Roku HD review (2012)

That's the short version. We could go on a tirade about how companies should simplify their product lines, and avoid bestowing on a 2012 product the same (or nearly the same) name given its predecessors from 2011, 2010, and 2009. But you just want to know one thing: should you buy this box?

The answer: if the Roku LT is sold out (or discontinued), yes. That's because the new $60 Roku HD is, so far as we can tell, all but identical to the $50 Roku LT, which remains an enthusiastic CNET Editors' Choice as the most affordable streaming-media box you can buy. Both models offer hundreds of video and audio channels, including favorites such as Netflix, Amazon Instant, Hulu Plus, Crackle, Pandora, MLB.TV, Mog, Rdio, and HBO Go. Both connect seamlessly to your Wi-Fi network. And both can be connected to new HDTVs or any old-fashioned analog TV.

The only differences appear to be cosmetic. The Roku HD has full-size analog RCA video outputs (yellow, red, and white jacks) instead of a single minijack port with a breakout cable. Because of the extra back-panel real estate needed to accommodate those jacks, the Roku HD is a tad wider than the Roku LT. And the HD reverses the LT's color scheme: LT is purple with a black base, the HD is black with a purple base. But the electronic innards, features, and performance of the two boxes appear to be identical.

There are just a few tiny differences between the Roku LT (top) and the Roku HD (bottom).

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

The other distinction between the LT and the HD is one of availability. The LT is intended as an online-only product, while you can find the new Roku HD at brick-and-mortar retailers such as Wal-Mart and Fry's (though it's available online, too).

So, if these are basically the same products in different packaging, why does the Roku HD cost $10 more than the Roku LT? Your guess is as good as mine. That said, the LT is so popular that it's often out of stock at online retailers like Amazon. If you encounter that problem -- especially if you're buying one as a gift -- spending the extra on the Roku HD isn't a bad backup plan. In the meantime, we'll continue to consider these products to be more or less interchangeable.

Design
The Roku HD is a little black box. It's essentially the same size as rival Apple TV, but, as mentioned above, it's a tad larger than the Roku LT, Roku 2 XD, and Roku 2 XS models, in order to fit full-size analog AV jacks on its rear end.

In addition to those AV jacks, the rear panel has an HDMI port for connecting to HDTVs. As with all previous models, the analog option makes it possible to connect Roku boxes to older analog TVs, something you can't do with the HDMI-only Apple TV.

The only other things you get in the box are a power adapter (it's a modestly sized wall wart) and a small remote. If you want any other extras -- casual games like Angry Birds, an Ethernet port, a USB connection for enjoying local music or video files -- you'll need to step up to the $100 Roku 2 XS.

The Roku HD has built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi for connecting to the Internet, and while it's not dual-band like the old Roku XDS, we didn't run into any performance issues.

The remote is pretty straightforward. There's a directional pad with an OK button in the center, and there are some basic playback buttons, plus home and back. The asterisk button on the bottom generally brings up more options, such as search, though it can vary from channel to channel. There are also shortcut buttons to the Netflix, Pandora, and Crackle channels.

Here's everything that you get in the box.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

If you prefer, you can also control the Roku over Wi-Fi using the company's free iOS and Android apps. (Note that the Roku HD and Roku LT do not offer compatibility with Roku's Bluetooth gaming remote. But that's no great loss, in our opinion.)

Setup
Setup is straightforward and relatively easy. The only real annoyance is that you'll need to create a Roku account, which involves entering your credit card information or linking to a PayPal account, so you can purchase premium channels. Virtually every channel we're interested in is free or billed separately through the channel provider, so we'd prefer it if the credit card step were optional.

You'll also need to link your Roku box to each individual streaming service, which usually involves entering an activation code on a Web site, so expect to spend some time in front of your TV with a laptop during setup.

Content and user interface
The home screen has a basic interface, with a horizontal row of channels to choose from. The Roku HD comes preloaded with the most important channels: Netflix, Amazon Instant, Hulu Plus, and Pandora. The first three are an outstanding trio for cable-cutters, letting you mix and match subscription and pay-per-view content to catch up on your favorite TV shows.

The home screen is basic, but simple.

(Credit: Matthew Moskovciak/CNET)

The user interfaces for the major services are good, although we've seen better. The Netflix UI here looks similar to the one found in the Sony PlayStation 3 interface, although fewer titles are visible on a single screen. Unlike on those very first Roku boxes, you can search through Netflix's streaming catalog, as well as browse titles that aren't in your instant queue. The current Rokus also support closed captioning on Netflix.

The Netflix interface is similar to the one you'll find on the PlayStation 3.

(Credit: Matthew Moskovciak/CNET)