I have to remove the batteries and put them back into the remote to get the remote to function. This does not happen all the time, but with some regularity. This is the only problem I have had with the Roku.
Lost of channels to pick from. Easy to set up. I have both Roku and Amazon Fire, so when it came to buying a third streamer, I went to Roku. I'm even think of buying one for my son for his birthday
Smart TVs were still a little out of our price range at this time. I chose this over Chromecast because it seemed easier, well established and you don't need to operate it through your smartphone or tablet. I haven't been able to explore all of its features and channels yet, but I'm loving it thus far. We don't have cable running into other rooms, so now we can easily watch HBO on the other TV. It's also great for Netflix. I was running it through my Wii. This is so much better. The teens in the house have found some Web Based channels they love watching. Specifically the Gamer channels. (Shows pro video gamers,in live play and competitions ). I think this is a good gift for senior citizens too, due to its ease of use (if they have wifi of course). I will be purchasing for my mother.