Roku Express | Easy High Definition (HD) Streaming Media Player (2018)

Bought this to stream content to a 32" bedroom TV. I already have the Roku Ultra 4K in my theater and a FireStick in my living room. They both do the same thing, but I prefer the UI of Roku a bit more, and for $25, it was a great deal. Had it connected and up and running in about 15mins. The longest part was waiting for all of the apps to download. I run Sling, Hulu, NetFlix, Showtime, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video, and all work flawlessly and display 1080P video on the TV. I like how small the module is as well, and have it affixed to the bottom of the TV which is wall-mounted about 6ft high. Don't forget to download the Roku remote app on your smartphone to control your Roku right from your phone, especially if you'll be typing any information. It's much easier on a keyboard on your phone than it is to select each letter/number using the Roku remote. Bottom line - if you don't need 4K and want a simple to use, compact streaming solution, this is the best bet and works great. Even comes with an HDMI cable, power cable and USB outlet base (I don't use the base, but instead use the USB out from the TV to power the Roku), and batteries for the remote. Also comes with a double-sided sticky strip to affix the Roku module to your TV.

The Roku Express is a great product for customers that are looking for high definition entertainment, easy to set up, and it is used for televisions that are not smarts. This brand is very popular, because it has a lot of programs in just one device, making it so easy for the customer to purchase a product that has everything related to entertainment in order to satisfy people's needs. If you are looking for a device that has great quality and multiple types of entertainment in a quick installation process, then the Roku Express is the best option for you. You do not have to spend a lot of money on smart TVs that offer you the same as this device. This is extremely easy to set up in any TV, and very cheap compering to the competition. The package provides several tools in order to start the experience. This has an USB cable that connects to the TV, as well as the charger. Once it is connected, then you just have to read the instructions in order to set up the account, connecting to the internet, and choosing programs. This process would take a maximum of five minutes. After that, the customer would be able to start enjoying the high definition of channels. This device would offer a lot of benefits to the customer. The user can purchase any channel that they are interested on. In addition, it has a lot of free and very popular channels such as; Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, HBO, Direct Channel, Vudu and so on. The device has something unique called The Roku Channel, which it has a lot of different movies, TV shows, and music for every customer's pleasure. Lastly, the speed of the device and the channels are very good. It is very rare to wait for the start of any program. So, if you would like to enjoy high definition with multiple options of entertainment in just one device, then the Roku Express is the option for you. This is a small product that makes it so easy to carry everywhere, so the user could have the opportunity to enjoy high quality of entertainment at any time.

I've been planning to cut the cord due to not realizing the value of my cable subscription (cost vs time to enjoy it). Finally pulled the trigger and got the entry-level Roku instead of the more expensive versions. Best $24 I've spent in a long time! Easy set-up (10-15 minutes) and lots of information available online about setting up channels and how to get the most out of a Roku and I've cut the expense of cable, including rental of hd boxes and the broadcast channel fee (roughly $80/month). The media available (ad supported but not the obnoxious ads that always show - I'm looking at you medicines and Mayhem!) is easily enough to keep my free time occupied and varied enough that I'll never catch up. Glad I made the leap and hope others continue to jump ship. The higher end versions are very niche but if you have solid broadband speed and don't have specific hardware needs, this is the one for you. Pros: Simple interface Great variety of content Nostalgic shows and classic media that is now in the public domain Lots of current content and news media available Media loads well and is HD quality Subtitles available for most content Directions and setup is quick and simple Cons: Remote can be too small for some people No number pad so not easy to quickly surf some of the channels with lots of content Must point remote at the IR receiver

Have this for quite awhile now it works well very responsive does what it suppose to.

