Tag Archives: Roku2

The best gear for your living room home theater

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By Grant Clauser This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here. Everyone loves watching a great movie on a big screen with a kickass speaker system, but few would complain...

Roku’s new product line: it’s as simple as 1, 2, 3 (hands-on)

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Rokus new product line its as simple as 1, 2, 3 handson

To say that today's a big day for Roku is a bit of an understatement. Not only is the company revamping its entire product lineup, there's also the small matter of the UK launch of the Roku 3 to consider. Whereas before, American users had to decide between the LT, HD, 2XD and 3, the company has now adopted a much simpler device lineup: Okay, Good, Better and Best. So, is this the move that'll push the company out of the fringes of the mainstream and into the spotlight? It's certainly going to help.

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Roku’s second gen players can get their grid menu update now

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Second generation Roku players can update to the new grid menus manually

We dug the grid-style menu system that came along with the Roku 3, and now owners of some of the company's older players can experience it as well. The Roku 2 boxes, Roku LT, newer Roku HD and Streaming Stick are all eligible to download the new update, although it's not coming to the company's first generation boxes. It's been rolling out to limited numbers of users all month for testing, but tonight the company announced anyone can get it by prompting their box to manually update. All it takes is checking the update section under settings, otherwise it will be downloaded automatically at some point in the next few weeks.

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Source: Roku blog

Roku 2 menu update gets a new ‘end of May’ deadline in message to devs

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Roku 2 menu update gets a new 'end of May' deadline in message to devs

We loved the Roku 3's new UI when we reviewed it recently and eagerly anticipated its arrival on "current-gen" hardware this month, but that may not be in the cards. Dave Zatz points out an email sent to Roku developers today that mentions "the new user interface introduced with the Roku 3 will be coming to Roku 2, Roku LT and Roku HD (model 2500) by the end of May." That could add a few extra weeks to the wait for current owners, but there may be a silver lining. The email goes on to mention that it expects channels to run the same, if not better (besides looking better) after the upgrade. We've contacted Roku to find out any more details, we'll update if we hear anything more specific.

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Via: Dave Zatz (Twitter), Zatz Not Funny

Source: Roku

Blockbuster On Demand gives streaming a second chance, with odd limitations

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Blockbuster On Demand gives streaming a second chance with odd limitations

Blockbuster hasn't had much success shifting from physical rentals to digital, even under Dish's wing. Nonetheless, it's betting that the umpteenth time's the charm with a relaunch of its Blockbuster On Demand streaming movie service. The revamp ticks many of the checkboxes for a modern by-the-title rental store with 1080p and 5.1-channel surround sound as well as apps for 2012 Samsung Smart TVs, Android and Roku 2 boxes. However, there's a number of curious choices, and we don't just mean the omission of a subscription model. It's missing an iOS app, emphasizes apps for desktop viewing and leaves no way to watch HD video on anything but a TV -- our mobile and PC screens have advanced in the past several years, Blockbuster. Idiosyncrasies notwithstanding, the rebirth presents more of a unified front than the one-time giant has offered in the past.

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Via: Android Police

Source: Blockbuster On Demand

Roku 2, LT and new HD boxes upgraded for more languages, future remote apps

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Over on the Roku blog the company just announced it's delivering a software 4.8 upgrade starting today. First up there's a few new features included right away like support for Spanish and German in the UI, performance optimizations and playback improvement for channels like MLB.tv and GBTV. More interesting however is the prospect of what's to come, as it also note "under the hood" preparations for new channels and features, promising upgrades for the iOS and Android remote apps soon. Like the last upgrade, the new version is getting pushed to Roku 2 and LT boxes now, while new HD boxes should see it next week.

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Roku 2, LT and new HD boxes upgraded for more languages, future remote apps originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku players add Dish international TV channels, become that much more exotic

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Roku has already been turning its players into TV hubs, but it's been focused on US programming -- not so hot if you're an immigrant hoping to catch up on affairs back in the homeland. Dish is aiming to remedy that by offering its Dishworld service as an avenue for the media hub: owners can subscribe to over 50 channels without having to spring for a satellite package. The focus is heaviest on south Asia, with Bangladesh, India and Pakistan getting the most service -- including a few cricket channels for good measure. Arab channels like Al Jazeera and Brazilian channels like TV Globo Internacional join the fray as well. Roku 2 and Roku LT viewers living in the US can already subscribe to Dish's service in tiers that start at $20 a month, though Roku HD owners will have to sit tight until the summer to practice their Hindi.

Continue reading Roku players add Dish international TV channels, become that much more exotic

Roku players add Dish international TV channels, become that much more exotic originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 14:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Roku HD, 2 and LT updated to version 4.7, slew of ‘under the hood’ improvements in tow

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New Roku HD, 2 and LT updated to version 4.7, slew of 'under the hood' improvements in tow

It's been nearly a month since we saw the Roku 2 and LT get hit with some performance-boosting updates, and now the pair's about to be on the receiving end of some additional enhancements. Version 4.7 -- which is also coming to that new Roku HD -- brings with it a slew of improvements, including refined stability for the aforementioned player and a sharpened device discovery method on the company's Android / iOS applications. Inside v4.7, Roku's also added support for channels using Microsoft Smooth Streaming as well as other improvements to help with launch of "several new partner channels" later this year. The refresh is set to arrive automatically over the next 48 hours, though you could always grab it manually by hitting the Software Update menu on your tiny box.

New Roku HD, 2 and LT updated to version 4.7, slew of 'under the hood' improvements in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 03:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku 2 boxes updated for Francophones and English speakers alike

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Roku 2 boxes updated for Francophones and English speakers alike

The latest update for Roku 2 and LT boxes is rolling out to all now, bringing the boxes to v4.6 and reportedly improving system navigation performance "by up to 50 percent". As noticed by Zatz Not Funny when it first started leaking out, this version includes the French language support required by Roku's Canadian launch (that's the channel selection for Canada pictured above) this week, while the official blog notes several other fixes and tweaks that should make launching channels like Netflix and BBC iPlayer a more reliable experience. As usual, it should be pushed to every box over the next couple of days, but you can speed up the process by manually checking for an update. Have an older Roku player? Don't worry, Director of Product Management Tom Markworth closes telling owners to "stay tuned" for future updates coming their way as well.

Roku 2 boxes updated for Francophones and English speakers alike originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 XS launch today in Canada with over 100 channels

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Having already debuted in the UK, Roku is officially undertaking the second stage of its international attack plan by taking on a new region of North America: Canada. Given the box's roots and popularity as a Netflix streamer it's no surprise that the international rollouts just happen to be in English-speaking countries where the service is available, but there's more to be had, since Roku says it's launching with more than 100 channels north of the border. Hardware-wise, Roku is kicking things off with two of its higher-end players in the Roku 2 XS and Roku 2 XD. Both can handle video in resolutions up to 1080p and feature built-in WiFi while the XS throws in a gaming remote plus Ethernet and USB ports just like their US counterparts. The XD and XS can be has for $89.99 ad $109.99 CAD, respectively, either online from the usual sources, while London Drugs and Walmart are expected to offer them at retail by the end of the month. There's a bit more detail on the launch channels in the press release after the break, we'll expect more firsthand impressions from our Canadian friends once the NHL playoffs are over.

Continue reading Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 XS launch today in Canada with over 100 channels

Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 XS launch today in Canada with over 100 channels originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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