• Welcome to The Audio Annex! If you have any trouble logging in or signing up, please contact 'admin - at - theaudioannex.com'. Enjoy!
  • HTTPS (secure web browser connection) has been enabled - just add "https://" to the start of the URL in your address bar, e.g. "https://theaudioannex.com/forum/"
  • Congratulations! If you're seeing this notice, it means you're connected to the new server. Go ahead and post as usual, enjoy!
  • I've just upgraded the forum software to Xenforo 2.0. Please let me know if you have any problems with it. I'm still working on installing styles... coming soon.

Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming device

MatthewB

MatthewB

Grandmaster Pimp Daddy
Famous
I was given a 50.00 Best buy gift card for Christmas and was thinking about buying a Roku 3. Now I don't need a streaming player as my PS3 is currently installed to play Vudu (haven't played a Bluray disc in over a year as I buy all my movies in digital format and if I can buy a new title just released for 5.00 I'm sure not gonna buy the Bluray hard disc for 20.00 I also have my Appletv for my Netflix and Hulu Plus streaming in my main system also. I was thinking about buying a Roku for my bedroom system and moving my streaming Bluray player Sony brand) to my main system and keeping my Appletv for just streaming Hulu Plus and Netflix and use the streaming Bluray player for actual Blurays and Vudu and relating my PS3 to the closet as I never ever play games and the PS3 gets very warm when on (it's the way older 80GB fat PS3) which I only use for Vudu streaming and thats it but it seems like my Simple stand alone player could easily replace the PS3 for actual disc playing and Vudu streaming.

I would then place the Roku 3 in my bedroom to get my Hulu Plus, Vudu and Netflix.

Basically I feel the PS3 is just too big and bulky uses a lot of electricity to keep those internal fans going just to stream a Vudu movie when stand alone Sony Bluray player will do what I want along with my AppleTv so that my main system can still be used to play my massive movie collection (only reason I'm keeping the Appletv in there too.

Now my main question (finally) I read that the Roku 3 is awesome but how does it compare to a streaming stand alone Bluray player that streams. My Sony Bluray player gets Vudu, Hulu Plus and Netflix and a handful of other apps like Crackle but not much more while I hear the Roku 3 is loaded with apps. It's also on Sale at Best buy for 80.00 so after using the gift card it would cost me just 30.00 and I figure that's not bad but considering all my current devices currently are running everything I need I don't need to waste 50.00 but then again I have nothing else I would need to buy at Best Buy either.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

In my experience the bigges advantage the Roku offers it's easy to use and very quick UI. In theory a BD player may have more horsepower for PQ processing but I can't say for sure.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

Definitely get the Roku 3. I have yet to see a Smart TV or bluray player that does streaming as well as dedicated streaming devices like Roku or Fire TV.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

You will find that the Roku is a lot better than the PS3 in many respects. I have both in my system and I almost never use the PS3. The Roku uses a ton less power and is completely silent. It also has the best selection of available channels of all the streamers and it works with several major media server solutions as well as both major OTA DVR solutions. I have been using it was my principle source component for a very long time.

I have a couple Samsung Smart Blu-Ray players, two PS3s, a Chromecast, a Fire TV Stick and a Samsung Smart TV. The Roku has the best overall interface and user experience of all of them. I really like the Fire's UI, but it is so heavily skewed toward Amazon services that it suffers a bit on everything else. Roku is the Switzerland of streaming and it plays well with everybody. We use it for Vudu, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, DramaFever, Funimation, Plex Media Server, Tablo TV, Pandora and a bunch of other services. The Roku Media DLNA client can even connect to the Logitech Media Server we use with the Squeezeboxes.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

How is PQ compared to the PS3? This is my main concern. Looking back now I see it was foolish of me years ago to buy a PS3 since I never play games but bought it mainly because it was always on top of all charts as a constant upgrading Bluray player but since I no longer play Blurays it seems like such a beast to use strictly as a Vudu streamer. I currently have 1450 HDX titles on Vudu and only about 150 Bluray titles so hence my idea to just buy an Roku and place the PS 3 in the closet as a backup. My main concern is PQ though.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

For video quality, it doesn't matter which player you use. They are all just about the same and are all decoding the same lower bitrate video from the web. As long as the player can syn perfectly with your TV, you are good.

Generally, a wired Ethernet connection to your router/switch is better than a WiFi connection for these purposes.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

I have two identical Sony BD players. One accesses my server via Ethernet through my router and is in my main HT and the other uses wireless to the same router from the family room HT. To date I've never noticed a difference in picture quality, even when streaming HD content. Any speed limitations (for example when accessing sub-folders of content) seem to be the fault of the player itself, and not the connection. (I've previously posted about my still-unresolved issues with Sony's firmware.)

Jeff
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

Whether or not wireless works well for video streaming depends on how fast your router is and how many concurrent streams you need to support. I used to have all kinds of caching problems with my old N300 router and with various cable company gateway boxes (all N300). I have had very few problems since upgrading to N900, however, I still prefer a hard-wired connection. I have four people streaming in my household and prefer to keep as much of that traffic as possible off my WiFi.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

It isn't about how fast WiFi is, it is plenty fast. It is about multiple devices sharing the WiFi and limiting performance for each of them when there is lots of congestion. With a wired connection to a switch, you are ensured full bandwidth to the router regardless of all the devices in use.