I've been using Rokus for many years , probably going back to the 2nd or 3rd generation. I've always liked the simple interface that works, but they've always been a little slow for my tastes. Just getting to the channel you want to watch and getting it loaded up seemed to take so long. But not wanting to buy into the Apple landscape, I just sorta lived with it. A few years ago we bought a Fire stick to see if it would alleviate our desire for speed and we were so put off by the buggy nature of it that we went back to our 2013 Roku. It still works, almost 6 years later, but it's definitely on the slow side of things. I finally decided to start looking to see what's out there these days and I found this little unit for a very budget conscious price point and I was intrigued. I was a little worried about the specs because memory wise, it's comparable to our old Roku, but it seemed like the processor would be a little snappier. WOW, I can say this well exceeded my expectations, it's very fast and responsive. The UI is familiar and intuitive, everything just seems to work, and now it's fast to boot! If you're on the fence about this unit due to speed, I can honestly say it works great. I want to put one of these on every TV now! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because at first pass, the picture quality didn't seem as good as it could be, but it's not bad by any measure. If I could give it 4.5 stars, I would, especially given the price point, I'm not sure what else out there you could possibly get any better for. This is a great little unit, I'm very happy with it.

Fantastic product so far! After the first week, we bought a second one for a family member. First thing: Before you buy, understand what content is free and what is not. Second, in case it's not obvious, the Roku operates over your wifi and internet connection. You have to have an internet connection that is fast enough to stream video. If you can't stream video on your mobile (via wifi) or PC, you won't be able to stream it on the Roku either. Subscription content: Anything that you have to pay for elsewhere (like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, network TV streaming, etc), you'll still have to have those same subscriptions. But the Roku allows you to access all of those subscriptions (the ones you're paying for) from a single device on your TV, with a nice interface that nearly anyone can use, even if they're technology-illiterate. Worst case, if you get lost somewhere, just press the Home button. (But keep in mind, each 'channel' on Roku is an app written by the individual content provider, so some are a little more complicated than others. I suspect for marketing reasons, it's not always obvious on some of the network TV channels which content is free versus paid until you try to play it. But you'll always be prompted before paying for anything, and you can add a pin-number to prevent accidental purchases). Ad-supported content: There is a lot of ad-supported content, just like watching free over-the-air (OTA) TV stations. For network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, etc), check each network's website to see what shows you can watch for free directly on their website, and that's generally what you'll be able to watch on Roku, too. After all, the 'channels' on Roku are apps written by each network. For many networks, the free content includes the last 3 to 5 episodes of things that are currently airing, with content being made available a week after the original broadcast date. This is comes in handy if you miss an episode or two of over-the-air TV. Some of the networks also offer free 'throwback' content, where you can watch an entire series of an older show. And there are a few channels like pluto.tv and tubi.tv that provide a wide assortment of ad-supported movies and TV shows. Again, check their corresponding websites to see what content they currently have, and that's what you'll get on Roku. The ones mentioned above offer some relatively recent content, in addition to a lot of older and slightly-older content. Free, without ads: Mostly, you'll find that the ad-free content is extremely old... lots of black-and-white TV and movies, some early color TV/movies, etc. For those who don't like much of what's on TV these days, there's a lot of classy and classic stuff here. And, of course, a lot of b- and c-grade stuff you've never heard of. This newest version of the Roku Express ("5X more powerful") has a very smooth interface, with good response from the remote. Video startup is extremely fast if you have decent internet speed. I tested on a relative's 6mbps DSL internet, and buffering times were never uncomfortable. On my faster internet (100mbps), videos either start instantly, or take no more than about 1 or 2 seconds of buffering. The remote control is great -- simple, strong signal, good range. It's infrared-based, so you have to be in the same room (why would you want to be out of the room??). I generally don't even have to point the remote at the Roku box, because the infrared is strong enough to reflect off of the ceiling or walls and still work. Just be sure your Roku box's front side is unobscured and pointing toward the room. They provide a sticky-tape strip to stick the box somewhere convenient, like the side or top of your TV or media cabinet. The provided HDMI cable is only 2 feet long, though, so it does have to be relatively close to the TV. But you could use a different HDMI cable if you need the remote to be a little farther away. One feature I love about the remote is that pressing the Home button will turn on your TV and switch to the Roku's HDMI input, assuming your TV supports this (I have a Samsung TV which is supported, and a TCL TV which apparently wasn't). You can also use the Roku app on your mobile to control the Roku via wifi. In addition to providing an interface that looks pretty similar to the physical remote, you can also browse for other content while something is already playing. It fact, it's quite a bit easier to navigate if you're searching for something specific, since the physical remote requires using an on-screen keyboard where you select each letter and click OK (normally, I'm not searching for something specific on the physical remote, so it's not a problem). The app also has a headphone feature, which I'm guessing allows you to listen directly from your mobile instead of via the TV... great for watching at night when others are sleeping. Note, the Roku app is NOT designed to watch Roku content directly on your mobile. It simply lets you select the content to watch on the TV. Overall, it's a great experience. My only subscription at the moment is Amazon prime, which doesn't have a lot of content that I really want to watch (sorry, Amazon! I have Prime mostly for the shipping), so I use the Roku mostly for ad-supported TV and movies, and there's more than enough to keep me busy for a long time.

