1080p support, Silent, Wide variety of apps for audio, video and photo playback, Connects to dualband 802.11n or Ethernet network, Intelligent stream buffering for troublefree playback
Plays only MP4 and M4V video, Does not play from DLNA servers or network shares, Adding channels is a real chore, Not much use without an Internet connection
Inexpensive app-based media player with Netflix support...
Published: 2010-09-23, Author: David , review by: cnet.com
Affordable sub-$100 price tag; ultrasmall factor; streams more than a hundred Internet video and audio services, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon, Pandora, Major League Baseball and NHL games, and Mediafly podcasts; built-in dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi; w
Most worthwhile services require monthly or per-use fees, some game consoles and ever-cheaper Blu-ray players offer many of the same Internet-viewing options plus disc playback, currently offers no official support for streaming from USB drives and home n
If you don't need compatibility with iTunes, Roku's trio of ultra-affordable video boxes offers a wider range of streaming video and audio providers than you'll find on Apple TV.
Roku still makes easy to use media streamers at reasonable prices, but these new units don't represent a great leap forward. I would have been more excited to see a significantly upgraded channel line-up, and would recommend looking closely at Roku's ...
Lots of content options1080p supportPromised local media playback
Not much 1080p contentAdded cost over Roku HD / XD yields few extrasNo DLNA support yet
So that's the Roku XDS -- it's really quite similar to the Roku Player, the Roku HD Player, and the Roku HD-XR before it, albeit in a smaller case and with some additional capabilities. For $99, it's hard not to love, although we'd really like to see Roku...
Simple set-up. Intuitive user interface. Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, and other movie services brought straight to your TV. Multiple outputs, including HDMI, to fit your home-theater set up.
Video quality is often subpar. Must pay for each app through the specific vendor—no way to register a single payment account with Roku. Free apps aren't great and the overall selection is limited.
Roku has done little to improve this TV companion box since its introduction in 2008—at $100, it has stiff competition. ...
Petite, easy-setup box for streaming 75 channels of Internet content, Adds 1080p, dual-band 802.11n, USB sideload support
USB playback supports only a handful of video, audio, and still formats
The Roku XDS lets you play a lot of Internet media with a minimum of fuss, but lacks meaningful support for streaming media on your local network or USB drives. ...
