Help! Roku Streaming vs Satellite

  Help - Question by Jim

Here is my easy comparison of the main features and advantages vs disadvantages when I switched to Roku from satellite dish.

First off like anything new it takes a while to get used to the Roku remote and menu, so I would recommend using it a few weeks before making any decisions on which is better. Like anything new, if you used one for years then its easy to think its better when you arent familiar with the other.

Here is what I like or dislike about each when comparing Roku vs Satellite.

Roku - Much better price and you get all the channels and more. There is ALOT of content available, more then you can imagine. I paid around $30 for Roku box (one time cost for the tiny box which plugs into your TV) and then signed up for a streaming service on there (around $70 a month). Thats less then 1/2 of what I pay for satellite every month. There are many options to add even more channels, some are only $5 a month for a group of channels, others are $15, etc,  either way it is ALOT of stuff to watch and there are many free channels also. No contracts and you can sign up or drop stuff anytime. Its actually easier then you think to get Roku setup and running, then like anything new takes you some time to get used to using a different service, menu, remote, etc.

Roku - DVR recordings are within each package, so if you signup for youtube TV then you can record within that service, not within Roku. So if your internet ever goes out, it still records, unlike satellite which stores it on your DVR in your house.

Roku - I like that its not dependent on people to put a dish on your roof or DVR in your house. You can even take the tiny box with you when you travel elsewhere. No contracts of any kind is nice.

Roku - There is ALOT to watch and choose from. I will probably end up signing up for 2 services, maybe 3 based on what I spent time looking through channels. Typically you will do one "main" package like Hulu or Youtube TV or Fubo (there are others, but those are the bigger packages which have basically all your same cable channels you have with satellite). Much lower cost overall of course, then there are other packages that may have another 10 or 15 channels for $8 which I will probably add because I seen it had a few channels I would watch often. The nice thing is you dont watch just cancel that service.

Roku - Its a little confusing at first but thats because you arent used to it. I found it easiest to signup on computer for the service. You can watch youtube tv on your computer or phone for example, and on tv with Roku. It syncs up automatically once you sign on. You can sign on to the service on computer and edit your viewing menu or change sort order on channels and it syncs immediately on your tv. Thats a nice option to group channels together which I cant do on satellite menu.

Satellite - I think the menu is quicker to bounce around. Roku has services you sign up for within it, so it more button clicks to move around and takes a little longer to get used to.

Satellite - The remote is better. You can use previous channel button to bounce back and forth and pick up where your recording left off.  You cant do that with Roku remote. It seems obvious they should add this, but the Roku remote is basic and satellite remote is alot better.

Satellite - Recording options are cleaner where I can delete once I viewed them so it keeps a nice list of stuff I havent watched yet. Using Roku it just rolls off on its own and each service you buy has its own recording within it.  Not as clean as Satellite.

Roku Streaming vs Satellite - My comparison