Rather than upgrading an older TV set to a smart TV, many people take the budget-friendly route and purchase a Roku instead. What is Roku, you ask? As a streaming media player, Roku allows you to access plenty of different channels and streaming services, but that isn’t all.
We can help clear up some of the confusion as well as clarify what makes Roku stand out against similar brands and products.
Roku is a company that makes a family of media-streaming devices that all run the Roku software (the latest version is Roku OS 9.2). The name means “six” in Japanese because Roku is the sixth company launched by its founder, Anthony Wood. The company launched its first product — the Roku DVP — in 2008 and has been releasing new versions of its hardware and software on a regular basis ever since.
Unlike home theater PCs, game consoles, or other internet-connected devices, Roku streaming media players have always focused on providing a dead-simple way to access streaming video and audio content on a TV. Whether it’s Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, or hundreds of other services, a Roku device lets you watch them all — plus a huge variety of specialized “channels” that stream everything else from the spiritual to the strange.
Is it a device or is it software?
Roku Ultra 2019
It’s both! Roku sells its own hardware — the Roku players — that run from $30 on the low-end (Roku Express) to $100 on the high-end (Roku Ultra) with several models in between, including stick-style players that plug directly into your TV. These players can be used on any TV with an HDMI connection, but they’re especially handy for folks who don’t own a smart TV with its own internet connection. Each player comes with a Roku remote, a simple, easy-to-use device that lets you navigate the Roku on-screen menus and control the playback of streaming media.
The Roku OS has been built-in to budget-friendly “smart” soundbars from Roku and Onn. (Walmart’s exclusive brand) which combines a Roku player and a soundbar into one convenient package. These smart soundbars can be expanded into full wireless surround systems thanks to Roku’s wireless speakers and subwoofers.
Roku also licenses its Roku OS (which it uses on its players) to third-parties including TV manufacturers like TCL, RCA, Toshiba, and Hisense. These Roku-powered TVs are known as Roku TVs, and depending on the model, they pack the entire Roku experience, plus control over the TV’s dedicated functions like volume, channels, and inputs into Roku’s simple interface. For a lot of folks, that’s a big reason to buy a Roku TV. Another reason to buy a dedicated Roku TV? Many of these models support Dolby Vision, a format of high dynamic range (HDR) video that looks better than standard HDR10. That’s important because to-date, no standalone Roku devices offer Dolby Vision.
Do I have to pay a subscription?
No. There is no subscription fee required to use any of Roku’s features, regardless if you buy a Roku player, Roku TV or Roku Soundbar. However, Roku lets you access plenty of streaming services that do require a subscription. Netflix, HBO Now, and Hulu are all popular examples of subscription-based content. You’ll also find it’s possible to access movie rental or purchase services, and these too require some form of payment.
Alongside the paid-content options are tons of completely free sources of content, plus most Roku devices let you access your personal collection of movies, TV shows, photos, and music. Some Roku players, like the Ultra, provide a dedicated USB port so you can plug in an external hard drive and play files directly.
How does it work?
Whether you buy a Roku player, Roku TV, or a Roku-enabled soundbar, the experience will be very similar. All Roku devices need an internet connection. Some devices give you the option of using an Ethernet cable for a hard-wired connection to your modem/router, but all of them will work with Wi-Fi too. Once you get your device set up, including the creation of a free Roku account, you can start using it right away.
The first thing you’ll see after your initial setup is the Roku home screen. This includes a main menu on the left, and a series of large graphic rectangles on the right laid out in an easy-to-read grid pattern. These rectangles, which will include items like Netflix, YouTube, The Roku Channel, and others are known as “channels.” Channels behave just like apps on your smartphone — in fact, they are apps but because Roku is so TV-centric, it calls them channels because you watch them.
To watch a channel, simply use the included remote and navigate to the one you want and press “OK.” The channel will launch, and if it’s a channel that requires a subscription (like Netflix) you’ll be asked to sign in or create a new account. This process usually requires a second device like a smartphone, tablet or PC with a browser, but you only need to do it once.
When you want to watch another channel or get back to the home screen at any time, press the home button on the remote. Selecting and launching channels is the essence of Roku, but there’s way more you can do on a Roku device.
Adding channels
The ability to add new channels to your Roku home screen is one of the biggest reasons for the platform’s popularity. Roku’s channel store has thousands of them, ranging from daily essentials like CBS News and Spotify to TV shows from across the pond (Acorn TV) to the deeply obscure Light Saber Network. You’ll also find handy utilities like Plex which lets you stream from your personal media library, games, and channels that let you keep an eye on your security cameras.
Adding channels can be done using your Roku remote by surfing through the Streaming Channels menu item, or you can do it on the web using a browser. Roku’s mobile app (more on this below) is another way to find and add channels. You can search for channels by name or description, or use the many helpful categories like Games, Movies & TV, Comedy, etc.
