Roku 2 XS 1080p Streaming Player
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Roku 2 Review
Well over a year ago, the Roku graced the world with its presence. It was billed as a compact set top unit that would stream TV, play back movies, TV shows and of course play music. The Roku itself was a great little product, but didn’t quite deliver all that it promised, leaving more than a few customers disappointed with their purchase.
Fast forward to now, and the Roku 2 has just been released. It has built on the successes of the original Roku box, and improved upon some of its shortcomings. This great product is now capable of delivering full 1080p HD video in the form of moves, TV Shows, live sports, Netflix, Amazon Movies and even some great interactive games (Angry Birds in HD on your TV, anyone? Yes please!)
Roku 2 Features
Let’s take a quick tour around some of the Roku 2’s new features, so you can get a quick headline overview of what this great new set top box is offering:
- Support for 300+ streamed TV channels
- HD streaming up to the definitive 1080p resolution
- Compatibility with almost any TV, assuming you have HDMI support (which, of course, all modern televisions do)
- New and improved remote control with motion sensor for playing interactive games (think Wii, Kinect)
- Built in wireless connectivity, including the much lauded 802.11n which will support streaming HD from other sources
The Roku 2 box weighs in at about 3 ounces, which is pretty darn light! It has a footprint of 3.3 inches (squared) and a depth of just under one inch.
In conclusion, the Roku 2 is teenie tiny; it is not as small as the Apple TV, but it does a darn sight more than that! It is definitely small enough so as that you will not actually notice it!
Roku 2 Media Support
The list of media support for the Roku 2 is as long as my arm, and let me tell you right here right now, my arms are long.
This has got to be the first device that fully supports; Netflix, hulu, Crackle, Amazon Video, Pandora, NFL, UFC, MP3 Tunes, rdio, TED, CNET, mog, NBA (and more, and more, and more).
It is hard to think of a media device like this that supports anywhere near this number of media channels. Sure the Apple TV is great, but it can’t do all of this, and it certainly doesn’t let you play angry birds in full HD on your TV.
Which Roku to buy?
There are three Roku models to choose from this time around, and the next models up offer a few more features that may appeal to you if you are a power user. Needless to say, however, that the entry level Roku 2 HD will be more than sufficient for most casual users.
Roku 2 HD
The main thing to draw your attention to with this entry level Roku is that it only supports up to 720p HD output, so you will not get the fullest HD experience possible with this model. If you have a 1080p TV and are used to all your content in full HD glory then you need to think about getting either the XD or XS models of the Roku. The wireless connection comes as standard, so you will be ready to get yourself up and running straight away with this model.
Roku 2 XD
The only differentiator between the HD and this XD model is that this version supports full HD 1080p output, and is not capped at just 720p like the HD model. Other than that, it is identical to the first model.
Roku 2 XS
The Roku 2 XS is the highest spec Roku box, and it has a few extra features that might tempt power users out there. It includes the enhanced remote control with motion detector (whereas the other two models do not), which means you can play the full screen games with full motion instead of just using a controller. If you are not going to be playing a lot of games on your Roku then you probably do not need this feature.
This model also includes a full version of Angry Birds, one of the hottest games around at the moment. It also includes a fixed Ethernet port for plugging straight into your router, meaning you can get faster transfers through it. It also includes a USB 2.0 port for plugging in music, videos and photos from an external flash drive or portable hard drive
Roku 2 Amazon
There are some great reviews of the Roku 2 player over on Amazon, it is currently ranking at #18 of all sales on the site, and has an average rating of 4 out of 5 - pretty darn good considering the high number of views. Check out some of these comments:
This little player, about the size of a hockey puck, is exactly what I was looking for. It’s cheap, easy, and fun. I got it to play Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Vimeo, and everything else it does is a pleasant add-on
UPDATE: I added a star because this unit has proven itself much more stable than it was at launch, due to frequent software updates. Also, the machine now has the HBO Go app, which allows you to stream from HBO on demand from a huge catalog of movies and TV shows.
I would recommend the Roku 2 XS over the other Roku 2 models simply because it comes with an ethernet port for a wired connection. For some customers this could make a big difference when a wireless connection is difficult to achieve or slow at best.
My final recommendation is that this is the best streaming device on the market today, better then Apple TV, Google TV, Boxee, and any other. It simple to use, has amazing amount of variety, and the future for this device is very bright
Definitely some great praise there!
Roku 2 Video
Take a look at a few video reviews from users on YouTube to get a better idea of the Roku 2:
Roku 2 vs. Apple TV Comparison Video
If you are torn between the Roku 2 and Apple TV, this video might help you make up your mind!
Roku 2 XS Hands on Video
A useful video to help you get to grips with the Roku and see if it is the right media box for you.
Buy the Roku 2 XS Media Player for the Best Price
As we mentioned further up in the page, the absolute best price on this great new Roku media player is from Amazon.
They don’t like you talking about their prices, but rest assured, their prices are rarely beaten, especially on hot products like this!