OPPO BDP-103 Blu-ray Player + Roku Streaming Stick
MSRP: $79.99 (or $49.99 for existing BDP-103 & BDP-105 owners) at [/URL] (OPPO.com)
Available Directly From OPPO
Introduction
Not long after settling in with my BDP-103, I received an email from OPPO about the Roku Streaming Stick, which can be used with the BDP-103 and BDP-105 to access all of the features available on Roku's set-top boxes. As an existing owner of a BDP-103, I was eligible for the discounted price of $49.99. I thought the little device deserved a try and quick review as a supplement to the BDP-103 Blu-ray player.
OPPO Support
I contacted OPPO customer support via email and requested a loaner. I received a response almost immediately, stating that they would consider it and let me know. Later that day I received another email requesting my shipping address, and stating that the stick would be on its way soon. I was impressed by how responsive and cooperative they were.
Connection and Setup
First things first - the Roku stick requires a MHL/HDMI port, which the BDP-103 and BDP-105 both have on the front panel. Although both players have HDMI inputs on the rear, only the front ones are MHL compatible. The Roku stick does not come with a remote, but you can use your OPPO remote to control it. There is no programming required to do this. Just plug in the stick and you are ready to go. The Roku has built-in wifi, and will walk you through internet connection during the setup. Oh, I should mention here that you will need to create an account with Roku in order to use the device. The service does not cost anything, although certain channels require some kind of paid membership - i.e. Netflix, Hulu+, etc.
Features and Operation
The streaming stick is similar in function to other Roku devices. You can find, add, and remove content channels from the channel store and stream video and audio content from those channels. Roku can connect you with lots of the popular streaming services like Netflix, Vudu, Hulu+, Pandora, and recently added Spotify. I was particularly interested in the Hulu and Spotify services, as neither is natively supported by the BDP-103.
I have tested Hulu, Vudu, and Spotify so far. All three were easy to set up and have performed smoothly, with no crashes or bugs. Hulu and Vudu video quality are very good, and Spotify sounds great as well. It supports the different video qualities offered by Vudu, but the Spotify app does not appear to have an option to change the audio streaming quality, and I was not able to determine the default bitrate.
Operation with the OPPO remote is reliable and responsive, however when entering account info or performing text searches, navigating the onscreen keyboard with the arrow keys gets old fast. Thankfully Roku offers a remote for mobile devices (iOS and Android) which is compatible with the streaming stick. I have given it a try and the touch keyboard features makes certain functions much easier.
Value and Conclusion
If you already have a Roku set-top box, there's clearly no reason to add the stick, unless you're looking to eliminate a couple of cables from your HT setup. It does not offer anything drastically different than other streaming boxes like Apple TV or Boxee, and falls into a similar price range. For what it does, the sub-$100 price is appropriate. It is super easy to install, and takes up no shelf space. The only disadvantage I see is the fact that it protrudes a couple inches from the front of the Blu-ray player, creating the potential to get snagged and yanked out, possibly causing damage to the stick and the player. For me, the addition of a few features provided by the Roku stick make it a worthwhile upgrade to the already exceptional BDP-103. The discount for existing owners of the Blu-ray player makes it a great deal from OPPO.
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=10231&w=s[/img]
Roku Streaming Stick ReviewMSRP: $79.99 (or $49.99 for existing BDP-103 & BDP-105 owners) at [/URL] (OPPO.com)
Available Directly From OPPO
Introduction
Not long after settling in with my BDP-103, I received an email from OPPO about the Roku Streaming Stick, which can be used with the BDP-103 and BDP-105 to access all of the features available on Roku's set-top boxes. As an existing owner of a BDP-103, I was eligible for the discounted price of $49.99. I thought the little device deserved a try and quick review as a supplement to the BDP-103 Blu-ray player.
OPPO Support
I contacted OPPO customer support via email and requested a loaner. I received a response almost immediately, stating that they would consider it and let me know. Later that day I received another email requesting my shipping address, and stating that the stick would be on its way soon. I was impressed by how responsive and cooperative they were.
Connection and Setup
First things first - the Roku stick requires a MHL/HDMI port, which the BDP-103 and BDP-105 both have on the front panel. Although both players have HDMI inputs on the rear, only the front ones are MHL compatible. The Roku stick does not come with a remote, but you can use your OPPO remote to control it. There is no programming required to do this. Just plug in the stick and you are ready to go. The Roku has built-in wifi, and will walk you through internet connection during the setup. Oh, I should mention here that you will need to create an account with Roku in order to use the device. The service does not cost anything, although certain channels require some kind of paid membership - i.e. Netflix, Hulu+, etc.
Features and Operation
The streaming stick is similar in function to other Roku devices. You can find, add, and remove content channels from the channel store and stream video and audio content from those channels. Roku can connect you with lots of the popular streaming services like Netflix, Vudu, Hulu+, Pandora, and recently added Spotify. I was particularly interested in the Hulu and Spotify services, as neither is natively supported by the BDP-103.
I have tested Hulu, Vudu, and Spotify so far. All three were easy to set up and have performed smoothly, with no crashes or bugs. Hulu and Vudu video quality are very good, and Spotify sounds great as well. It supports the different video qualities offered by Vudu, but the Spotify app does not appear to have an option to change the audio streaming quality, and I was not able to determine the default bitrate.
Operation with the OPPO remote is reliable and responsive, however when entering account info or performing text searches, navigating the onscreen keyboard with the arrow keys gets old fast. Thankfully Roku offers a remote for mobile devices (iOS and Android) which is compatible with the streaming stick. I have given it a try and the touch keyboard features makes certain functions much easier.
Value and Conclusion
If you already have a Roku set-top box, there's clearly no reason to add the stick, unless you're looking to eliminate a couple of cables from your HT setup. It does not offer anything drastically different than other streaming boxes like Apple TV or Boxee, and falls into a similar price range. For what it does, the sub-$100 price is appropriate. It is super easy to install, and takes up no shelf space. The only disadvantage I see is the fact that it protrudes a couple inches from the front of the Blu-ray player, creating the potential to get snagged and yanked out, possibly causing damage to the stick and the player. For me, the addition of a few features provided by the Roku stick make it a worthwhile upgrade to the already exceptional BDP-103. The discount for existing owners of the Blu-ray player makes it a great deal from OPPO.