Roku 3

Marsha would like to turn her HDTV into a SmartTV. How can she do that? Leo says that the best way to smarten a dumb TV is with a Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Google Chromecast.

Edward is thinking about getting an Apple TV, but he doesn't see Apple really pushing it all that much. Should he wait for a new model? Leo says that it's not really that expensive at $99, so if he buys one and then Apple releases a new one, he's not really out all that much.

Alan bought an 80" Sharp Aquos LCD TV, but he says it doesn't work very well. Every time he loads a movie, it takes forever to load. Leo says that while the TVs are so-called "smart TVs," the apps that they include aren't really that good. Leo advises buying a Roku box. Apps on a TV are really an after thought. Roku specializes in the apps they offer and they do a great job.

Mike is having trouble connecting to the Sony server on his Sony Bravia HDTV. Leo says sometimes the device can't see Wi-Fi and it'll lose the connection. Mike has a wired bridge though, so is there any other reason this could be happening?

Leo says that Mike should try using another device to see if it works. If he can rule out the bridge and the internet connection, then he can focus on the TV. Mike had to disconnect and re-register. It worked for a day and then stopped again. Leo says at that point, it has to be Sony's issue. Smart TVs leave a bit to be desired, Leo says.

Virginia watches Netflix on her Roku Box, but she can't get it to work with her home theater unless she disables the security on her PC. So she ends up just watching it on her computer. She's now thinking about just getting a larger monitor.

Ken was streaming video on an older laptop linked to his TV, and the TV gave up the ghost. His new TV has no VGA port. Is there a USB to HDMI converter? Leo says yes, it's an analog converter, but it works. The quality won't be as good and USB isn't all that fast for super high resolution. How can it do that if it's bypassing the video card? Leo says it's done with onboard software.

Tom bought the Roku 3 so he can "cut the cord". Leo says that the Roku is a great option. The new thing is that it has a remote control that has a built in headphone jack so he can watch TV and not bother others. Tom says he uses it all the time but it recently had trouble connecting after the batteries died. He had to reset it and put it into "enhanced pairing mode" in order to get it done.

Nick has AT&T U-Verse and a Panasonic Viera TV. He wants to completely cut the cable cord and watch all of his favorite sports online. Leo says it depends on the sport because some professional sporting leagues have a more open approach to the internet than others. Nick likes football, and Leo says that the NFL is gradually moving toward streaming. The SuperBowl was streamed live this year and last year.

Ralph wants to know Leo's thoughts about the SONOS PlayBar Sound Bar he bought a few months ago. Leo says he hasn't really set it up yet, but the cool thing about sound bars is that they simulate surround sound for those who don't' have the room, budget or interest in having a conventional home theater surround sound system. It's not really perfect, and it tries to fool the listener into thinking it's surround, but it's better than nothing.