Roku Netflix player

Esko Woudenberg, senior programmer/analyst in Apple Valley, Calif., talks about why he can't live without the Roku Netflix player.

With the Roku player, the value for Netflix customers who have broadband can’t be beat. You can have Netflix DVDs delivered to you by mail -- I still use my three-movies-at-a-time plan -- plus have a wide selection of commercial-free entertainment you can watch on demand via the device, which streams the content to your TV. You can connect multiple units to your Netflix account, so I bought three players for $99 each. I keep one at my girlfriend’s house, where I spend most of my weekends. My queues at my house and hers are identical. I am especially impressed with and appreciate that there is no additional cost beyond my existing Netflix membership.

I have a 25-year software development background. This is one of the devices I have truly been impressed with. Its small size and low 5-watt power usage while streaming movies to your TV is an accomplishment. The quality of the streaming video is comparable to the DirecTV satellite service I used before, for which I paid about $75 a month. I have not noticed a disruption to other broadband users sharing the connection with the Netflix player.

I am pretty content with having no “cable” and relying solely on Netflix and the players for shows and movies. I’ve had the devices since they became available and use them daily. I know some people who revived their Netflix memberships because of the Roku player becoming available, and even some who became members solely because of the player. It’s just that good.