On Monday, March 26, 2018 at 6:58:03 PM UTC-5, Terry Coombs wrote:
On 3/26/2018 5:56 PM, Amethyst wrote:
Can a Roku streaming stick be used to get free TV stations?
http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=8433834roku.jpg

We are very low tech where I'm asking if I can get free TV with the low
tech equipment that I have already at home.

I picked up two unopened Roku streaming sticks at a garage sale where the
husband who worked for Roku had left the ex wife where he had a few cases
of these things that the ex wife was selling for a buck each but she didn't
know what they're good for - and neither do I.

The gray box is a Roku 3810R and the green one is a Roku 3800R.

Googling, everyone seems to already know what they do, where I can tell
from the hits that they connect your TV to the Internet over your router so
that you can use Netflix and stuff.

But we are really low tech so my question is how much free stuff can this
Roku thing give me? All the articles assume you have Netflix, and they even
assume you have cable, and they assume you have a TV, none of which I have.

I don't have a TV antenna to get over the air broadcast TV, and even if I
did, I'm remote so I'd likely get one station or two at best.

THere is no cable service. Just electricity. Nothing else by way of
services.

I'm on WISP. About 5 Mbps down and up.
The router is an old WNDR Netgear N with the USB port unused.

The kids have a PS3 connected to an old Sony TV.
http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=6286595sony_model.jpg

The Sony TV is too old for HDMI.
http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=7549633sony_cables.jpg

I know the Sony TV can do Netflix over the net through the PS3 which is
wired to the router because we had a friend stay for a few days and her
account worked where the kids set that up, but we don't have Netflix
account.

We have Windows 10, one of which has an HDTV monitor.
http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=4561584hdmi_1.jpg

So that one kid's desktop is the only HDMI connection in the house.
http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=1354901hdmi_2.jpg

In our low-tech situation, with only my kid having an HDMI monitor, which
nobody shows on the net, can the Roku streaming stick be used to get free
TV stations?

Â* The short answer is yes . That stick is meant to plug into the USB
port on a TV set , but it MIGHT work in the USB port of your son's
computer . You'll find the free stuff on roku is riddled with some very
annoying commercials , if you can tolerate them thren go for it .
Otherwise , netflix can be as cheap as around 10 bucks , CBS all access
is around the same . Prime is OK , but a bit more expensive at 14 a
month - but you get free shipping and a ton of commercial-free
programming .
--
Snag


I pay $6.47/month for Amazon Prime under their special program for low/fixed income customers. I used to take a newspaper or paperback novel to the toilet with me (not for toilet paper) to keep me amused but now I take my 7" Amazon Fire tablet and watch videos. ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Tablet Monster