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Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: home entertainment

Richard Lawler — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:30:00 EST

In the interest of keeping cool this summer, we've put together a list of the hottest products out right now. From smartphones to e-readers and everything in between, there's no time like the present to re-up that post-spring-cleaning stash. So grab a popsicle or a cold one and dive in -- the water's just right.

Forget heading outside to battle the sun, bugs and whatever other dangers may lurk in the wild -- we'll be inside near the TV. Of course, the summer programming schedule can often leave something to be desired, so we'll have to take that into account in our hardware suggestions going into the break. Also key is access to our preferred programming wherever it might be, broadcast or online. So, which devices are absolute must-have's to keep you chilling where the AC blows through October and beyond? Check past the break to find out.

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Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: home entertainment originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Jon Fingas — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:45:00 EST

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.

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Roku players add Dish international TV channels, become that much more exotic originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 14:45:00 EST. 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

Edgar Alvarez — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:59:00 EST

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 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Refreshed Roku HD spotted in stores, drops the 2 but adds some purple flair

Richard Lawler — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:32:00 EST

That purple-striped Roku HD seen skulking about the FCC last month has now been observed in the wild by our friend Dave Zatz. It's apparently on shelves now, with all the features of the box recently introduced as the Roku 2 HD, but without the 2. As he muses, Roku may be taking a "new iPad" style naming approach to its hardware going forward, a theory supported by the support site listing where it's already elbowed out the old Roku 2 HD. As far as differences, it's mostly the same with the exception of full size composite outputs around that should make it more friendly to HD-less environments, while the Bluetooth (for the optional gaming remote) and microSD slot options have been eliminated. We've heard from Roku that this refreshed model has a slightly larger footprint due to those composite jacks, but will stay at the same price of $59.99.

Refreshed Roku HD spotted in stores, drops the 2 but adds some purple flair originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku celebrates 100 channels in the UK and Ireland, says more are on the way

Edgar Alvarez — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:39:00 EST

Hitting any milestones or goals are usually worthy of a celebration, and on this occasion it's Roku's turn to party on. The LT, HD, XD and XS creator is flaunting the reach of 100 channels in its UK and Irish boxes, adding over 60 since its launch date back in January. The outfit isn't planning on slowing down anytime soon, though, saying more channels are expected in the upcoming months and that it aims to bring the one-channel-per-day model to streamers across the pond. Congrats, Roku, congrats.

Continue reading Roku celebrates 100 channels in the UK and Ireland, says more are on the way

Roku celebrates 100 channels in the UK and Ireland, says more are on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Roku HD shows up at the FCC, looks like a fusion of current boxes

Edgar Alvarez — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:56:00 EST

If a recent FCC pit stop is to be believed (and it should), Roku's next-gen HD box may very well be on its way. Physically, the miniature device keeps the same form factor as its siblings save for the purple splash on its base -- much like a color-flipped LT. Still, the main highlight isn't its minimal makeover, but instead the resurgence of full-sized composite outputs, which had been absent since the first HD-flavored Roku. Furthermore, FCC docs reveal a Broadcom BCM7208 CPU alongside 2GB of flash memory in the box's innards, while it lacks the microSD slot found in the current model. More info is sure to spill over the next few days; in the meantime, give the source link below a click to check out the rest of the Federal treatment.

New Roku HD shows up at the FCC, looks like a fusion of current boxes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plex Media Server launches client for Roku

Michael Gorman — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:01:00 EST

Plex has been serving up streaming video for more than a minute, bringing content to Macs, iDevices, and even jailbroken Apple TVs (not to mention apps for all sizes of Android). For those who are neither Apple aficionados nor dedicated 'droid users, the company has rolled out a client that runs on Rokus. It's currently in beta and only supports video, but Plex plans to provide picture and music management in the future. Plex's XBMC secret sauce paired with Roku's ample streaming content buffet? Sounds delicious.

[Thanks, James]

Plex Media Server launches client for Roku originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple TV vs Roku HD... fight!

Nilay Patel — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EST

Two tiny black 720p boxes, two interesting choices. The $59 Roku HD will put Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand and Roku's 75 other content channels on your TV quickly and easily, while the $99 Apple TV offers up iTunes rentals, Netflix, and eventually AirPlay streaming from your iPad or iPhone. (You could step up to the Roku XDS with 1080p support for $99, but we don't think the extra money will be really worth it until the USB playback channel is released and / or there's more useful 1080p content available.) It's a tough decision, so check out our Apple TV review, our Roku XDS review, and our in-depth comparison chart to just try to make up your mind. Then again, you could grab 'em both and still not break the bank.

Gallery: Apple TV vs Roku HD... fight!

Apple TV vs Roku HD... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku launches revamped HD, XD, and XDS players, starting at $59

Nilay Patel — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST

We've been wondering what Roku had up its sleeve after the FCC leaked the Roku XD and XDS following Apple's $99 Apple TV announcement, and it looks like those earlier price cuts were just the beginning: the new Roku lineup starts at just $59 for the basic WiFi HD streamer with HDMI and composite outputs. That's basically impulse-purchase territory if you're looking for a quick way to get Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand or one of Roku's 75 other channels on your TV. The $79 Roku XD adds in 1080p streaming support for channels with 1080p content, and the top-of-the-line $99 XDS adds in a USB port for future local playback support, component video and optical audio out, and dual-band 802.11n WiFi. All three boxes share the same new slimmer case, while the XD and XDS get a new sleeker remote with new instant-replay and info buttons. Definitely an intriguing set of upgrades -- we've been playing with the XDS for a few days, so go check out our full review!

Continue reading Roku launches revamped HD, XD, and XDS players, starting at $59

Roku launches revamped HD, XD, and XDS players, starting at $59 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku XDS review

Nilay Patel — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST

It's an interesting time for Roku -- the upstart device company has owned the cheap'n'easy Netflix streaming market since the beginning, and its platform has been getting more and more flexible over time, adding various channels like Amazon Video on Demand, MLB.tv, UFC, and others. But cheap and simple aren't necessarily good enough anymore, not with the new $99 Apple TV set to launch in just a few weeks -- and while Roku already took the preemptive step of slashing prices across the board, it's following up with some promising new hardware and features. The new Roku HD offers basic 720p streaming capabilities for just $59, the new Roku XD adds 1080p streaming support for $79, and $99 Roku XDS -- which we tested -- offers 1080p support, a USB port for local media, optical and component outputs, and dual-band WiFi. Apart from the new case, the HD and XD are extremely similar to Roku's previous offerings, but the XDS is immediately interesting -- it offers a number of features absent on Apple's offering. So does the newest flagship Roku have what it takes to remain our favorite inexpensive streamer? Read on to find out!

Gallery: Roku XDS review

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Roku XDS review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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