Roku is the way to go. This is how most people I know consume Netflix, including myself.

This is the current model I have. I use it to stream Netflix, Amazon, Pandora, and YouTube.

But don’t forget Chromecast if your tv will support it. It’s $35.

@hominid So I just go to Best Buy, buy a Roku for $50, plug it into my TV, connect to Wi-Fi, and that’s it? I don’t need to connect my phone or tablet to it in order for it to work?

I called Best Buy to ask and she wasn’t sure, but she suggested the Chromecast, which requires the phone but is only $35. If the Roku doesn’t require another device, I’d rather spend the extra $15.

Then again, the Roku is pretty much good for one thing, but a Blu-Ray has another function for the same price. Hmm..

I do it through my Blu-Ray that is internet capable. You set it on HDMI 2 but I think you need to do something with cabling and you do need a wireless router set-up.

@janbb I have a wireless router already. Do something with cabling? Like what?

@livelaughlove21: “So I just go to Best Buy, buy a Roku for $50, plug it into my TV, connect to Wi-Fi, and that’s it? I don’t need to connect my phone or tablet to it in order for it to work?”

Correct.

@livelaughlove21 Unfortunately (or fortunately) the Ex set it up while he lived here so I don’t know but I’m sure Best Buy could tell you.

I use Apple TV($99), which has Netflix, Hulu Plus, Youtube, Vimeo, HBO GO, and more, and seems to be adding channels monthly. It is expected that they soon release an app store in the upcoming weeks/months.
It is also beneficial when owning iphones/ipads, as Apple has a proprietary program called Airplay. This allows you to mirror your device on your TV, and also allows you to play a video or music through your phone, and with 2 clicks, it will be playing through your TV and surround sound system. You can also play games on your Apple device and actually play the game on your tv. On some games, what you see on your phone is different than what you are seeing on your tv.
Here is a video of it in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRnvvkBl62k

Chromecast is apparently fairly unreliable, something like a roku would be better I think.

@SquirrelEStuff Cool. I’ll look into that.

@XOIIO Oh, okay. Thanks for letting me know. Like I said, I’ll happily spend the extra $15 for a superior device.

We use my son’s Chromecast, he can control it from his laptop or from his iPad. We’ve had no problems watching netxflix streaming on the TV. You do have to have a TV that accepts HDMI connections.

With Chromecast my son found a British BBC site that had Sherlock and the current Downton Abbey well before it was widespread in the US.

I do have a Blu-ray that is capable of streaming netflix, but it requires a LAN connection to my internet router, doesn’t work wirelessly. So I have never hooked it up to the internet.

100% get a roku box, we have one on every TV and they do so much more than netflix. You’ll find that streaming media through a blu-ray player kinda sucks.

Roku it is! Picking one up from Best Buy tomorrow. Thanks everyone!

Agree on Roku. That’s what I used before I bought my big screen TV with built in Netflix. I can also stream Netflix, Amazon and other stuff via my Blue-ray player but don’t need to. I think Roku has a new, VERY tiny model—and they’re cheap.

I second Roku. The cheapest one is $49.99 and no monthly fee aside from the partners (like Netflix). It’s easy to use and comes with all of the most common partner sites built right in.