We don't usually get excited by a nondescript five-inch square plastic box, but the Netflix Player by Roku is an exception. This unit enables Netflix members to stream movies and TV shows over the internet to their TVs. It's as simple a device to set up and operate as any we've come across. It is also supremely satisfying--it performs exactly as it promises, only limited by the reliability of your high-speed Internet connection. (For those unfamiliar with the manufacturer, Roku is a California based company founded by the inventor of the DVR.)

Simply sign up for an Netflix account (currently lowest at $8.95 monthly), plug in the Ethernet cord, hook the player up to your TV using HDMI, component, composite or S-video connection, add your Netflix passcode and you're ready to start streaming movies. Netflix offers a DVD library of more than 100,000 titles. Currently about 12,000 of these are available to "Watch Now", although Netflix is adding more each week and as the popularity of the Roku player grows, we're sure that eventually the majority of the catalogue will be available for streaming. Browsing is done online, just as it is for the discs by mail service. Any Watch Now titles added to your queue are instantly transferred to the Roku interface. When you're ready to watch, simply select the title and after 30 to 60 seconds buffering time, the movie will begin.

The player outputs at 480i resolution due to the bandwidth limitations of most internet connections. The image quality doesn't match that obtainable from a high quality DVD player, but we found it perfectly acceptable. Also, the Roku player doesn't support 5.1 channel surround sound yet, although that's likely to be added in a future firmware update. For now you're limited to stereo sound.

The Netflix Player by Roku offers some DVR-style functionality. You can pause, rewind or fast forward a streaming movie, using a series of thumbnail images to navigate through a title. If you interrupt your viewing part way through, the server will remember where you left off. You can also begin watching a title on your living room TV then watch the rest on your laptop, PC or on a second player hooked up to a TV in the bedroom, for example.

Priced at just $100 with no additional fees above your existing Netflix account, we think this unit offers excellent value. With the promise of firmware upgrades and substantially more titles to choose from, we think the Netflix Player by Roku is a product to get excited about.

Pros: Inexpensive, start watching movies within a minute, simple to setup and use, decent video quality
Cons: Only about ten percent of Netflix library currently available, no 5.1 surround sound available yet

Warranty
1 year, parts and labor