Netflix/Roku Streaming Box - First Thoughts

Michael Gartenberg | May 28, 2008, 08:52 AM

One of the last things I had a chance to do before I left yesterday was quickly test out the Roku/Netflix box. I only had about fifteen minutes to get it working and that tuned out to be more than enough time. This was the easiest box I have ever configured. It was a matter of plugging into the wall and then the TV. Turning it on, it found my WiFi connection quickly. Once there, I needed to activate the box on the Netflix site and after that everything in my Netflix on-demand queue just showed up on the box. Streaming take a few seconds to start and after that buffers fine. Content is still lacking and there's no HiDef content yet so it's still not something to replace more mainstream solutions. On the other hand, the simplicity of getting this box working was impressive and that's going to help longer term with mainstream adoption. Recommended to anyone with a Netflix streaming account who wants their content on the big screen.