Roku 4 box
Calculation 4K Ultra Hd movie and TV show streaming, a world-form selection of streaming apps and services, and a new and improved operating system, the new Roku four set-top media streamer is now available offering a compelling alternative to the smart Television receiver universe.

At $129.99, the Roku 4 is pitted confronting recent introductions including the Amazon Fire TV at $99.99 and Nvidia Shield Android TV at $199.99 (both support 4K streaming) and the latest $35 Chromecast and next-gen. Apple TV (neither of which support 4K Ultra Hard disk drive). Sadly, none of the devices will back up metadata for forthcoming high dynamic range (HDR) content at this time, only then at that place aren't many TVs out there to support it either.

Roku 4 didn't change a lot from the previous $ninety.99 Roku 3 mark 2; everything merely got a piddling amend. Users will find the aforementioned simple, intuitive and make clean user interface, elegant remote command that fits comfortably in the hand, refreshingly quick responsiveness to commands and admission to an available library with thousands of entertainment apps and video games.

What's meliorate about the device, outset and foremost, is 4K Ultra HDTV streaming for those with supporting TVs. Fifty-fifty the menu/interface is sharper. For those without 4K UHD TVs, the Roku 4 will automatically scale downwards images to match the resolution of bottom displays.

Compared with the Roku 3, the new set-top adds a quad-core processor, Wi-Fi 802.11ac with MIMO to go with b/k/due north, HDMI 2.0 port and HDCP two.ii content protection.

The remote continues to offer a headphone jack so one person tin can picket and listen to a program while others in the room sleep, read or whatever else they might want to exercise in silence. Information technology besides adds a built-in mic to have spoken search commands and a new remote finder that lets you trigger an aural warning when the handset goes missing and so you can quickly retrieve it from under the sofa cushion or domestic dog's bed.

More than of our review of the Roku 4 subsequently the jump:

Measuring six.v x 6.five x 0.8 inches, the Roku four is all the same low and flat but has a larger squarish footprint than the Roku 3. Information technology has piano black sides and a matte-black top with rounded corners and edges. Inputs and outputs on the back include a power connector, an HDMI port, an optical audio output, and an Ethernet port. A single USB port is placed on the right side.

The look and feel of the remote hasn't changed much. It measures 5.5 x 1.6 10 one.i inches, has a thick rounded, textured matte-black lesser and is well balanced to fit comfortably in the mitt.

The tiptop of the remote is gloss black and carries a layout of 14 buttons plus a regal up/downwards/left/right cross-shaped arrow central positioned at the top-end center of the remote just beneath the back and dwelling buttons. Dedicated Amazon, Netflix, Rdio, and Sling buttons are centrally located beneath the playback controls and above the sideways positioned A and B buttons that act as gamepad controls along with the arrow keys.

The headphone jack is found on the left side of the remote and allows listening to the Television set book with the set up's speaker automatically muted. Volume tin can be adjusted with high/depression push button controls on the right side of the remote. A pinhole for the born microphone is found on the superlative forepart. Phonation search is activated by pressing a button with a magnifying glass icon before speaking.

In addition to the supplied remote, the Roku 4 can exist controlled using the Roku App on Android and iOS-based smartphones and tablets. The app as well supports voice searches or typing in search commands. The app likewise enables streaming videos, music and photos from the handheld device to the Roku box.

4K Ultra HDTV

Not only will the Roku 4 support 4K Ultra HD, it will support it at upward to 60Hz. App channels offer 4K video playable on the Roku 4 include: Amazon, Netflix, YouTube, Vudu and 1000-GO. Because K-GO supports 4K streaming and downloads, the Roku 4 volition back up 4K downloads stored to an external USB device using the included USB port and Plex app, co-ordinate to a Roku spokesperson, although we were unable to exam this capability for this review.

