Roku HD-XR now 50 percent off... for the first 500 to take the plunge (update: sold out!)
By Darren Murph 
posted November 27th 2009 10:58AM
posted November 27th 2009 10:58AM
Roku's HD-XR doesn't add much to the overall Roku HD equation, but if you've been holding out -- just waiting, patiently -- for the perfect time to snag yourself yet another movie set-top-box, today's the day. Actually, right now is the moment. Roku is offering its newest STB for an unheard-of 50 percent off, but it's only for the first 500 customers who pony up and purchase it through the outfit's website. For this very moment in time (starting at 11AM ET and continuing until 500 HD-XR units are claimed), the box will be priced at just $64.99, and as if that weren't good enough, Roku is also covering the shipping. Need the specifics? Click on past the break.Update: Well, that was fun while it lasted. All 500 have been claimed, and if you don't believe us, have a gander at the proof after the break.
The Roku HD-XR Player, which was just launched last month, incorporates extended-range Wireless N performance, so you can stream HD movies virtually anywhere in your home, in addition to delivering great movies and TV shows from Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand and live baseball from MLB.com. What's more, with our just launched Roku Channel Store, we've delivered an additional 10 content partners with more to come!
The Roku HD-XR Player retails for $129.99, but will be available for just $64.99 (plus FREE SHIPPING) on our Black Friday website when it opens on Friday morning. Details on how the offer will work are below:
1. Go to http://blackfriday.roku.com starting at 11:00AM Eastern Standard Time (8:00AM Pacific Standard Time) Friday morning.
2. Follow the instructions and enter the code "hdxrsteal" at checkout. The code can be applied to one Roku HD-XR Player.
Great deal. Think I'm gonna get myself one.
50%?! Why that's almost half!
1. Click on this “Get HD-XR Special” link.
"The service is unavailable"
Doesn't give you a good feeling....
The service is unavailable right at 8am
The email I got from them sorta hinted that their web store might not be able to keep up with the strain. Apparently they were right...
Getting through the checkout process...incredibly slow!
Link to site is down.
the crap site is already down. What a great deal. I hope if i buy one of these and try to watch i don't get a "site is down message" Ahh over the air tv. What a blessing
403 FORBIDDEN
Awww, and I really wanted to buy it too.
This blowz. Cant be traffic related.
Success! That took a while...
Bummber
"Roku’s Black Friday Steal is now over!"
I already have two ROKUs and wanted to get one for my family out in the north woods (no video stores out there to satisfy the impulsive urge to watch movies).
I was ready with my "running shoes" on and credit card in hand.
They were right. It WAS a frustrating experience.
I tried to get in starting 2 minutes before the site went up, tried for 16 more minutes, and by 14 minutes after the hour the site was pulled back down. At least they warned me.
One thing this DID do was give me pause about jumping further on the ROKU bandwagon. Its time to think and re-shop the digital set top box to see what else is out there, since they whetted my appetite but did not satisfy my Black Friday urge to get shopping out of the way.
I know they meant well, but I think it was a mistake.
I'm such a sucker for an impulse buy. Now that I've bought it, I have no idea what to do with it. Anybody hacked this thing to stream media from a local drive yet?
Opened 10 tabs in Chrome, two of them are currently in the "Buy Now" stages, the other 8 are still on pending.
Shananigans
This sucks. I made it to the "Submit for Payment" button before the site took a crap on me. I hope their servers are on fire.
I have a headache.
I hit the final order now button at 11:01 EST (after the coupon code had been accepted), and nothing.... Sales support were very unhelpful.
Consider yourselves LUCKY! I had confirmation page that order was correct, discount taken and final price of $64.99 showing. What did I get charged?? $129.99. Either incompetence or stupidity - either way left me pissed. And of course can't get anyone on the phone today....
@(Unverified) I had the exact same thing happen. I got the discount and the confirmation page with correct addresses and price, and purchased it Then my receipt showed up with the full price on it. I waited on hold for 40 minutes and they told me that I had never had that price showing in my cart, but after going back and forth they finally agreed to refund half my money - putting it to the price that was on my confirmation page. It seems like they really didn't think this through at all.
ROKU really F'd this up.
Dang it
And just who got notified of this special? I am a Netflix subscriber and heard NOTHING. By the time Engadget posted the news, the sale was over. I'm sure people connected with Roku bought the majority of the boxes themselves. To offer only 500 units, have a website that can't handle the volume, charges some people full price, and cuts some people off mid-order is BS and tells me that the company is a technical midget.
@(Unverified) Apparently current Roku owners got the notice of the sale. I got an email at around 1am this morning. I let several friends know and I'm assuming other Roku owners did as well. They were all claimed in probably less than 10 minutes. Says something about what a fantastic deal this was. To those who got charged full price, all I can say is this was an obvious problem and I hope you get half back, but come on... Check your order details before submitting. As I said in another post, I noticed the coupon code discount was gone at the payment screen and had to bail.
I already have one but at this price was pumped to get another. I got through at 3 or 4 minutes after the start time. It was painfully slow, but I applied the coupon code and got all the way to the submit payment screen when I noticed the discount was gone. Backed up to try applying the code again and got a message that it was no longer valid. Bummer... I love my Roku and would have loved to have another in the bedroom for this price.
I've had the original since over a year ago, and while it's great at its primary function (showing movies from the pathetic Watch Now selection), I've been seriously underwhelmed by the ridiculously slow pace at which they've added extra "channels", something they've been promising since last year. Sure, last week they finally added ten new ones, but they still don't even have youtube. If they finally added UPnP/AV and iTunes (at least DAAP if no video) support it would be an awesome media extender.
hope they pick me!!!
Meeeeee
Cool!
Sweet.
I love it !
netflix is awsome
nice
Ooohh I've heard about these
I win once again!
I want it please