Chromecast clones were bound to happen, so consumers weren't too surprised when they saw the Roku Streaming Stick.
The purple, $49.99 device comes with a remote, plugs into any HDMI slot and provides access to more than 1,000 online channels. It might sound like a steal when compared to Chromecast, which has gradually added new apps over the past year, and if quantity was all that mattered, Roku would be the unquestionable market leader.
Unfortunately for its creators at the California-based Roku, Inc., though, quantity is just one element of a streaming video device.
Setup
The Roku Streaming Stick boots up in about 60 seconds. It is intended to be an always-on device, but the initial startup is considerably longer than Chromecast. Blu-ray players and game consoles -- such as Xbox One and PlayStation 4 -- also load faster.
Unlike Chromecast, the Roku stick requires an update right out of the box. The file size was not listed, but the update took four minutes at download speeds of 27Mbps. Channel updates -- which are needed before users can stream Netflix, Inc., Hulu and other video services -- must also be installed.
This process can take several minutes, depending on how many channels are added to a user's Roku device.
No Credit Card? No Problem
Unlike other streaming devices, Roku temporarily required users to register a payment card (debit or credit) before they could use the streaming stick. This was an unusual requirement that spawned countless complaints and a number of discussions, and critics were equally annoyed.
Roku no longer forces users to share their payment information, but a support page -- located at support.roku.com -- still indicates that users must register their credit cards before using the device.
Competent Streaming
Once users get past the lengthy setup, the channel updates and the perceived (though now avoidable) payment card requirement, the Roku Streaming Stick is a very good device. It does not offer anything special with regard to the presentation or the user interface, but the remote is significantly better than the awkward controller that ships with Apple TV.
Like Chromecast, the Roku Streaming Stick requires an external power source. This isn't a huge deal, but it might surprise users who weren't aware that HDMI does not supply devices with any power.
Videos can be streamed at 720p or 1080p, but the source also impacts the image quality. This is particularly evident when viewing clips on YouTube.
Content: The Good, The Bad And The Ultra-Ugly
All of the important services -- Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Showtime Anytime, Crackle and YouTube -- are here. This makes it easy to recommend the Roku Streaming Stick to anyone who does not already own a TV-connected streaming video device.
Aside from Chromecast (which requires a smartphone and does not come with a remote), this is easily the cheapest device of its kind.
If users want more content -- either via free channels or movie and TV purchases -- they might want to look elsewhere. The vast majority of Roku's content comes from unknown content providers. The downloadable games are subpar, and the video shop can't compare to iTunes.
Final Verdict
The Roku Streaming Stick was designed for consumers who do not yet have a smart TV or a TV-connected streaming video device.
It's cheap and (despite some setup annoyances) is easy to recommend, but only to one very specific audience.
If your TV can already stream Netflix, skip the Roku stick and wait for the next generation of streaming video devices.
Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this review.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