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Loading and playing dorsum Amazon original series Hand of God, and Mozart In the Jungle via the Amazon Prime Instant Video app was fast and uncomplicated. Playback over my Comcast broadband service flowed unimpeded past buffering, although it was credible that resolution was periodically downscaled at times and digital artifacts were prevalent, specially in motility sequences, suggesting that very fast broadband speeds will be required for optimal 4K playback. Similarly, 4K videos played back on YouTube streamed without hesitation, but pronounced movement artifacts were obvious in some postings including shots of the movement of tree branches and leaves swaying in the breeze. Over again, this can be chalked up to bandwidth issues. Keep in listen that even with perfect streaming conditions the benefits of 4K Ultra Hd resolution will be hard to see, particularly in screen sizes under 70 inches. More discernible results are expected from forthcoming content encoded for a wide color gamut and HDR metadata, although as nosotros pointed out, HDR metadata will not be supported by this particular Roku player.

Meanwhile, Vudu revealed this week that it is supporting 4K movie streaming, exclusively through the Roku iv to start. The 4K Vudu offer launched with 12 movies at prices of $10 for a rental and $25 – $30 for a purchase. Vudu said viewers will require a minimum broadband connection speed of 11Mbps to stream titles labeled "Vudu UHD." Vudu said it plans brand the 4K streaming titles available to other platforms including Vizio'southward 4K TVs shortly, including back up for HDR and Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound for compatible equipment. Vudu UHD titles available now include: San Andreas, Human of Steel, Edge of Tomorrow, The Lego Motion-picture show, Magic Mike XX, Jupiter Ascending, Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Dandy Gatsby, Into the Storm, Focus and Run All Night.

As with previous Roku media adapters, the Roku 4 offers a vast choice of apps that can be selected through a "Roku Channel Shop" app. The store offers a huge array with all of the major apps, including Amazon, Hulu, MLB, Netflix, NFL, Sling, Twitch, Vudu and YouTube, with thousands more offering both broad and special-interest fare in multiple languages.

Roku also offers a wide selection of games, although most are basic smartphone level experiences, lacking the depth and realism of  console-based titles.

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The Roku 4 is also the launch device for the new Roku seven OS, which is rolling out as a firmware update over the coming weeks in earlier Roku device platforms. The latest Bone offers a diverseness of upgrades including a "Hotel and Dorm Connect" feature that enables taking the Roku with you to a hotel room or dorm and connect to any room Wi-Fi network requiring a browser to input username and countersign hallmark. The authentication process is handled past a mobile device through the Roku app.

The new Os also improves the Roku "My Feed" feature that now provides information on any movie, show, or thespian, and alerts you lot if the applicable content becomes available on any of the supported streaming services, except Netflix.

Bottom Line

The Roku 4 maintains the company's reputation for producing excellent media streamers that are easy to employ and provide a wealth of app selections. This iteration adds 4K Ultra HD back up for next-generation TVs.

The Roku 4 improves upon what had been one of the manufacture's best smart Tv set solutions, and although, at $129.99, it's Roku's nearly expensive set-top device, and more than expensive than devices like the latest Fire TV, it'south still one of the all-time bargains in the industry, and one of the only aftermarket options for streaming 4K Ultra Hard disk drive at 60Hz.

Clearly, as 4K Ultra HDTV viewing continues to grow, Tv set makers are going to begin expanding the field of sets with less-expensive models that omit built-in IPTV systems. The Roku 4 becomes the perfect upgrade solution.

Additionally, a number of 4K Ultra HDTVs accept been sold over the past iii years that for i reason or another have less-than-satisfactory smart Television receiver platforms or lack some pop apps. Again, the Roku 4 comes to the rescue.

Set-up for the thespian was smooth, quick and painless. Using the menu is actually a pleasance. One knock on the device is that switching between programs and apps is a slow and requires multiple button process, merely it'southward a heck of a lot faster than switching between Blu-ray Discs.

The lack of back up for HDR content in the Roku 4 is disappointing given that many of the elevation streaming services are gearing upwards to add together HDR content at present, and by this fourth dimension adjacent yr the market will be flooded with HDR-ready 4K Ultra HDTVs at more affordable price points. Roku said it has opted to expect to see where HDR standards settle before calculation the adequacy to its hardware line. I guess we'll have something to expect forward to from a Roku five.

The Roku four is ane of the best options for accessing and viewing cutting-edge over-the-tiptop 4K streaming entertainment available in the market today, and $129.99 is not a huge outlay if you decide to upgrade to an HDR-ready version in a year or 2.

We award the Roku 4 Ultra HD media streamer four.5 out of 5 hearts.4.5 out of 5

Past Greg Tarr

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