Roku 2 XS - Review

The good: The Roku 2 XS is an ultrasmall Wi-Fi streaming-media box that offers dozens of Internet video and audio services, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, Pandora, NHL, NBA, and MLB, among many others. It works with HD and standard TVs, and it includes a Wii-like motion controller for casual gaming (Angry Birds is included).
The bad: The best streaming channels require paid subscriptions or pay-per-view fees. The Roku 2 XS doesn't currently support DLNA access (streaming media from networked PCs), and USB file support is very limited. Don't expect a full-blown Wii-like gaming experience; Angry Birds is currently the only game available.
The bottom line: Thanks to a varied range of content offerings--including Netflix, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Crackle, and Pandora--that beats the Apple TV, the Roku 2 XS is the best all-around streaming-media box you can get for less than $100.
Roku is calling its new line of streaming-media boxes "Roku 2," but this is actually the fourth iteration of the device, which started its life as the "Netflix Player" in 2008. Like Apple TV, this is still a Netflix video streamer at its core--and a very good one--but along the way Roku has shrunk the box down; added several new "channels," including Amazon Video, Hulu Plus, Crackle, and Pandora; and bulked up feature-wise, upping the ante this go round with a new Bluetooth motion remote (included with the top-end $100 Roku 2 XS) that allows you to play games.
The end result is arguably the most robust little streaming-media box for less than $100. True, the new gaming feature is very limited at launch (Angry Birds is included for free with the XS but as of yet, no other titles are available), but that the capability is there adds a touch of sizzle and helps distinguish Roku from its competitors.
Don't care about gaming? Well, there's some good news there, because you don't have to pay for the fancy remote if you don't want it. The two step-down models in the line-- the Roku 2 XD ($80) and Roku 2 HD ($60)--have nearly all the features you'll find in the higher-end XS but trade the Bluetooth motion remote for a standard IR remote (the entry-level Roku HD offers 720p video output instead of 1080p but all three models are gaming-enabled--if you have that Bluetooth remote).
If this all sounds like a more compelling alternative to Apple TV, it is, so read on to get the full skinny on all the new Roku 2 models--including a point-by-point comparison on Roku 2 versus Apple TV (and other streaming-media boxes).
How the 2011 Roku 2 models compare
For our review, we focused on the top-end Roku 2 model, the Roku 2 XS. There are two other step-down models available as well. All three models utilize the fastest 802.11n Wi-Fi standard and have a MicroSD expansion slot on the rear. In addition to HDMI output, all three also include the option for standard-def video output via an included breakout composite AV cable (3.5mm to yellow/red/white), so--unlike Apple TV, the Logitech Revue, and the Boxee Box--they'll work with nearly any old TV, not just HDTVs.

There are three very similar products in the Roku 2 line
There are a handful of feature differences as you move up the line, however:

Roku 2 HD ($59.99-$69.99): The entry-level Roku is the most affordable, but it's limited to 720p video output. (The official price is "$59.99 plus shipping," but the de facto price with free shipping is $69.99 at Amazon.)
Roku 2 XD ($79.99): The midrange Roku is identical to the entry-level HD model, but it adds support for 1080p HD video.
Roku 2 XS ($99.99, reviewed here): In addition to including the Roku Game Remote and the full version of Angry Birds, the $100 Roku 2 XS is the only one that includes an Ethernet port, should you choose to go wired. It's also the only one with a USB port, so you can play local video, audio, and photo files. Like the XD, the XS supports 1080p video.
To be clear, all three Roku 2 models support gaming and work with the Bluetooth Roku Game Remote. But that remote costs $30 when purchased separately (a 2GB microSD card, needed for storing more than four games, is also included). The HD and XD models include an infrared remote that works for video control and menu navigation, but not for gaming.
So, if you're already sold on a Roku 2, which model should you buy? For us, the choice is between the HD and the XS. Spend the extra dough if you're at all interested in gaming or if you need wired Ethernet connectivity. Pulling media off USB is a nice bonus of the XS model as well, but if you want the best compatibility for a wide range of USB-based digital files, you should probably consider the WD TV Live Plus or Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV.
Even if you never intend to use the gaming functionality, the Bluetooth remote on the XS is nice because it doesn't require line-of-sight with the Roku 2 box--you can drop the box behind the TV or tuck it away in a cabinet. But be aware that there are plenty of free and paid iOS and Android remotes that can control any Roku model via Wi-Fi just as easily.

