【2002 Archives】

Fall002 Archiveswinter are always busy streaming seasons and Roku has some new hardware to help facilitate cold weather binge watching.

Specifically, Roku announced a couple of 4K streaming boxes that serve different purposes on Monday. The first is more traditional, an update to the $99 Roku Ultra streamer that sits at the top end of Roku's portfolio. It supports 4K and HDR streaming, with the new addition of Dolby Vision support. That's another type of HDR that Roku devices didn't support before, so people with Dolby Vision-enabled TVs can get some extra juice out of the new Ultra.

Roku also said the new Ultra can pick up on wireless signals from further away than before, in case your entertainment center is far away from your router. (You should fix that, while we're on the subject.) It also supports playback from Bluetooth devices now.

The second and more unique piece of hardware is the $129 Roku Streambar. Just like last year's Roku Smart Soundbar, it packs a 4K- and HDR-ready (but no Dolby Vision) streamer inside a speaker that sits below your TV. The main difference is that, at 14-inches in length, it's less than half the size of the Smart Soundbar. It should easily fit in more living rooms at that size, but it couldtheoretically also come with compromises to audio quality. We'll know for sure soon.

Both products are expected to ship in October. Roku also has a handful of software changes to go along with its new hardware. The next Roku OS update, set to launch "in the coming weeks," will finally bring Apple AirPlay support to 4K Roku devices. Additionally, the Roku Channel is getting a free mobile app for streaming on-the-go, while the recently released Live TV Guide feature can now be accessed straight from a Roku device's home screen.

The new Roku streaming boxes and OS upgrades are more incremental than revolutionary, but at least the Streambar could potentially enhance audio for bedrooms or small living rooms. If nothing else, this is a sure sign that it's probably a decent time to upgrade to 4K, if you haven't already.