From the hundreds of channels offered on the Roku player, we have added about thirty-five channels. The difference between watching only a handful of channels on the Roku as opposed to watching only a handful from our satellite provider is the quality of programs and the price. We have reduced our monthly bill from near $90 to a mere $7.99, and have no contracts.
Like most viewers, we have a handful of favorites we enjoy watching. During the summer when we were subscribed to satellite, we often found ourselves surfing channels looking for something to fill the slot until the season premiere of our show resumed the end of September. What makes the Roku different is the availability of new original shows, or even old shows you might not have seen. Our favorite channel for locating something new is Hulu Plus.
Nearly all of our favorites are streamed through the Hulu Plus channel for $7.99 a month. These include the popular shows Nashville, Motive, Grey’s Anatomy, Mistresses, Vampire Diaries, and even This Old House. Without a doubt, HuluPlus is our main viewing channel. We recently watched the first two seasons of “Downton Abbey,” and we are currently watching “The Tudors,” “Heroes,” and “The City” – and it’s summer!
From talking with others who also use the Roku, one of the things they most enjoy is the ability to watch one episode after another of a series from start to finish. If you never saw Lost, Ally McBeal, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice (the list goes on and on), you can watch the entire series from start to finish in marathon fashion or as if you were watching the series on a DVD. Hulu Plus even remembers where you left off, and keeps a history of the shows you watched in case you can’t remember.
You can also add shows to your Queue. You can request that only new episodes be added, or you can select all episodes. Similar to your DVR recording your show and making it available for viewing, the queue will alert you if a new episode of your favorite is available. For instance, Mistresses, which premiered in June of 2013 starring Alyssa Milano and a cast of other great actors, airs on Monday. The following day, Hulu Plus sends me an email alerting me that a new episode has aired and is available in my Queue.
That’s the beauty of the Roku. It’s all about choice. It’s the a la carte you can’t get from your cable or satellite provider, and it offers you a selection of programs you might never have considered.
So yes, we’ll take the Roku with a generous serving of Hulu Plus a la carte. No need to fill ourselves up on an expensive satellite buffet which excludes beverage, dessert, our favorite entrée – and apparently is our only choice for the next twenty-four months unless we want to pay more.
Á la carte, please!
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