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2 Roku Keyboard Solutions

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The Roku has amazed me with many of its features. It seemed only natural that I’d be able to connect a keyboard to its USB port and use it to navigate and type. That doesn’t work though. Nor is there a Bluetooth keyboard solution available. It’s the one missing feature that would make the Roku absolutely perfect. Typing using the standard remote control is aggravating. There are a few handy alternatives for people who absolutely must use a keyboard with their Roku.

Roku app

Use your smartphone or tablet to control your Roku, right from the Roku official app. Not only does the app have a keyboard, but you can also speak commands to change the channel. Commands don’t work to call up individual movies, but it’s still a nice feature. The keyboard (and the entire app) only works vertically, which is perplexing since the keyboard would work so much smoother sideways. The Roku app is available for Android and iOS. Windows Phone users can settle for a number of third-party Roku apps.

Roku app

 

remoku.tv

This handy web-based app will connect to your Roku player via your home network and allow you to use the standard arrow controls as well as a keyboard. You can use the website from almost any web browser including Android’s stock browser and Safari for iOS. Just type in the IP address to your Roku on the Setting screen (the scan option didn’t work for me) and you can instantly control your Roku.

remoku

Those are the best keyboard connection solutions we could find. How do you use a keyboard with your Roku? We want to hear about it in our comments section.

Finding a Keyboard For the Living Room PC

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After installing a PC in my living room and slapping Windows Media Center on it, I was off and running with the entertainment solution I always wanted. I didn’t think ahead though, and used a standard keyboard and mouse with it. This combo doesn’t function well in a Living Room, so I set out on a quest to find the perfect keyboard.

[Read more…] about Finding a Keyboard For the Living Room PC

Universal Remote Works For Apple TV, XBox 360 and More

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A month ago, I wrote about a universal remote that worked with my Roku device. I was thrilled that such a low-priced remote worked with the video streaming device. After a month of enjoying the remote, I have discovered that it works with many other devices I didn’t expect. A co-worker of mine told me she has the same Sony RM-VZ320 remote and it works great for her Apple TV box.

After reading some of the reviews on Amazon, I confirmed that many customers are using the remote on tons of unexpected devices like the Apple TV and XBox 360. I had to test this for myself. I was shocked to find that it worked just as well on Apple TV and XBox as it did for my Roku. There were a few hiccups here and there. For example, I couldn’t figure out how to back out of a screen when using Hulu Plus. Even with these types of hiccups,  it may be the best remote that’s under $20, ever!

Some people may jump for one of the programmable remotes that are a little more pricey to control such devices. Those are great for some people. You can program custom buttons and put them wherever you want on the screen. But if you’re in my income bracket and don’t mind a giant remote that’s filled with buttons you’ll never use, The Sony RM-VZ320 is the way to go. Just look at all off the remote codes available for video accessories.

The Sony RMVZ320 Universal Remote supports a plethora of devices and is priced just right.
The Sony RM-VZ320 Universal Remote supports a plethora of devices and is priced just right.

You can see the complete list of codes for the Sony RM-VZ320 on Sony’s website.

Roku: How to Watch Videos From USB Drive

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My favorite feature of the Roku Media Player is the USB port. You can watch MP4, M4V, and MKV video files from a USB Drive. How do you watch those files though? Here are the steps:

1. Add the Roku USB Media Player Channel. You can add it to your account via the Roku website or find it under the Music or Photos & Video categories in the Channel Store.

2. Plug the USB drive into the USB port on the Roku.

3. Open the USB Media Player channel and select “Movies”.


Roku Media PlayerMovies selection on Roku Media Player

4. A list of videos will appear. Select the one you want to watch and enjoy.

You can use the normal Play, Pause, Forward, and Rewind buttons just as you can with most other Roku channels.

A Better Way to Search Netflix and Other Video Streaming Sites — Moreflicks

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Any Netflix Instant user will tell you that the Netflix search engine is horrid. You can never find exactly what you’re looking for. The browsing capability is even worse. Many movies can only be found after scrolling for an eternity. That’s why services like Moreflicks are handy.

The new site not only provides a way to browse and search Netflix that makes more sense, it can also search Hulu, Vudu, BBC iPlayer, Fox and Crackle. It even marks the movies that are expiring soon, so you can be sure to catch those flicks you’ve been thinking of watching before they disappear.

Give it a try at Moreflicks.com.

Netflix Instant: How Fast of an Internet Connection Do You Need?

