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Can Roku replace cable TV?

Dave Farquhar Video December 6, 2018December 13, 2021

A Roku device is a favorite choice of cord cutters. It’s cheaper than some rivals like Apple TV, it’s easy to set up, and it’s easy to use. But can Roku replace cable TV?

I was cord-cutting long before cord-cutting was cool, but I think it can. At least for some people.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

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How does Roku make money?

Dave Farquhar Video November 28, 2018August 29, 2026

Roku sells streaming devices that plug into your TV. It doesn’t charge a subscription beyond what the streaming providers charge, and the devices aren’t all that expensive. So how does Roku make money? Let’s take a look.

Roku, it turns out, has several revenue streams it’s able to tap. As more and more people seek alternatives to pay TV, it’s likely to grow.

Dave Farquhar

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Can you use Roku without wifi?

Dave Farquhar Video November 12, 2018March 13, 2021

Can you use Roku without wifi? In some cases you can, although depending on the circumstances, a Roku can certainly be less useful without wifi. Here’s what models work without wifi and what they can do for you.

Dave Farquhar

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What Roku to buy

Dave Farquhar Video November 6, 2018August 29, 2026

Roku makes seven models of its popular set-top box for streaming video. And that’s if you only count current production and aren’t buying a used model. Here’s how to know what Roku to buy.

You can buy a TV with Roku hardware built in, but I prefer a separate device. Here’s why.

Dave Farquhar

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Roku buffering all the time

Dave Farquhar Video October 3, 2018August 29, 2026

Is your Roku buffering all the time when you try to watch streaming media? While it can be frustrating, usually these buffering problems are solvable. Here are six things to try to fix Roku buffering before you switch to another streaming device like an Apple TV or Fire TV stick in frustration.

Some streaming apps are more demanding than others, so if you experience buffering in some apps but not others, that’s not unusual. Watching TV on Netflix always works great for me, for example. And while some people find Hulu occasionally problematic, I don’t think I’ve ever had more than a minor hiccup in Hulu. But I have friends who have issues with HBO Go and I have issues with MLB.tv.

Dave Farquhar

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Watch home movies on Roku

Dave Farquhar Video September 21, 2018September 15, 2018

Streaming content is great for watching movies and TV shows. It almost makes it unnecessary to keep a DVD player around, except for home movies. What’s the modern solution for those? Actually there is one, and it’s likely to have better longevity than recorded DVDs or VHS tapes as long as you’re careful. Here’s how to watch home movies on Roku.

Dave Farquhar

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Roku overheating fixes

Dave Farquhar Hardware, Video September 14, 2018September 14, 2018

I have a Roku 2720X. I’ve had it since 2014, so it’s a few years old now, but I like it. Lately it’s been having some problems though. It works fabulously with Hulu and Netflix, but streaming local media and streaming baseball give me trouble. I traced it to overheating. So let’s look at some Roku overheating fixes.

Some people replace their devices with newer models with faster dual- or quad-core processors. This works; a more powerful chip will handle the load of newer, more demanding apps better without heating up as much. But you can extend the useful life of your venerable single-core 600 MHz Roku devices too, at least until Roku stops releasing updates for them.

Dave Farquhar

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Fix MLB.tv loading please wait on Roku

Dave Farquhar Baseball, Video April 19, 2017September 14, 2018asus, netflix, Roku

It’s frustrating to watch baseball and get constant interruptions from black screens that say “loading, please wait.” Here are six ways to fix problems with MLB.tv loading please wait on Roku.

Dave Farquhar

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Decrease your Roku resolution to save bandwidth

Dave Farquhar Video July 3, 2015September 14, 2018Display resolution, netflix, Roku

From time to time when I’m watching baseball on my Roku, I’ll get a lot of buffering and, in extreme cases, a message stating that I may have insufficient bandwidth. If you have the same problem, the best fix for this to to decrease your Roku’s playback resolution. Or if you’re subject to a data cap, decreasing your resolution helps you stay under that too. Here’s how to change your Roku resolution.

The picture will suffer, but I’d rather watch a lower quality picture than none at all. You may also need to resize your Internet connection, but you can do this trick immediately, and for free.

Dave Farquhar

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I hope this new recordable DVD format catches on

Dave Farquhar Video August 10, 20111950s, computerworld, kodak, LG, VHS

In October, LG and its startup partner Millenniata plan to release a new type of DVD, which they claim will last forever. The Navy doesn’t come right out and say it lasts forever, but it does say in its tests that these discs, called M-Discs, do last considerably longer than the traditional DVD-R and DVD+R discs on the market today.

I hope this catches on, but it’s possible it won’t. Why? Cost.

Dave Farquhar

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