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Looking for way to get good audio from netflix

I have moved and want to set up my system to receive the streaming Netflix signal. My wireless internet connection is very good at this location. My techy friend says to use a Roku 2 HD box, but I wonder about the sound quality of a $60 device. What advice can you offer to make the most of the Netflix sound?
bigwavedave
bdgregory
1,715 posts
 
Roku has excellent sound quality. It has both optical digital out as well as HDMI - I can't say which yields the better sound quality - try both and you decide. Roku also has Pandora.
grinnell
1,107 posts
 
I use the optical audio with Roku and really like the sound with my Cambridge 540R HT.
edorr
714 posts
 
On a related note. Does netflix stream Dolby surround yet? I know thas has been in the works for some time.
ahendler
416 posts
 
Roku is very good both picture wise and sound wise
realremo
460 posts
 
Netflix does stream surround sound, limited to 5 channel currently. I use an Apple TV and the multi-channel indicators light up when surround sound is fed. I have talked to them about this on the phone, and not all movies are streamed with surround. It depends on whether the version they own rights to includes a multi-channel track.
The sound quality is OK. I still depend on Blu Ray and my B&W 6 series speakers for great movie sound. I've never watched a Netflix movie and thought, "man the sound really sucks." I typically turn off my critical ears for Netflix, tho.
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