Roku Streaming Stick Review: Amazon Prime Video Support As Standard



The Roku Streaming Stick hit the UK market in 2014 and its just the latest of an ever expanding field of streaming set-top boxes that are hoping to become the hub of your living room entertainment centre. Of course it’s more accurate to call the Roku Streaming Stick, well, a “streaming stick”, than a set-top box, because it takes the form factor of Google’s Chromecast, a dongle that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port.
The advent of Google’s Android TV platform might cause the likes of Roku and Apple some trouble in the latter part of 2014, once set-top boxes and HDTVs begin shipping with the software inside them. Although this is in no way a given – not by a long shot. Google botched its entry into the TV space twice before with the ill fated Google TV and the now all-but-forgotten Nexus Q. It was only with Chromecast that the Big G began making ground.
But ROKU Now has one USP that NO ONE else has -- Amazon Prime Video-support: 
"Amazon Video was notably absent from Roku's UK devices," notes Expert Reviews, "meaning they were just short of a full stable. That changes today with Roku announcing that Amazon Video, including access to Amazon Instant Video, is now available on its Roku devices. The previous absence was annoying, as Amazon Video was available to US Roku users. Now that it's available here, Roku can boast availability of BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, All 4, Demand 5, Netflix, Sky Now TV and now Amazon Video, meaning you're pretty much covered on all bases."
Still, the advent of Android TV – particularly if its supported by a wide range of OEMs – could really shake up the connect-it-to-your-HDTV market which. Until this happens, however, it is still very much open season in the digital media player space with everything to play for. With this in mind, lets crack on with our review of the Roku Streaming Stick. 

Design, Specs, and Compatibility

The Roku Streaming Stick is a diminutive little dongle that plugs directly into your TV’s HDMI port. But before I launch any more into its design, let’s take a quick look at all of its known specs:   
  • Output: HDMI, (CEC support unknown)
  • Processor: Unknown
  • RAM: Unknown
  • Storage: Unknown
  • Max. Output Video Resolution: 1080p
  • Dimensions: 78(L) x 28(W) x 12(H) mm
  • Weight: 18g
  • Connectivity: 802.11 dual-band (a/b/g/n compatible) with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 support
  • Power: micro USB (Power adapter included)
  • Supported Devices: iOS, Android, Mac OS X, Windows  
In this review I just want to solely focus on what the Roku Streaming Stick is and does, but if you want to see how its specs (and the rest of the Roku Streaming Stick’s features) stack up against Google’s Chromecast check out my article here.
The Roku Streaming Stick looks like a larger USB thumb drive bathed in Roku’s trademark purple, but instead of a USB port it’s got an HDMI port at one end. The top of the Roku Streaming Stick is stamped with the Roku logo while the bottom of it has a sticker with its serial number. Along the sides of the stick there are vents cut into its body to let the heat out so it runs silently.
On the end opposite the HDMI port is a microUSB port that you need to plug in the included USB cable to power the device. Like the Chromecast, the Roku Streaming Stick needs this USB power because the power base could not be built into such a small device. The Roku Streaming Stick comes with a wall charger you plug the USB cable into or you can simply forgo the wall charger and plug the USB cable directly into your TV’s USB port (if it has one). This is the optimal solution as you can tie up the USB cable so it’s not dangling from the back of the TV. The USB cable Roku provides is six feet long. 
As to how the Roku Streaming Stick looks when it’s plugged into your TV totally depends on your television. I’m lucky in that my TV has HDMI ports that are spaced widely enough the Roku Streaming Stick doesn’t overlap two adjoining ports. My TV’s bezel is also just wide enough, too, and ensures the purple Roku Streaming Stick remains completely out of sight. But that’s before I connect the USB cable to power the Roku Streaming Stick. Then things change and right now I can see the USB cable awkwardly curving out and back around the side of my TV.
Roku hasn’t said how much RAM or storage is inside the Roku Streaming Stick, nor the type of processor. But because the Roku Streaming Stick is designed as only a streaming device you don’t need to worry that its underpowered by whatever is inside. The Roku Streaming Stick will output video up to 1080p and is compatible with both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wireless networks. And while the Roku Streaming Stick works all by itself, it’s also compatible with iOS, Android, Mac OS X, and Windows. 