Angry Birds, included with the Roku 2 XS, is the first gaming title available.
Meanwhile, if you just want the most affordable way to access Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon, and other online media services, the Roku HD gets the job done. We doubt anyone will miss the 1080p video (versus the 720p on the Roku HD); few folks can tell the difference in the best of circumstances, and--if you are a hard-core videophile--you should be focusing on Blu-ray discs, rather than online streaming video, anyway.
The hardware
Roku boxes have always been small, but the Roku 2 is downright miniscule. The 3-ounce black box is a 3.25-inch square with rounded corners, and it's an inch high. If you're keeping score, that's a few millimeters narrower but taller than arch-rival Apple TV.
The backside of the Roku 2 XS crams that narrow space full of relevant ports. There's an HDMI output (you need to supply the cable) for HD video and digital audio, an Ethernet port, a microSD slot, and a minijack AV output for the included composite AV cable. As mentioned above, that means that the Roku box will connect to any modern HDTV (via HDMI) as well as any older standard-def TV (via composite). Likewise, the HDMI cable can carry surround sound (and video) when connected to a similarly equipped AV receiver.
As with all previous Roku boxes, there's no off switch; the Roku simply goes to sleep when it's not in use. But the power supply is no larger than that of a cell phone charger, and--according to Roku--consumes less than 2 watts when streaming video. In other words, we don't expect it to affect your electric bill in any significant way.
As mentioned above, the Roku 2 XS also include a USB port on the right side. Supported media includes MP4 (H.264) video, AAC and MP3 audio, and JPEG and PNG photos.
One disappointment is the fact that the 2011 Roku models only offer standard 802.11n Wi-Fi, not the dual-band version found on the earlier Roku XDS model. While that probably won't affect many viewers, it does mean that advanced users (with more expensive routers) won't be able to use the 5GHz band. That one is less prone to the interference from cordless phones, microwaves, and other household electronics that's sometimes found on the crowded 2.4GHz band.
The remote
The Roku gaming remote included with the Roku 2 XS is powered by two AA batteries, and could be confused for a shortened version of the Wii Remote that's included with Nintendo's gaming console. In addition to a four-way directional pad, it's got 10 buttons including video transport controls, home, back, menu, and A/B gaming controls.

As with the Wiimote, the Roku gaming remote communicates via Bluetooth, so you don't need to "point and shoot" at the Roku box when controlling it for media or gaming. (That also means you can put the Roku box completely out of sight, if you'd prefer.) It's also got motion control, utilized in Angry Birds by "pulling" and releasing the slingshot. It took a bit of getting used to, and it doesn't feel quite as sensitive as the Wii controller, but it worked well enough.
Thankfully, even though the Roku 2 boxes can be controlled by the Bluetooth gaming remote or Wi-Fi phone and tablet apps, it retains an infrared sensor. That means--unlike the Wii and PlayStation 3--you can control it with any standard universal remote as well when you're not gaming.
Setup
Once you connect your Roku box to the TV and log in to your wireless network, you'll need to create a Roku account on the company's Web site (through your PC, tablet, or phone--not on the TV screen). In addition to the basics--e-mail and password--you'll also need to input your full credit card information. You won't be charged until and unless you order a game or a pay channel, however.
Once your account is set up and your Roku box is linked to it (as with Netflix, it displays a short code on the screen), you're ready to start adding channels. So-called "private channels" (see "The content" section below) can be added through the Netflix Web site. But all of the public channels are accessible right on the TV screen, through the Channel Store icon on the screen.
For many channels, the process is pretty much click and view. Others--such as Pandora--will require you to enter your e-mail address or account name and password, so you can sync with an existing account. Still others (Netflix) will require you to go visit their own site on a Web browser and sync your box with your account (again, with a four- or five-digit onscreen code).
None of it is hard or challenging, but it can be a bit time-consuming if you're adding a lot of channels--and you'll probably want to keep your laptop handy. To that end, it would be great if all of the channels--and the corresponding username/passwords, if applicable--could be added on Roku's site, since it's always easier to type on a real keyboard rather than hunt and peck on an onscreen keyboard using a directional pad remote.
The content
All of the programming on the Roku Player is available a la carte via the Roku Channel Store (see the setup section below for details), with more than 200 channels to choose from. A handful are quite good; many however, you'll find you can live without. (A nearly full list is available at Roku's Web site. Just note that a handful of the premium sports channels, such as Major League Baseball and NBA Game Time, aren't shown on the site because of rights issues, even though they are alive and well on the box itself. Yeah, we don't understand it, either.)

Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-media-receivers/roku-

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