Roku
The using Roku of Simple.TV is very
interesting because it depends on our favorite player to provide videos to the
old HDTV. If you only want to see the content on mobile devices, you can skip
the Roku. However, many people still prefer to watch in front of the big
screen, so Roku is the obligatory item for most of Simple.TV settings. The
Simple.TV access is pretty similar to any other content on the Roku, you add
channels and then they appear in your channel list – at this time they are
private channels, so you have to log on Roku.com and add URL manually.
My
shows tab in Roku
Once you launch the channel, you have
functionality level like what you have on the web experience - Live TV, Guide,
My Shows, etc... The first problem we have with Simple.TV Roku experience is
that the Roku remote misses the typical DVR buttons. Play, Pause ... etc. are
still there, but there are no guide or channel up/ down button, Live TV.
However, it is our smallest problem. The real matter is that the experience
Simple.TV Roku channel of the user cannot be slower. The tuner query fails many
times and most of the menu loaded is slower than almost any DVR that we have
ever used - however, the first TiVo Première is there. We cannot imagine anyone
throwing away their DVR and basing on this to watch TV. In short, this is the
beta version of the software, and there is no doubt that the updates are
coming.
Roku
LT - Remote
But although the user experience is fast,
there is still problem about quality. Video and audio output easily meets our
expectations on mobile devices, but if you put that feed on 60 inch plasma
screen with surround sound, you'll wish you did not. Saying video is soft is an
understatement and said: it's almost looks like a SD. Above all, the Dolby
Digital sound that it is difficult for the content creator to produce gets down
to stereo. In its current form, we will be surprised if anyone find the
Simple.TV Roku useful, but we do not think this will not be solved in future
updates.
Conclusion
Of course, the gold time in American is
attacked from all angles, and while we doubt that finally there will be someone
appearing and changing the television industry, we do not think the Simple.TV
is the device to do it. First of all, it is installed with a lot of hardware requirements, as well as error
software. But even when the software is already and suitable mobile
applications and tablets are released, there are still problem about
subscription. Basically $59/year is only for location services and broadcast
schedule data. Rivals like Slingmedi offers free for those two things -
although you can easily spend that money on the SlingPlayer software. There are
many free dynamic DNS services with websites like the Schedules Direct
providing broadcast schedule data at $25/year. If we consider the 30- month
payback period and added resale value, we will offer lifetime options at $299,
although you will have to really believe that this new company will survive in
a long-term. Limited package really is not an option if the DVR is not
considered worthwhile without the ability to automatically schedule recordings.
Sling
Media Slingbox 350
The value becomes worse since then. The
storage is not included and so it cannot write to network storage, you will
have to buy an external hard drive for it. Once you buy a hard drive, a Roku
and services, we are talking about $500 for a 1 tuner DVR that will only work
with basic cable or an antenna. It is still about $330 cheaper than the TiVo
Premiere XL with lifetime service as well as the TiVo Stream, but the TiVo can
record 4 programs at once, work with many mobile and tablet applications as
well as supporting TV cable with fee. Another worth comparison is the $199
Hauppauge Broadway. It bases on PSIP instead of providing real broadcast
schedules and you still have to provide an own drive for recording, but it has
more inputs and location services are free. Finally, when the error is
resolved, the Simple.TV can fill a special niche market that most of the other
companies are ignoring, but we appreciate it almost zero chance to change the
way we watch TV.
Simple.TV’s technical specs
Input
Connections
·
Coax cable (video)
·
Ethernet (network connection)
·
USB 2.0 (hard drivve and peripherals)
Output Connections
·
TV coax cable output (signal pass through)
·
Ethernet 10/100 Base-T Ethernet (pass through)
·
No video output
Dimensions
·
6.46’’ W x 6.46’’ D x 1.92’’ H
Cables
·
1 Ethernet cable (3’L)
·
1 push-on coax cable (3’L)
·
1 coax adaptor (F-to-F)
|