I was looking for the easiest way to get streaming apps on a TV in the kitchen, and the Roku Express fit the bill. It comes with a two-prong USB wall power adapter, but most modern TVs, including mine, have a USB port that can power the Roku directly from the TV. There's even an included velcro tie to keep any excess length in the power cable tidy. The included HDMI cable was long enough to reach but not so long that routing it out of sight was difficult. The included adhesive strip was a nice touch, making mounting it to the underside of the TV quick and easy. The biggest drawback compared to the higher-end Roku devices is that the remote is IR, which means it does require line of sight in order to work, but since sticking it on the TV is so easy it's not an issue. Just know that you can't have it hidden behind the TV or inside a cabinet and still have the included remote work. The best thing about all Rokus is the software. It's dead simple to setup and navigate, and the search is better than the Amazon Fire stick because it doesn't prioritize any service. You can search for a title (or actor, etc) and it will show you results from every service available. This is especially nice for surfacing results from the free apps that I wouldn't think to search otherwise, like Sony Crackle or the Roku channel. There's a "Featured Free" category that's very nice for surfacing content that's available outside of the major streaming players like Netflix and Prime. The remote is small and lightweight, and uses two included AAA batteries. Unlike fancier Rokus, it doesn't have a headphone jack on it, but if you put the Roku app on your phone you can achieve the same thing and listen through headphones. That's particularly handy in the bedroom for late-night viewing that won't bother your partner. The phone app also let's you use your phone as a remote control. Even though the chip in the Express is the least powerful in the Roku line, navigating and starting videos is still responsive. It takes about five seconds for the unit to "boot up" when it first powers on, but after that there aren't any slowdowns or stutters. The value is fantastic. For any secondary, non-4k TV, like in a bedroom, guest room or kitchen, the Express is the best streaming option to get. Everything you need to get up and running is included-- it's nice that on such an inexpensive item they're not nickel and diming you by not including batteries or HDMI cable.

Game changer easy easy and tons of channels.

Works with smart tv. We like to watch tfc and netflix using roku

I have two Roku Essentials and I must say I am pleased with them, for the quality of picture, and the ease of setup. They do come with a USB power adapter one plugs into a power bar but you can plug them into an LCD tv USB port if the power is sufficient. These devices are designed to be always on unless they are connected to your TV usb port and then switch on and off with that. If you go that way then you have to wait for it to restart. I chose to plug it into the power bar. One of my Roku is connected to an HDMI TV and the other I used a GANA HDMI to AV converter to connect it to our old Tube TV. That works great as well. Our grandchildren play some older console games on the old TV. Roku work wirelessly connecting via a home router wireless connection to the internet. You will want to make sure you have good internet wireless coverage in your home as the Roku have to be able to connect. The picture was steady and clear on both televisions. Setup is pretty easy. Users will need an active internet connection and you do have to log into Roku's website to register and enter the code of each device you have. After initially connecting my Roku received two updates. Roku has both free and paid entertainment available. You can add "apps" easily via the website or the Roku itself such as the Roku channel, tubi, youtube, and much more. Some are free, others such as Netflix and Atop (television stations) for example, are a paid service. You can set up a payment method (credit card) via Roku's website or register without a payment method.

