![]() ![]() Special mentions should go to the Plex Media and Twonky Beam Channels and corresponding apps/media servers for computers and mobile devices. That niggle aside, the apps, sorry Channels, all seem to be very polished and responsive and video quality, in terms of clarity, is also very good with the better services. It’s a relatively minor thing and something many won’t notice but, nevertheless, needs addressing for markets outside the US. This mainly seemed to affect iPlayer and we’d like to see Roku add 1080 and 720p at 50Hz as an option in the Settings. The box comes with a very good selection of pre-loaded channels, including BBC iPlayer, Demand 5, Netflix and NOW TV but we could occasionally see that the Roku 2 XS wasn’t outputting video in the frequency used for UK broadcasts, where we could detect just a little stutter on panning shots. Once this little hurdle has been negotiated, you’ll have full and unrestricted access to the full range of official Roku Channels – of which there are around 600, currently, plus there’s a number of unofficial channels that some might find of interest. Once hooked up to your TV and connected to your network, finalisation of the setup process necessitates that one must create a Roku account online, which is fine, but it shouldn’t be mandatory to have to give over your card or Paypal details – not that we suspect Roku of being fishy, just that some will object and it might restrict the potential user base, if only a little. ![]() Roku has crammed in the connections to this tidy little device, including HDMI and USB but it’s a shame there’s no room for a dedicated digital audio output. By the way, what most would call an App, Roku terms a channel. The little black box comes with a Bluetooth remote that can be used as a motion controller – Wii Stylee – for a number of games, including the pre-installed Angry Birds ‘Channel’. Whilst Roku is a fairly new name to the UK streaming player market, it is well entrenched in the USA and is actually more popular than the Apple TV – to which it is undeniably very similar – and we can see why. You will, of course, have to add the channel on the Roku, too. Twonky Beam is essentially just an enhanced browser that is available for both Android and iOS which provides a simple way to play internet videos on your tablet or smartphone and then stream or 'beam' them to your Roku through your Wifi network. Twonky actually offers enough to merit a review of its own – much like Plex – and we did just that, not so very long ago. In the case of Netflix, we’d have to advise that you really want to be running a wired connection for both the box and PC/NAS running Plex else quality could well be poor and it’s not really a substitute for running a ‘native’ channel but it’s there if you are desperate for access to content from other regions and have no other means of doing so.Īnother possibilities-opener comes via the Twonky Beam app which is kind of like having Apple’s AirPlay on the Roku. The Roku Box doesn’t allow for custom settings for DNS, which is a minus point when compared to some others – Apple TV included – so if you want the likes of US Netflix through the Roku you have the choice of a very complicated set up via PC, Router and a DHCP application or the slightly easier route of installing Plex on a PC using you’re favoured DNS provider. Unfortunately, at this point one is required to part with either credit/debit card or Paypal details, which some won’t like, but it will no doubt simplify the process of adding any paid-for channels from the box interface. The only other thing to do is to create a Roku account on the Web and then link the unique code provided there with the box, by means of a PIN code, to allow access to the Roku Channel roster. All that then follows is a check for software updates and the selection of your desired video output resolution – naturally aim for the choice that matches your display’s native capabilities. The Bluetooth remote should hopefully be paired automatically so the first thing of any note to do is set up your network access obviously that’s simplified if you’re going wired and there’s no one touch Wireless setup so be prepared with your router’s log on details. Assuming you’ve had no issues locating power and video/audio connections on the TV and box, getting started with the Roku 2 XS is very easy indeed, with a hand-holding process guiding you along the way. ![]()
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