New Roku Players Hitting the UK 18th October 2017

[schnapps]

According to this Engadget article, Roku will be officially offering to us in the UK two new players from the 18th of October 2017

There will be the Roku Streaming Stick + with 4K & HDR at RRP of £80, together with the Roku Express for a RRP of £30 

Not sure how accurate the article is, if so i might be purchasing a Roku Streaming Stick + to replace my ageing Roku stick 

https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/11/roku-uk-4k-streaming-stick/

[ukbobboy]

@chilli2 @schnapps @Andy @caseyb1993 @commanda6

Hi Chilli

I'm guessing that this new Roku device will never see the light of day in the UK, nor likely to be released in the US either.

This seems to be aimed, another guess, at the central and south American markets.

UK Bob

[schnapps]

Hi Everybody,

Managed to pick up a Roku Express from my local Tesco Superstore 

According to their online website local store checker in my area they had plenty of stock 

Popped into the store and they was none on the shelf, asked one of the guys in the Electrical Dept where he said that he has never heard of them (typical) asked him to check the computer and there was no Roku products listed

Starting to get frustrating now, where i asked him to go into the back warehouse to double check which he reluctantly did and with a big grin on my face he came back with a new Roku Express and also mentioned that there was a couple in stock in the back warehouse 

With the Tesco price of £29 (99p below SRP) and my Tesco coupon and clubcard vouchers the Roku Express only cost me a bargain price of £14 

[schnapps]

Hi Everybody,

Did try to post twice my initial thoughts on the new Roku Express player where each time i got the dreaded Authentication Errors where i lost my detailed post and just gave up in the end

So quickly here's my first impressions

Supper fast navigating around the Roku OS 8 UI and loading Apps.

The IR Remote controller is super responsive with a wide and long range (pointed the remote in the opposite direction and it still worked).

WiFi reception seems excellent in my setup (need more testing).

Netflix, Amazon and Now TV picture quality looks excellent and pin sharp on my TV.

BBC IPlayer works fine, haven't tested the other catch up Apps yet.

No 5ghz WiFi option which the older Roku stick had.

60fps video output which hopefully will be fixed with a firmware update (similar to NowTV boxes had fingers crossed).

Amazon Video UI needs a refresh still looks like the old Roku stick.

If you have an old Roku stick, then this player is without a shadow of a doubt a massive improvement  

[commanda6]

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@schnapps wrote:

Hi Everybody,

60fps video output which hopefully will be fixed with a firmware update (similar to NowTV boxes had fingers crossed).

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Hold your horses @schnapps

It could well be that nothing needs to change because  apparently the Roku two 2015 and Roku three as of software version 7.5 were updated to dynamically switch between 50 and 60 Hz output depending on what is needed but depending on how this is done, your TV may not tell you that this is happening. But given that you said that the picture is pin sharp on NowTV that would suggest it is happening. In effect, what I believe the dynamic  switching means is that instead of trying to convert said content to 60 Hz. The box just plays it is. Whereas NowTV hardware is a bit different. It is now fixed at 50 Hz through software/firmware.

I have highly doubt Roku would have removed to this functionality on the new hardware so it could well be the case that nothing needs to happen, but as ever it will be quite difficult to get a straight answer out of Roku

[schnapps]

Hi @commanda6

It's looks to me that it's fixed at 60fps and not doing any type of dynamic switching of the fps.

I did send Roku two separate emails about the native fps on the new Roku UK players and they didn't have the courtesy to reply back to me.

The reason why i believe it's fixed at 60fps is that for example when you watch the BBC IPlayer App News feed on the Roku Express the news ticker information bar is stuttering really badly (like when the NowTV boxes was originally set at 60fps).

Where if you watch the BBC IPlayer App on the NowTV box now set at 50fps the News ticker information bar is silky smooth with no judder.  

[commanda6]

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@schnapps wrote:

Hi @commanda6

It's looks to me that it's fixed at 60fps and not doing any type of dynamic switching of the fps.

I did send Roku two separate emails about the native fps on the new Roku UK players and they didn't have the courtesy to reply back to me.

The reason why i believe it's fixed at 60fps is that for example when you watch the BBC IPlayer App News feed on the Roku Express the news ticker information bar is stuttering really badly (like when the NowTV boxes was originally set at 60fps).

Where if you watch the BBC IPlayer App on the NowTV box now set at 50fps the News ticker information bar is silky smooth with no judder.  

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@schnapps , then it may well be fixed at 60 Hz, then based on what you said about the BBC stuff I don't really understand why Roku would have removed the dynamic switching functionality, though.

[chilli2]

FRom what i can gather, in some of the Roku devices running Roku OS8 you can change the fps in the settings manualy, however i dont think this is available on the express models, only the stick, stick+ and ultra

[schnapps]

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@chilli2 wrote:

FRom what i can gather, in some of the Roku devices running Roku OS8 you can change the fps in the settings manualy, however i dont think this is available on the express models, only the stick, stick+ and ultra

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Hi @commanda6

Here's an excuse to open up your Roku Streaming Stick + before Christmas, just tell your family members it's for the benefit and good of the NowTV Forum Community 

[commanda6]

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@schnapps wrote:

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@chilli2 wrote:

FRom what i can gather, in some of the Roku devices running Roku OS8 you can change the fps in the settings manualy, however i dont think this is available on the express models, only the stick, stick+ and ultra

---

Hi @commanda6

Here's an excuse to open up your Roku Streaming Stick + before Christmas, just tell your family members it's for the benefit and good of the NowTV Forum Community 

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it's been hidden @schnapps I don't know where it is 

[schnapps]

@commanda6

Yeah my Panasonic TV shows the true video input fps when pressing the info button on the TV remote controller 

[commanda6]

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@chilli2 wrote:

FRom what i can gather, in some of the Roku devices running Roku OS8 you can change the fps in the settings manualy, however i dont think this is available on the express models, only the stick, stick+ and ultra

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thanks for the heads up @chilli2

@schnapps I know you just posted again because a real-time notification popped up in the corner. 