It is different for everyone e, but I'd you are streaming Squeezebox audio, backing up your laptop, printing, schooner ingredients you phone photo albums, and trying to watch a 4k movie all over the same WiFi network, something will have to suffer.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

Everything in my main Home Theater is hard wired to a four port Ethernet that is hard wired direct to my router in the guest room (GF's office is in there she needs a direct connection for work). The only thing needing Wifi is my Directv main DVR in my bedroom and whatever device I will be using in the bedroom. My tablet is on one wifi frequency and my GF's tablet is on another. It's just us two so we have a pretty good signal.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

I just ran this test in my bedroom using wifi on my iPad. So the signal is good for streaming HD.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    122.5 KB · Views: 806
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

Well I bought the Roku and have been playing around with it.

The good

Very easy to use.
Easy to install channels
Image to me is just a smidgen better than my Sony smart Bluray player by smidge it seems to have an edge on vivid colors than my Bluray player.
Way faster loading times than my Bluray player.
Tons more channels but I'm finding a bunch are pretty useless in material I'd ever watch but got it mainly for Vudu, Hulu and Netflix which it does in spades.

The Bad

No Overscan control in the Vudu app like on my PS3 or Sony Bluray player. I found that Vudu on most TV's has some overscan but either the Roku is doing auto 1:1 pixel matching unlike my other devices or it's just omitted overscan altogether.
Just got Hulu Plus (actually my brother in law is letting me use his account. But am finding out that it freezes images more than Directv ever did but I blame Hulu and not the Roku on that one.
Harmony remote will not control the Roku box at all so have another remote. There is an iOS app but I'd rather use the Way smaller Roku remote than my giant iPad to change channels.
No off button that just irks me because as long as my DVDO detects a signal it will remain on so I have to switch activity then shut off the DVDO.
If I want to use my XM/Serious channel they want me to pay extra to activate that channel. I already have the lifetime subscription on my car XM and don't use it enough to warrant the extra cost but would've been nice had they just given that to us considering if I wanted I could just install the home kit and use my auto XM unit to play in my house.

Overall I can see how this would be a gateway device to cutting the cord but think I'll keep Directv.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

MatthewB said:
Harmony remote will not control the Roku box at all so have another remote.
Click to expand...
Matt you need to re-check that, my Harmony does just fine with the Roku. :think:

Also, while it's true you can't totally "turn off" the box, as long as you return it to the "home" screen before moving to another input (or moving to bed) it won't be streaming any internet and will only be using "standby"-level electricity.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

I was reading some Amazon reviews on the Roku 3 and several people complained about wireless interference with other devices, and having to reset the Roku. Have you guys had any issues like that?
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

My Rokus are all hard wired. The only issue I've experienced is the one in the garage rebooting if I have it and another Roku on the network streaming the same content from the same channel.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

Botch trust me I've tried four times resetting the Harmony on the website and it doesn't work. From what I understand the Roku 3 remote is a wifi remote and the Roku 3 is now essentially a wifi hotspot receiver. This was confirmed when I hooked up my PS3 in my guest room and ran a wifi search and while searching for Internet modem I used to have two centurylink addresses and one modem extender address but it turned one of my centurylink addresses into a Roku Hot spot address.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

Well I found the answer as to why Harmony won't work. My Harmony remotes are too old and are only supported on Harmony's old website which Roku doesn't recognize. I like the older battery operated 670 remotes as I had nothing but issues with the remotes with the charging cradles so many issues that Harmony got tired of sending me replacements as they would work for a month or two then stop holding a charge so I got Harmony to give me a huge discount on the older models ( which btw have worked flawlessly for about eight years now). Anyway Harmony has a new website for newer remotes which the Roku does recognize but will not work on the older remotes.

Article on older Harmony and Roku.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2451613/making-harmony-remotes-aware-of-roku-devices.html

"If you have an older Harmony remote—I have a Harmony 880 in addition to my newer Harmony One—MyHarmony does you no good as these older remotes aren’t supported. In such cases you’re stuck with the original Logitech Harmony Remote Software, which hasn’t seen a significant update in quite awhile."
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

My Harmony One works fine with my Roku3, the only problem I've had is the roku unit needs to be forward on the shelf as much as possible for line of sight with the Harmony. I don't think the Roku is wifi enabled, but I do believe it is bluetooth.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

Huey research I've done states the remote is wifi hence why it can be stationed behind the TV out of site. That's with the enclosed remote Harmony uses an IR sensor so that's why you probably need line of site.
 
Re: Which is better Streaming Bluray player or streaming dev

I just did a search, and didn't find any clear answers on the wifi, but the roku 3 also has bluetooth for the gaming part of it. It may still have wifi as well, just couldn't find where they come right out and say it. Either way, have you got a smart phone? You could always use that to control the Roku.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top