, what should I expect anyway? well, the problem is unacceptable, but you have a need which only Roku can deliver against and that makes the problem more acceptable.
I am planning on experimenting with the Fire TV Stick soon and if it works for our needs, I am switching them out.
I find the problems with the Roku were unacceptable and was told I should just put up with it because, eh, what should I expect anyway? well, the problem is unacceptable, but you have a need which only Roku can deliver against and that makes the problem more acceptable.
I am planning on experimenting with the Fire TV Stick soon and if it works for our needs, I am switching them out.
Haywood you mentioned Appletv as being more reliable a page back and I have to disagree about every other time I turn on my Appletv it needs to be rebooted to get it to work. Granted I go long stretches without ever using it but almost everytime I have to unplug the box for 15 seconds then reboot it to get it to just do basic things. I use my Apple mostly for iTunes and my vast music collection stored on the cloud the other thing is I'm limited to 720p thank God for my DVDO scaler as hooked up to my Pioneer 1080i TV it does not process 720p in any way shape or form but my scaler will take that 720p signal and up convert it to 1080i.
Last week I bought a Roku based on your guys refommendations and now you all have me leary. Now all this week I've used the Roku pretty heavy as most shows are reruns the past week and with my brother in law giving me his Hulu Plus account I've been catching up on some great older shows as well as Vudu and it's worked great. Fast great picture and ease of use haven't had to reboot yet like the Appletv but I figure all streaming gear has its ups and downs. The only thing that bugs me is having to register for every single channel I want to use and how disappointed I am with some channels. Some major networks just have clips of favorite shows. Um I want the whole episode not a two minute clip to highlight what the network itself has. This is the main reason I won't cut my sat subscription. Some channels are great at highlighting current and past shows but some are just horrible at just showing clips of shows I mean why have a channel at all if all your gonna show is clips. I clicked on NatGeo expecting full episodes of great documentaries to find it only shows clips of shows. Same with CBS channel but CBS wants you to pay 8.00 per month to stream their shows from a computer. Um CBS is free OTA why would I pay 8.00 to have access to NCIS which is shown free on TNT all the friggin time.
Last week I bought a Roku based on your guys refommendations and now you all have me leary. Now all this week I've used the Roku pretty heavy as most shows are reruns the past week and with my brother in law giving me his Hulu Plus account I've been catching up on some great older shows as well as Vudu and it's worked great. Fast great picture and ease of use haven't had to reboot yet like the Appletv but I figure all streaming gear has its ups and downs. The only thing that bugs me is having to register for every single channel I want to use and how disappointed I am with some channels. Some major networks just have clips of favorite shows. Um I want the whole episode not a two minute clip to highlight what the network itself has. This is the main reason I won't cut my sat subscription. Some channels are great at highlighting current and past shows but some are just horrible at just showing clips of shows I mean why have a channel at all if all your gonna show is clips. I clicked on NatGeo expecting full episodes of great documentaries to find it only shows clips of shows. Same with CBS channel but CBS wants you to pay 8.00 per month to stream their shows from a computer. Um CBS is free OTA why would I pay 8.00 to have access to NCIS which is shown free on TNT all the friggin time.