I'm not sure I'll be able to check whether it is dynamically switching because LG TVs with webOS 3 or above don't show you whether you're getting 50 or 60 Hz output , and as I said above, depending on how the dynamic switching is done, your TV might tell you that it's happening in the first place. If @chilli2 is correct, you might have been better off with a streaming stick plus

[Edd18]

Hi, I have the streaming stick+ and there is an advanced display settings option in the system menu that allows you to enable Auti-adjust display refresh rate. When this is enable the output is set to the content’s native format. This results in Amazon movies playing at 24fps and iPlayer playing at 25fps. I can’t try Now TV at the moment as I have already made my one change for this month.

[commanda6]

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@Edd18 wrote:

Hi, I have the streaming stick+ and there is an advanced display settings option in the system menu that allows you to enable Auti-adjust display refresh rate. When this is enable the output is set to the content’s native format. This results in Amazon movies playing at 24fps and iPlayer playing at 25fps. I can’t try Now TV at the moment as I have already made my one change for this month.

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@Edd18 from Wednesday you should be able to swap out a device but if you pop on to live chat and ask NowTV for a device swap they would probably give you one because they probably know that new Roku hardware has come out and I know that quite a lot of people use Roku kit to watch NowTV . It's worth a try

[schnapps]

Hi @Edd18

How are you finding the Roku Streaming Stick + ?

Whats the new WiFi antenna performance like, have you used any older Roku players in the past, have you tried any 4K HDR content yet ?

Hopefully your early impressions on the Roku player won't spoil @commanda6  Christmas 

[Edd18]

Hi, Hard to comment on WiFi performance as I’ve never had any problems with other devices. My only other experience with roku is a Now TV black box and the new stick is much faster when navigating the menus. I don’t currently have a 4K TV but I’m very pleased with the HD picture.

[schnapps]

Hi @commanda6

Perhaps when you open you Roku Streaming Stick + sometime over Christmas you can double check if your player is doing the same or is dynamically changing the frame rate like you mentioned on the older Roku players and report back here of your findings.

To be honest on my Projector i only watch movies and entertainment tv shows and the 60fps doesn't bother me.

I don't watch sports or any news with the moving ticker information bar on my projector so i am happy with my Roku purchase  

It would have been nice if Roku provided the information to customers where on the specification data sheets all they say is video up to 60fps 

I am still annoyed they haven't replied to my email questions (one of my pet hates in life is when people don't reply to a question asked).

[chilli2]

wouldn't be surprised if it pops up as a now tv stick though.

[caseyb1993]

I got mine!! 

This one is so much better! My FunimationNow works on this one so I am very happy happy happy. 🙂

I have just now had an email from tesco to say it is back in stock on direct. Seriously????

[schnapps]

Hi Everybody,

Been doing some further testing tonight on my Roku Express player and here are more findings that i have noticed from my device.

Moved the Roku Express into my Home Cinema room at the rear of the house and found the WiFi signal reception excellent according to the network settings info on the player, had my old Roku stick setup also next to the Roku Express and found the old Roku stick WiFi signal to be showing Good reception in the menu settings.

On the Roku Express network wireless information menu it showed my download and upload internet speeds that the player was reading where my old Roku stick didn't offer this useful bit of information. 

The Roku Express infra red responsiveness is excellent where i was sitting about 4m away from the device and even pointing the remote controller in the opposite direction where it still worked perfectly fine.

Also when watching a movie in the dark, i really liked the larger play / pause button on the RC which i found easier to locate when fumbling with the remote.

According to the wireless network information on the Roku Express i was getting 30 Mbps download and 10 Mbps uploaded in my Home Cinema Room.

Now i have encountered a problem with the Netflix App on the Roku Express where it streams HD fine for 10 to 15 minutes then the picture goes pixilated worse then SD quality, where the Amazon Video and NowTV App picture quality is rock solid and stable outputting it's highest HD quality from the streams. 

I have double checked the old Roku stick and that played the Netflix App perfectly fine in HD quality even though the WiFi signal seems not so good compared to the Roku Express.

Tried all the normal stuff to improve the Netflix App on the Roku Express without any success.

Wondering if anybody else with the Roku Express is encountering any picture quality issues with the Netflix App ?

At the moment apart from the Netflix App losing the HD picture quality, i am overall extremely happy with the Roku Express player which IMO is a big improvement over my old Roku stick.

[schnapps]

Should have said that the Netflix App plays HD fine for 10 to 15 minutes, then the picture quality drops off below SD where the picture looks like macro blocking for a minute, then the picture ramps back up to HD quality for say another 10 to 15 minutes, then the picture drops back to SD macro blocking once again for a minute where the cycle keeps continuing.

Tried three movies on Netflix all with the same above results.

Also tried the Netflix App on My Panasonic smart TV and my Fire TV box and they both play HD fine watching back the same films.

[caseyb1993]

Hi @schnapps. 

Picture quality seems fine on Netflix to me. It took about 30 seconds at the start of my show to come clear but after that it seems fine to me.