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Pacomartin
join:2013-03-18
Bethlehem, PA

4 edits

Pacomartin

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[New] Roku Ready TV

A "Roku Ready TV" is a marketing term for a television with a "Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL)" which is a type of HDMI port with expanded capability to pass remote control signals through the port. As such, a Roku streaming stick can be attached and provide all of the advantages of a standalone Roku box, but without the need for a power plug and (more importantly) the TV remote is all that is necessary. At one ounce with no cables, it means that there is no interference with hanging the TV on the wall.

TV's with these MHL ports are coming down under $200, and Best Buy has reduced the price of the streaming sticks from $100 to $70.

I see little advantage to buying the cheaper Google Chromecast as it requires you to procure or tie up your phone or tablet.

But I would like to hear from someone who has bought one of these TV's and attached the Roku streaming stick. Any complaints?

Most reviews on Amazon are pretty positive, and many of the bad ones were by people trying to force the stick to work on an non-MHL HDMI port. But some people raised some realistic questions.
said by Amazon reviewers with negative comments :
(1) I've also found that it loses the wireless network every now and then so I have to push the reset button
(2) A universal remote can't be programmed for it like the other ROKU models
(3) Huge disappointment. Slow menus.
said by Amazon reviewers with positive comments :
(1)This is honestly the greatest thing, I've ever bought. I love everything about it, and when I was buying my TV one of the things that I specifically thought about was if it would be compatible with this device. It exceeds all expectations and having every ability of the top of the line roku box in the size of a flash drive is excellent design. No more cords, no more cable bills, buy this product.
(2)So happy, I bought another TV & Roku stick for another room.
Pacomartin

Pacomartin

Member

»www.tested.com/tech/andr ··· limport/
Nobody has an opinion? Is Slimport a better product? Should I wait and get slimport?

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

1 edit

dib22 to Pacomartin

Member

to Pacomartin
said by Pacomartin:

I see little advantage to buying the cheaper Google Chromecast as it requires you to procure or tie up your phone or tablet.

While you do need a phone or tablet running android or ios (or a computer running the chrome browser)... once the stream starts your phone or tablet is free to do whatever you want with it. I have tested this on android devices (nexus 7 nexus 4) and on ios devices (ipad 2nd gen and iphone 4s, 5s).

The main downside to the chromecast solution is if you don't have a free USB port on the backside of your tv, you will need to run a power adapter (included) to power the chromecast... however most modern tvs have multiple usb ports back there.

Pacomartin
join:2013-03-18
Bethlehem, PA

Pacomartin

Member

Thank you for replying.
It seems to me that the main downside is that the TV does nothing unless you are there with your phone or tablet. If you have a guest while you are away, the TV doesn't work. To me paying $35 for a dongle that requires you to have a $200 tablet to work makes much less sense than paying $80 for a Roku Streaming stick that works with just the TV remote. Especially now that Roku Ready TV's are under $200.

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

I understand... was just pointing out once it started it releases the device, a lot of people think it works like airplay where the device is tied up during the playback.

I only ever played with a roku stick on a mini projector (»solutions.3m.com/wps/por ··· ojector/ is the model a friend grabbed on amazon special one day)... and it was not nearly as smooth as the roku3 box.

The stick just doesn't seem to have the horsepower that the roku3 box has... of course once the stream started it was tolerable, but the menus seemed sluggish compared to the roku3 box.

I can't comment on the video quality of the roku stick, as that projector it was connected to is sub par, but I suspect it is similar to any roku on wifi once the stream is up and running.

Pacomartin
join:2013-03-18
Bethlehem, PA

Pacomartin

Member

said by dib22:

The stick just doesn't seem to have the horsepower that the roku3 box has... of course once the stream started it was tolerable, but the menus seemed sluggish compared to the roku3 box.

Thank you for that comment. One of negative reviews on Amazon said: "Huge disappointment. Slow menus. No USB to plug in hard drives playing movies off them."

I wonder what would cause the slow menus. Is it the stick itself, or the MHL interface?

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

said by Pacomartin:

I wonder what would cause the slow menus. Is it the stick itself, or the MHL interface?

Gotta be the stick... just an older design. I suspect they will refresh the roku stick eventually (they just refreshed the lower level roku boxes).