Editors' note (May 16, 2012): The Roku LT reviewed here is frequently out of stock, so it often appears to be priced higher than its $49.99 list price. If that's the case, check out the nearly identical Roku HD instead, which retails for just $10 more.
Here's how you know the Roku LT is a great product: it's both the cheapest and one of the best streaming-video boxes we've tested. Roku has managed to shave the price all the way down to $50, jettisoning unnecessary features, while keeping all of the streaming content that we love.
The Roku LT supports the same list of channels as Roku's more expensive models, including Netflix, Amazon Instant, Hulu Plus, Pandora, MLB.TV, MOG, Rdio, and HBO Go, along with tons of additional niche content. We even like the remote control better than the one that comes with the Roku 2 XS, with a simpler layout and fingerprint-resistant matte finish.
The Roku LT isn't perfect. It's not the right choice if you want to stream your personal media collection and unlike other Roku boxes it doesn't even make a half-hearted effort at gaming. And there's still an argument to be made for Apple fans to favor the Apple TV, since it works so well with other Apple products. But at $50, the Roku LT deserves a very strong recommendation and is sure to be a hit this holiday season.
Design
Like the more expensive Roku 2 boxes, the LT is a tiny box, even smaller than the Apple TV. There's nothing on the front, save for a small dim light that lets you know it's on. The LT has a distinctive purple color, but we prefer the more muted black cases of Roku's other models.
Around back, there's just an HDMI output and a minijack output for the included breakout video cable, so you can use the Roku with older TVs. If you want additional connectivity--like an Ethernet port, SD card slot, or USB port--have a look at the step-up Roku 2 line of players, but we think most of those features aren't needed. (The USB playback of the Roku 2 XS isn't its biggest strength, and we can live without its small collection of casual games as well.)
The LT 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 delightfully simple. There's a directional pad with an OK button in the center, some basic playback buttons, plus home and back. The asterisk button on the bottom generally brings up more options, although we could never quite be sure what we were going to get when we pressed it.
Overall, as we said, we like the Roku LT's clicker even more than the flagship Roku 2 XS' remote, which has a slightly more cluttered layout and is a magnet for fingerprints. (Note: future Roku models will include an additional button that offers one-click access to Pandora, but our unit came with the older remote.)
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 generally involves entering an activation code on a Web site, so expect to spend some time in front of your TV with a laptop.
Content and user interface
The home screen has a basic interface, with a horizontal row of channels to choose from. The Roku LT 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 user interfaces for the major services are good, although we've seen better. Netflix here looks similar to the Sony PlayStation 3's Netflix 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 new Rokus also support closed captioning on Netflix.