Recientemente adquirí una televisión para ponerla en mi cuarto pero que carecía de características smart por lo que compré este Roku stick ya que estoy familiarizado con la plataforma Roku al estar presente en mi tele TCL como sistema operativo. La interfaz de Roku y su simplicidad de uso es lo que la hace muy atractiva y también en gran parte su rapidez y fluidez al utilizarlo. Espero y mi reseña le ayude de algo a alguien. ***CONTENIDO DEL PAQUETE*** En el paquete donde vino el Roku Express venía incluido todo lo necesario para que te pongas a utilizar el Roku Express. Se incluye un cable micro USB que se conecta a un puerto USB que esté disponible a tu TV o que se puede conectar a la pared en caso de que la tele no cuente con puerto USB (viene con un cubito incluido) -Viene también un cable HDMI que va del Roku a tu Televisión. El Roku Express no cuenta con otros puertos y solamente lo puedes conectar por HDMI (a menos que consigas un adaptador) -Viene su control remoto infrarrojo que es bastante fácil de utilizar y una tira de cinta adhesiva que puedes utilizar para fijar el Roku a tu TV. ***CONFIGURACIÓN Y FUNCIONES*** Al haber conectado tu Roku y haber hecho los ajustes donde fijas la resolución correcta para tu TV saldrá una pantalla donde puedes configurar la conexión de tu Roku a tu modem/router y después de ahí agregar "canales" recomendados (que más bien son como apps, pero dentro del ecosistema de Roku) Una vez haciendo eso ya es cuestión de iniciar sesión en los servicios que utilizas y listo! Como había mencionado anteriormente la interfaz de Roku es muy rápida y el desempeño de las apps es bastante aceptable (excepto Spotify, el canal de Spotify es SUPER lento en Roku) En cuanto a la conexión a tu modem/router que se realiza es solo por la banda de 2.4 ghz pero siendo que solo transmite contenido Full HD como máximo con eso basta. -Funciona de maravilla con el app de control remoto para iOS o Android lo que te permite controlar el Roku por medio de tu celular así como acceder a la magnifica función de audio privado que te permite escuchar el audio de lo que estés viendo en tu Roku a través de tu celular teniendo audífonos conectados a el para esas ocasiones cuando no quieras despertar a quien se encuentre dormido. -Cuenta también con la función de screencast que te permite enviar de manera inalambrica el contenido de tu celular o tablet Android que cuenten con esta función y también con iOS pero por medio de una app especial (no recuerdo el nombre) Con mi celular Mi A1 de Xiaomi las conexiones se realizan rápidamente y se transmiten ambos audio y video lo que lo convierte en una solución ideal para visualizar contenido en tu pantalla que no puede ser reproducido por el mismo aparato de Roku. ***NOTAS FINALES*** Dado que el Roku Express es un producto que considero de entrada no cuenta con funciones más avanzadas como las que tiene el Roku Premiere pero que sirve bien si lo único que buscas es poder acceder a servicios como Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube, Google Music, Spotify en máximo 1080p. Vuelvo a mencionar lo genial del app de Roku para controlar tu Roku Express ya que si tienes más de un dispositivo Roku te permitirá controlar esos por medio de la app y agregar canales de manera automática por medio de la app. El producto está super barato y funciona de maravilla. Definitivamente lo recomiendo al 100%

جربته خمس سنين تقريبا ممتاز بس السلك اللي يربط بين التلفزيون والجهاز الي غيرته وهذا امره سهل

I already have Roku 3 and Roku 2XD. I needed one more for my third TV. I use Roku primarily to stream from my NAS HDD. All my photos as well as music and videos are stored on NAS. The Streaming from WD NAS to Roku is excellent with the help of Roku Media Player(RMP)