Best Roku today?

Plex Players Streaming Devices
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Hey, all I have a new housemate who I want to share Plex with.
No real need for 4K.
It probably will require to be connected via AC wireless. The server is Gigabit duplex. The local connection is 300/50
I have zero issues with the remote server transcoding.

Another housemate connects wirelessly via a Roku 3 with no issues at all (I have that device because… well I had one lying around in a drawer.)
But well there seems to be an ever-increasing number of newer Roku models.

So bearing in mind the above and the fact that having the ethernet connection is gonna probably be redundant. What’s my best option. Another Roku 3 or one of the newer models.
Premiere/+ …Roku stick…etc.

I guess I’m just asking for opinions on the best bang for buck in performance/price.

2

Roku Ultra.

I bought a certified Amazon Refurb for much less than that.
Amazon’s return policy is bulletproof so a cheap Refurb is a no brainer.
If they have one.

No issues.
New UNO app runs great on it.

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Cheers juice I knew I could rely on you for all things Roku.
That said in the UK (and I haven’t seen any refurbs on amazon.co.uk) We are looking at £140 in rip off britain. The Roku 3 that I know works well can be picked up for £40-50.
I think the world of my new housemate but not to the extent of paying £100 more.

Will have a proper look and go into in more detail tomorrow.

4

for non-4k content, any of the current model roku’s should be sufficient.

of course, the more expensive ones are more future proof and more powerful, so choose accordingly.

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In the past I have always run my Roku Ultras wired because wireless is basically unstable on every Roku I have ever had.

Recently I was requested to test my Ultra’s wirelessly because, supposedly, Roku has made some software changes that stabilize things. About two weeks ago I switched one of my Rokus to wireless on the 5ghz band and I have had no glitches whatsoever.

I will be switching my other Roku Ultra to wireless tomorrow. I guess, surprisingly, wireless has become somewhat more stable. It will reduce the number of wires around my TV and make tracing wiring easier.

I guess I am being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the more modern world of networking. I am now up to nearly 3/4 of my devices connected wirelessly.

It also may have a bit to do with my router, an Asus RT-AC87U running DD-WRT. But I have had that router for two years and had problems as little as a year ago. There is a LOT of potential interference in my area with 15 wireless networks visible all the time and sometimes as many as 23 or 24. It appears the Roku Ultra is now quite stable even if connected wirelessly.

Of course servers should never ever be connected wirelessly no matter how stable the connection is but clients are just fine wireless.

6

The admin in me has always wired as much as possible and only use wireless when I’ve no alternative (phones, tablets etc…)

Wireless works great until it doesn’t. Wired will always work.

7

True and that is exactly how I felt but I always had problems within a couple of days running wireless but this time I have had no problems at all.

Wired is always better than wireless but the gap, for Roku Ultras, has narrowed to the point of nearly being meaningless.

8

I ran my Rokus wireless when there were no wires - no complaints.
I wired the area for Rokus, an HDHR Tuner and a FireTV (glutton for Plex punishment) and can’t notice any difference what so ever.

I don’t feel like I wasted my time, but if I was going to do it again I probably wouldn’t bother…lol

I have a Roku 3.
I upgraded to a Roku Ultra that day I found a Referb for $73 (or something ridiculous).

If you have to go with a 3 - it’s a’ight.
If you can find an Ultra Refurb - jump on it without delay.
The thing just has more horsepower.

:slight_smile:

9

Thanks for all the input guys.
I will shop around and see If I can see any bargains here in the UK.

10

Agreed.
Despite the server being remote and the files being even more remote (Google Drive) coupled with my love of 80+Mbps 4K HDR remuxes I thought I would test out how stable my Shield was on wifi.
The trouble is I had obviously forgotten when I initially got the Shield 2019 a few months ago I must have had the same idea.
It came as a surprise earlier today when I went to unplug the ethernet cable…It already was and obviously has been for months. If my wifi can handle 4K remuxes I’m pretty certain it will handle 4-8Mbps even allowing for the extra 5-10 metres from router to the client in my housemate’s room. :laughing:

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