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The streaming device manufacturer Roku unveiled on Monday its range of automobiles, which includes two new streaming devices as well as the previously announced smart speakers. The common thread of all these ads is an attempt to improve audio and video, thanks to 4K streaming and Hi-Fi sound.
"Roku thinks it's going to be 4K leave," said Lloyd Clarke, executive director of the company, in an interview with Variety.
On the front of the streaming adapter, Roku introduced two new devices on Monday: the new $ 40 Roku Premiere is a 4K streaming adapter that combines the company's Roku Express with a 4K and HDR streaming of services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
The Premiere includes an infrared remote control that forces consumers to have a clear line of sight on the device. Anyone spending $ 50 on a Roku Premiere Plus may choose to hide their streaming material behind their TV. This model comes with the same hardware as the Roku Premiere, safe for an upgraded Wifi remote control that requires no line of sight, and also includes a microphone for voice control as well as power and volume buttons for control the TV.
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Roku is also reorganizing its high-end Roku Ultra streamer, but only with a new accessory. The company did not change the hardware of the $ 100 streaming box, but instead replaced the generic headphones that can be used with the Ultra's private listening feature through JBL headphones.
However, Roku's biggest hardware update in the fall is another type of device: the company will start selling its Roku TV wireless speakers in October. Speakers cost $ 200 for a pair, but consumers who pre-order them before 10/15 will get a pair for $ 180. Speakers will only be available on Roku's website at this time.
The Roku TV wireless speakers are custom-made for Roku TVs, such as those manufactured by TCL, Insignia or Hisense. They do not work with any other model of television, even if these televisions are equipped with a Roku streaming device. The speakers are designed to solve the problem of television design: the sound of the speakers built into these televisions becomes thinner and thinner. "It's a physics problem," Clarke said.
Roku Wireless TV Speakers also support some audio-only features, including the ability to start playback from certain applications while the TV is in sleep mode. The company has integrated Spotify Connect and the speakers also support Bluetooth to stream any audio source directly from a mobile device.
In addition to better sound, the speakers also add intelligent audio features to a Roku TV. This includes the ability to increase speech clarity as well as volume-leveling features, including a night mode that eliminates the bass from these loud explosions.
Notably absent from the speakers: all built-in microphones, such as those used by Echo speakers from Amazon for far-field voice control. Roku instead ships the speakers with two remotes with built-in microphones. One of them is intended to replace the cheaper remote that comes with most Roku TVs, while the other is designed for audio control of the speakers.
Square but with rounded corners, the latter fits perfectly in an indentation on the top of the speaker, with a built-in magnet that adds viscosity. However, Clarke said the remote control was primarily intended to reside elsewhere in the house. Maybe in your driveway or kitchen, where you can switch on your favorite station in the living room.
To facilitate this, Roku has added two preset buttons that can be programmed with shortcuts to streaming services or online radio stations. There is also a built-in speaker for voice commentary, as well as an extra mysterious button that does nothing to launch. Clarke did not want to comment on the need for this extra button, but one could imagine that it could be used for some kind of multi-room audio feature.
Roku first unveiled its Roku TV Wireless speakers in July. The company announced it was expanding beyond streaming devices and smart TVs into the Las Vegas CES audio space in January. At the time, the company also revealed that it was working on its own entertainment-based voice assistant, which would be complementary to the Amazon and Google wizard. "We can see him coexisting at home with other AIs," Roku Vice President Mark Ely said at the time.
The company is poised to take the plunge in the coming weeks: Roku devices will soon be compatible with Google Assistant and allow consumers to search for content, control playback and more with a Google Home speaker or similar devices.
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