I have a Chromecast, which was a gift, and now I've purchased and received the streaming stick. I have an LG blu-ray player that also plays some of the same apps that the Roku does, and the Chromecast can 'cast. So, with that in mind, my review takes into account my usage of all three.
The LG is a few years old by this point, and the three apps I tend to use on it are Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix. It's been my go-to for watching movies and series, but of course, the biggest problem was A: I had to turn it on, wait for everything to load (at least two menus worth before even loading an app), and then slowly work my way through said apps. Chromecast, on the other hand, was a bit of a slow load at the beginning, but for the apps it worked with, they loaded fairly fast.
But the Roku is somewhere in-between. And that's not bad. There are other reviews that complain about how long it takes to load some things, but really, these are First World Problems in a nutshell: once everything gets going, there's no real loading problems unless your internet or router is having a fit. If your TV doesn't turn off the power to the dongle, or you plug directly into an outlet, the Roku doesn't take the time to load everytime you switch to it to watch something; if you do use the USB and it turns off, your loading time is perhaps 40 seconds at most, at least in my experience. So what? I'm in no rush. And again, if the loading time bugs you, you can plug it into the wall, and it won't turn off.
Once the Roku is on, it's like a slimmer, faster version of my LG. I can use the remote or my phone to navigate; it's not like the Chromecast which requires you to be on the same wireless network to 'cast the app you want to play. If you didn't have a smartphone or a tablet, the Roku still works, whereas the Chromecast is basically useless. (Yes, you can pull out a computer, but since that's buggy and requires the Chrome browser as well, what's the point?) Some apps do load slowly, most notably Netflix, but again, I'm in no hurry to go anywhere, and I've been long used to a different player taking even longer to load. But again, once it's loaded, they're ready to go. Really, the only reason the Chromecast can load faster is that the dongle itself is basically just a mini-router; there's really nothing loaded on it before you send the signal from your phone/tablet/computer.
Unlike the Chromecast and the LG, the Roku is also customizable: visually, and content-wise. Channels can be removed or added. The background can be changed. That's actually pretty nice, considering the Chromecast won't (yet) let you even change the start screen. And the apps that work with it, while growing, do not include everything the Roku can play (most obviously Amazon). Because the Roku has all three apps I was using on the LG, that makes it vastly more useful for me.
And there's also the fact--however minor to some--that the Netflix and Hulu smartphone apps do not seem to work with the "play next episode automatically" feature when using the Chromecast, which is insanely annoying. When using my tablet, I was constantly needing to lean over and press play after every episode. Guess what? The Roku has no problem with that feature. That makes me extremely happy, even if Netflix insists on asking me every couple of episodes if I'm still watching.
Overall, for an extra $15 over the Chromecast, the Roku is much more useful for me. Maybe I'll spend the extra $50 later on for a Roku 3 and the faster processor, but for right now, this is working brilliantly. It's plugged in right below a router, so my signal is excellent, even though I do prefer ethernet. Really, the only complaint I have is of my own make; I can't get 5.1 audio because I have no more ports open on my Pioneer receiver, and I have to plug it in to my TV straight.
For me, this is definitely the better choice of streaming dongles.
EDIT APRIL 9: So I've been using it pretty much daily since receiving it, and I have a few more things to add about my experience with the stick.
First off, the remote does suck. I mean, it really, really does suck. Whoever designed it clearly has never seen another remote made in the last decade or so, because otherwise, they wouldn't have placed the OK button below the crossbar button. Nor would they have forgotten to include A STOP BUTTON. If you have the Roku plugged into the wall, using "pause" is the only way to basically stop whatever you're watching, or pressing the Home button to leave the app and go back to the main menu, before you turn off your TV. If the Roku is plugged into the USB port, the stick itself turns off, and this is not such a big deal, but otherwise, you're basically constantly pausing things and letting them sit for hours (days?) paused until you decide to watch again. That's a bit stupid considering....
...this thing can get really warm. It does seem to cool off when you're not actively watching anything, even if it's eternally paused, but it's definitely a hot body. That worries me just a tad.
Also, it sucks I can't replace the remote with my Harmony, but since that would require both IR and line of sight, the latter of which basically defeats the purpose of the dongle, I can see why it won't work. The phone app is a decent substitute (and the keyboard makes it vastly easier to sign in [except Hulu for some reason, it refused to recognize the keyboard] and to search, instead of tapping each letter one by one), but I still wish I could use my universal remote. The stock remote is basically nine buttons and four dedicated advertising slots, wasting what could have been actual useful space for MGo, Amazon, Netflix, and Blockbuster (seriously!?) logos. Programmable buttons would have been better. Supposedly the Roku 3's remote can be paired and used instead, but I haven't looked into it yet.
Youtube's app has a nice feature where you can basically 'cast videos from your computer to watch, instead of having to use the app's search function. Once you link it up, you can just go to Youtube on your computer, and send the video to your TV to watch. Don't even need to keep the tab or window open on your computer once it starts playing, either. It also doesn't require a specific browser like the Chromecast does. I'm currently watching MSTK3's "Manos: The Hands of Fate" and considering the quality of Youtube in general, it actually looks and plays great.
Really, the biggest problem I see with this stick is the remote. It definitely needs to go back to the drawing board. Otherwise, this is still (for me) the superior TV dongle, and is far more worth the money to me than the Chromecast would be.
| Brand Name | Roku |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 0.64 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 3.1 x 1.05 x 0.45 inches |
| Item model number | 3500R |
| Batteries | 2 AA batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color Name | Black, Purple |
| Special Features | Display personal media. Share your own home videos, photos and music stored on your phone with the free Roku iOS and Android app., Channel shortcut buttons. Jump straight to favorite channels such as Netflix and M-GO with the push of a button. |
