ROKU - What a piece of crap EDIT got it working.

[..]

Bought a ROKU3

It's about as much use as a polished black turd.

Their customer service is awful. Trying to make sense out of a foreign person with a headset picking up all other conversations around him.

Trying to set it up and the POS freezes at the first page trying to change the time zone.

[hubcapsc]

Bought a ROKU3

It's about as much use as a polished black turd.

Their customer service is awful. Trying to make sense out of a foreign person with a headset picking up all other conversations around him.

Trying to set it up and the POS freezes at the first page trying to change the time zone.

I guess it is a device that lets you stream stuff, like Amazon or Netflix or Youtube, on your tee vee...

I got a good device like that from sony... once you get it flowing, it is pretty handy...

I searched "time zone" in amazon reviews for Roku:

This is the second Roku I ordered and is a replacement for the first one. Both misbehaved in the same manner: they would power up, allow selection of language (English), allow selection of internet source (in my case, cable ethernet), and download the latest software, then restart. At that point the time zone screen appeared, and the remote lost all connectivity to the base unit. I contacted Roku about this problem with the first device. They were responsive. But their work-arounds did not solve the problem, which recurred in exactly the same manner with the replacement. There is a bug somewhere they need to fix, but until then this model is useless!

-Mike

[Woton]

Just wanted to stream Netflix.   Did my research and picked up a well rated, relatively inexpensive Samsung Blu-ray player through Amazon.  Really pleased with the results so far.

I'm sure there are a million ways to skin this cat. Sorry you're having problems with your device.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Had a roku 3 now for about 3 months with no issues. Don't even remember setting the time zone. Followed setup instructions and was up and running in less then 5 minutes. Take it back for another.

[Hotrodwing]

Britman get the Roku 3. I have had mine over a year. No issues.  Check out Redneck Restoration at Elderly Iron on you tube. That guy cracks me.   

[bassman]

My brother-in-law just picked up a Roku and had a couple of issues getting it working also.  He did the customer service phone call to India (I think) and it about drove him crazy.  Finally asked to speak to someone who spoke English and they transferred him and that helped.  After getting it working he loves it.

Also, the Apple TV just had a price reduction from $99 down to $69.  The Roku 3 is considered by many to be the best with the most options.  I have the Apple and very satisfied with it and easy to set up.  Any possible issues I can handle over the phone with someone who speaks clearly in English.  I also have a couple of other Apple products so they are all linked together so it was a no brainer for me to go with the Apple TV.  It does more than I need or will possibly ever use.  Basically bought it to watch House of Cards on Netflix but have been expanding my use the more I experiment with it.

Good luck resolving your Roku issues.

[Grumpy]

seems to be the norm now days, I bought an Ion air pro camera last week, worked ok, but kept, coming up firmware needs updating. so after 4 calls to tech support, trying to upgrade it, they had me do a format, then it updated. After updating, damm thing would lock up every time I went to record, had to open the case to do a reset, 2 hrs of that crap took it back and got my money back. Ought to be a crime, all the Chinese junk being sold here now.

[Gavin_Sons]

We have netflix on 3 tvs in our house. 2 run through the tv and the 3rd runs through a blu ray. Only problem I had was our wifi at the far end of the house. Upgraded our wireless router with new netgear N and problem was fixed.

[Wizzard]

I use a firestick from Amazon and since I am a prime member I get any movie I want and any music I want all streaming. I love it.

[..]

I tend to perservere when something is messed up. Someone, somewhere had to have had the same problem.

Eventually I found some old forum posts from 2005 - can't remmeber the forum name - that mentioned the SAME PROBLEM.

C'mon ROKU write some revised code.

Another post on a different forum mentioned sticking a toothpick in a small hole on the back of the ROKU to reset it.

EVEN THOUGH I had powered the unit off about 20 times the toothpick trick was the solution.

Once again ROKU failed. No mention of this tip on their web site.

[Art708]

My family has a roku in 3 rooms in the house. We use them constantly and have very little problem with them. I would shut off the cable but would definitely keep the Roku.

[..]

My family has a roku in 3 rooms in the house. We use them constantly and have very little problem with them. I would shut off the cable but would definitely keep the Roku.

I "cut the cable" 5 years ago when I bought an indoor antenna.

Then I got Netflix streaming for my PC.

Then I got Netflix DVD's.

Then I got ROKU.

Then I got rid of Netflix DVD's.

There is too much content for a lifetime on streaming Netflix and youtube. Both of which I now watch on my 42 inch TV.

I recently watched the MotoGP from Qatar (I didn't know who came first.)

A documentary on Northern Soul and half of a recent Six Nations rugby game (I didn't know who had won.)

I'm not a sports fan who needs to watch every game live and I think most regular TV is mindless crap loaded with even crappier reality TV bollocks.