We can help clear up some of the confusion as well as clarify what makes Roku stand out against similar brands and products.
What is Roku?
Roku is a company that makes a family of media-streaming devices that all run the Roku software (the latest version is Roku OS 9.2). The name means “six” in Japanese because Roku is the sixth company launched by its founder, Anthony Wood. The company launched its first product — the Roku DVP — in 2008 and has been releasing new versions of its hardware and software on a regular basis ever since.
Unlike home theater PCs, game consoles, or other internet-connected devices, Roku streaming media players have always focused on providing a dead-simple way to access streaming video and audio content on a TV. Whether it’s Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, or hundreds of other services, a Roku device lets you watch them all — plus a huge variety of specialized “channels” that stream everything else from the spiritual to the strange.
Is it a device or is it software?
Roku Ultra 2019
It’s both! Roku sells its own hardware — the Roku players — that run from $30 on the low-end (Roku Express) to $100 on the high-end (Roku Ultra) with several models in between, including stick-style players that plug directly into your TV. These players can be used on any TV with an HDMI connection, but they’re especially handy for folks who don’t own a smart TV with its own internet connection. Each player comes with a Roku remote, a simple, easy-to-use device that lets you navigate the Roku on-screen menus and control the playback of streaming media.
The Roku OS has been built-in to budget-friendly “smart” soundbars from Roku and Onn. (Walmart’s exclusive brand) which combines a Roku player and a soundbar into one convenient package. These smart soundbars can be expanded into full wireless surround systems thanks to Roku’s wireless speakers and subwoofers.
Roku also licenses its Roku OS (which it uses on its players) to third-parties including TV manufacturers like TCL, RCA, Toshiba, and Hisense. These Roku-powered TVs are known as Roku TVs, and depending on the model, they pack the entire Roku experience, plus control over the TV’s dedicated functions like volume, channels, and inputs into Roku’s simple interface. For a lot of folks, that’s a big reason to buy a Roku TV. Another reason to buy a dedicated Roku TV? Many of these models support Dolby Vision, a format of high dynamic range (HDR) video that looks better than standard HDR10. That’s important because to-date, no standalone Roku devices offer Dolby Vision.
Do I have to pay a subscription?
No. There is no subscription fee required to use any of Roku’s features, regardless if you buy a Roku player, Roku TV or Roku Soundbar. However, Roku lets you access plenty of streaming services that do require a subscription. Netflix, HBO Now, and Hulu are all popular examples of subscription-based content. You’ll also find it’s possible to access movie rental or purchase services, and these too require some form of payment.
Alongside the paid-content options are tons of completely free sources of content, plus most Roku devices let you access your personal collection of movies, TV shows, photos, and music. Some Roku players, like the Ultra, provide a dedicated USB port so you can plug in an external hard drive and play files directly.
How does it work?
Whether you buy a Roku player, Roku TV, or a Roku-enabled soundbar, the experience will be very similar. All Roku devices need an internet connection. Some devices give you the option of using an Ethernet cable for a hard-wired connection to your modem/router, but all of them will work with Wi-Fi too. Once you get your device set up, including the creation of a free Roku account, you can start using it right away.
The first thing you’ll see after your initial setup is the Roku home screen. This includes a main menu on the left, and a series of large graphic rectangles on the right laid out in an easy-to-read grid pattern. These rectangles, which will include items like Netflix, YouTube, The Roku Channel, and others are known as “channels.” Channels behave just like apps on your smartphone — in fact, they are apps but because Roku is so TV-centric, it calls them channels because you watch them.
To watch a channel, simply use the included remote and navigate to the one you want and press “OK.” The channel will launch, and if it’s a channel that requires a subscription (like Netflix) you’ll be asked to sign in or create a new account. This process usually requires a second device like a smartphone, tablet or PC with a browser, but you only need to do it once.
When you want to watch another channel or get back to the home screen at any time, press the home button on the remote. Selecting and launching channels is the essence of Roku, but there’s way more you can do on a Roku device.
Adding channels
The ability to add new channels to your Roku home screen is one of the biggest reasons for the platform’s popularity. Roku’s channel store has thousands of them, ranging from daily essentials like CBS News and Spotify to TV shows from across the pond (Acorn TV) to the deeply obscure Light Saber Network. You’ll also find handy utilities like Plex which lets you stream from your personal media library, games, and channels that let you keep an eye on your security cameras.
Adding channels can be done using your Roku remote by surfing through the Streaming Channels menu item, or you can do it on the web using a browser. Roku’s mobile app (more on this below) is another way to find and add channels. You can search for channels by name or description, or use the many helpful categories like Games, Movies & TV, Comedy, etc.
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