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So you’re interested in using the Netflix Instant service. For the best experience, you’ll need to ensure that your Internet connection is fast enough to support streaming high quality video without a hiccup. So how fast does your Internet connection need to be? Well, it depends on how you intend to use the service.

Netflix requires a connection that is capable of at least 0.5 Megabits per second. That is the bare minimum though, and the video quality my not be all that great with that slow of a connection.

A 1.5 Mbps connection is recommended to stream standard, non-HD video. If you want to view HD quality video though, the recommendations are as follows:

  • 3.0 Mbps for DVD quality
  • 5.0 Mbps for HD
  • 7.0 Mbps for Super HD
  • 12 Mbps for 3D

You can change the quality of your Netflix Instant video to accommodate your connection by visiting the video quality settings page on Netflix.

The recommendations above don’t account for your environment. Your networking equipment may slow things down a bit. So if you plan on streaming Netflix to a bedroom in a corner of your home that is far away from your wireless router, you may not get the performance you expect. Test out your connection by visiting SpeedTest.net to ensure you have a connection that is speedy enough for your needs.

If you want the capability of streaming video on multiple devices in your home, judging what kind of connection becomes even more complex. There are too many variables to say for sure what will work. For an example though, I will tell you that my Internet provider serves a 50Mbps option, and that’s what I need to confidently stream HD video from 3 devices in my home.

Well, hopefully you now know everything you need to know about how fast of an Internet connection you need for your Netflix Instant needs. Feel free to share your experience in the comments section below.

Watch American Netflix, Hulu or Pandora From Canada, the UK, or Any Other Country

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If you live in the United States and plan on using Netflix, Hulu or Pandora while traveling abroad, you may be shocked to find that your entertainment options will be entirely different. If Netflix detects you are using an Internet connection from Canada, the United Kingdom or any other country, it will change your selection of movies and shows.

If you don’t want to miss out on your American favorites while holed up in a hotel, you may want to try the Media Hint plugin for Firefox and Google Chrome. Just download and install the plugin and you’re done. There’s absolutely zero configuration needed. The plugin will automatically redirect your Internet connection through proxy servers within the United States once it’s installed in your web browser. Then you can enjoy all the American Netflix Instant content you like from almost anywhere in the world.

Watch the 2013 Super Bowl Commercials On Hulu

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The ads on Hulu can be annoying, but with the Super Bowl right around the corner, it’s time to start considering commercials as another form of entertainment. Fortunately, Hulu has a special section just for watching this year’s Super Bowl commercials. Simply head on over to the AdZone link on Hulu’s Home page or go here. Then you have everything you need to critique which commercials are the biggest winners and losers before the big game. You can even use your Facebook account to vote for your favorite commercials.

If the selection of commercials from 2013 doesn’t fulfill your need for advertisements, you can also view Super Bowl commercials all the way back from 2008.

69 Episodes of “MST3K” Available On Amazon Prime Instant

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MST3K

If you’re a “Mystery Science Theater 3000” fan, you may have noticed that episodes have been vanishing from Netflix Instant lately. Currently you can only find the movie on the site. As single episodes have disappeared from Netflix, more and more of them are appearing on the Amazon Instant Prime service.

Since Amazon is sometimes a pain to search for specific items, a wonderful soul at Reddit put together an awesome list of 69 episodes available on the service. All 69 of these episodes are $0.00 for Amazon Prime members.

Most MST3K fans already know of the Club MST3K site that has a list of every single episode ever available on YouTube. The videos on that list are often not very top quality though when it comes to picture and audio clarity. So the Prime service is a very nice way to enjoy this classic series.

How to Change the Netflix Instant Bandwidth Usage Rate

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Netflix logo

Watching Netflix Instant can quickly use up your monthly Internet bandwidth allocation. Fortunately, Netflix provides customers the ability to adjust the video quality so that you don’t exceed your limit. You can visit the Manage Video Quality page by selecting “Your Account”, then “Manage Video Quality”. From there, you can make the selection that works best for your Internet plan.

  • Good quality (up to 0.3 GB per hour)
  • Better quality (up to 0.7 GB per hour)
  • Best quality (up to 1 GB per hour, or up to 2.3 GB per hour for HD)

The “Best quality” setting is the only setting that is capable of providing video in HD. It’s the recommended setting if your Internet plan allows unlimited bandwidth and you have a fast connection. Though you may want to go with a lower setting if you’re worried about hogging of the bandwidth from other devices in your home. You don’t want the kids getting angry at you for watching “Bridezillas” while they are trying to stream YouTube videos.