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If you’re reading this blog post then you probably already know about the proliferation of online video streaming. Streaming video online is all the rage these days, and sites like Hulu, TV.com, Netflix and Amazon are making this easier and more desirable by the day. Online video viewing is the future of the modern entertainment medium, whether Hollywood likes it or not. The reason for this are the sites mentioned earlier and gadgets like the Roku HD-XR media player, and it’s cheaper brother the Roku HD.

Hardware
The hardware itself is surprisingly small. The box is about the size of five CD jewel cases stack on top of one another, while the remote control is about the size of a smart phone. Everything is very well made and solid and the remote is made to take a beating. The only fall back of the remote is it is prone to being eaten by couch cushions, so it’s small size makes it tough to find for those of us who are plagued by wandering remote syndrome.

The back of the device has all of the inputs and outputs any techie could need in a device. There’s an optical audio, standard component audio, s-video, composite video, HD component video, HDMI, 10/100 Ethernet, a USB port and a power connection. The device itself is absent of physical buttons, so again take good care of that small remote control. One other aspect of the hardware design that is nice to see is that the power adapter was smartly designed, and only takes up one slot on your surge protector.

Interface
The interface of the device is extremely straight forward and easy to use. The remote control is simplified to the extreme and anyone with half a brain can figure out exactly what to do. It is easy to setup, use and navigate, and it is safe to say that your average grandparent would have no problems figuring this system out. Navigating through the various areas of the Roku software is a smooth process with no user interface lag.

It would have been nice if they included the ability to sort your Netflix Queue by alphabet, genre, ratings and reviews. If your queue is loaded like mine it can be a pain to scroll back and forth looking for the exact movie you want to watch, but this is a problem with Netflix’s API, not Roku. Another addition that would be great is the ability to browse Netflix’s library directly from the Roku, but for now you have to add items to your queue via the website before you can watch them.

Channels
Roku designates the various different ways you can stream content to the device into channels. These aren’t channels in every day sense, these are basically categories for each service that is available on Roku. For example, all Netflix content is in the Netflix channel, and the Amazon content is in the Amazon channel. The channels are also broken down into two categories, Free channels and Premium channels.

Free channels are made up of various online services like online media sites TWiT.TV, Mediafly, Revision 3, flickr and Pandora. While the premium channels include Netflix, Amazon on Demand and MLB.com. For a break down of all of the channels currently included with the device, head to the official Roku website. The channels available will continue to evolve but most people probably use Netflix, Amazon and Pandora.

Video Streaming
The video playback on the devices is excellent. The picture quality of HD content is up there with standard HD television, and as long as you have a stable high speed internet connection you won’t have any problems with latency. Standard definition videos are DVD quality with the normal cropped black bars on widescreen televisions. Watching standard definition works just fine, but the HD videos is where the Roku shines.

The overall quality of the video playback is dependent on the channel in which you are watching, but the big boys (Netflix and Amazon) offer near perfect HD viewing capabilities. Online video podcasts like This Week in Tech and Revision 3 offer HD feeds, but as this is “made for internet” content the video isn’t on par with the premium channel offerings.

Audio Streaming
A brilliant addition to the Roku devices was their inclusion of the much loved Pandora Internet Radio channel. Pandora has received rave reviews and is a go-to destination for music lovers on the internet. The addition of Pandora on the Roku makes doing chores around the house or dreaming up a playlist for a house party all that much easier. Just start up the Pandora channel and go.

Cost
The price of the devices are extremely reasonable. The Roku HD is under $100 while the Roku HD-XR is just shy of $130. Considering these devices come with built in wireless network capability the price is hard to beat. If you have an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 then these boxes may not be needed, but even if you do they are a cheap alternative for having streaming capabilities in an additional room.

The images shown throughout this review include an additional $20 HD cable bundle directly from Roku. The bundle includes an HDMI cable, an optical audio cable and HD component video cables. This cost is a bit steep and the need for an optical audio cable is probably overkill on a device that streams content. I’d save $17 and opt for a $3.00 HDMI cable and call it a day.

Verdict
The Roku HD-XR or Roku HD are must-buys for movie and TV junkies that want quick and easy access to thousands upon thousands of hours of high definition video content. If you have a Netflix account this is even more of a no-brainer. Netflix is expanding their online video content daily, and it is the best place to find season upon season of your favorite past and present television shows.

The only real bonus you get for that additional $30 with the Roku HD-XR is the built-in wireless 802.11n capabilities. If your home isn’t equipped with the latest Wireless N router then don’t waste your money on upgrading to the Roku HD-XR. Even if you have an 802.11n router there really isn’t a reason to upgrade, as the Roku HD streams HD perfectly fine at 802.11g speeds.

The Roku is an excellent product that I’d recommend to anyone that uses Netflix, Pandora or Amazon Video on Demand on a regular basis. Hopefully as the product gains more ground they will be able to add even more free channels to sweeten the pot; we’re looking at you Hulu.