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Tempe, Arizona (NAPSI) - According to the 2014 edition of the Farmers’ Almanac, “the summer will be exceptionally hot across much of North America, with ‘oppressive’ humidity throughout the eastern half of the United States.” How do most Americans plan to cope? By seeking solace in the comfort of their homes and catching up on their favorite TV shows, made possible in part by the advent of the streaming media player.

In this “golden age” of TV, summer entertainment isn’t limited to the latest blockbuster at the multiplex. In recent years, television programming has begun to rival feature films to the point where TV now tops the list of summertime activities. In a recent omnibus survey conducted by Research Now for Roku, when asked what they do on summer days, 60 percent of consumers answered that they watch their favorite TV show, followed by read (47 percent), shop (33 percent), jog or hike (19 percent) and attend a sporting event (16 percent).

Many people consider TV a hobby just like attending sporting events, shopping, reading and exercising. Almost two-thirds (66 percent) of people revealed that they equate watching TV to a recreational or leisure activity, valued so much that even though consumers travel in the summer to escape their routines, they keep to their TV schedules. Ninety-two percent of people said they stay current with their favorite TV show when traveling while some use the trip to catch up on a TV show or series they’ve previously started watching.

What Is Streaming?

Streaming is a simple and affordable way to access entertainment on your TV through the Internet, providing accessibility and choice that empowers consumers to let them watch TV more easily than ever before.

By connecting a Roku® streaming player to your TV and home network, your TV becomes a “smart TV” and can now stream more than 1,500 channels of TV shows, movies, music, news, sports, food and more, all on demand. Thanks to the Roku Search feature, you can sort through this selection by searching for favorite movies, TV shows, actors and directors across multiple channels including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, Crackle, HBO GO, M-GO and more.

Tips on how to take advantage of the benefits of streaming:

• Streaming players make it possible to get the most out of your cable and content subscriptions. Bring one with you on vacation; set one up at the family cabin or your home’s guest room for visitors.

• Beyond movies and TV shows, you can get news, listen to music and stay up-to-date on fashion and lifestyle trends. Or get off the couch to sharpen your knife skills and learn a new recipe for summer cookouts, or finally give yoga a try.

• Families with young children hungry for fun and educational videos while school is out can explore channels like PBS KIDS and National Geographic Kids. With streaming, it’s easy to monitor what they’re watching, plus there are no commercials to worry about!

For more information, visit www.roku.com.