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How to Ditch Your Cable with Netflix and the Roku

December 30, 2009
Filed Under: in Analysis, CES, Home Networking, Infrastructure 2.0, Online Video, Social Media, Special Events
Author: Art Fewell

Welcome back.

image Not long ago, I set about the task of completely ditching my cable subscription, and stumbled upon a solution that is really cheap and really easy, withou thte need to sacrifice comfort or quality. If you sign up for any Netflix service, including the cheap $7.99 a month service, you get access to their streaming movie service that has over 10,000 movies and shows. There are loads of really great shows on this service! I have watched seasons of Heroes, Dexter, Desperate Housewives, Grey's anatomy, Law and order, Jericho, and The Shield (to name a few). They also have a fair share of good movies, and of course since it’s Netflix,  anything you may want to see that isn't on the online service you can just order it on DVD

I have also found that I really like watching TV show series better after the whole season has been released (there’s nothing worse than having to wait a week after a cliffhanger episode). You may already be Netflix customers and may not be taking advantage of the service because you don't realize how good the service is (it’s improved greatly over the last year) and how EASY it is to get the service to your TV.

I have a 46" LCD TV and even on the large screen the quality is almost perfect. If you are really picky and want to have everything in super HD then you may not love it, but for everyone else you will be very happy with it. It is very very close to DVD quality.

I also thought before I had the service I would run into the same problems as I often do on YouTube: buffering problems, pauses, glitches and long delays especially on higher quality videos. I have not experienced that at all with the Netflix service; not even once. Another concern many have is how long it takes to buffer up the movie or show … it’s only about 20 seconds … seriously. It’s impressive how Netflix can manage to pump great quality video out so fast

There are a number of ways to get the Netflix service physically hooked up on your TV. If you have a XBOX, PS3 or certain TiVO models you may already be set up for it. I didn’t have any of those, so I bought a little device called a ROKU which is VERY impressive. The device is $99, and well worth it, because it will make it simple to get rid of your cable, saving you $30 to $50 or more a month thus paying for itself quickly. The Roku device is a small light box that looks similar to a set top box, but is less than 1/4 the size. It has standard composite video/audio connection (as well as HDMI connectors) and a network interface to plug in an ethernet cable for the internet.

To make it even more convenience-enthusiast compliant, the device supports connecting to your home wireless network! ROKU may not be a well known brand, but the device is extremely well done. It has a really easy setup wizard so once you get it plugged in you will get connected to the internet and connected to the Netflix service within a few minutes.

Of course, the one caveat is that you do must have a high speed internet connection. I use the service on my home Cox Communications ‘net connection; my subscription plan is the lowest speed they offer and I still didn’t experience any hiccups.

Between the overall quality of experience that I have had with this service and the price, I really could not be more impressed with the service. The myriad of devices Netflix streaming options are available on not only allow you to get rid of your cable, but to do so joyously.

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19 responses to “How to Ditch Your Cable with Netflix and the Roku”

  1. Sheryl Breuker says:
    December 30, 2009 at 11:14 am

    I love this as an option. The only question I have is do you have to plug directly into your network? The reason I ask is because our internet/router stuff is in another room. Where our tv is, there is no cable/internet. What I do currently is have a laptop sitting in the case with my tv and connect them to each other, thereby allowing internet connectivity and netflix as well.
    Great post, Art.

    Reply
    1. Mark Rizzn Hopkins says:
      December 30, 2009 at 12:31 pm

      There is a way on the newer units, if memory serves, to connect to the network wirelessly (correct me if I'm wrong, Art).

      Reply
    2. Art Fewell says:
      December 30, 2009 at 4:17 pm

      Yes, I believe that wireless is standard on all of the Roku Models. Roku has a very well done user interface that makes it as easy to hook up to the wireless network as any other device I have used. I have my cable modem and wireless router in my den, and the Roku box is on the entertainment center in my living room and it works perfectly.

      Reply
  2. jeff Nolan says:
    January 2, 2010 at 5:11 pm

    The Roku is a good option but for another $50 you can get a samsung Bluray player that has Netflix, YouTube, Blockbuster, and Pandora streaming... plus you can play, obviously, bluray discs.

    I am having a really good experience with mine but in talking with other people I have learned that a wired ethernet connection is definitely more reliable than a wireless hookup (which you can achieve with a Samsung plugin module in my case). I have yet to encounter a buffering issue and movie startup is pretty quick as well.

    Lastly, even with a good signal it's unlikely that you will get HD quality streaming but just the other day I noticed that I pegged the bars and was getting HD quality so it is possible. At any rate, I'm really happy with these streaming services.

    Reply
    1. markhopkins says:
      January 4, 2010 at 3:49 am

      We opted out of the Netflix Roku option and went with an Xbox 360... all the entertainment options, plus you can play games on it. Has Zune + Windows Media Center, which allows me to play any media on my computer or home network at all.

      Reply
      1. Art Fewell says:
        January 4, 2010 at 9:56 am

        I should have mentioned that much of the reason why I went with the Roku is because I do not have (or want) an XBOX or PS3. It is a great option for non gamers, but may not be as attractive if you have a gaming console.

  3. Jeff Frick says:
    January 2, 2010 at 11:53 pm

    What about live sports? Is it more economical to get them live, online?

    Reply
    1. Art Fewell says:
      January 3, 2010 at 12:01 am

      Roku recently signed up with mlb.com, but I think there are additional fees. Other than that No Live sports or broadcast news right now, although Roku is expanding their options. Roku is not the most robust option, but it is a really good and inexpensive option for some. There are a ton of online services that no single platform other than a PC can host, so a media center type pc in the living room will be the most robust option for some time to come.

      Reply
  4. Mary Wallace says:
    January 7, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    Perfect timing! Thanks fit thus concise, easy to understand article. I'm moving and dropped Comcast's Premium account because we never get the value of what we've paid. I've had a Netflix account for years, to access obscure documentaries, so Netflix and XBox on 2 TVs and Roku on the third should be lower cost, more viewing pleasure for us.

    Reply
  5. SiliconANGLE — Blog — How To: Save Up To $600 a Month on Cable and Mobile Costs says:
    January 20, 2010 at 4:43 pm

    [...] get xBox Live and Netflix, which give you access to thousands of movies and TV shows, as Art Fewell discussed recently. Adding a Windows box to your home network next to your TV set adds an additional level of [...]

    Reply

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