Set-Up 

As mentioned above, hardware setup was a breeze. I opened the box, placed the batteries in the remote, then plugged in my Roku Streaming Stick to my TV’s HDMI port and then the USB cable into my TV’s USB port. I then selected that HDMI channel on my TV and was immediately greeted with the Roku logo on my screen.
Setting up the software side of things was almost just as easy. The remote, which works on Wi-Fi, connected to my Roku Streaming Stick right away. I was then asked to select my Wi-Fi network and enter the password for it. The Roku Streaming Stick immediately joined it and searched for software updates, found one, downloaded it, and restarted.
One annoying thing is when the Roku Streaming Stick restarted I thought I would be able to use it immediately, but I was actually shown a URL onscreen that I had to go to in my computer’s web browser to enter a code to register the Roku Streaming Stick with my Roku account. Since I didn’t have one, I needed to create one and also enter in my credit card information (in case I wanted to buy some channels). This took an extra five minutes and kind of killed the “quick setup” euphoria I was feeling. However, if you already have a Roku account, you’ll just be asked to log in and then you are done.

OS and UI 

After setup I was greeted with the Roku home screen. Five channels were already displayed: Now TV, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Demand 5, and Sky News.
If you’ve used a Roku before, its OS will look no different on the Roku Streaming Stick. Installed channels are displayed as big grid icons on the right two-thirds of the screen. On the left side of the screen is the navigation menu with three sections: My Channels, Channel Store, and Settings. I used the remote to launch iPlayer and right away it was there on scree – and, importantly, it was much easier to interact with (and much faster loading) than on my YouView box.
One great thing about the Roku OS is that it lets you easily add, remove, and rearrange channels. This lets you customize the Roku interface so you can quickly access the channels you like the most – and completely remove the ones you don’t. Another great thing is that Roku allows you to rate channels so you can keep track of your favourites.
Entering the Channel Store you’ll find all the various free and paid for channels Roku offers, which is a lot – but more on that below. Adding a channel is as simple as selecting it with the remote, then clicking “Add Channel.” The channel will download from the Internet and when it is done will automatically appear on your My Channels screen.
Another small feature I like about the Roku OS is that it’s got a clock on the main screen. I’m a big Apple TV fan and the one small thing I’m always wishing it had were a clock since its main menu is frequently displayed on my TV. 

Features and Channels

The one feature that Roku clearly beats the competition on is the sheer number of channels it offers. In the UK users will have over 700 channels including Netflix, NOW TV, BBC iPlayer, Sky Store, Demand 5, Spotify, YouTube, as well as hundreds of smaller channels that are sure to offer something for everyone, regardless of tastes.
But one thing I was really disappointed to learn about is that the Roku Streaming Stick in the UK lacks a critical feature the US version (which also offers over 1500 channels) has – search. In the US, Roku Streaming Stick users can type in the name of a show, movie, actor, or director and Roku will search across all of its channels to find relevant content. In the UK that feature is completely missing, which is a major shame as the Roku Streaming Stick offers so many channels it’s hard to find what’s on them manually.
The Roku Streaming Stick doesn’t just do audio and video content, either. It also does games – but not to the same standard as its big brother, the Roku 3. The Roku 3 comes with a motion controller that doubles as a game pad, which works with many casual games the Roku 3 offers including Angry Birds. On the Roku Streaming Stick the games are less advanced and include titles like Jeopardy and Blackjack.

Remotes

The Roku Streaming Stick includes a hardware remote control that works on Wi-Fi. It’s incredibly simple to use and very responsive and really makes navigating Roku’s OS a breeze. A nice feature is the dedicated home button that will take you back to Roku’s home screen no matter where you are. 
As I mentioned before, the Roku Streaming Stick remote isn’t the same one that’s included with the Roku 3. In addition to not doubling as a gamepad as the Roku 3’s does, the Roku Streaming Stick’s remote also lacks the innovative built-in headphone jack, which allows you to plug in headphones and have your TV’s audio instantly rerouted. It’s a killer feature on the Roku 3 that I wish they had included here. 
As for the design of the remote, it’s a bit bulky, but it feels solid and comfortable in your hand. Those that love the Apple TV’s millimetre-thin remote will think the Roku Streaming Stick’s remote is positively obese. Users can also download the free Roku remote app, which turns your iOS or Android device into a remote control. 

Price and Verdict

At £29.99 the Roku Streaming Stick is almost too cheap to pass up. It’s A LOT less than the Apple TV and offers over 15x the channels. Ditto Google’s Chromecast; Roku offers 25x the channels and also functions as a stand-alone device, unlike the Chromecast. Roku’s OS and interface is also a breeze to use and the company is continually adding new channels all the time.
I do wish the Roku Streaming Stick in the UK had the same search functionality as its US counterpart, but technically adding it is as simple as a software update, so hopefully it will arrive in the near future.
Overall however, the Roku Streaming Stick is the perfect digital streamer for both price and content and by plugging this diminutive stick into your television you’ll be taking your home entertainment experience to a whole new level.
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